SEPTEMBER weather will be critical in terms of crop harvesting, autumn grazing and when the winter feeding/housing season will start, according to farm representatives.

Fears of an early start to the winter feeding season heightened after a very wet August across the West of Ireland with rainfall of over 10 inches recorded in places [Newport, Mayo] for the month.

While May, June and July had been relatively dry months [each less than 3 inches], heavy and persistent rain throughout August has left most soils in the West of Ireland either very wet or saturated.

Abbeyknockmoy weather recorder, Brendan Geraghty, told the Farming Tribune that through the month of August, his rainfall total came in 7.88 inches or 200mms.

He said that there were a total of 18 wet days throughout the month with the heaviest downpours on the 4th [1.32”], the 11th [1.21”], the 14th [0.8”] and the 19th [0.7 inches].

“No farmer will need any reminding that ground conditions have deteriorated significantly through the month of August after three fairly dry months before that.

“What we’re all praying for now is a fairly dry September which would be a great help to the corn and tillage sectors while also allowing for second or third cuts of silage.

“While grass growth has been very good over recent weeks there will be concerns over grazing conditions due to the heavy rains,” said Brendan Geraghty.

He added that August had been our wettest eighth month for a number of years with the average of 3 to 4.5 inches, around doubled in 2024.

February and August ‘head the league table’ for rainfall this year with the same totals for both months being recorded at the Met Éireann station in Athenry – 159mms [6.3”].

With the exception of last weekend, it has been for the most part a dull and cool summer with global warming not impacting on our average temperatures. June, July and August were cooler than the long-term-average for each of those three months at the Athenry Met Station.

Pictured: Abbeyknockmoy weather recorder, Brendan Geraghty