New Zealand forecaster dampens Irish scorcher hopes

Last year’s long hot summer will not be repeated this year, but Ireland is still forecast to have a warm and sunny couple of months ahead.

While the near-tropical weather of the past week is set to moderate over the next few days, the remainder of the month will still be warm and occasionally sunny.

Alternative weather forecaster Ken Ring, who claims an ability to predict long-range weather patterns by observing lunar cycles, believes that Ireland will experience another scorching day on June 27 and a balmy mid-summer, before cooler weather returns.

“Summer is expected to be sunnier and warmer than average, but there may be a lack of high daytime temperatures, especially during August,” said the New Zealander.

“The most settled periods of summer are during the last 10 days of each month of the season.

“In particular the last weeks of June and July may be significantly dry, warm, bright and sunny.”

“June is a mild month with scattered days of early warmth until some hot days in the third week and then a sunny last week, during which time thermometers may soar.

“Temperatures are fairly constantly in the 20s after the 19th of July, with the final three or four days in July possibly among the hottest for the season.”

Things may not be so sunny in August, however. “August temperatures may be mostly in the 20s, but cloud and intermittent rain make it disappointing for outdoor activities,” said Ring

Ring has had some extraordinary successes, forecasting last year’s heatwave here. However, he has had some misses, too. Ring warned of sub-zero temperatures for Christmas and the new year and heavy snowfalls for late February. None of this happened.

Met Éireann, meanwhile, is also forecasting pleasant weather for the next few days. Tonight will stay dry, while tomorrow and Monday will have sunny spells and light breezes, with highest temperatures of up to 22 degrees. It will be coolest in Ulster and warmest in Munster.

On Tuesday the southern half of the country will stay dry with bright or sunny spells. However, it will be cloudier further north with outbreaks of light rain or drizzle possible, especially in north Connacht and Ulster.

According to Met Eireann, current indications suggest that a front will spread eastwards across the country on Wednesday bringing rain or drizzle to many areas for a time.

From Thursday onwards, it looks like there’ll be a greater risk of some showers, but still a good deal of dry weather.