Showery rain in the west and north will spread to all parts this Friday morning. A few heavy bursts are likely, especially in the north. It will become drier in the afternoon and some sunshine will break through. Highest temperatures of 14°C to 18°C. Moderate to fresh westerly winds will ease later as well.

Showers will continue in the north tonight but elsewhere it will become largely dry. Lowest temperatures of 6°C to 10°C in moderate southwest winds, fresh along the west coast.

Saturday

Saturday will start mainly dry with just isolated showers. Later in the day, rain will develop in the west and north and it will become windy everywhere. Highest temperatures of 15°C to 18°C. Southerly winds will increase fresh to strong during the day.

Saturday night will be windy with outbreaks of rain in all areas, heavy and persistent at times. Overnight temperatures of 11°C to 15°C in strong southerly winds.

Sunday

The rain will clear southeastwards on Sunday morning, winds will ease and brighter weather with scattered showers will follow. In the southeast, the rain may linger until late afternoon though. Afternoon temperatures will range from 15°C to 20°C, warmest in the south. Sunday night will be mainly dry with light breezes.

Monday

Monday will start mainly dry but it look like rain will develop later, mainly affecting the west. It will become quite warm with highest temperatures of 17°C to 22°C. Light southerly winds will increase moderate to fresh later in the day.

Current indications are that (ex-)tropical storm Helene will approach Ireland's south coast Monday night or Tuesday. It is likely to bring wet and windy weather, but at the moment there are no strong indications that it will bring any severe or damaging weather.

The weather will stay unsettled after Tuesday.

Management notes

Dairy: This week, Aidan Brennan looks at making silage in the autumn, spreading fertiliser and target weight for calves.

Beef: Adam Woods takes a look at a new pneumonia series, grass supplies and profiles this year's Ploughing livestock demos.

Sheep: Darren Carty covers selecting lambs, the Sheep Welfare Scheme mineral supplementation measure and hill breeding strategies.

Tillage: Good soil conditions are very tempting for planting, but it is important to measure up the associated risks for each field, writes Andy Doyle.