Electric Picnic 2023: Will It Rain At This Year’s Festival?
Following the triumphant return of the famed arts and music festival in 2022 after a significant hiatus, there is major anticipation for this year’s Electric Picnic, which is set to get underway in its usual venue of Stradbally on Friday week (September 1) and betting sites have priced up a book on Will It Rain or Not?
Taking place over the course of three days, it is set to be an endurance test for musicians and festival goers alike, albeit one that could prove to be richly rewarding nonetheless.
Following the cancellation of the 2020 and 2021 editions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Electric Picnic was back on the musical calendar a little under 12 months ago with Dermot Kennedy (who had appeared at the previous EP festival in 2019), Tame Impala and Arctic Monkeys on hand as key headliners.
Billie Eilish, The Killers and Paolo Nutini are some of the big acts that will be turning up in Laois next weekend, but those who are planning on being in attendance for this year’s festival are advised to take caution due to the weather forecast.
So let’s see what the betting apps are saying.
Some Rain Expected For This Year’s Festival
The weather in Ireland this summer has been highly erratic and as bookmakers are currently demonstrating, the likelihood is that rain will be descending upon Stradbally for the festival.
While this won’t necessarily put off festival goers – many of whom will be prepared for all manner of conditions – brighter weather would certainly be more preferable for all concerned.
The good news at least is that the chances of there being a complete washout at EP are relatively slim with the odds on a massive deluge (i.e. 20mm of rain or more) coming in at 9/1 with new betting sites.
There is said to be a 10% prospect of this happening, so this will undoubtedly come as some form of encouragement to those who might be on the fence about attending if conditions are going to be poor.
Chances Of A Dry Electric Picnic Are Slim
Equally, there seems to be only a slight chance that there will be no rain in the O’Moore County for the festival.
Going by past editions of the festival, it would be incredibly rare if there was no rain over the three days of the festival and that is reflected in the odds of 8/1 (11.1%) being offered up by specials betting sites for a completely dry spell.
By comparison, heavy showers are being treated with a greater degree of seriousness in the betting for Electric Picnic. The odds currently on offer for rainfall varies from 10 to 20mm is a relatively short 2/1 (33%).
Light Rain The Most Probable Weather Outcome
Yet this only puts it second in the overall betting for EP with light rain seemingly the most likely outcome for the festival just over a week out from its 2023 edition getting up and running.
Light rain ranges from 0.1 to 10mm and given this is what the weather has been like at four Electric Picnic festivals within the past 10 years, those who are intending to travel to Stradbally next weekend should be prepared for this eventuality.
At the time of writing, light rain is leading the way in the betting for the EP weather at Evens with an overall probability of 50%.
Unpredictable Irish Weather Leaves Things Up In The Air
Should this happen, it would be a significant improvement on last year’s edition of Electric Picnic, which saw the highest ever recorded rainfall at the festival.
It is worth noting that it remains difficult to foresee what it will be like next weekend, given how unpredictable the Irish weather tends to be. Whereas July of 2022 was generally humid, the same month in this year was the wettest ever on record with a total rainfall of 178.9mm.
Hopefully this won’t be the case and, if it isn’t to be a sun-drenched occasion in Stradbally, it will be the best possible alternative scenario.