weather change, natural progression/change or normal ups and downs

[Jessey]

There is lots of chatter about this year being the worst (for horse keeping) in many years/a wet winter following a wet summer etc. etc. Do you think there is a pattern of steady decline or is it just a wild card?

When I was a kid I remember we got big storms every autumn, plenty of snow every winter, rain all spring and thunder storms and heat waves in the summer, I can't think any of it was worse than this year, perhaps recent years have been kinder making this year feel worse?

When was it that we had a terrible hay shortage, early 2000's???, hay doubled in price. I can't remember now if that was due to it being too dry or too wet? or was it the year after the fuel crisis and a knock on effect from that maybe? I get the feeling we might be in for it with hay this coming season, given how straw has been this year.

I remember this summer being incredibly hot, this autumn being very stormy and so far the winter has been pretty mild here (harder than when its frozen solid IMO)

 

[Trewsers]

I honestly don't know if it is global warming or not. I think sometimes we can have a tendency to look back with rose tinted's on and remember "boiling hot" summer days and snowy winters. In reality in the 1980's as a teenager I think it was a mixed bag weather wise. I do remember the odd snowy winter but it probably wasn't any worse than now.
I think my parents reckoned it has got wetter though. My mum is a keen gardener and keeps saying it is global warming to blame etc.

 

[PePo]

I honestly don't think we've had 'bad' winters the last few years.

 

[joellie]

I think it has got wetter. My vet was also saying how much wetter all of Ireland as a whole has got compared to 100 years ago. He said fluke in sheep was never heard of over here years ago but now its everywhere and he has also noticed fields that never had rushes in them before do now.

 

[Bodshi]

Funnily enough I was musing over this on my drive in to work this morning, after watching the weather forecast on the tv. There seemed to be one weather system after another sweeping in, all of which bring wind and wet stuff. I am really worried that this is just how it's going to be from now on. I don't want to live in a country where it rains all the time, nor do I want to live in one that has earthquakes, tsunamis or forest fires. Fingers crossed for better things to come.

 

[chunky monkey]

Yes I remember when we had frosts that lasted a couple of weeks. We had to defrost water buckets and our outside water tap with a hair dryer. The snow was so deep it was up to my bottom. In the summer it was unbearable for me in 28+ degrees heat that lasted for several weeks. Whilst we've had snow it's not been that deep. Frosts minimal.
I agree re the liver fluke. One of my neighbours fields is growing rushes. It's so water logged I said that I will have to treat the sheep for fluke before they go in there.
Overall they reckon the average temperatures are up 2-3 degrees compared to 30 years ago. Maybe this is true. But I think it's more changeable from day to day.

 

[Prjsmk]

Andi read earlier (uk) we have thunder snow coming.. Is this something new??

 

[domane]

I think it has got a lot windier in the last 10 years!