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People walking in heavy snow in the Phoenix Park during the 2010 Big Freeze Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland
Snow
Dreams of a white Christmas dashed, with scattered showers and sunny spells in store
Met Éireann forecasts a mix of scatter showers and sunny spells for Christmas Day.
12.14pm, 19 Dec 2023
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A WHITE CHRISTMAS isn’t on the cards this year, with Met Éireann instead forecasting a day of scattered showers with sunny spells.
A white Christmas occurs when there is lying snow at 9am on 25 December at one of the main primary stations.
It has always been a rare occurrence in Ireland and is becoming rarer still due to climate change – the average December day now has a mean temperature of around seven degrees.
During the Big Freeze of 2010, the highest total of lying snow in Ireland on Christmas Day was recorded – 27 centimetres at Casement Aerodrome.
A Met Éireann spokesperson told The Journal that “while there remains some uncertainty in the forecast”, it looks likely that Christmas Day “will bring a mix of scattered showers and sunny spells”.
There is also a chance of longer spells of rain in some northern and western parts.
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And while there will be a brief cooler spell on Christmas Day, it won’t bring any snow.
The Met Éireann spokesperson said: “The models are currently trending towards a brief cooler spell on Christmas Day after a relatively mild few days this week.
“However, temperatures will not be cold enough to bring any wintry precipitation.”
While Ireland does get occasional cold snaps, environmental journalist John Gibbons told The Journal that the “general climatic shift in Ireland is that we’re moving towards drier, warmer summers, and wetter, milder winters”.
He noted that the “amount of rainfall in Ireland in the last couple of decades has increased by 7%”.
“It’s a huge change and one of the reasons we’re seeing more and more flooding events,” said Gibbons.
“With every additional degree of global warming, we get an extra 7% precipitation in the atmosphere.
“Assuming global warming continues on its current path, it’s going to get an awful lot wetter in Ireland.
“I think it’s far more likely that we’ll have sodden Christmases rather than white Christmases.”
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So if it doesn’t snow on a certain date at a certain time it’s because of climate change, I know met eireann didn’t say that nonsense. Idi ot journalists.
Blame it on Dickens! Between 1815 abd 1825 there were about 6 ‘Whute Christmases’ in London. Dickens reflected his childhood experiences in his novels, and literally ‘invented’ the so-called ‘traditional’ Christmas beloved by many. Turkey, Pudding, Snow, Carols, all featured strongly and still do. Though white Christmases are an actual rarity the scenes on Chrustmas cards would have you believe otherwise! All thanks to Dickens.
@Pato:
Cheer up Cracker….you and the scooter looters can always cheer yourselves up with some supremely white ‘Aryan’ chavwear, some fire accelerant cara matches and the piece de résistance, some>50% ‘pure’ rat poison infused gak/crack for that proper 12 /10 skanger’s shite Crim-bo!! Keep her/him/it lit….while yee can yet! ;@}
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