Storm Goretti, named by the French Met Office Météo-France, has emerged as a significant weather system over northwest Europe with a warning in place for some Irish counties today
Snow in Dublin (stock)(Image: Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Parts of the country could see the rare phenomenon of thundersnow in the coming days as the cold conditions collide with Storm Goretti.
A double weather warning is in place for both snow and rain for Cork, Kerry, Waterford and Wexford today. Met Eireann’s warning said that heavy rain will turn to sleet and snow, with accumulations possible.
Storm Goretti, named by the French Met Office Météo-France, has emerged as a significant weather system over northwest Europe. Northern France, Wales and England are expected to be hit with disruptive snow.
Following the storm, RSVP Live reports a rare chance of thundersnow tomorrow, particularly in western and northern counties. The forecast reads: “A bright, cool day Friday with spells of sunshine. Dry for most with isolated showers. However, scattered showers will affect Atlantic and northern counties. Some of the showers will be wintry or of hail with a chance of isolated thunderstorms. Highest temperatures of 3C to 7C, coldest in the northeast, in mostly light to moderate westerly winds, fresh to strong and gusty near southwestern coasts.”
Thundersnow happens when thunderstorms – usually a summer phenomenon – form in wintry conditions. The rain in the storm falls as snow, producing lightning and thunder.
The UK’s Met Office explained: “When thunderstorms form in wintry conditions they can sometimes give rise to heavy downpours of snow which are often called ‘thundersnow’. Thundersnow is unusual only because it can only occur in a few months of the year.
“When thundersnow occurs at night the lightning appears brighter – this is because the light reflects off the snowflakes. Interestingly, the snow contained within the thunderstorm acts to dampen the sound of the thunder. While the thunder from a typical thunderstorm might be heard many miles away, the thunder during a thundersnow event will only be heard if you are within two to three miles of the lightning.”
Thunderstorm (stock image)(Image: John Finney Photography/Getty Images)
Alongside this potential, conditions on roads across Ireland are due to get icy tonight and tomorrow morning. This is due to todays rain and the predicted low overnight temperatures.
Cathal Nolan of Ireland’s Weather Channel posted an alert, saying: “As Storm Goretti clears away to the southeast tonight we’ll see skies clear with a risk of frost and ice developing as temperatures fall away to -2 or -3 degrees Celsius in some locations.”
B”efore Goretti clears we’ll see some falls of sleet and snow across higher ground over 400 metres with a risk of some disruption across the Sally and Wicklow Gaps through the Wicklow Mountains.”
“Elsewhere showers will develop in the west and southwest, some of hail, a slight risk of thunder, and some will be wintry over higher ground as well. Dry conditions further inland.”
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