0:00:05 > 0:00:08It's all around us. It connects us.
0:00:08 > 0:00:09Should it be wind from the west,
0:00:09 > 0:00:10rain from the east
0:00:10 > 0:00:13or the sun above, it's our weather.
0:00:27 > 0:00:31We have been forecasting our weather for centuries.
0:00:31 > 0:00:32We once looked at plants
0:00:32 > 0:00:35and animals for hints about what the weather would do.
0:00:35 > 0:00:36We thought rain was on the way
0:00:36 > 0:00:41if cows were seen to be lying down, frogs croaked more frequently,
0:00:41 > 0:00:44pine cones opened and sheep's wool uncurled.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47Sayings and proverbs were our barometer.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50"Red sky at night, shepherd's delight.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53"Red sky in the morning, shepherd's warning."
0:00:53 > 0:00:56These are natural forecasting methods, but today,
0:00:56 > 0:01:00the weather team at BBC Northern Ireland have the most up-to-date,
0:01:00 > 0:01:04scientific data at their fingertips to bring you an accurate forecast.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07Let's get the latest on the weather forecast now.
0:01:07 > 0:01:11As our weather is so changeable, it makes it very interesting
0:01:11 > 0:01:15for forecasters, because each day is different in one way or another.
0:01:15 > 0:01:17So we need lots of things -
0:01:17 > 0:01:22computer models, satellite imagery and observations from the ground.
0:01:22 > 0:01:24We collate these
0:01:24 > 0:01:27and work out what is going to happen for the next few days.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31But, as Angie explains, where we live plays a part too.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35People often ask why the weather is
0:01:35 > 0:01:37so changeable here in Northern Ireland
0:01:37 > 0:01:38compared to other areas,
0:01:38 > 0:01:40especially those on similar latitudes.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43And a lot has to do with positioning.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45Take, for example, Moscow.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48It's more or less on the same latitude as ourselves,
0:01:48 > 0:01:50but it's in the middle of a large landmass.
0:01:50 > 0:01:52Now, land heats up very quickly in the summer months.
0:01:52 > 0:01:54The air passing over the land heats up as well
0:01:54 > 0:01:57and they get very high temperatures.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59In contrast, Northern Ireland - well, we are positioned
0:01:59 > 0:02:01at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03Water doesn't heat up at the same rate,
0:02:03 > 0:02:06and a lot of our weather of course is coming across that water,
0:02:06 > 0:02:09off the Atlantic, so we don't get the same extremes.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11Now, the opposite then happens in the winter months.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14Over the land, it cools down extremely quickly,
0:02:14 > 0:02:15plummeting temperatures.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19Here in Northern Ireland, again, the sea modifies our temperatures.
0:02:19 > 0:02:21The water doesn't cool down at the same rate
0:02:21 > 0:02:24and that is why we have what is called a moderate climate.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29I'm going to go out and experience how that moderate climate
0:02:29 > 0:02:30shapes our lives.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33And I'm starting with my head in the clouds.
0:02:33 > 0:02:38# It's a bright, sun-shiney day
0:02:38 > 0:02:41# Skies are so blue
0:02:41 > 0:02:43# And I'm leaving... #
0:02:43 > 0:02:45I have come to the Ulster Gliding Club
0:02:45 > 0:02:49at Bellarena to meet Alan McKillen, and even though I am
0:02:49 > 0:02:52taking to the skies, I won't be in a plane, but a glider -
0:02:52 > 0:02:55an aircraft that doesn't have an engine
0:02:55 > 0:02:57and relies solely on the weather for power.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02- OK, Barra.- Great.
0:03:02 > 0:03:07- Just put this on.- And obviously this is just for emergencies.- Absolutely.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09- Totally.- There we go.- Brilliant.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16To get off the ground, we need a bit of help.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23There we are. We'll be off in about three seconds.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27One, two, three.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29- That's us off. - And we're off, we're up!
0:03:37 > 0:03:40- We're going to go to 3,000 feet today, Barra.- 3,000 feet.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44- That's quite high up for something that doesn't have an engine.- Well!
