Peter O'Connor

Some interesting developments on the weather models, with signs of a significant disruption to the polar vortex in early November. The latest charts show winds high in the atmosphere potentially reversing around the 9th of November. This could be an unusually early event known as a sudden stratospheric warming (SSW). These events sometimes lead to changes in our weather a few weeks later, with an increased chance of colder conditions and blocking high pressure during early December. However, there is a lot of uncertainty. Not every disruption of the polar vortex impacts our weather, and some forecasts show the vortex recovering quickly. Certainly something worth keeping an eye on, but far too early to suggest it means a cold or snowy December for Ireland despite what I’m sure some headlines will say soon as we approach the usual “coldest winter in a decade” headlines this time of the year.