We're better equipped to deal with it this time, thankfully.

Met Éireann has issued a potato blight warning for a number of coastal areas in Ireland.

The alert, which came into effect on Friday afternoon, has been released for the second time this summer despite being relatively rare.

It's understood that the recent spell of scorching weather is to blame for the Status Yellow warning, detailed below:

Status Yellow - Blight Warning


"Weather conditions conducive to the spread of Potato Blight are likely to occur in coastal areas," Met Éireann advised.

"Conditions on Saturday night and Sunday will be conducive to the development of potato blight over parts of Ulster, in Donegal especially.

"There are some opportunities for spraying today."

Anyone concerned that their crops could be affected should look out for:

Brown freckles of patches on the leaves

Yellowish border spreading from the brown patches

Dark patches on tubers

Inside of the tuber is brown and rotting from the skin down

The potatoes will eventually turn into soggy, foul-smelling masses.

And here are some tips on how to protect fields from blight, according to Horkans.ie:

The best way to prevent potato blight is to plant a good blight-resistant variety

Make sure potatoes are well earthed up to prevent spores getting into the tubers

Spray leaves and stems with a preventative treatment

Be aware of weather warnings

Check regularly for signs of infection.