Settled conditions this week are expected to benefit farmers who have silage to cut, following on from the recent spell of wet weather.
Rainfall accumulations of below normal for this time of year are forecast, with most areas staying relatively dry; it is also likely to be quite mild.
Today, Tuesday, is set to start off cloudy and damp; there is a risk that some patchy rain or drizzle may develop, according to Met Eireann.
Drier weather, with some bright spells, is expected to extend from the southeast; rain and drizzle will become confined to Connacht and Ulster – mainly along coastal areas.
Tuesday night is expected to be mild and misty, with some patches of drizzle or fog in places; temperatures are set to drop to around 10º.
Drying conditions over the coming days will be moderate, according to Met Eireann. Meanwhile, there will be plenty of opportunities for spraying as the week progresses, it added.
Most soils are trafficable at present and conditions aren’t expected to change much over the coming week.
Tomorrow
Tomorrow, Wednesday, is forecast to be mild and breezy in moderate to fresh southerly winds.
Some patches of drizzle and fog may develop at times, mainly on southern coasts and over Atlantic coastal counties, according to Met Eireann. Generally, temperatures are expected to remain in the high-teens.
More persistent rain and drizzle is set to develop in western areas in the evening; this rain could become widespread for a time overnight. Conditions should clear up again before dawn.
Thursday
Thursday is expected to bring a mixture of sunny spells and cloudy periods; dry conditions should prevail alongside just a few scattered showers.
Image source: Shane Casey
Meanwhile, temperatures could reach highs of 18º. There is also a risk of some rain developing along Atlantic coastal regions.
Outlook
It is set to be breezy and rather cloudy on Friday, but some sunny spells may develop in eastern and southeastern areas for a time in the morning, according to Met Eireann.
There is a danger that scattered outbreaks of rain could turn persistent in some western and northern parts of the country.
Early indications for the weekend suggest that there will be a mixture of just a few showers in places alongside a lot of dry weather; temperatures are forecast to remain in the high-teens.