Ploughing Championships weather - Met Éireann has a fantastic Laois forecast

Met Éireann has forecast near-perfect weather for the National Ploughing Championships in Laois hundreds of thousands are set to descend on Ratheniska for Europe's biggest outdoor event.

Sun lotion and wide hats could be the order of the day with Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday set to feature sunny warm weather for the huge event which takes place from September 17 to 19.

The forecaster expects Tuesday to be the best day but Wednesday, Thursday will also dry with sunny spells in just light easterly winds with temperatures will range between 17 and 21 degrees.

The forecaster's farming section says the coming week will see high pressure move in and sunshine should be above average as a result. It says temperatures will be above normal and rainfall below average for the time of year.

Listen to Gerry Murphy's forecast for the week here. Read more below.

National Forecast issued on September 16 at 8:44 am

Monday: Any mist or fog patches will soon clear this morning to leave a dry day with sunny spells. It'll be a little cloudier further west, with perhaps the odd spot of drizzle at times along the west coast. Highest temperatures 17 to 21 degrees in mostly light southerly breezes.

Largely dry night with clear spells. It will be cloudier at times in parts of the southwest, west and northwest with a little drizzle. Lowest temperatures ranging from 6 or 7 degrees in the southeast to 13 or 14 degrees in the northwest with light southerly or variable breezes.

Tuesday: Dry with improving sunshine amounts. Highest temperatures 17 to 22 degrees. Light to moderate east to southeast winds will mean that it will be coolest in the east and warmest in the midlands and west.

Tuesday night will be dry with clear spells. Some mist may form near dawn and will clear quickly with the sunrise. Lowest temperatures 7 to 11 degrees with light easterly winds.

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: Dry with sunny spells and light easterly winds, temperatures will range between 17 and 21 degrees, coolest along east-facing coasts. MORE BELOW IMAGE.

Nighttime temperatures will be down to 7 to 11 degrees with clear spells and light breezes allowing a little mist or fog around dawn.

Current indications suggest that there will be a greater possibility of showers next weekend with temperatures dropping back to the mid to high teens.