Weekly weather: drought conditions to worsen

The week ahead is set to be warm, dry and settled, with rainfall totals less than 4mm for the bulk of the country.
Monday is forecast to be a mix of sunny spells and cloudy periods, with top temperatures of 23°C to 27°C, according to Met Éireann.
The middle of the week will generally be slightly cooler with good sunshine and some broken clouds.
Highest temperatures will range from 22°C to 26°C.
Farming forecast It has been almost completely dry across the country this past week, apart from patchy drizzle in the northwest and the odd shower in the southwest.
Drying and spraying A yellow drought warning is in place and, while currently there are good spraying conditions, caution is required due to leaf scorch.
Field conditions Soil moisture deficits are very high and range from around 55mm to 65mm in west Ulster and west Connacht but 70mm to 90mm elsewhere, highest of all over east and south Leinster.
Heatwave advice Human health and animal health: precautions and regular checking of animals is advised with the increased temperatures over the coming week.
Animal transportation: there are a number of factors that should be kept in mind when transporting livestock.
Silage and topping: an increasing soil moisture deficit is starting to hit growth and yield in second-cut crops.

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