Latest news with #PaulMoore
Bloomberg
5 days ago
- Climate
- Bloomberg
Octopus Invasion in English Channel Flags Marine Heat Wave Risks
Some English fisherman have hit the jackpot this season, hauling in tons of octopus, but the invasion of eight-legged molluscs also highlights the threat from marine heat waves. Persistent high-pressure weather patterns this spring accelerated the heating of an already unusually warm north Atlantic, blocking cooling westerly winds and smothering currents that stir up colder water layers deep in the ocean, said Paul Moore, a climatologist with Ireland's Met Éireann.
The Journal
26-05-2025
- Climate
- The Journal
‘Intense' marine heatwave in Irish waters will become ‘extreme' if above average temperatures continue
THERE IS CURRENTLY an 'intense' marine heatwave in Irish waters but this will become 'extreme' if the above-average temperatures continue into August. That's the warning from Paul Moore, who is a climatologist with Met Éireann. A marine heat wave is when the sea surface temperatures are significantly above average for a long period of time. Sea surface temperatures in Irish waters are currently up to 2.3 degrees above average, and up to 4 degrees above average in parts of the UK. The UK Met Office has described the current marine heatwave as 'super intense'. Moore told The Journal that sea surface temperatures have been continuously above-average over the last couple of years when compared to the most recent 30-year averages. 'But over April and May, they've been significantly above-average, two to three degrees off the south and west coast,' said Moore. 'We're seeing quite an intense marine heat wave currently.' Data released on Friday of last week revealed that in the Irish Sea, sea surface temperatures were 0.6 degrees higher than the monthly average. Off the Cork coast, sea surface temperatures were 2.2 degrees higher than average. However, given there were much warmer temperatures at the end of May than the beginning of May, there's been a further increase in sea surface temperatures since the most recent figures on Friday. Off the Cork coast, it's 2.3 degrees above average and in the Irish Sea it's 0.9 degrees above average. Advertisement 'The average has already increased, as we'd expect with one week left and the warmest part of the month,' said Moore. 'But it's already showing that by the end of the month, the difference for the whole month will be even higher than that.' 'Extreme' Marine heatwaves are occurring in various regions globally and Moore said sea surface temperatures in Ireland go through a cycle which sees temperatures peak in August. Increased sunshine over June and July warms up the sea, but there's a lag in sea surface temperatures as compared to land. 'That's why we generally get our higher sea surface temperatures in August and then they start going down towards winter, and our lowest is normally in February,' said Moore. While sea surface temperatures have been rising, Moore said that the above-average temperatures seen in May – two to three degrees above normal – are unusual. He warned that if this trend of sea surface temperatures being two to three degrees above average continues in August, 'you could see our main ecosystem being under stress'. 'For now, and it's not extreme until we get to the point where we reach record high temperatures at the highest peak of the year in August.' Moore said that easterly winds, which carry warmer air and are not typical for this time of year, have contributed to rapid warming of surface waters by limiting ocean mixing and carrying warmer air from land out to sea. 'Because we're getting westerly winds now, you will see an ease in the extremes of sea surface temperatures,' said Moore. 'But it still will stay above average. There'll be mixing of cooler waters from below, up to the warmer surface waters, but it will remain overall warmer than average.' Meanwhile, Moore noted that sea surface temperatures globally are rising at a steady rate due to climate change. He remarked that local events caused by atmospheric conditions through spring, such as mostly high pressure, a lot of sunshine, and easterly winds, comes 'on top of what global warming has caused, and that's why we're seeing such extremes'. Similar meteorological conditions were present in May and June 2023 , which preceded Ireland's warmest June on record. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Dublin Live
25-05-2025
- Climate
- Dublin Live
Dublin weather: Met Eireann pinpoints date summer heat will return after week of rain
