The Story of D-Day Forecast: Three Days in June

An archive photo fo the Supreme Command

Provided by APT

For a few tense days in June 1944, the success of the D-Day military invasion was completely reliant on weather readings taken by a young woman at a remote weather station on Ireland’s west coast.

The Story of D-Day Forecast: Three Days in June, airing Wednesday, April 12 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV, includes a special interview with 96-year-old Maureen Sweeney - providing a living link to a unique moment in history, where military might and meteorological analysis collided. Sweeney’s data threw General Dwight D. Eisenhower’s meticulously planned invasion strategy into chaos, forcing him to make one of the most difficult decisions in the entire war. Completely unaware of the significance of her work, Sweeney's readings were the first to point out an impending storm that would lead to the postponement of the invasion. Featuring contributions from Susan Eisenhower (granddaughter of the General), renowned historian Antony Beevor, D-Day veteran Joe Cattini, and a selection of military experts, meteorologists and archive footage, this fascinating documentary paints an incredible picture of Ireland’s previously unknown role in one of the most pivotal events in world history.