Mild unsettled week in store with patchy rain - Met Éireann

A mild, humid and unsettled week is in store for the country, with patchy rain in places, according to Met Éireann.

Today, Monday, June 22, will be mild, humid and mostly cloudy with outbreaks of rain, the national meteorological office says.

Some drier interludes will occur too, but heavy persistent downpours are likely to feed up over Connacht and west Ulster during the afternoon and evening.

Highest temperatures will reach 16° to 19° with blustery southerly winds, easing for a time in the west.

Tonight will be very mild and humid with outbreaks of rain and drizzle in many areas. Lowest temperatures of 11° to 14° are expected in a fresh southerly breeze. There will also be mist and fog on hills.

Rain and field conditions

Over the past seven days, rainfall amounts were well below normal in many central and northwestern areas.

Amounts were around average, or above average elsewhere, with some parts of the east getting three times the average amount.

Belmullet recorded just 8.7mm of rain, which is 52% of its normal average, while 51.7mm was recorded in Johnstown Castle in Co. Wexford. This is 306% of its normal average, the national meteorological office notes.

Rainfall amounts for the coming week are expected to be well above average for most areas, with more than twice the average rainfall forecast for parts of the midlands and north-west.

It will be drier in eastern areas where below average rainfall totals are expected.

Drying and spraying conditions will be poor for the next few days, with rain and heavy showers forecast. There are likely to be opportunities in all areas on Wednesday and Thursday.

Regarding field conditions, soil moisture deficits remain high in all parts of the country and for all soil types, but an improvement is expected in the week ahead, the national meteorological office says.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow will continue to be humid with further spells of rain in most areas. Northwestern parts may see some drier and brighter spells, Met Éireann says.

The rain is likely to be very patchy in the south-east. Highest temperatures will hit 15° to 17° with light to moderate southerly breezes.

Tomorrow night there will be further outbreaks of rain and drizzle, which will become more patchy. It will be very mild with lowest temperatures of 11° to 14° and very light southerly or variable breezes.

Outlook

Wednesday will see some further patchy light rain and drizzle in places but there will be a lot of dry weather generally, according to Met Éireann.

Cloud and mist will linger in places but there will be some brighter spells in parts too, with highest temperatures of 17° to 21° in light variable breezes.

Thursday will be warmer with sunny spells. It will be mainly dry but a few isolated heavy showers are possible late in the day. Highest temperatures of 18° to 25° are forecast, with it to be warmest in Leinster with light breezes.

Thursday night and Friday will see heavy or thundery showers move in over the country from the south. It will still be warm and muggy with some sunny spells by day too, Met Éireann says.