Met Éireann is predicting largely wet weather in the coming days, in generally cloudy, overcast conditions.

Today, Friday, July 3, will be a cloudy and breezy day, with outbreaks of rain and drizzle. The low cloud will make it misty over the hills and at the coasts, and the rain will be heavy at times. Highest temperatures will be 15° to 19° in fresh and gusty southwest winds, which will ease a little later in the day.

There will be further patchy rain overnight, mostly in the north and west, with drier spells in the southeast. Lowest temperatures will be 9° to 12°. Winds will be light and variable in the north, becoming moderate in the southwest, and occasionally fresh elsewhere.

Tomorrow, Saturday, July 4, will be another cloudy day overall, with further outbreaks of rain. The rain is likely to be in the north, with drier weather to the south of the country. Highest temperatures will be 16° to 20° in a moderate to fresh southwest or west wind. It will be cooler along coastal areas of the west.

Tomorrow night will see light southerly winds veering westerly and freshening, and there will be more rain, heavy at times. Temperatures will fall to between 11° in the north and 14° in the south.

Sunday, July 5, will see outbreaks of rain in the west and northwest, with the south and southeast faring better, with perhaps some sunny spells developing. Temperatures will be on the low side in the west and northwest at around 13°, and up to 17° in the southeast.

Strong westerly winds will steadily ease through the day on Sunday.

On Monday, July 6, there will be showers in the northwest, but elsewhere will become drier, with some sunshine breaking through later. Temperatures will recover to near normal for the time of year, with light to moderate west to northwest winds.

Tuesday, July 7, currently looks dry and sunny, with light westerly winds and temperatures around normal for the time of year.

Current indications suggest a slight improvement for midweek weather, with a small rise in temperatures as winds become southerly in direction.

Drying, spraying and soil conditions

In Met Éireann’s farming forecast, issued yesterday, Thursday, July 2, the national forecaster noted that drying conditions will be limited over the coming week. Tuesday, July 7, looks to be the driest day over the coming days, while Wednesday, July 8, will be dry in northern parts.

Where spraying conditions are concerned, Tuesday will also likely be the best day, as winds will be mainly light.

Soil moisture deficits remain high over much of the southern half of the country. Deficits are lower elsewhere, and soils are nearing saturation locally in northern and western parts following some very heavy falls of rain in the past week.

Soils will become more saturated in the northwest in the week ahead, due to the above average rainfall expected. Deficits look likely to reduce in the southwest over the coming week. However, soil moisture deficits will remain higher in south Leinster.