Sunshine Soars in the South While Northwest Stays Cooler

The past week was mostly dry with below-average rainfall across much of Ireland, except for the northwest where it was slightly above average, according to Met Éireann.

Rain totals ranged from 0 to 9mm, with the highest amounts in the north and southwest. However, things are set to change as unsettled weather moves in from Sunday afternoon, bringing heavy and thundery showers. Widespread rain next week could total between 20 and 65mm, heaviest in the west and driest in the east.

Temperatures have been running warmer than usual, with mean air temps 0.8 to 2.4°C above normal. The warmest spot was Cork Airport at 17.3°C, while the coolest was Belmullet in Mayo at 15.2°C. Soil temperatures are also well above average, ranging from 15.9 to 21.3°C, and will remain elevated in the days ahead.

Sunshine was plentiful last week, especially in the south, but expect amounts to drop closer to average as cloud and rain become more frequent. Drying conditions and opportunities for spraying are good until Sunday but will worsen with the incoming wet weather, with the next spraying window likely Tuesday evening.

Field conditions vary: soils in the north, west, and far southwest are near saturation or waterlogged, while drier soils in other regions show some moisture deficits, especially in the south, which could slightly restrict growth. With showers forecast to ease moisture deficits in the west, but elsewhere conditions will remain fairly dry.