Forecast issued at: Thursday 24th April 2025 15:00
Rain
It has been much wetter than normal over the past week, with rainfall amounts between 3 and 5 times the average in most areas. It was wettest near south and southeast coasts with 80.4mm recorded at Roches Point, Co. Cork (581% of normal). Accumulations were lower further to the northwest, with rainfall amounts coming in twice the average in west Connacht and northwest Ulster. 36.4mm was recorded at Belmullet, Co. Mayo (218% of normal). The next seven days will start off unsettled with some heavy rain or showers on Thursday night and Friday. There'll be some further rainfall during Saturday night and into Sunday, but this will be lighter. While there is some uncertainty in the details for the following days, it looks it should be mostly dry. Overall rainfall amounts will come in close to average or a little below, though a little higher than average in some southern and eastern areas. Rainfall totals are likely to vary from between 4mm and 10mm in the southwest and south midlands (less than 50% of normal), to between around 13mm and 25mm generally, equating to between around 80 and 130% of normal. The bulk of this rainfall will occur through Thursday night and Friday.
Temperatures
Mean air temperatures over the last seven days were generally around normal or a little above, though slightly below normal in the far north, with mean air temperatures ranging from between 8 to 10.3 degrees. It is expected to become milder over the next seven days, with mean air temperatures rising to 12 or 13 degrees, which is 4 or 5 degrees above average. At the moment, mean soil temperatures are generally 1 or 2 degrees above normal, ranging from 8.6 degrees in the northwest to 11.1 degrees in the south and southwest. Soil temperatures will rise a little more this coming week.
Sunshine
It has been duller than normal across the country over the last week. It was dullest in parts of the south and in the east with just 16.3 hours of sunshine recorded at Cork airport (43% of average) and with just 17 hours recorded at Casement aerodrome (47% of average). The highest amount of sunshine was recorded at Malin Head, Co. Donegal, where 29 hours were recorded (78% of average). Sunshine amounts will come in above average for the coming week.
Drying Conditions
There'll be some good drying conditions on Thursday evening in parts of the north and east, otherwise drying will be poor until Saturday. Drying will be poor again in parts on Sunday but will improve from Monday.
Spraying
There'll be some good opportunities for spraying on Saturday and from Monday.
Field Conditions
Most well drained and moderately drained soils are close to saturation, while some moderately drained soils in the western half of the country and most poorly drained soils are waterlogged. However, soils are a little drier in parts of west Connacht and northwest Munster. All soils will become drier by the end of the coming week, with soil moisture deficits increasing to between 5 and 17mm for moderately drained and well drained soils.
Forecast maps and meteograms can be found on Blight Forecast.
