Skip to content
Support Us

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Shutterstock

Feeling gloomy? There have been 0.0 hours of sunshine in Dublin over the past nine days

Data from Met Éireann show that the Dublin Airport weather station has gone nine consecutive days without recording any sunshine.

FEELING GLOOMY? DON’T worry it’s not just you, there has been very little sunshine breaking through the wall of cloud hanging over Ireland over the past week or so, especially in Dublin, which has had none.

If you’re living in Dublin (or indeed much of the country, particularly the east) you’ll surely have noticed that consistent block of grey sitting above your head.

The weather service’s Agricultural Data Report for the past seven days shows that the Dublin Airport weather monitoring station has had 0.0 hours of sunshine, which is far below normal levels. The weather station has also recorded 32% more rain than is normal. So it has been a grim month all round.

(Other weather stations in the capital may have seen some sunshine, but Dublin Airport is the only one that records it in the county.)

According to weather photographer Sryan Bruen, Dublin Airport has only ever recorded nine consecutive days without sunshine three times since records began.

Other stations in the east and south east of the country have also recorded very little sunshine. Johnstown Castle in Co Wexford got just 0.2 hours in the last seven days.

However, the weather is a lot brighter in the west (for once, says you) with Belmullet in Mayo getting 14.2 hours of sunshine over the last seven days, 87% the normal rate.

The same is true for the south west. Sure, just look at the image below from west Kerry last Friday!

The reason for the gloom

So what’s the reason for all this grey, and will it ever end, you ask? 

According to Matthew Martin, a meteorologist with Met Éireann, an easterly air flow has been moving over the country over the last week or so, which is to blame for the build up of cloud.

The cloud builds up on the Irish sea and then moves in over the country, with the east getting the worst of it.

“Basically over the last week we’ve had an easterly air flow moving over the country,” he said.

“A lot of cloud built up over the Irish sea and brought gloomy and cloudy conditions.”

According to Alan O’Reilly from the Carlow Weather social media account, “the weather patterns have left us under cloud”.

“It’s not that unusual to get under cloud but the fact it’s constant is unusual,” he said.

There are different weather patterns currently in place over the country, which has resulted in areas of high pressure in the north east and low pressure to the west. This means that the east in particular is getting trapped under the “outer cloud” of the high pressure system. This, coupled with the easterly air flow, has meant consistently grey days.

So, will the east of the country ever see sunshine again?

“We’re kind of changing the air flow, to a south or south west flow so it’s going to be cloudy and there will be rain at times,” Martin said of the coming days.

He said the weather will “remain unsettled” but there will be more “fresh bright and breezy weather” later in the week.

O’Reilly said there is some unsettled stormy weather to come in the next few days, but “Saturday looks like we might see some good sunny spells for many areas”.

According to the latest forecast, cloudy, windy wet weather will be in place for most of the week, but sunnier spells should start to break through by Thursday or Friday.

So it will get worse before it gets better. But hold tight. The sun will shine again.  

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
37 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Cian Rynne
    Favourite Cian Rynne
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 4:16 PM

    It’s a job in which fitness is crucial to their ability to perform the job and so yea there should be a huge emphasis on actually having a workforce capable of carrying out their job.

    If you ask me fitness tests should also be a part of regular office jobs too, we should live in a world where it isn’t such a horrible thing to be encouraged to be as healthy as possible.

    203
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Fitzgerald
    Favourite David Fitzgerald
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 4:31 PM

    Proper order

    71
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute The Throwaway
    Favourite The Throwaway
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 3:32 PM

    Sure all the Police Chief has to worry about is making sure he fits behind his desk. When was the last time a chief led from the front and ran anywhere?

    63
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Deco James Connolly
    Favourite Deco James Connolly
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 3:47 PM

    Apparently you didn’t read the article ?

    95
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute the phantom
    Favourite the phantom
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 3:52 PM

    Yeah I think that the Chiefs point! Even he could pass it

    57
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Colm O'Connor
    Favourite Colm O'Connor
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 5:29 PM

    I wonder what percentage of Journal commentators would pass. .

    59
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Randle P McMurphy
    Favourite Randle P McMurphy
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 4:31 PM

    Saw 3 undercover chappies running after a lad down the quays in Dublin last year…needless to say, he was able to literally walk away after 300 yards of chasing as our Finest were doubled over, breathless and verging on collapse…funny to watch, awful to contemplate as our alleged protectors!!!

    56
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute jason bourne
    Favourite jason bourne
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 5:47 PM

    I’d say that’s a lie

    70
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Randle P McMurphy
    Favourite Randle P McMurphy
    Report
    Jun 3rd 2015, 9:11 AM

    Nope…have it on video actually Jayo:-). 3rd Dec 2014 @ 15.38 to 15.41…Look at it when I need a laugh…

    3
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joe Conway
    Favourite Joe Conway
    Report
    Jun 3rd 2015, 3:03 PM

    What an interning life you must lead Randle!

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ronan Sexton
    Favourite Ronan Sexton
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 4:56 PM

    The unions here will have to draft up a Waddling Road agreement.

    48
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gerry Ross
    Favourite Gerry Ross
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 3:14 PM

    Waddling fat piggies

    46
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute bigmac
    Favourite bigmac
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 3:26 PM
    24
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Thosj Carroll
    Favourite Thosj Carroll
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 3:55 PM

    Was in UK recently & I saw cops wearing beards & glasses which made them to look like an idiot.

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dennis Collins
    Favourite Dennis Collins
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 3:59 PM

    Cool story.

    Here’s mine: I saw a nun buying ice cream today. It was funny.

    103
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tap Solny
    Favourite Tap Solny
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 4:01 PM

    How could several people look like one particular idiot?

    43
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Gillen
    Favourite David Gillen
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 5:02 PM

    It’s a small percentage who are unfit. Cast your memories back into ages past, in a time before smart watches, and the heroic deeds of some cork based gardaí – http://www.thejournal.ie/tralee-jewellery-theft-1162501-Nov2013/

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute mark lobbe
    Favourite mark lobbe
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 3:28 PM

    Fat piggy couldn’t run fast or far enough

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Reg
    Favourite Reg
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 3:49 PM

    Do AGS have an annual fitness test?

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Peter Murtagh
    Favourite Peter Murtagh
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 7:20 PM

    No.

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Spoddgy
    Favourite Spoddgy
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 7:06 PM

    Everytime I see some of the met police’s finest there’s always a couple of fat ones!

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Debi Nikita
    Favourite Debi Nikita
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 9:17 PM

    Bloody right he is to!

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joe Conway
    Favourite Joe Conway
    Report
    Jun 3rd 2015, 3:04 PM

    I thought it was the wolf who huffed and puffed!

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a comment

 
cancel reply
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds