Weather warnings

An orange weather warning remains in place for counties Cavan, Monaghan, Donegal, Longford, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo for snow and ice.

A yellow warning is in place for the rest of the country.

Friday

Friday will stay cold and windy with sunny spells and scattered wintry showers. There will be some further snow accumulations in places, especially this morning.

The scattered showers will turn to a mix of rain, hail, sleet and snow; most frequent over Ulster, north Connacht and north Leinster with the threat of thunder too.

It will be bitterly cold, with highest temperatures of 3°C to 5°C generally, but 6°C or 7°C along west and southwest coasts. Fresh to strong northwesterly winds will ease off later.

Friday night will be very cold and calm, with long clear spells. It will be dry, with just isolated wintry showers in the north. A widespread sharp to severe frost will set in along with icy stretches. Snow will lie in parts, especially on high ground and the north. Lowest temperatures of 0°C to -4°C.

Saturday

Saturday will begin extremely frosty, with icy stretches too. It will be bitterly cold, with frost lingering in places through the day.

Most places will be dry and bright with sunny spells, but cloudier in the southwest of Munster with rain developing into the afternoon. Afternoon temperatures of only 2°C to 5°C in many places but 6°C to 8°C for southern counties.

Saturday night will be cold and frosty with rain spreading up from the southwest overnight.

The rain will be heavy and is likely bring some snowfall to parts of the midlands and north later in the night and on Sunday morning, with snow lying places. Exact locations are uncertain at this stage so keep in touch with the forecast.

Sunday

It will be cold on Sunday, with rain in southern areas but falls of sleet and snow in midland and northern parts for a time. However, clearing southwards with drier condition spreading down from the north. Severe frost after dark, with snow lying in places.

Management notes

Dairy

Jack Kennedy writes on the importance of knowing your forage quality.

Beef

Adam Woods advises on fat scores for finishing cattle.

Sheep

Darren Carty covers the key points of how to feed ewes in mid-pregnancy.

Tillage

Andy Doyle writes about soil testing and ecological focus areas (EFAs).