The snow of 2018

Snow!

Late February and early March of saw some of the heaviest snowfalls in Ireland in over 30 years and brought parts of the country to a virtual standstill for several days. Siberian winds brought the first falls of snow but there was worse to come!

The Beast from the East and Storm Emma

The combination of “The Beast from the East” and Storm Emma brought the second red weather warning to Ireland in just a few months. Strong winds created blizzard conditions and major snow drifts, blocking roads and making it impossible for people to leave their homes. Schools, universities and many places of employment remained closed. Public transport was halted and many flights into Irish airports cancelled. With hazardous driving conditions and very low temperatures, most people heeded the warnings and stayed indoors on Wednesday, February 28 and Thursday March 1 2018.  We closed our office in Maynooth and worked from the safety of our homes.

North Kildare

Some of the most significant snowfall was in north Kildare where snow was piled five or more feet high across main roads rendering them impassable. Only where a track had been ploughed by the local council or volunteers after the weather warning was downgraded could access be reinstated to many places around the country. Some communities were completely cut off for days.

In the News

TV3 News reporters were stationed on the Moyglare Road in Maynooth for a couple of days, reporting on the weather and how people were managing to get out and about. The snow was so high there that cars abandoned there during the blizzard were completely buried in snow. Milk and the sliced pan were the staple diets in many households for the few days and shops were selling out of both as soon as deliveries had been made.

Community Spirit

The exceptional weather brought out great community spirit with neighbours helping each other to clear roadways and create access for emergency services. Many local heros with tractors and JCB’s worked around the clock supporting the efforts by county councils to clear the snow.

More to come?

St Patrick’s weekend brought further sub zero temperatures and snow falls but fortunately not as severe as earlier in the month. Some forecasters are predicting plummeting temperatures and additional falls of snow for Easter. Will there be a spring in 2018?