Wellies and waterproofs on the card for Ballybrit

GALWAY racegoers would be advised to pack their wellingtons because the country will be hit with intermittent showers and lower temperatures throughout the week.

Parts of the country experienced 25mm of rainfall over the weekend as the typical Irish summer took hold.

According to Met Éireann, temperatures will not reach higher than between 16C and 19C throughout this week.

Scattered showers are forecast across Connacht and these could turn heavy. But there may be the odd sunny spell to brighten the atmosphere on the Ballybrit racecourse.

Meteorologist Jean Byrne told the Irish Independent: “The next couple of days will be cool and unsettled with scattered showers that will become more widespread and heavy.

“Temperatures will reach from 16C to 19C with moderate southwest winds. There will be wind and scattered showers, mainly in Connacht and west Ulster and Munster.”

Leinster will be the one place that won’t see as many showers as elsewhere. And temperatures will be a little higher in the capital and its surrounding areas.

The mercury will peak at up to 19C but there will still be some rainfall, winds and grey skies throughout the week.

A brighter weekend will allow Leinster bask in temperatures of up to 20C – a more than welcome reprieve from the showers.

Irish Water said it had no updates since announcing on Friday that the hosepipe ban would remain in place until August 31 while water restrictions will continue in the Greater Dublin Area for another two weeks.

Irish Water has taken almost 700 calls in recent weeks from householders and business people seeking information on how to conserve water.

The utility company had also got more than 300 calls from the public reporting “what they perceive to be violations of the water conservation order”, a spokeswoman said.

“Irish Water has begun the process of authorised personnel visiting the homes of those who have been reported to remind them of the water conservation order, the critical nature of the drought and the impact of wasting water on the local community.”

Meanwhile, a flood relief scheme has been activated in Northern Ireland after approximately a month’s rainfall fell on Saturday.