Met Éireann is predicting fair weather conditions over the coming days, though some rain and drizzle will remain in patches.
It will be dry this morning, Friday, July 17, across much of the east and south of the country with just a few mist patches. However, it will be cloudy and damp in the west and north with patchy rain and drizzle. Rain and drizzle will then extend across much of the country this afternoon.
The rain will be generally light and patchy in nature but heavier and more persistent at times in the west and southwest. A clearance will follow across north Ulster by evening. Highest temperatures will range from 16° to 21° in moderate to fresh southwest breezes, warmest in the southeast.
It will be a cloudy and damp start in the southeast of the country tomorrow, Saturday, July 18, with rain for a time. However, it will be drier and brighter elsewhere with sunny spells and just scattered showers. The fresher, brighter weather will extend to all areas by afternoon.
Top temperatures on Saturday will be 14° to 17° in the west and north but ranging 18° to 20° in the east and south with moderate northwest breezes.
It will be largely dry on Saturday night, with long clear spells and some mist patches. It will be rather cool for July, with minimum temperatures of 6° to 9° in mostly light breezes.
Sunday, July 19, will begin dry and bright with sunny spells. There will be a partial build-up of cloud during the day and perhaps a few well-scattered showers. It will turn mostly clear and sunny again in the evening.
Monday, July 20, looks set to begin dry with good sunshine in the morning. However, some cloud will build during the afternoon bringing the odd shower. It will turning mostly sunny again by evening. Highest temperatures will be 15° to 19° in light westerly winds.
It will be largely dry overnight on Monday, but with the chance of a few showers in Atlantic coastal counties. Lowest temperatures will be 7° to 10°.
Tuesday, July 21, will be rather cloudy, with patchy rain possible for a time in the northwest and north of the country. The best of any sunny spells will be seen across the south and southeast. Top temperatures will be 15° to 19°, warmest in the south with moderate westerly breezes.
There will be patchy rain across north Connacht and Ulster overnight on Tuesday, but mostly dry elsewhere with just a few mist patches. Lowest temperatures will be 9° to 12° in moderate southwest breezes.
Drying, spraying and soil conditions
In Met Éireann’s latest farming forecast, issued yesterday, Thursday, July 16, it is forecasted that drying conditions will be poor today, but better in parts of the south and east until mid-afternoon. Drying conditions will improve from tomorrow, Saturday.
In terms of spraying, there will be reasonable opportunities, apart from today, when conditions will be limited due to rain. Otherwise there will be a lot of dry weather, with just scattered showers during the week and winds will be light.
Soil moisture deficits over the country range 5mm and 20mm generally, but they are up to 50mm in parts of south Leinster. Deficits are expected to gradually rise over the coming week due to the below-average rainfall amounts forecast.
In particular, deficits will increase in the southern half of the country to generally 20mm to 30mm, with a peak of 55mm in south Leinster.