Kiwi weather expert forecasts a watery end to dreadful 2009
A New Zealand weather forecaster who confounded critics by his accurate weather forecast this summer is predicting a wet finale to the year.
Auckland-based Ken Ring forecast the current welcome dry spell last March. He astonished cynics when his predictions for the summer just gone, given six months in advance, were proved right.
However, the New Zealander isn't too optimistic for the year ahead. At this stage he predicts more of the same for next year's summer.
Looking forward he said: "The autumn will be wet apart from a dry and cool first week in November. December will be dry between the 10th and 24th, and Christmas (will be) wet but not white. Chances of snow do come around on January 20 and February 20, and in the first week of March."
However, those hoping for a dry summer next year will be sadly disappointed.
"The first and last weeks in June should be summery, and the first week in July mostly dry," he added.
Ken, who is kept busy providing weather predictions for farmers all over the world, has regular contact with many Irish farmers through his website, www.predictweather.com.
Forecasts are based on data, which he obtains from monitoring centres including Malin, Dublin, Tipperary and Cork.
- Martin Ryan
