A status yellow potato blight warning has been issued by Met Eireann; it is set to remain in place over the coming days.

Weather conditions conducive to the spread of potato blight are expected to occur at times over the next few days.

Farmers will be provided with some opportunities for spraying; conditions are set to remain quite good over the weekend and into next week.

Due to little or no rain forecast and the warm sunshine, drying conditions are also expected to be good over the coming period. Field conditions are likely to be generally good, except on hilly areas in the west of Ireland.

Met Eireann believes that weather conditions forecast for early next week should afford farmers with some good opportunities for haymaking.

Forecast

Meanwhile, most areas will be dry today; some bright, sunny spells are set to develop at times in parts of the east and the south.

Conditions will turn mostly cloudy, with patchy rain in parts of the west and northwest. These conditions are likely to spread further east this evening and early tonight.

Temperatures are set to reach highs of between 17º and 20º, in mostly moderate southerly winds.

Outbreaks of rain and drizzle are forecast to spread countrywide for a time tonight; this will be followed by a mixture of clear spells and light, scattered showers.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow, Thursday, is set to be a bright, breezy and occasionally blustery day; there will also be a risk of some sunny spells and passing light showers.

Temperatures could rise to as high as 18º, in moderate to fresh and gusty southwest winds.

Conditions on Thursday night are expected to be largely dry at first under partly-cloudy skies, with just isolated showers in the west and north.

Scattered outbreaks of rain, drizzle and mist may develop along the Atlantic sea-board towards dawn, as temperatures drop to around 10º overnight, according to Met Eireann.

Friday

Generally cloudy, damp and humid conditions are forecast to prevail on Friday morning, with patchy outbreaks of rain and drizzle.

Sunny spells are set to develop in parts of the east and south, as temperatures reach as high as 23º in prolonged sunny breaks.

It is expected to be cooler further north and near the Atlantic sea-board, with highs of 16º to 19º.

The dry and sunny conditions are expected to remain in place for the entire weekend, as temperatures also remain around 20º.