Don't rain on my parade - Your guide to the St Patrick's Day weather
Although the weather overall looks set to be pretty good for the many St Patricks’ Day festivities around the country, there’s one area in particular that looks likely to get a little wet.
And wouldn’t you know it - it’s right where the biggest parade of all will be held!
Ouch! Of all the days not to get this luck we’re apparently so famous for!
Still, perhaps we shouldn’t complain too much, there’s plenty going on in towns and villages across this land of ours, and the outlook in general doesn’t seem too bad.
MeteoGroup predicts some decent weather for the country overall, with “a mixture or cloud and sunny intervals for most with a few scattered showers in eastern and southern areas, mainly in the afternoon”.
Oh dear, that’s exactly when we don’t want them. And what’s this? “Southern areas” you say?
Well, the jury seems to be out on whether the Cork parade, starting from the South Mall at 1pm, will stay dry.
There are no warnings in force for the Cork Harbour area. With high pressure building, St. Patricks Day will be like today - cool & grey
— Cork Harbour Weather (@CorkHarbourWX) March 16, 2015
We really like the look of Metcheck’s forecast – blue skies and sunshine!
Metrogroup says Munster will be “dry with a few bright or sunny intervals, but a good deal of cloud”, but Met Éireann’s Munster forecast of “outbreaks of rain or drizzle, mainly in southern coastal areas” isn’t as upbeat.
Finally, Accuweather’s forecast graphic is the most pessimistic of the lot, but the same could be said for its outlook for the rest of country.
Indeed Accuweather’s forecast for Dublin looks pretty overcast, but at least there’s not much actual rain forecast for when it gets underway at Parnell Square around noon.
In fact, nobody is predicting anything like a downpour in Dublin, with Met Éireann saying it will be “mainly dry and cloudy with some rain or drizzle”, and the outlook from Metcheck doesn’t look too bad either.
Looking around the country now, the outlook looks good for the Waterford parade, which kicks off at 1pm.
Accuweather is predicting a bit of drizzle, but nothing to worry about too much.
Moving a little further north, things don’t look too bad for Limerick, although there may be a little rain in the offing, so say Metcheck.
Huge crowds are expected for their parade, which starts at Punch’s Cross at 12 noon.
The Met Éireann forecast for Connacht (“cloudy again but bright or sunny spells will develop”) could certainly be a lot worse.
Metcheck’s weather graphic for Paddy’s Day in Galway offers some cheer, too.
Metrogroup is a little more downbeat, saying “the odd spot of rain cannot be ruled out”.
Either way, there’ll be plenty of families on hand to welcome the Galway parade when it kicks off at the fire station on Dominick Street at 11:30am.
So there you have it. Wherever you celebrate our national day tomorrow, may the sun shine on you, and even if we get some traditional Irish rain, it just means more pots of gold for the leprechauns - which is great seeing as they only seem to only come out this time of year anyway.
