Coupled climate models with increasing greenhouse gas concentrations and changing aerosol concentrations indicate an increase in the westerly airflow in mid-latitudes in winter as well as more extreme storms and precipitation events. However, declining Arctic sea ice may alter this projection. A sensitivity experiment run with the EC-Earth global model with Arctic sea ice removed shows a weakening of the westerly flow over Ireland. Such a change would increase the likelihood of cold continental air outbreaks over Ireland during winter.