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Ireland is set for a grand spell of weather with the return of high pressure, promising sunshine and warmth after a bout of unsettled conditions took over this weekend. Before the shift, we were treated to one of the finest Mays in years, thanks to an 'Omega Block' that brought us prolonged dry and sunny spells across the country. While the last week of May doesn't look like it'll bring back that glorious weather, there's a glimmer of hope on the horizon for June, although as always, long-range forecasts should be taken with a pinch of salt, reports the Irish Mirror. Met Eireann's extended forecast is giving us a bit of optimism, with their latest update from last Tuesday (May 20) hinting that "high pressure is expected to be the dominant factor" during the week of 9-15 June. This means we could be looking at "below average rainfall amounts and above average mean air temperatures for most of the country", and the same could be said for the following week (16-22 June), though forecasters are quick to remind us that confidence in such long-term predictions is "low" due to "increasing uncertainty" Adding to the hopeful outlook, Met Eireann meteorologist Paul Moore has spoken about the potential lasting impact of the Omega Block which blessed us with the recent stunning weather. Speaking during the spell of splendid weather earlier this month, Moore shared insights on the Omega Block, noting it forms when the North Atlantic jet stream weakens due to the early breakdown of the Stratospheric Polar Vortex after a chilly winter. This year, the vortex weakened just before St Patrick's Day, rather than its usual mid-April timeline. Mr Moore said: "The influence of the breakdown of the Stratospheric Polar Vortex on the troposphere can last for two to three months." He also mentioned that this leads to "high pressure [systems] to re-establish over and over again" and for the upcoming summer, it signals "June, July, and August has a strong signal for higher than average temperatures for Ireland during the summer months". Weather expert Alan O'Reilly from Carlow Weather spoke about the "huge uncertainty" regarding the June Bank Holiday weekend's weather, highlighting conflicting predictions from different models – one showing Ireland dodging the rain, while another suggests the country will be drenched. Met EEireann predicts the next weekend will "continue unsettled with further rain and showers", following a week where rain is expected daily. Tuesday is set to be particularly wet, with the mercury struggling to climb above 17 degrees. Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
Irish Daily Mirror
25-05-2025
- Climate
- Irish Daily Mirror
Return to summer scorcher in store as Met Eireann pinpoints next heat surge
A return of high pressure and the sunshine and warm temperatures that will come with it is on the cards for Ireland after more unsettled conditions began to dominate this weekend. Prior to the shift in the weather, Ireland had enjoyed one of the most pleasant months of May in many a year, with a phenomenon called the 'Omega Block' leading to extended spells of dry and sunny weather nationwide. While there's no sign of a return to that weather in the final week of the month, there are promising signs of a comeback a little bit further into June, although such signs need to be treated with the caution that accompanies any forecast beyond the short-term. Met Éireann's extended range forecast provides one such promising sign, with the most recent forecast, published last Tuesday (May 20), suggesting that 'high pressure is expected to be the dominant factor' for the week of 9-15 June. This will bring with it 'below average rainfall amounts and above average mean air temperatures for most of the country', a trend that is expected to be repeated in Week 4 of the forecast (16-22 June), although confidence in such a forecast so far out is said to be 'low' due to 'increasing uncertainty'. Another promising sign of a return to more pleasant weather are the comments of Met Éireann meteorologist Paul Moore about the potential longer-term effects of the Omega Block which caused the recent fine spell. Speaking to the Irish Mirror at the height of the glorious weather earlier this month, Moore explained that the Omega Block emerges when the North Atlantic jet stream is weak and this happens when a weather phenomenon called the Stratospheric Polar Vortex breaks down early after a cold winter. It normally breaks down in mid-April, but this year it happened a week before St Patrick's Day. 'The influence of the breakdown of the Stratospheric Polar Vortex on the troposphere can last for two to three months,' Moore said. He added that it causes 'high pressure [systems] to re-establish over and over again' and for this summer it means 'June, July, and August has a strong signal for higher than average temperatures for Ireland during the summer months'. In the immediate term, there is 'huge uncertainty' around the June Bank Holiday weekend forecast, according to weather expert Alan O'Reilly of Carlow Weather, who illustrated his point with one weather model showing Ireland avoiding rain and another model showing the country practically covered in it. Met Eireann's current forecast for next weekend is for the weather to 'continue unsettled with further rain and showers' after a week where we're set to get them every day until then. Tuesday looks set to be the dampest day of a wet week overall, with highest temperatures stretching no higher than 17 degrees. Check out the Met Éireann forecast for the week ahead below. Sunday The afternoon and evening will be blustery with a mix of sunshine and scattered showers, some of which will be heavy. Noticeably cooler and fresher day than of late with highest temperatures of 11 to 16 degrees, coolest in the northwest, in fresh to strong and gusty westerly winds, strongest along the west coast. Clear spells for much of the night with scattered showers continuing, especially in the west, while it'll become drier in the east. Later in the night, cloud will build from the west. Lowest temperatures of 6 to 10 degrees with winds decreasing mostly moderate and backing southwesterly, still fresh at times in western coastal parts. Monday Cloud will continue to build from the west tomorrow morning with outbreaks of rain extending eastwards. The rain will turn heavier for a time later in the afternoon and into the evening before clearing into the Irish Sea with sunny spells and well scattered showers following. Highest temperatures of 11 to 16 degrees, mildest in the south, in moderate to fresh and gusty southwest winds, veering westerly later and increasing strong for a time in western and southwestern coastal parts. Clear spells at first with well scattered showers on Monday night, mainly over the northern half of the country. The showers will ease as cloud builds, with rain following into the southwest by morning. Lowest temperatures of 6 to 10 degrees in moderate westerly winds, fresh near Atlantic coasts. A wet day with spells of rain tracking eastwards through the day. Some sunny spells will develop later in the day as the rain begins to clear to showers. Highest temperatures of 14 to 17 degrees generally, a little cooler in Ulster. Light southerly or variable winds will become southwesterly and increasing moderate to fresh and gusty. A mix of cloud and clear spells with showers or longer spells of rain. Mild and humid with temperatures not falling below 8 to 12 degrees in moderate westerly winds. Wednesday Sunny spells and showers in the morning before turning mostly cloudy with outbreaks of rain pushing in from the west. Highest temperatures of 14 to 17 degrees generally in moderate westerly winds. Thursday Sunny spells and well scattered showers in the morning before cloud and outbreaks of rain push in from the southwest. Highest temperatures again of 14 to 17 degrees generally in light to moderate westerly winds. Further outlook Current indications suggest that Friday and the weekend will continue unsettled with further spells of rain and showers.
RTÉ News
23-05-2025
- Climate
- RTÉ News
Why Ireland is experiencing a 'marine heatwave' right now
The warm spell of weather over the country the past number of weeks is set to break over the coming days. But climatologists say it has precipitated a ' marine heatwave ' with sea temperatures off the western and southern coasts of Ireland rising above normal. UK Met Office data placed the marine heatwave at the extreme end of the spectrum, with sea surface temperatures up to 4 degrees above average confirmed by the Irish Marine Data Buoy Observation Network. Paul Moore, climatologist with Met Éireann, joined RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland to explain. (This piece includes excerpts from the conversation which have been edited for length and clarity - you can hear the discussion in full above). What is a marine heatwave and what does it do? A marine heatwave is when the sea surface temperatures are significantly above average for a long period of time. "So that means, at this particular time of year, the May average might be 12 degrees, and we're 4 degrees or 3 degrees above that at the moment," he says. "We're not in the warmest part of the year for sea surface temperatures, that's usually in August, so if they continue to rise as they normally do, that's when we can hit problems if if they're way above average in August." What problems do marine heatwaves cause? "In the past, marine heatwaves around the world, when they come at the peak of the sea surface temperatures it can it can cause devastation to the marine life. Because the marine life wouldn't be used to that, so the ecosystem would come under a lot of stress. So far we've been lucky, two years ago we got a marine heatwave in June, but then it kind of eased as the weather changed and more westerlies came in, and now we've got a marine heat wave in May, and it looks like it might ease over the next few weeks as the weather changes," says Moore. "But if we had these weather situations in August, that would push the already highest seasonal temperatures of the year higher than normal, and that's when we could see problems with our marine ecosystem." Does the colder weather bring temperatures back down? "Yes, that's what we saw in June 2023 when the weather broke in mid-June and towards the end of June, the colder waters from beneath mixed up and we got back to more normal [temperatures]. But normal is still above average now: all our sea surface temperatures have been rising gradually due to climate change anyway, so this is on top of that. So when we get an event like this, that's what it brings: the extremes on top of what the climate change is doing already."
