When a storm is the norm

THE latest storm to reach our shores was spotted as far back as last Sunday as a relatively minor feature of the weather map …

THE latest storm to reach our shores was spotted as far back as last Sunday as a relatively minor feature of the weather map on the far side of the Atlantic. All the computer models indicated that it would move steadily eastwards in the direction of Ireland, becoming more and more vigorous as the pressure at the centre of the vortex dropped. And so it did. By yesterday morning its central pressure was about 965 hectopascals, and the depression lay just off the north west coast of Ireland. The gales associated with it had begun.

February 9th, however, has been an ill fated day before. Eight years ago to the very day, on February 9th, 1988, an even more violent storm visited our shores, and caused widespread damage and several deaths. Another reminder of severe weather on this date can be found on the East Pier at Dun Laoghaire, where a memorial tells us of a tragedy that occurred exactly 135 years ago on February 9th, 1861, six men from Ajax perished in a gallant effort to save the crew of Neptune, another ship that ultimately sank with the loss of all on board.

Yet another example of mid February's ire occurred on St Valentine's Day, 1853, when the sailing ship Victoria was wrecked near Howth Head during a violent blizzard and 55 passengers and crew were drowned. And none of these storms was on a par with that of the night of February 26th/ 27th, 1903, perhaps the most severe in Irish history, when 4,000 trees were uprooted on an estate near Kilkenny, 2,000 - in Birr, and a similar number of valuable elms were laid low - in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.

As one might infer from these tales of woe and tragedy, a vigorous storm or two is the norm rather than the exception at this time of year. The atmosphere in the northern hemisphere is at its most energetic around now, because the temperature contrast between, the equator and the poles is greatest. The interaction between the very cold air to the north and the warmer air further south provides the stimulus for the development of deep depressions which sweep across the Atlantic and now and then wreak havoc on our shores.

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Deep lows in the North Atlantic really only become noteworthy as far as we in these islands are concerned if they pass close enough for their strong winds to interfere with us. Their preferred path varies with the seasons, but in late wintertime if lies very close to Ireland - another reason why February storms are not a rarity.