Wetter winters, drier summers and heavier rains predicted

The traditional Irish 'soft day', with clouds and drizzle drifting in from the Atlantic, could be a thing of the past, a weather expert forecast today.

The age-old term for a day’s rain might be one for the history books with our climate expected to turn angrier and the country hit with short, but heavier downpours.

However, British Met Office scientist Dr Martin Parry said Ireland should count its blessings as it will most likely escape the worst effects of global warming.

The weather expert told an environmental conference Ireland can expect wetter winters, warmer, drier summers, and heavier rainfalls when they occur as temperatures increase.

“The most important issue is water, but not for Ireland and Britain,” he said.

“Southern Europe, North Africa and especially southern Africa will see a decrease in rainfall.”

Dr Parry also warned of the changes coming our way: “In Ireland, the soft day will be a thing of the past.

“Rainfall will be heavier and more sudden. The year will be drier, the summer will be drier, but winters will be wetter.

“Northern Europe will benefit in a way but southern Europe will pay a cost.”

His future predictions were in marked contrast to the dreadful summer experienced by the entire country.

It has gone down in history as the wettest in nearly half a century, according to Met Éireann records, with torrential rain and flooding affecting many parts.

Some homeowners and businesses are still engaged in costly clean-up operations after floods hit Dublin, Mallow, Newcastle West and Carlow.

Dr Parry said the country should count its blessings however with global warming set to have a devastating effect on the southern hemisphere.

He estimated more than one billion people will suffer from severe water shortages as temperatures rise by almost half a degree, eventually reaching more than three billion people as it climbs by one degree.

A double-pronged strategy of mitigation and adaption was needed to stop temperatures from climbing any further.

“Adaptation is needed now because mitigation will take some decades to bite and emissions reductions are needed now, otherwise climate change will exceed the capacity to adapt,” he said.

Dr Parry was addressing the fourth annual Environment Ireland conference, organised by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which examines key environmental issues such as climate change.