Wet Weather Brings Tough Field Conditions for Farmers

Persistent rainfall over the past week has created difficult field conditions across much of the country, with saturated soils and waterlogging becoming widespread, particularly in the north, west, and midlands.

Rainfall levels have been well above average for this time of year, with northern regions experiencing accumulations up to 260% above the norm. Valentia, Co. Kerry recorded the highest total at 39mm, while Roches Point in Co. Cork saw the lowest at 12.1mm.

Despite somewhat drier conditions in the south, the majority of the country remains under the grip of an unsettled weather pattern, with more heavy showers and longer spells of rain forecast in the coming days.

The result is increasingly poor field conditions. Soil moisture deficits (SMDs) have decreased significantly, and most soils in the north midlands and northwest are already nearing saturation. Poorly drained fields, especially in the west and southwest, are now waterlogged.

Only the south and southeast are showing some resilience, with SMDs still ranging between +20mm and +30mm — indicating some remaining capacity to absorb moisture.

Compounding the issue are poor drying conditions, with frequent showers preventing any meaningful evaporation.

According to Met Éireann, sunshine has been slightly above average in parts of the country — Casement Aerodrome recorded 52.8 hours of sunshine — but these bright spells have not been enough to counterbalance the high moisture levels.

Spraying windows will also be extremely limited, with only a brief opportunity expected early Friday morning when a temporary dry spell may allow for limited field operations.

Soil temperatures, while slightly above normal in recent days, are expected to settle back to average, offering little help in drying out fields.