Ireland's lush green fields could soon become a thing of the past if the latest projections on the country’s climate changes are to be believed.
According to Met Eireann, the Irish Meteorological Service, summers In Ireland will become considerably drier because of climate change, with up to a 20 percent decrease in precipitation.
But don't think there's a good trade off for the hot weather, because in a just-released report titled Ireland’s Climate: The Road Ahead, Met Eireann says that winters will become wetter with precipitation increases of up to 14 percent.
That projection could see Ireland's legendary green fields lose their lushness throughout spring and summer months. A foretaste of what could lie ahead for the country was already delivered this year as grasslands across much of Ireland turned brown and dusty through lack of rainfall.
Meanwhile more rain in winter could lead to greater flooding, which has already become a seasonal problem in many areas.
Met Eireann's latest report warns of a generally warming trend in Ireland, with mean annual temperatures rising by approximately 1.44 Fahrenheit over the 1900 to 2012 period leading to a marked increase in the number of warm days when temperatures exceed 68 Fahrenheit and a decrease in the number of frost days per year.
This upward trend will likely accelerate in the years ahead Met Eireann said. Warming is likely to be particularly marked in the north of the country.
'Projections indicate that temperatures in Ireland of over 30C (86 Fahrenheit) can be expected to arise more often in the future, and this poses a challenge. If these changes are gradual there is scope for the population to adapt.'
According to the AP both people and wildlife will have to struggle to adapt to a more volatile future climate in Ireland.
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