0:03:48 > 0:03:52One way the glider stays in the air is by using a thermal, which is
0:03:52 > 0:03:56a stream of rising warm air formed by the sun hitting the ground.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00What do you know to look for at this stage?
0:04:00 > 0:04:04We try and interpret the clouds ahead of us.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08And we'd look for nice, young, wispy clouds,
0:04:08 > 0:04:13which would be an indication of a thermal just starting to grow.
0:04:13 > 0:04:18And it's a perfect gliding day, with lots of puffy cumulus clouds.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21And you're kind of in a privileged position, because you have
0:04:21 > 0:04:25all sorts of weather coming from different directions that helps you.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28A multitude of different types of weather.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31The skill of a glider pilot is interpreting
0:04:31 > 0:04:34the weather on the day and making best use of it.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38It's time to release ourselves from the tug plane and fly solo.
0:04:38 > 0:04:43- OK, off we go.- Tell me when.- Now.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45Whoo! We're doing it ourselves.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47That's it. We are on our own.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52Wow, look at that. That is beautiful.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59It's the weather now that's literally allowing us
0:04:59 > 0:05:01to fly without an engine.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04Absolutely. We are soaring.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06Whoo-hoo-hoo!
0:05:10 > 0:05:11It's a bit scary!
0:05:15 > 0:05:17The flying club is ideally situated
0:05:17 > 0:05:19at the foothills of Binevenagh Mountain,
0:05:19 > 0:05:24and Alan is going to use the mountain ridge to gain altitude.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26Whoo! Ha!
0:05:27 > 0:05:29You're going to give me a heart attack.
0:05:32 > 0:05:36MUSIC: Freebird by Lynyrd Skynyrd
0:05:47 > 0:05:50Well, that's just a very small taste of the energy
0:05:50 > 0:05:55- that can be in the atmosphere, Barra.- This must be how birds feel.
0:05:55 > 0:06:01- This is really just harnessing the power of the weather.- Absolutely.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04That is what soaring and gliding is all about.
0:06:04 > 0:06:09# Cos I'm as free as a bird now
0:06:12 > 0:06:15# And this bird you cannot... #
0:06:15 > 0:06:18- You really do get a buzz from it, though.- Absolutely, Barra.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21I've done a 300-kilometre flight.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24The buzz when you land and the sense of achievement...
0:06:24 > 0:06:26But I'll maybe come round now
0:06:26 > 0:06:30and head in the general direction of back towards the airfield.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32- OK?- OK. Whoo!
0:06:34 > 0:06:36That's a long way down.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41Wow. We generally think of clouds,
0:06:41 > 0:06:45we think, "Aw, there's going to be a chance of rain here, what do we do?"
0:06:45 > 0:06:49You know, bring the washing in. But we harness it for this.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52The weather might be keeping us airborne,
0:06:52 > 0:06:54but how do we land this thing?!
0:06:55 > 0:06:57Oh-ho!
0:06:57 > 0:06:59Now I know what they mean by a wing and a prayer.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01- Here we go.- Yes.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04- Almost touchdown.- Whoo!
0:07:05 > 0:07:07Wow!
0:07:07 > 0:07:08Touchdown! Phew!
0:07:11 > 0:07:15- Fantastic! And surprisingly smooth! - Thank you.
0:07:15 > 0:07:17Didn't know what to expect there.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19Thankfully, I didn't need my parachute.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21THEY LAUGH
0:07:26 > 0:07:29And from gliding, which relies on clouds,
0:07:29 > 0:07:33to a profession that requires a cloudless sky.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37Across Loch Goil, as the crow or indeed the glider flies,
0:07:37 > 0:07:40is the Inishowen Peninsula in County Donegal,
0:07:40 > 0:07:44and I'm going there now to meet up with photographer Martina Gardiner.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49Martina's photographs are dramatic nightscapes
0:07:49 > 0:07:52featuring constellations, auroras and the Milky Way.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59Martina, you have a lot of night-time photographs here.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02It is a real passion of yours. What got you interested in it?
