Mixed weather expected on opening day of Ploughing Championships, including some ‘heavy’ showers

A mix of sunny spells and scattered showers, some of which are expected to be heavy, are forecast for Tuesday as tens of thousands travel to the first day of the National Ploughing Championships.Around 80,000 people are expected to descend on the 95th National Ploughing Championships in Screggan near Tullamore, Co Offaly, each day from Tuesday to Thursday, organisers say.As always, attendees will need appropriate footwear as mixed weather is expected throughout the week, though conditions are forecast to turn wetter on Friday.Tuesday is set to be a “fresh” day, with a mix of sunny spells and scattered passing showers, some of which will be heavy.READ MOREHighest temperatures of 16 to 18 degrees are expected in Leinster, according to the forecaster. Tuesday night is expected to be rather cool, dropping to lows of 9 to 12 degrees.Dry conditions are expected on Wednesday, which is set to see a mix of cloud and sunny spells, though there will be the “odd spot of drizzle” later in the day as cloud thickens.Highest temperatures of 16 to 18 degrees are expected again on Wednesday, before dropping to lows of 9 to 12 degrees that night.Wet and breezy weather is forecast to move towards the east early on Wednesday night, before clear spells and well-scattered showers follow throughout the night.Thursday is expected to be a fresh and breezy day with sunny spells and scattered showers, the forecaster said.Showers will be most frequent across the west and northwest of the country while parts of the southeast will stay dry. Highest temperatures of 14 to 17 degrees are expected in a “rather brisk” westerly breeze.Conditions are set to turn wetter after this year’s ploughing, with outbreaks of rain occurring “widely” on Friday, Met Éireann said.It is expected to be a wet and breezy day, and while the rain will ease throughout the afternoon, it will remain cloudy with patchy rain or drizzle throughout amid highs of 15 to 19 degrees.Beyond that, sunny spells and passing showers are forecast for Saturday before drier conditions emerge on Sunday.