The climate of Ierne Weyr, and in fact the entire island itself, is driven by two main factors aside from location. There is a warm current in the ocean that runs south toward the island that warms the northern ends of the island, much like the Gulf Stream does for the British Isles in real life. However, as the island is also nestled amongst great continental landmasses, the southern end of the island is affected by the cold winds that come from the east due to Coriolis force, bringing cooler air and weather from the Western Barrier Range.
In general terms, Ierne Weyr has weather that greatly resembles the Southern Tier of New York State in the United States, minus the lake-effect snow. Sheltered by the mainland, it doesn't get the worst snows, but it does see a goodly stock of snow in the winter. The summer isn't overly hot, given the Weyr's latitude, but it can be a bit dry because the hills on the mainland cause the rain to fall there instead of on the island. Spring is a very rainy season, because the snows are melting to the south, and the river that flows into the Great Bay becomes swollen. Mud is a frequent and much-cursed factor in daily life at the Weyr during these times. Autumn brings cooler temperatures, the occasional flurry, and the falling of the leaves. While the mountains to the east take some of the brunt of the icy winds from the Western Barrier Range, enough coolness, coupled with some late rains, can make fall quickly turn from crisp and refreshing to downright cold and nasty.
Last updated April 8th, 2007.
All references to worlds and characters based on Anne McCaffrey's fiction are © the author 1967, 2000, all rights reserved,and used by permission of the author. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is registered U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, by Anne McCaffrey, used here with permission. Use or reproduction without a license is strictly prohibited.