Met Éireann has today (Tuesday, August 20) issued a status Yellow weather advisory for potato blight in most parts of the country.
The national meteorological service said that conditions conducive to the spread of potato blight will develop on Wednesday night until Thursday afternoon in Connacht, Ulster, north Leinster and parts of Munster.
The advisory is currently due to remain in place until 12:00p.m on Thursday.
Met Éireann said that there will be little opportunity for spraying this coming week due to unsettled and generally breezy or windy conditions.
Met Éireann
Meanwhile, a high tide advisory has also been issued for all coasts from 12:00p.m on Wednesday to 12:00p.m on Friday (August 23).
A period of ‘supermoon’ spring tides, expected to be among the highest during 2024, are the primary cause of elevated and high coastal tides.
In addition, Ireland is forecast to be affected by strong winds and increased storm surge from the remnants of Hurricane Ernesto in the Caribbean.
The combination of strong onshore winds, high spring tides and high waves may result in coastal flooding and wave overtopping.
The forecast for this week shows that conditions will be unsettled with spells of heavy rain and showers.
The rainfall amounts will be above normal nationwide as a result, with accumulations between 120% and 285% of average for this time of year.
It will be cooler than average for the coming week with mean air temperatures generally falling to 1° or 2°C below average.
Soil temperatures will decrease slightly this week but will likely remain near or above average.
Soil moisture deficits (SMDs) are generally between 40 and 75mm in the east and south with some restriction to growth.
While, in the west and northwest soils are saturated, with some moderately and poorly drained soils in the northwest waterlogged.
Due to the unsettled weather this week, soil conditions will deteriorate further across the west, northwest, and parts of the far southwest with saturated or waterlogged conditions expected.