A Glimmer of Sunshine Amid Unsettled Weather

Despite a wet and unsettled week across the country, there has been a welcome boost in sunshine for many areas.

In its latest farming commentary, Met Éireann says sunshine levels over the past seven days were slightly above normal in most parts, offering bright intervals amid the showers.

The standout location was Casement Aerodrome in County Dublin, where an impressive 45.8 hours of sunshine were recorded — 115% of the average for this time of year.

Although the west was considerably duller — Knock Airport in County Mayo reported just 19.7 hours of sunshine, 54% of the average — the brighter conditions elsewhere brought moments of reprieve from the rain-soaked days. Looking ahead, this coming week’s weather will be mixed, so sunshine amounts are likely to return to near or slightly below normal levels.

Rainfall over the past week was well above average nationwide, with the midlands and southwest seeing between 237% and 280% of their usual totals. Valentia topped the charts with 55.4mm of rain — 256% above average. The unsettled trend is expected to continue, particularly in the west where rainfall totals could again exceed double the seasonal norm. The south may escape the worst, with forecasts suggesting slightly drier conditions.

Temperatures have remained steady, with mean air temperatures ranging from 12.1 to 14.6 degrees — near or slightly above average. However, cooler air is on the way, with values expected to dip 1 to 2 degrees below normal in the coming week. Despite this, soil temperatures remain above average and are expected to stay that way.

Breezy conditions and continued rain will limit drying opportunities and reduce the window for agricultural spraying. Soil moisture deficits currently range from +15mm to +45mm, though soils in the midlands are already near saturation. With further rainfall on the way, parts of the west could face waterlogging in the days ahead.