Punters heading to the Ploughing Championships will need to be prepared for “unsettled” conditions, with a wet and windy outlook forecast for the week ahead.
Those joining the crowd of 300,000 making the journey to Screggan in Tullamore, Co Offaly, for the event from Tuesday to Thursday can expect strong winds and showers.
Met Éireann has put a yellow status rain warning in place for three counties, advising road users to take care while travelling due to localised flooding and poor visibility.
The rain alert came into effect during the early hours of Monday morning and will remain in place until 5pm for Leitrim, Donegal and Sligo.
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Monday will be windy with widespread showers, some heavy with the chance of thunder, particularly in the north and northwest where spot flooding is possible. Rain will gradually ease from the southwest through the afternoon with brighter conditions developing. However, spells of rain will continue over Ulster.
Highest temperatures of 13 to 16 degrees in fresh to strong and gusty westerly winds. There will be coastal gales in the west for a time, beginning to ease later.
Monday night is expected to be largely dry, with just isolated showers mainly in the west. In Ulster, more frequent and widespread showers will continue, beginning to ease by the morning.
It will be a dry and bright start to proceedings in Tullamore on Tuesday. Cloud is set to build from the southwest through the morning with outbreaks of rain spreading northeastwards through the afternoon and evening.
These will turn heavy at times particularly in the southwest. Highest temperatures of 14 to 17 degrees in light to moderate southerly winds, beginning to strengthen in the evening.
Wednesday will be “dry and blustery” for most, with isolated showers and sunny spells. Highest temperatures of 16 to 19 degrees with fresh to strong southwest winds, which will reach gale force along west and northwest coasts.
Cloud will build in the south overnight with outbreaks of rain moving in. It is set to stay mostly dry with clear spells and isolated showers in the northern half of the country, Met Éireann said.
Lowest temperatures of 9 to 12 degrees in light to moderate southerly winds.
Thursday will bring outbreaks of rain in the south that are likely to persist for much of the day with drier and brighter conditions in the north. Highest temperatures of 15 to 17 degrees with light southwesterly or variable winds.
Current indications for Friday show a bright day for most with spells of showery rain at times. Highest temperatures will range from 15 to 17 degrees with mostly light westerly winds.
