Are there tornadoes headed our way this weekend?

The weather in April has been pretty odd and now we hear talk of tornadoes headed this way. What’s going on?

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I have been just about able to cope with the wind, rain and cold so far this month. What’s next, tornadoes?

Yes actually. According to the UK Met Office, a combination of warm ground temperatures and cold wind passing from the north west will create the perfect conditions for funnel clouds over the next few days. These bad boys are rotating columns of air and they become tornadoes when they touch the ground.

Jaysus, are they going to hit Ireland?

According to the lads at Met Eireann we will probably escape the twisters but don’t unpack the picnic furniture just yet, the weather this weekend will be pretty brutal.

Go on, tell me.

Well we can expect thundery downpours tomorrow, and while the rain might ease a bit over the weekend it will be cold, with sub zero temperatures overnight so be prepared to have to scrape your car window if you are up early in the morning.

That sounds great. Any sign of things picking up?

Nope, as Monday will see things getting even worse, with very heavy rain forecast. Across the Irish Sea, they have flood warnings in place for most of the country but there are no warnings, currently, on the Met Eireann site.

Would tornadoes be unusual anyway? I’m sure we have had a few here in recent years.

Indeed we have, and a quick check on YouTube throws up loads of footage of twisters . There’s this from Achill Island in 2010

There’s this from Clare

And then there’s this terrifying footage from Donegal in 2007

Okay, so I shouldn’t be worried?

Not this time but the legend of the ‘Night of the Big Wind’ lives on in Ireland.

Night of the Big Wind? I’ve had a few of them myself.

Indeed, well the storm that hit Ireland in 1839, known as ‘The Night of the Big Wind’ is still the biggest weather event to happen here. A full scale hurricane struck Ireland near Mayo on January 6, 1839 before sweeping across the country. The entire country was affected, with 300 people estimated to have been killed, with widespread damage caused to buildings all over the country.

So mad weather is not a new thing then?

No, but the drop in temperatures from the scorching March weather to this is pretty weird. We could make a few suggestions as to why it’s happening but I have to go and buy some new wellies and a few tins of soup, just in case.

Good idea.