Ever wondered, perhaps angrily, why the six counties are cut off in Met Éireann’s weather warnings?
It’s not like the weather stops at the border, so why don’t they include them in the warning?
It actually is a pretty logical explanation.
It turns out that Met Éireann and the Met Office (which has jurisdiction across the border) use different criteria for issuing warnings which is why you’ll see Met Éireann’s warnings ending at the border.
Barra Best of BBC news made an excellent video explaining the differences between the two systems.
Met Éireann uses a threshold system.
When a particular weather condition reaches a certain point, a warning kicks in.
When wind gusts of 90km or more are forecast, a yellow warning is issued. When it hits 120km, the warning is elevated to orange and then to red when it goes beyond 130km.
The Met Office uses an impact system.
A warning is issued when forecasters think the weather is going to have an impact on property, travel, water supplies and power supplies and in severe cases a threat to life.
So, if there is an unlikely chance that high winds will also have an impact, a yellow warning issued.
If there is a medium chance that winds will have a medium impact then, an amber alert is issued.
If there is a high impact that winds will have a strong impact then, a red warning issued.
Ever wonder why weather warnings can differ across Ireland, and why sometimes they appear to end at the border? Here’s why: pic.twitter.com/clU2Z20onn
— Barra Best (@barrabest) October 10, 2018
It’s still pretty annoying, but at least now we know why.
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