Forecast issued at: Saturday 27th December 2025 12:00
Rain
Rainfall amounts have been below normal across the country over the last seven days. Amounts ranged from just 3.7 mm at Dublin Airport (23% of normal) to 19.2 mm at Cork Airport (64% of normal). With high pressure dominating for much of the coming week, there is little to no rainfall forecast, with just occasional spots of drizzle. Later next week a little rain, drizzle and some showers will move down from the north, but overall rainfall amounts for the week ahead will range from 0 mm in some southern parts to 9 mm or 34% of average in the north.
Temperatures
Air temperatures were generally near or a little below normal over the past week, though were higher than normal in parts of the east and north.
Mean air temperatures ranged from 4.9 degrees Celsius at Gurteen Co. Tipperary, which is nearly a degree below normal to 7.7 degrees Celsius at Malin Head, Co. Donegal and also at Johnstown Castle, Co. Wexford, which is over a degree above normal. The coming week will be cold with some frosty nights, though less frosty on Sunday nigt and Monday night when it'll be cloudier. Overall, mean air temperatures will range between 2 and 7 degrees, which is between 1 and 3 degrees below average for most, though a little above average in some northern parts. Mean soil temperatures will decrease.
Sunshine
Sunshine amounts varied through the country over the past week, but with many areas getting either close to or above normal amounts and some areas getting well above average. However, it was duller in the east and parts of the south too. The least amount of sunshine was recorded at Dublin airport, with just 6.3 hours (52% of normal) recorded there. Valentia Observatory, Co. Kerry recorded the most sunshine, receiving 18.9 hours (203% of normal). Iit'll generally become cloudier for the next couple of days, and while some sunshine will return at times next week, it'll be duller at times with fog or freezing fog likely to linger by day midweek and with a little rain, drizzle and a few showers later on in the week. So overall sunshine amounts are expected to come in around average to a little below over the next 7 days.
Drying Conditions
Drying conditions will be poor generally this week as it will be cold with mostly light winds, though drying conditions will be mostly moderate early in the period close to the east and south coast where there'll be more of a breeze. It'll become breezier later in the week but with some rain, drizzle and showers around, so drying will remain poor, locally moderate.
Spraying
There'll be good spraying opportunities over much of the next week with mainly dry conditions and light winds expected, though there will be little or no opportunity for spraying initially in southern and eastern coastal parts due to the moderate easterly breeze. Later in the week there will be little or no opportunity for spraying as it turns breezier.
Field Conditions
All well and moderately drained soils are saturated or close to it, while poorly drained soils are either saturated or close to being waterlogged. With mostly dry conditions for much of the coming week, there will be a little improvement in field conditions, most notable in poorly drained soils. However, the improvement will be slight and gradual due to mostly poor drying condiitons.
Forecast maps and meteograms can be found on Blight Forecast.
