Friday

Met Éireann has said that Friday will bring sunny spells and widespread showers, some of which will be heavy.

There is also a possibility of isolated thunderstorms and hail, particularly in the midlands, east and southeast. Persistent rain will move in on western counties later in the evening.

There will be highest temperatures of 13°C to 17°C degrees in mostly light to moderate west to southwest winds. Winds will increase from fresh to strong and occasionally gusty later in coastal parts of the northwest, west and southwest.

Friday night will bring some dry clear spells, however, there is a chance of showers and longer spells of rain from the west.

Lowest temperatures of 5°C to 9°C degrees are predicted. It will be breezy in the west and southwest with fresh, occasionally strong and gusty westerly winds, otherwise winds will be light to moderate westerly or variable.

Saturday

Although Saturday will bring sunny spells in some places, Met Éireann has forecast further showers, some of which will be heavy and thundery.

Highest temperatures of 14°C to 18°C degrees are forecast in mostly light to moderate variable winds, though westerly winds will be fresh, occasionally strong and gusty, for a time in the west and southwest, strongest in coastal parts.

Showers will continue into the night, but will die away and it will become dry in most places, allowing long clear spells to develop.

There is a possibility of mist and fog patches and it is likely to become cloudy in parts of the north and northwest with showery rain moving in there.

Lowest temperatures will range between 6°C and 9°C degrees, with winds decreasing mostly light westerly.

Sunday

Sunday will be cloudy across the northern half of the country with outbreaks of showery rain, some of which will be heavy, according to the national forecaster.

The south will experience brighter skies and sunshine, with some showers too.

Highest temperatures of 14°C to 19°C degrees are forecast, warmest in the sunshine in the south, in mostly light to moderate westerly winds.

Management notes

Beef

In this week's management section, beef editor Adam Woods looks at grass supplies, grass quality and slurry spreading advice.

Dairy

Cold, northerly winds are hampering grass growth rates and are making swards stressed, writes Aidan Brennan in the dairy section.

Sheep

Sheep editor Darren Carty writes that grassland management has become much more complicated over the last 10 days, with growth rates dipping significantly and grass heading out much quicker.

Tillage

Siobhán Walsh, writes that there is plenty to be done on tillage farms at present, and that spraying fungicides is one of the priority jobs on a number of crops.