December 2017
Unsettled, mild at times, but colder interludes with wintry showers and some snow
The weather of December was unsettled with occasional mild, windy, wet spells and interludes of much colder wintry weather as Atlantic frontal systems crossed Ireland. The early days of the month were cool with slack winds and some light rain. A spell of mild, wet and windy weather on the 6thwas followed by a period of much colder conditions with northwesterly winds bringing wintry showers mainly to the west and north, and more widespread falls of snow occurring on the night of the 9/10th. This cold spell with some severe night frosts lasted until 18thDecember, when milder conditions became established with occasionally wet and windy weather which brought some heavy falls of rain to the west and north on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day saw a gradual return to colder conditions with wintry showers and night frosts, milder conditions returned briefly towards the end of the month. Storm Dylan brought strong winds for the end of the month and year, it tracked to the northwest of Ireland before clearing away toward Scotland by midday on Sunday, New Year’s Eve.