A status yellow potato blight warning has been issued by Met Eireann that will stretch from today into the early days of next week.
The warning was issued at 6:00am this morning, Friday; weather conducive to the spread of potato blight is set to linger over the coming days.
Opportunities for spraying will not be ideal due to blustery conditions and showers at times over the weekend, Met Eireann added.
Showery rain is expected to gradually clear northwards today, as mixed sunshine develops across the country.
Temperatures are forecast to reach highs of between 16º to 20º in gusty southwest winds.
Clear spells are expected in many places tonight, but scattered showers will continue to occur across the northern half of the country – as temperatures drop to around 10º.
Drying conditions are set to deteriorate due to showers and longer spells of rain over the coming few days.
Meanwhile, the land is in pretty good shape at the moment to accommodate the increased rainfall; it can also easily facilitate the heavy machinery for the harvest, according to Met Eireann.
Tomorrow
Tomorrow, Saturday, is forecast to bring sunny spells and scattered showers; temperatures will range from 15º to 19º, in gusty southwest winds.
It is likely to remain mostly dry in Leinster and much of Munster on Saturday night. A band of heavy or prolonged showers is expected to move down over Ulster, Connacht and west Munster – as temperatures drop to around 10º.
Sunday
There is a possibility that heavy showers in the west and north will extend eastwards on Sunday morning; these may become widespread in the afternoon, with the possibility of a few turning thundery.
These showers are forecast to continue into the night, but they will become more isolated. Highest temperatures of 15º to 19º, in moderate southwest breezes, are expected.
Outlook
Monday is set to bring a mix of sunshine and showers to most areas; there is a danger that some of these showers may be heavy. Temperatures will remain similar to the previous day, in mostly light southwest breezes.
Early indications suggest that Tuesday will be similar with a mix of sunshine and showers, as temperatures remain in the high-teens.
Unsettled conditions are expected to continue for the rest of the week, with heavy showers or longer spells of rain possible at times.