This is a subscriber-only article
There is to be some letup for farmers in the west weather-wise in 2017, according to long-range weather forecaster Ken Ring.
Summer 2016 saw a huge variation in weather around the country. Western and northern counties had to deal with higher than average rainfall, while eastern and southern regions escaped relatively unscathed by the weather woes.
However, Ring’s weather almanac predicts it will be around 20% to 25% drier than the seasonal average in the west and east next summer and around 5% to 10% drier in the northern counties. Farmers in the south are also in for a better summer, where it is predicted to be around 15% drier than the typical summer season.
Autumn
After one of the worst harvests experienced by farmers in years this autumn, where individual growers in the west experienced crop losses running from 25% to close on 50%, farmers will be heartened to hear that Connacht will be around 10% drier than the average in this season, as will Leinster. However, it is predicted to be 10% to 15% wetter in the north and south.
Overall, there will be around 70 to 75 rain days in the country over autumn with the wettest period likely over the second half of September. There will also be a couple of very heavy rain days around the end of the second week of November. The driest period is likely to be over the second half of October.
Winter
In Leinster Co Kilkenny can expect around 15% more rain than average for the season, while the remaining counties will be around 5% to 10% drier than the average.
Similarly, Co Roscommon in Connacht can expect to record 10% to 15% less rainfall than normal while remaining parts of the province can expect to be wetter by around 10% to 20% more
Meanwhile, Northern counties are expected to be around 20% wetter than the average. Munster will be the worst affected, however, with 40% more rainfall than average for the season expected.
Spring
In spring, Connacht and Leinster are expected to be slightly drier overall, but still within 10% of their norms for the seasonal period. In Munster, there is likely to be a third more rainfall than is typical for spring, with parts of Kerry possibly receiving twice as much rain as normal. The north can expect to be around 10% wetter than is typical for the spring season.
See below for a calendar of Ring’s expectations for relatively drier spells in 2017:
January
Third week, last few days.
February
First few days, much of second week, last 10 days.
March
Some of first week, most of second half of month.
April
Most of first half except around middle of first half, 17-20 and 25-28 of the month.
May
Much of first half, particularly 6-13 of the month, and most of the last week.
June
First five days, 8-11 and 16-27.
July
Much of first week, and most of the third week.
August
The first 10 days, 18-21 and 28-31.
September
6, 9-13 and around 24.
October
Most of second half, particularly 14-15, 21-24 and 27-30.
November
Some of first week, then most of second half after 16, especially 19-24 and 28-30.
December
9, 24-25, 29
Ken Ring is a long-range weather forecaster from Auckland, New Zealand. A disclaimer in the almanac states that the forecasts represent “the best-endeavour opinions of the author and no guarantees of 100% accuracy is claimed”.
SHARING OPTIONS: