Long-range weather guru Ken Ring is predicting a frosty Christmas for Ireland this year, with the south of the country most likely to get a festive snowfall.
The long-range forecaster, who predicted the country’s record-breaking July heatwave, says there will be plunging, sub-zero temperatures on Christmas Eve.
He also predicted that 2014 will bring in bitter cold, with temperatures dropping to an icy –10ºC as the new year is rung in.
The New Zealander, who uses the moon, sun, and tidal activity to make his forecasts, said there will be only a scattering of snow in December but the south of the country could be in for a white Christmas.
He said: “Whilst some counties could get whitish conditions it may not be for all of Ireland in the manner that the phrase A White Christmas is used.
“Despite sub-zero overnight temperatures for Christmas Day, scarce amounts of precipitation should mean that most chances of snow—as compared to cold rain, frost, sleet, blizzards, flurries—may be in south-western and south central counties.”
But he said the country should brace itself for a glacial start to the new year.
“January’s first week may be the coldest of the season, possibly reaching below –10º in the north-east and –8º for Dublin,” he said.
And the weatherman, who predicted the Arctic winter of 2010 and the Christchurch earthquake, said the freezing weather will continue into the spring, with February expected to be bitterly cold and snowfalls expected around Valentine’s Day.
He said: “February may be the most wintry month of the season. The third week of February, from the 14th to the 21st, sees precipitation plus sub-zero temperatures, being conditions that cause widespread snow.
“Kerry may get the heaviest falls around February 17th to 19th.”
He expects the lower temperatures to linger right up until summer.
“Intermittent sub-zero minimums may only be finally gone at the end of May,” he added.
Ring, who predicts weather patterns by planetary cycles and orbits of the moon and sun, says he uses science and not astrology.
The presenter for Australia’s Channel Seven Network, who pens an annual weather almanac for Ireland, insists the moon system gives very accurate timing of weather events.
He said: “The moon system is best for the timing of events and for the timing and nature of trends, upward and downwards. I believe the moon is responsible for the timing of weather events, just as for the timing of the sea tide. Metservices refuse to consider the moon might have any influence on the air, so for this type of long- range forecasting it is necessary to use older and more traditional methods. I match present weather to historic weather that happened on equivalent moon cycle days. I have historical data for all counties in Ireland.”
