Cork and Kerry will sit under a Met Éireann status yellow wind warning from 1:00 pm on Tuesday (September 29) until 9:00 pm, with south-easterly gusts set to reach near gale force.

Met Éireann has issued the alert, flagging very strong and gusty winds capable of felling trees, displacing loose objects and causing wave overtopping along exposed coastlines. Travelling conditions will turn difficult through the second half of the day.

What does the warning change for fieldwork?

The timing cuts across Tuesday afternoon spraying windows, any remaining harvest moves and high-sided trailer traffic on country roads in the two counties. Wind speeds reaching near gale force on the Beaufort scale will rule out pesticide application and any crop operation where drift matters.

Saturated ground mid-week will also lift the risk of rutting and compaction under heavy machinery. Forecasters expect Tuesday's rain to turn heavy in places, with localised flooding possible.

Wind-driven showers and possibly thundery skies overnight into Wednesday will keep field work marginal across many parts of Munster through the rest of the working week.

Monday (September 28) – a dry start

Most of the country stays dry and bright with spells of sunshine, turning hazy at times. Highest temperatures reach 14° to 17° in a light to moderate south to south-easterly breeze. Overnight lows run 9° to 14°.

Tuesday (September 29) – warning day and rain

Early bright spells hold in the north; elsewhere it turns cloudy with patchy rain and drizzle. More persistent rain develops in the south-west early in the afternoon and tracks north-eastwards through the evening.

The day runs mild at 17° to 20°, useful heat units for late cover crops and grass growth. Showers turn heavy, blustery and possibly thundery overnight, especially across the south and west. Lows sit at 10° to 14°.

Wednesday (September 30) – blustery showers

Widespread showers, some heavy and thundery, mix with sunny spells. Fresh southerly winds turn stronger along western coasts. Highest temperatures 15° to 18°.

Overnight, showers retreat to the west as skies clear elsewhere. Lows run 8° to 12° in mostly light southerly breezes.

Thursday (October 1) – mostly dry before rain returns

Dry for many with sunny spells and scattered showers. Forecasters expect a spell of more persistent rain to push into the west later in the day. Highest temperatures reach 14° to 17° in moderate to fresh south-westerly winds, backing southerly.

Friday (October 2) – another wet spell on the cards

Met Éireann points to "some uncertainty in the detail" but currently tracks outbreaks of rain moving in from the west, with highs of 14° to 18° and moderate to fresh southerly winds.

What does the weekend hold?

Met Éireann said there "is a signal" for a ridge of high pressure to build through the weekend, with drier and more settled weather developing. That would open a window for autumn cultivations, slurry application and any outstanding winter cereal drilling, if the signal holds.

The service has not yet pinned down pressure values, so growers should treat the weekend outlook as a watch item rather than a finished forecast. Met Éireann expects to update its charts through the week as the picture firms up.