0:08:02 > 0:08:05Well, I was always interested in photography, but it is really in the
0:08:05 > 0:08:09last four or five years that I have got into night-time photography.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12There's just something about being out there on a great starry night
0:08:12 > 0:08:16and just looking up and enjoying the stars.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18Yeah, I just can't help myself. I just love it.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21It can't be as easy as that. I mean, looking at this photograph...
0:08:21 > 0:08:25I mean, that's fantastic. But surely you can't just go out and think,
0:08:25 > 0:08:27"I'm going to get that photograph tonight"?
0:08:27 > 0:08:30No, to catch the Milky Way in a photograph,
0:08:30 > 0:08:32it has to be the right time of the month.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35That's a time when there is little or no moonlight.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38The other thing is you need an absolutely clear sky.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41So trying to get the two on the one night, that's the difficult part.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44What are the chances of both of those things
0:08:44 > 0:08:47- happening at the same time? - Well, we have picked the right day.
0:08:47 > 0:08:52There is no moon by the time we can photograph the Milky Way tonight.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54And the weather... I'm not too sure about.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56It's little iffy, but maybe you know better.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59Well, sure, why don't we have a wee look before we head off?
0:08:59 > 0:09:02We can see a few wee breaks in the cloud. Hopefully they'll continue
0:09:02 > 0:09:04and we'll get a few photographs like this.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06- Yeah, fantastic.- Perfect.
0:09:14 > 0:09:16We're off to Malin Head,
0:09:16 > 0:09:19the most northerly tip on the island of Ireland.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22With the wild Atlantic Ocean for a neighbour,
0:09:22 > 0:09:24you'll have heard of Malin Head because
0:09:24 > 0:09:26there's a weather station there.
0:09:26 > 0:09:31'Malin: South five or six, fair, good. Hebrides...'
0:09:31 > 0:09:34And the weather element which distinguishes this from other
0:09:34 > 0:09:37stations throughout the country is the wind speed.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41Storm-force 12 winds are regularly recorded.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47Well, it looks like we're in a bit of luck. Some clear skies.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51Yeah, it's always good when you see some clear skies. That's for sure.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53You've been here before when it's been like this
0:09:53 > 0:09:54and you've got some amazing shots.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57- So perhaps we'll get some more of those tonight.- Yeah.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59If we get a clear sky even in one direction,
0:09:59 > 0:10:02we'll be able to work with it. So, yeah, I'm quite optimistic so far.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16- This is the spot you reckon we'll get a good shot from?- Yeah.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18We'll get a good shot of the tower from here,
0:10:18 > 0:10:22and the sky is looking, actually, even better than I thought it might.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25But we did have a look at the weather apps earlier.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28It did tell us that the cloud was going to clear off for us.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31- And it looks like it has done so. - It's really shaping up nicely.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33I'm really very excited.
0:10:34 > 0:10:38- OK, so, tripod, camera, and that's us?- Yeah.- We're ready to go.
0:10:38 > 0:10:43So we just line it up here and... Have a look.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46Try to get all of the tower in and leave space for the stars as well.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48So there we go.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52It's not looking too bad so far.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54No, the main thing is we've got the whole tower there
0:10:54 > 0:10:57and we've got plenty of sky. When that fills with stars,
0:10:57 > 0:11:00- it will be a pretty amazing shot. - And it's not a bad night to wait out.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03I'm sure you've been here when it's been much worse.
0:11:03 > 0:11:04It's the windiest place in Ireland.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07Yes, like tonight, as nights on Malin Head go,
0:11:07 > 0:11:08I think this is amazing.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11Having no wind is really something.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13- So we sit back, wait for that perfect shot?- Yeah.
0:11:13 > 0:11:18'It mightn't be windy tonight, but it's cold. Very cold.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20'It's no wonder the Romans called Ireland Hibernia,
0:11:20 > 0:11:22'the land of winter.'
0:11:22 > 0:11:23We haven't got long to wait.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26- That's hopefully going to heat us up for a wee while. Cheers.- Cheers.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34- OK, Barra, we're ready for a shot.- OK, ready.
0:11:34 > 0:11:40So we've got to stay steady for 25 seconds. Ready? And... Action!
0:11:40 > 0:11:44Deep breath in. I don't want to end up a blur on the landscape.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46Here goes.
