Big freeze comparisons premature, says Met Éireann

RECORDS:RECORD LOW temperatures were set in recent days but previous big freezes were of a much longer duration, and it is too early for comparisons, according to Met Éireann.

The current cold snap did create a record December low for air temperature, a figure of minus 16.4 degrees recorded at Mount Juliet, Co Kilkenny, on December 3rd.

At Casement Aerodrome in Dublin, temperatures dropped to minus 9.1 degrees on November 27th; the previous November low was minus 6.7 recorded on November 10th, 1964.

Despite the lows, however, Gerald Fleming of Met Éireann said placing the current cold spell in the context of previous big freezes is difficult.

This is because the current cold spell has lasted just 12 days, while the big freeze in 1962-63 lasted nine weeks. The cold spell of 1947 lasted seven weeks while the cold spell of 1981-82, in which a number of records were set, lasted about four weeks.

To accurately place the cold spell in context, climatologists will have to wait until winter has ended.

That said, the Met office has noted a number of records were set across the country so far this winter. These include:

DUBLIN AIRPORT

Normally one of the warmer spots in the country, temperatures hit a record low of minus 8.4 degrees on Sunday, November 28th. The previous November record was minus 3.6 on November 17th, 1947.

CLAREMORRIS, CO MAYO

Saturday, November 27th, matched a record set on November 25th, 1952, when temperatures of minus 6.3 degrees were recorded.

CORK AIRPORT

Temperatures on Sunday, November 28th, equalled the previous November low of minus 3.3 degrees, recorded on November 22nd, 1988.

SNOWFALLS

The largest snowfall ever recorded was 45cm at Casement Aerodrome on the night of December 31st, 1962.

AIR TEMPERATURE

The lowest air temperature was minus 19.1 degrees, at Markree Castle, Co Sligo, on January 16th, 1881, while the lowest observed 20th-century air temperature was minus 18.8, at Lullymore, Co Kildare, on January 2nd, 1979.

Prof John Sweeney of NUI Maynooth has said the cold spell is a result of “blockages” to the west-to-east airflow of the jetstream. Prof Sweeney said the blockages were also linked to recent flooding in Pakistan and the Russian heatwave.

He said there had been a rise in the number of times the jet stream was blocked in recent times. The results were similar to snippets of the “Little Ice Age” of the 19th century, he said.