Don’t pack away the bikini yet — heatwave is due back
But you’ll have to dodge a few more showers before breaking out the barbecues the week after next.
Ken Ring, the long-range weather forecasting guru who earlier this year predicted last month’s record-breaking heatwave with uncanny accuracy, has predicted a return to balmy conditions by mid-August.
Ring reckons we could hit highs of up to 30C between Aug 12 to 20 and Aug 24 to 31.
Ireland weather: Only a handful of rain days or less expected now to mid September. August should stay in 20s, hotter around 7, 21, 29-31st.
— Ken Ring (@kenringweather) July 26, 2013
The New Zealander, who uses the moon, sun and tidal activity to make his forecasts, said: “There are many more summery days expected. Altogether there may be less than a handful of wet days for any one county, but more sunny days than cloudy ones.”
The bank holiday weekend will be mostly dry with overnight showers returning between Tuesday and next Sunday, with the best weather expected between Aug 12 to 20 when it will be mostly dry. There will be some “brief rain” around Aug 21 and 22, and then mostly dry for the rest of the month. From tomorrow, temperatures should stay in the 20s, with the possibility of very warm days from Aug 13 to 28.
“September starts to lose the feel of summer in the second week, after about Sept 12,” Ring said.
“There may be light shower activity for much of the first week, mostly dry from Sept 6 to 10, then, between Sept 11 to 24, when temperatures finally drop below the 20s, wet off and on.
“From Sept 25 to 30, it should be mostly dry with temperatures expected to be around 17C-19C. Showers are not expected to be heavy during the month.”
And he told farmers that the last week of September may be their best window for a last cut of hay.
Ring hit the headlines last month after his July heatwave forecast — something he hinted at last January, then updated in detail in June — came true.
He predicted a bright, warm, sunny and dry start to the month with heatwave temperatures of up to 30C. He predicted hot maximums from Jul 19 to Jul 25 and Jul 28 to Jul 30.
“New high temperature records may be set during this period or equal those set back in 1976 and 1995 and some areas may be talking about drought conditions (a period of 15 or more days on which no rainfall is expected),” his July newsletter predicted.
Met Éireann confirmed this week that July was the hottest since records began in 1869. The highest temperature, 30.3C, was recorded in Ardfert, Co Kerry, on Jul 19.
Ring says we are likely to escape a severe winter.
October will be generally wet, with the southeast and southwest faring worst.
We can expect our first cold snap in the last few days of November, with snow a possibility on Nov 30. There is little chance of a white Christmas, with snow due in the first week of January.
Met Éireann said today will have a mixture of sunny spells and showers. The showers will become heavier during the afternoon, with a slight risk of thunder. Highest temperatures of 17C to 20C.
A dry start to Saturday, but showers will become widespread again during the afternoon with a risk of thunder. Highs of 17 to 20 degrees.
— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) August 2, 2013
Rain will spread north tomorrow to affect many places and may turn heavy for a time in southern and southeastern counties.
However, parts of the west and northwest may escape with little or no rain. Highest temperatures will be in the high teens but might reach the low 20s in sunny spots.
The eastern half of the country may see further rain overnight into Monday while the west stays mainly dry. Rain in the east should clear by Monday afternoon with sunny spells spreading from the west.
While there will be dry and sunny intervals next week, showers are likely too, with a threat of more rain later in the week.
- www.met.ie
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