The cooler and fresher weather expected over the coming days will provide ideal conditions for the hard labour of the harvest, according to Met Eireann.

Today, Tuesday, is set to bring a mixture of sunny spells and scattered showers. The showers are forecast to be heaviest and most frequent across Connacht, Munster and south Leinster – some will be thundery in nature.

It will be a cool day for mid-August, with highest temperatures ranging from 15º to 18º; winds will be light to moderate and northerly in direction.

Showers are likely to become isolated overnight and many places will have a dry and clear night. Temperatures may drop to around 10º, with light to moderate north to northwest winds.

Good drying conditions are expected to develop during tomorrow and Thursday following a period of showers earlier in the week. There will also be plenty of opportunities for spraying, Met Eireann added.

Meanwhile, land in the west of Ireland has turned heavy as a result of all the rain that fell over the bank holiday weekend – but eastern counties are still very firm.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow, Wednesday, looks set to be a dry and bright day with cloud breaking during the morning to allow lengthy sunny spells emerge.

Top temperatures of between 16º and 21º are forecast; it is likely to be warmest in Munster and Leinster. Winds will be moderate and north or northwest in direction, according to Met Eireann.

Conditions will continue to be mainly dry tomorrow night, although cloud is set to thicken towards morning. Lowest temperatures will range between 7º and 9º.

Thursday

It is likely to be mainly dry with sunny spells and light winds on Thursday. Temperatures will range between 15º in the northwest to 19º in the south and east.

From mid-afternoon there is a risk that light southwest winds will start to freshen and, at the same time, cloud will start to thicken in the northwest.

Rain is set to develop in the northwest in the evening; this rain will spread overnight, pushing south and east. Overnight temperatures will vary from 12º to 14º.

Outlook

Friday is expected to be cloudy and breezy with scattered outbreaks of rain; temperatures are forecast to reach just below 20º. There’ll be spells of hazy sunshine in the south and southeast at times.

Brighter weather will develop in the west and northwest, extending southwards later in the evening as the moderate to fresh southwest winds veer westerly and ease just a little, Met Eireann added.

Friday night is expected to be dry with clear spells, but showers may develop by morning. A mixture of showers and sunny spells is likely on Saturday.

Current indications suggest that the winds will become southerly later in the weekend, but as yet there is no sign of any warmer weather on its way.