Friday

According to Met Éireann Friday will start off cold but bright with frost and icy patches gradually clearing.

Scattered showers in the north and northwest will extend southwards during the day, some possibly wintry – especially on high ground.

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Highest temperatures will range 6°C to 10°C with mostly moderate northerly breezes.

Friday night will be largely dry and clear but another cold night in store with lowest temperatures of -2°C to +1°C.

A touch of frost is possible and winds will be light.

Saturday

Saturday is set to be dry and sunny across much of the country but there will be some scattered showers in the afternoon mainly in the north.

Highest temperatures of 7°C to 11°C with light breezes.

Met Éireann has said that Saturday night will become very cloudy, especially across the south of the country from early in the evening and as the cloud spreads further north across the country.

Outbreaks of rain will follow and will be heavy at times in the south and west.

Winds will turn strong and southerly with overnight lows of 2°C to 5°C, staying mildest in the south.

Sunday

Sunday will be wet and windy for much of the day with possible localised flooding.

Southeasterly winds will be fresh to strong with highs of 12°C to 14°C.

It will be very wet and windy on Sunday night with overcast skies and bands of rain moving over the country.

The rain will be heavy at times with possible localised flooding.

Blustery too with strong southerlies and lows of 8°C to 10°C.

Management notes

Beef

Adam Woods takes a look at fertiliser applications, getting cattle turned out and the upcoming BEEP-S application deadline in this weeks beef management notes.

Tillage

Low rain amounts have enabled many growers to make good progress with spring planting up to this point and many are now finished planting cereals, reports Andy Doyle.

Sheep

Darren Carty says that the economics of rearing orphan or pet lambs will be under pressure this season given the escalation in concentrate costs and significant rise in the cost of milk replacer.

Dairy

With weeks to go before the breeding season starts here are three things farmers need to do, according to Aidan Brennan.