Sir, – A letter writer (Letters, August 22nd) cites the leaves on Griffith Avenue in Dublin as evidence of the lack of a recognisable summer season this year, and judging by the amount of complaining about the “awful weather” I have heard for the last three months, his view seems to be widely shared. However, a quick check of the Met Éireann Climate Statements for June and July on their excellent website will confirm that, in fact, rainfall for the whole country was below normal for both months and in Dublin, it was only 46 per cent and 67 per cent of LTA (long-term average) levels respectively. Sunshine levels were above or equal to LTA levels in June and July. If the brown roadside verges in my area and some very droopy looking trees and shrubs on Killiney Hill are anything to go by, I suspect the figures for August will be similar. I suggest that the leaves your correspondent has noted on Griffith Avenue are a result of lack of rain rather than too much of it! – Yours, etc,
KATHY QUIRKE,
Dún Laoghaire,
Co Dublin.