Derry weather for Halloween week - a decent start followed by uncertainty and possibility of Storm Bram
Thousands of people will be out and about across the city this week for the Halloween celebrations and, unsurprisingly, a lot of talk is turning to the weather.
There is currently some uncertainty surrounding the weather for Halloween itself, October 31, with some forecasters mooting the possibility of heavy rain and a strong winds.
Those winds, in fact, could, according to some, turn into a named storm – Storm Bram, which would be quite Halloween appropriate as one of the most famous Brams is Bram Stoker – the Irish novelist who wrote ‘Dracula.’
It would not, however, be welcome and as yet, there are no weather warnings in place for Derry or Donegal for Thursday or Friday.
What is in agreement is that tonight, Tuesday, will be mainly dry, with clear periods. According to the Met Office, there will be some showers during the night, ‘especially in the west and along the North Coast where it will stay quite windy.’
Minimum temperature will be 3 °C.
Wednesday is looking positive for Halloween walks and events. While it will be ‘rather cloudy with a few showers’ in the morning, it will then become ‘mainly dry with some sunshine in the afternoon.’
There will be ‘fresh westerly winds’and a maximum temperature of 11 °C.
The Met Office’s outlook for Thursday to Saturday forecasts a dry Thursday morning with sunny spells.
This, they said, will be followed by ‘wet, windy weather sweeping northwards on Thursday afternoon with further rain at times and strong winds on Thursday night, Friday and into weekend.”
Met Eireann has forecast that it will be ‘windy on Thursday night with fresh to strong and gusty southerly winds and coastal gales.’
They added: “Remaining rain in the east and north will clear away northeastwards early on Thursday night giving way to the clear spells and showers elsewhere. Some of the showers will be heavy and they may merge to longer spells of rain in parts of the west and northwest. Lowest temperatures of 8 to 11 degrees.”
They stated how there is ‘Uncertainty in the details for Friday, but current indications suggest a dry and bright start for most away from the northwest, where showers will be gradually clearing northwards through the morning.’
Met Eireann continued: “It looks as though cloud will increase over southern and eastern parts of the country through the morning and afternoon with outbreaks of rain moving up from the south. Drier in the west and northwest with just a few showers. Quite blustery to begin, with moderate to fresh southerly winds, but the winds will tend to ease as the day goes on and they'll become mainly light by evening. Highest temperatures of 11 to 14 degrees. “Confidence in the forecast for Friday evening and night (Halloween) is lower than would be normal for the time interval. There is a chance that the rain may clear for a time in the east and south but further spells of rain or showers will tend to move in either from the south or the west. Lowest temperatures of 4 to 7 degrees with light southerly or variable winds becoming light to moderate westerly overnight.”
Met Eireann has issued weather warnings for Thursday, but at the moment these are Status Yellow rain for Cork and Kerry and Status Yellow wind for Cork, Kerry, Waterford and Wexford – far from Derry. There is a Status Yellow Gale Warning on Thursday evening until 12pm Friday for all coasts of Ireland and on the Irish Sea.
Kenneth McDonagh of Donegal Weather Channel said he’s of the opinion that the winds of Thursday, into Friday, are likely to be a named storm, with potential warnings.
Writing on Facebook, he said: “Weather models are now in fairly good agreement that a spell of wet and windy weather will push up over the country on Thursday into Friday with a period of strong winds and heavy rainfall in places that could lead to some flooding. Winds look fairly strong everywhere but it will be around mid later Tuesday and Wednesday when we will know the areas that see the strongest winds. Some heavy rainfall is also expected Thursday and Friday that could lead to flooding at the moment southwestern, southern, western and northwestern counties look at the highest risk of seen the heaviest of the rain.”
To follow the latest weather, see https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/, www.met.ie, and Donegal Weather Channel on https://www.facebook.com/DonegalWeatherC