When a Category 3 hurricane struck Ireland in 1839 ‘Night of the
Big Wind’ still remembered all over Ireland Ireland has suffered
one major hurricane in the last few centuries. ‘The Night of the
Big Wind’ (in Irish : Oídhche na Gaoithe Móire) was a massive
hurricane that swept over Ireland on the night of January 6th
1839. Up to 300 people died in Ireland tens of thousands were
left homeless and winds reached well over 115 miles per hour,a
category 3 hurricane. 25 per cent of the houses in Dublin were
destroyed and 42 ships were destroyed. The storm began after a
period of very odd Irish weather. A heavy snowstorm on January
5th was followed by a balmy sunny day, almost unheard of for
that time of year. Some people claimed the temperature reached
as high as 75 degrees and the heavy snow of January 5th totally
melted. During daytime on Janury 6th a deep Atlantic low
pressure system began moving across Ireland where it collided
with the warm front. The first news of bad weather was reported
in County Mayo. The