Soil moisture deficits (SMDs) will decrease across the country with more unsettled weather in the coming week, Met Éireann has said.

Despite recent heavy rain or showers, SMDs are generally between 30mm and 55mm across Leinster and much of Munster, leading to restriction to growth in places.

SMDs are lower in other areas, ranging between 0mm and 30mm.

Across the country over the coming week, soils in Connacht, Ulster and west Munster will become saturated with moderately to poorly drained soils becoming waterlogged.

SMDs in the south-east will generally decrease to between 5mm and 20mm.

This is a change for farms across the country who battled with drought over the summer months.

Relief came in the form of rainfall over the past couple of weeks, which was very welcome for soils in areas such as the south and east of the country.

Rainfall

During the past week, rainfall was above normal across Leinster, Munster and much of Connacht with accumulations generally between 100% and 355% of normal.

However, it was drier than normal in Ulster with rainfall amounts between 42% and 89% of average.

It was wettest in the south with 61.1mm recorded at Roches Point, Co. Cork.

It was much drier further north with 9.8mm recorded at Malin Head, Co. Donegal.

The coming week will be significantly wetter than normal for most with rainfall amounts possibly up to six or seven times normal in some areas.

Met Éireann said this will be due to frequent showers and spells of rain spread across the next seven days, with potential for some heavier downpours at times.

Spraying and drying

Drying conditions will generally be moderate or poor in the coming days due to frequent rainfall and showers and limited sunshine.

There will be few opportunities for spraying in the coming days due to more unsettled conditions.

There will be frequent spells of rain and showers with breezier conditions at times too.