Thousands of people are expected at the St Martin’s Bonfire, which is due to take place on the parish green on Saturday. The event – raising money for the Jersey Alzheimer’s Association – has taken place for two decades but was cancelled last year following competition from the Waterfront bonfire and fireworks display.
However, with the warm, sunny weather of recent days forecast to break today, organisers of the event are keeping their fingers crossed for clear skies.
And they could be lucky because, according to the Jersey Met Office, while Bonfire Night on 5 November is expected to be wet, only a small amount of rain is forecast for Saturday.
Click here for the latest weather forecast.[/breakout]
Forecaster Sharon Merren said: ‘It looks like it could be a wet Guy Fawkes Night. Things are a little bit more uncertain as we go through Friday and the weekend. It looks like the weather could improve in the evening on Friday and that there will probably be another period of rain later on Saturday, but it looks like the amount of rain at that point in time probably should be small.’
Steve Rondel, from the Gorey Fete Committee, which organises the bonfire, said that they were expecting between 4,000 and 5,000 people if the weather is okay.
‘It is a proper community event and we have spent a lot on the firework display,’ he said. ‘Even if we do get showers as long as the fields are relatively dry we will be fine. Hopefully people will pitch up and enjoy it.’
Meanwhile, figures from Jersey Met Office show that October was significantly drier than the average, with just 56.1 mm of rainfall during the month compared to an average of 104.7 mm.
It was also sunnier than average with 139.8 hours of sunshine compared to the average of 124.3. The average temperature for the month was 13.5°C, marginally up on the average of 13.4°C.
The St Martin’s Bonfire opens at 6 pm with the lighting of the fire at 6.30 pm and the fireworks display at 8.30 pm.
Entry costs £5 for adults and £2 for under 15s.
