Met Éireann has forecasted that Friday evening will be cold and mainly dry with clear spells.

There will be a few well scattered showers near western and northern coasts, the odd wintry one.

Widespread frost and some ice will form, as well as some fog and freezing fog patches, with lowest temperatures between -3°C and 1°C.

Saturday

The national forecaster has announced that the frost and fog will clear on Saturday morning and it'll be dry for a time in many areas, with some sunny spells, especially further north.

However, it is expected that rain will gradually spread from the southwest over the course of the day, becoming heavy at times, especially later. As it meets the cold air further inland, it'll turn to sleet and snow.

There will be highest temperatures of just 1°C to 7°C, with the higher temperatures along the south and southwest coast, where the precipitation will fall mainly as rain.

In addition, winds will be mostly light easterly to begin, but will freshen through the day.

Widespread heavy falls of rain, sleet and snow will move eastwards over southern parts of the country on Saturday night.

The precipitation will mainly fall as sleet and snow away from the south and southwest, with some significant accumulations expected.

Lows of -2°C in moderate to fresh and gusty east to northeast winds, stronger in some coastal parts.

Sunday

Met Éireann has said that Sunday will bring further falls of rain, sleet and some further significant snowfall accumulations for a time.

This will gradually become drier from the west later in the day, but it will feel very cold, with highest temperatures of 7°C.

This comes with an added wind chill from fresh and gusty northerly winds, strong at times in some coastal parts.

Any remaining rain, sleet and snow will clear eastwards on Sunday night, with clear spells following.

Scattered rain, hail, sleet and snow showers will follow too, mainly into the north and west.

It be very cold, with some significant amounts of lying snow, widespread frost and lows of -5°C, with the north to northwest winds generally moderating.

Management notes

Beef

In the beef management notes, Adam Woods takes a look at scour vaccines and preventing coccidiosis in young calves.

Dairy

In dairy, Aidan Brennan discusses management costs, how to plan fertiliser use and the importance of silage quality.

Tillage

Siobhán Walsh notes the three-crop rule in place for 2025, updates for the ACRES scheme, improving farm safety and being up to date with soil sampling in the tillage management.

Sheep

In the sheep notes, Darren Carty talks about early-lambing ewes, the 2024 sheep census and the benefits of winter shearing.