0:11:46 > 0:11:51- That looks great. Come on down, have a look.- OK, breathe out.
0:11:51 > 0:11:52OK.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57Let's have a look.
0:11:57 > 0:11:58Well, that's fantastic.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01- All the colours have really come out well, haven't they?- Yeah.
0:12:01 > 0:12:02They've turned out pretty well.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05We haven't got, like, all the stars I'd like.
0:12:05 > 0:12:06A few stars at the top, but...
0:12:06 > 0:12:09But the weather hasn't completely let us down.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12It's been a great day, great photograph.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14- It has got a bit chilly, though, hasn't it?- Yeah!
0:12:14 > 0:12:16But it's all been worth it.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20Maybe not as starry as Martina would have liked,
0:12:20 > 0:12:22but I think it's picture perfect.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26The blanket bog of Cuilcagh Mountain in County Fermanagh
0:12:26 > 0:12:29is one of the finest examples in Western Europe.
0:12:29 > 0:12:33This may look like a nice scenic path for the ordinary rambler,
0:12:33 > 0:12:36but of course it's doing something important for the conservation of this area.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40Yeah, the sole and only reason we put the boardwalk in is to
0:12:40 > 0:12:42help conserve the habitat.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45What was basically happening was the footfall of walkers was
0:12:45 > 0:12:48eroding this rare blanket bog,
0:12:48 > 0:12:50so we had to take some remedial action to protect it.
0:12:50 > 0:12:51Today is quite a nice day,
0:12:51 > 0:12:54but it's not great for the midges here. I'm been eaten alive!
0:12:54 > 0:12:57- I think we need to go for a higher altitude.- Yes, I think so.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59We can try and find a bit of breeze.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07- Over halfway up. It's longer than it looks, isn't it?- It is, yes. Indeed.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09But some of the views are spectacular.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12The views are certainly worth it. There is no doubt.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15You're looking right across Fermanagh here, out into Donegal.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19- It's pretty breathtaking, all right.- And what?
0:13:19 > 0:13:23- We've got about 200, 300 steps still ahead of us.- Well, we'll get there.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34- So no trees?- No, no trees, no.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36Peat's not a very good growing medium, so it's only
0:13:36 > 0:13:40specialised plants that can tolerate those nutrient-poor conditions.
0:13:47 > 0:13:48We're almost at the top.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54The trail across the bogland is over 7km long,
0:13:54 > 0:13:57and takes us to the summit of Cuilcagh Mountain,
0:13:57 > 0:13:59but so far, it's been worth it.
0:13:59 > 0:14:05Well, here we are, Richard. Up to the top. 660 metres.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08It's still quite squelchy, isn't it?
0:14:08 > 0:14:10And you can really tell that the rainfall
0:14:10 > 0:14:11shaped this land in front of us.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14Yes, it has a profound effect on the landscape around us.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17And how important is the bogland and why?
0:14:17 > 0:14:20Well, the bog is important in its own right for its biodiversity
0:14:20 > 0:14:22and its intrinsic environmental value.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25But equally, it acts as a carbon store.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28This blanket bog and other bogs in Ireland are literally storing
0:14:28 > 0:14:29millions of tonnes of carbon.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33The peat is basically vegetation which hasn't completely rotted,
0:14:33 > 0:14:36so it's locked away in the bog over thousands and thousands of years.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40So this is really almost playing the same role as
0:14:40 > 0:14:44the Amazon rainforest in helping with climate change.
0:14:44 > 0:14:46This is a European protected habitat
0:14:46 > 0:14:49and without that level of rainfall, it wouldn't exist.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51So essentially, you don't mind Fermanagh being called
0:14:51 > 0:14:54one of the wettest counties of Northern Ireland,
0:14:54 > 0:14:55- if not Ireland?- At times.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57On my day off, I'd rather it was a bit drier, maybe sometimes.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00- But what can you do? - Still, a day like today,
0:15:00 > 0:15:01the views are breathtaking.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03Yes, it's fabulous. It really is.
