We knew it would be a cold night by August standards but I must say I was impressed by just how cold it got in Northern Ireland overnight. Famed NI chilly spot, Katesbridge rewrote the national record books this morning when the thermometer dove to new depths for August with a low of -1.9C or 28F.  Impressive given that night’s, though growing longer, remain short and it is still technically summer. Katesbridge is in Co Down (SE Northern Ireland) is a sheltered spot, tucked in by hills, a locale, like a few others which see cold drain into the valley and collect.  -2C is a reading more suited to late Sept or more commonly, October but as high pressure built in over the previous 24 hours, conditions became just right with slackening winds, clear skies and dry air. The added boost for max cooling is always location. The select few locales which always tend to be a few to perhaps several degrees cooler than surrounding areas, are almost always, villages or hamlet’s tucked away in shallow (modestly high elevated) valley’s in which cold air drains down and collects. The GFS did show patchy sub-freezing areas but not around the Katesbridge area but further west towards Fermanagh and Castlederg, another well know NI cold nook.

Europe post will be available later tonight!

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