There are some signs of some more significant rainfall in places on Thursday and early Friday, with indications of drier conditions over the weekend.

Monday will be a brighter and fresher day with scattered showers. The best of the sunshine will be through the morning and evening hours, with cloudier periods through the afternoon. Top temperatures of 16 to 20 degrees, highest in eastern and southern parts. Mainly light to moderate west to southwest breezes, will be occasionally fresh in the northwest.

Mostly dry and cool on Monday night with lows of 9 to 12 degrees Celsius, a few showers will move in off the Atlantic into western areas later in the night.

Tuesday

Tuesday and Wednesday will be bright fresh days with a mix of cloud and sunny spells with scattered showers in places, but rainfall amounts will be small. Highest temperatures of 17 to 20 degrees Celsius, highest in southern or southeastern areas where there may be 21 degrees Celsius on Wednesday in light or moderate westerly breezes.

Thursday

Thursday will be cloudier, but the morning should be dry, however rain will move into northwestern and northern counties in the early afternoon and will push southeastwards to affect most places later in the day. There could be some heavier falls in northern and northwestern counties, but amounts elsewhere will be relatively small. Highs of 16 to 20 or possibly 21 degrees Celsius in parts of the south.

Friday

Latest indications suggest brighter fresher weather for Friday with sunny spells and well scattered showers and temperatures of 16 to 21 degrees Celsius.

Weekend

Some uncertainty but there is a signal for a lot of dry weather over the weekend with a mix of cloud and sunny spells, with just a few isolated showers, or patches of rain and drizzle. Maximum temperatures will be in the low 20s

Farming forecast

Rain

It has been almost completely dry over Leinster and Munster over the past week/fortnight. Only areas near northwest coasts had any appreciable amounts 9 mm being recorded at Belmullet. Apart from scattered outbreaks of rain widely on Sunday, little or no rain is expected until midweek. There is the possibility of some more appreciable rain or showers later in the week.

Temperatures

Mean air temperatures ranged from a little above normal in the north, to nearly 4 degrees in the far south. Temperatures over this coming week are expected to stay above normal, but will be closer to average.

Sunshine

Sunshine values have been well above average in the Southern half of the country over the past week but it was duller than normal over Connacht and Ulster. The coming week is expected to have near normal sunshine.

Drying Conditions

There is still a forest fire warning in operation. With high insolation, drying will be moderate to good for much of this week, some rain is expected later.

Spraying

Generally good early this week outside of showers.

Field Conditions

Soil moisture deficits are very high ranging from around 60 mm in Ulster and west Connacht. Elsewhere values are running between 80 and 95 mm. Drought conditions may alleviate in the west as the week goes on.

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