0:15:11 > 0:15:15And from a breathtaking but treeless landscape to a lush forestry,
0:15:15 > 0:15:19and my pathway to the underground, where the waters that fell
0:15:19 > 0:15:23on Cuilcagh bogland have made their way to the marble arch caves.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27- Michelle.- Hello, how are you?- How are you? God, that's some walk!
0:15:27 > 0:15:29- Great weather for it, isn't it?- Yes.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32- Are you ready to go underground? - I am indeed. Let's go.
0:15:32 > 0:15:33- If you follow me, we'll head on in.- Perfect.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36Michelle's going to be my guide through this fascinating
0:15:36 > 0:15:43natural underworld of waterfalls, rivers, caves and winding passages.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45It's beautiful and brilliant.
0:15:45 > 0:15:49We are deep below Fermanagh, and you may be forgiven for thinking
0:15:49 > 0:15:53- the weather above won't affect us, but it does.- Yes, it does.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56Rainwater that falls on Cuilcagh Mountain, it's actually
0:15:56 > 0:15:59the catchment area for the three rivers that flow into
0:15:59 > 0:16:00the marble arch caves, and we're actually
0:16:00 > 0:16:02making our way up one of the rivers.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05It is called the Cladagh Glen.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08So you can imagine that the weather we experience in Fermanagh, and in
0:16:08 > 0:16:12particular up on Cuilcagh Mountain, has a large impact
0:16:12 > 0:16:14in relation to the show cave.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17We are able to come comfortably through this cave, but that all
0:16:17 > 0:16:21depends on the amount of rainfall that we get above, doesn't it?
0:16:21 > 0:16:23This cave tour is very much weather dependent.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27There are days when we have to opt that we don't have a cave tour available.
0:16:27 > 0:16:28It really depends on the blanket bog,
0:16:28 > 0:16:32whether or not the blanket bog is dry or if it's saturated.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36It depends on if it's local rain or if it has fallen at a distance.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38And it also depends on what the rivers are like, if they've
0:16:38 > 0:16:41had a period of time where they've dried up or if there's water in it.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45That is why the staff that work here monitor the weather forecast
0:16:45 > 0:16:47on a daily basis. You are actually going outside
0:16:47 > 0:16:51and visually looking at Cuilcagh Mountain to see if it's under cloud,
0:16:51 > 0:16:54if it's raining, what you think is happening on the mountain.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56Because it has its own little climate.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59In terms of weather, what is your perfect scenario?
0:17:00 > 0:17:03Best-case scenario is probably the rarest situation
0:17:03 > 0:17:06that we ever have, which is when we have a heat wave.
0:17:06 > 0:17:08I knew you were going to say that.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11But even at the moment, you know, we have had a period of a whole
0:17:11 > 0:17:13week now where we have had just dry weather.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15It is not hot, it is not sunny.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17But there has been no rain up on Cuilcagh Mountain,
0:17:17 > 0:17:19and that changes everything.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22It changes the amount of water coming off the mountain.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24It changes the atmosphere in the cave.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27I really like it when we've had a little bit of rainwater,
0:17:27 > 0:17:31and it's coming into the cave, and the rivers are rising slightly,
0:17:31 > 0:17:33and you can hear the rumbling of the river.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35And that is part of the experience
0:17:35 > 0:17:37and the excitement for members of the public.
0:17:37 > 0:17:39So people who do arrive on a rainy day,
0:17:39 > 0:17:41I don't think they are losing out.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44I think they are seeing it in a different way, and to me,
0:17:44 > 0:17:47- that's what it's all about. - Every cloud has a silver lining.
0:17:47 > 0:17:48Yes, we could say that.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55The relationship we have with the weather is a complex one.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59We do enjoy sunshine, and we might complain about days being wet
0:17:59 > 0:18:04and cold, but rain is refreshing, and wind is bracing.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07So I like to think that there is no such thing as bad,
0:18:07 > 0:18:10only different types of good weather.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14There is scientific evidence that the profusion of red hair,
0:18:14 > 0:18:19fair skin and freckles is the result of living in a sun-starved climate.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21I'm living proof. So there you have it.
0:18:21 > 0:18:25No doubt that the weather is part of who we are and what we are.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27Until next time, bye-bye.