Met Éireann rains on guru’s forecast

Weather forecasting guru Ken Ring, who predicted the summer’s record-breaking heatwave, is putting his neck on the line again with a day-by-day account of the weather we can expect for 2015.

People booking their holidays, planning a wedding, or keeping an eye on upcoming First Communion dates might be interested in the New Zealander’s claims that the finest weather will occur between May 31 and June 16 next year.

During this period, there will be a number of days with more than 14 hours of sunshine.

August won’t be that great, however. In fact, it will be very dull between the 9th and 15th, with a prediction of less than four hours’ sunshine per day, but it will become sunnier after that.

Outbreaks of heavy rain will occur at the start of the month and thunderstorms may lead to flooding in the south and east from the 18th to 21st, Mr Ring says.

September will have many peaks and troughs, with half a dozen days where there will be more than 10 hours of sunshine.

April, the month associated with showers, will be extremely dry, according to Mr Ring.

He said we’ll have well below average rainfall, in places — up to 72% less than the norm — with the southern counties being particularly dry.

He is predicting that of the three, 2015 will have the least rain, while 2016 will be the wettest.

For 2015, the heaviest rain will fall in early July, the middle of August, around the September 10, and in mid-November.

For 2016, September 9 and late October will be the wettest periods and, for 2017, the first week in January, mid-September, and early November will be the wettest.

Mr Ring uses the moon, sun, and tidal activity to make his forecasts, but a Met Éireann spokesman has rained on his parade.

“The maximum we can forecast is 10 days ahead and even that can’t be 100% accurate. We wouldn’t be endorsing his predictions,” the spokesman said.

- Mr Ring’s 500-page 2015 Ireland Almanac is out now, priced €35, plus €16 for postage. It can be ordered online at predictweather.com