Forecaster predicting a white Christmas

Signs indicate that some of us could experience a white Christmas if the latest weather models are sustained.

While high pressure means mild, or rather 'bland' weather for the next ten days or so, a rapid change will see the approach of rapidly cooling air from the north west.

"We're likely to see a couple of changes over next 10 days that will see colder weather leading into Christmas and Christmas day," begins Cathal Nolan of Ireland's Weather Channel.

"High pressure is currently taking control from the southwest, meaning milder air until next week. It will be dry, and there will be a good deal of cloud about.

"But as we get into next Wednesday, we see a cold front pushing down from north west, bringing a colder north-westerly airflow, meaning widespread wintry showers across the country.

"These showers are likely to be on the heavier side, meaning quite a large percentage would fall as snow. The regions affected would be Ulster, northwest Connacht and the north midlands. Westmeath would be included in that."

Cathal says that while it won't be on the scale of the white Christmas seen in 2010, when Ireland saw 27cm of snow fall on December 25, many could wake up to a dusting of the white stuff this year.

"On account of a northwestly airflow, we saw snow falling in 2005/2006, and it will be a similar event this time around."

Ireland has not witnessed a white Christmas in 13 years, but Nolan says this is due to "natural variability".

"If you look back over the newspaper records, you can see colder periods during the 1930's and 40's, milder during the 50s, and so on. But based on the charts at the moment, we are likely to have a white Christmas this year."

Nolan says 2023 has also been one of the busiest years in terms of named storms.

"We've had six named storms so far this year, the busiest period for storms before Christmas.

"We had two storms this weekend, Storm Ellen and Storm Fergus, and the events in Leitrim were unprecedented in terns of living memory.

"We typically see up to ten [tornadoes] reported each year, but the vast majority of these are water spouts, or occur in the countryside, and do not affect urban infrastructure.

"Of course, the first ever documented example of a tornado in Europe, occurred in Rosdalla, just outside Kilbeggan in 1054. It's recorded in the Annals of the Four Masters."

For updates, keep an eye on Ireland's Weather Channel on Facebook.