Friday will be a generally dry day, with the odd isolated patch of mist and fog lingering into the afternoon.

There will be a good lot of cloud across the country in general, but some bright or sunny spells will develop too.

Highest temperatures will be between 5°C and 9°C.

Friday night will be mainly dry, but rather cloudy, with occasional clearer periods.

Some patches of fog will form in light southerly winds and there may be patchy drizzle too near coasts. Lowest temperatures of 0°C to 4°C generally, milder in the southwest.

Saturday

Saturday will have a good deal of dry weather, with a mix of cloud and some brighter periods. There will be patches of light rain or drizzle too. Highest temperatures of 7°C to 10°C, with a mainly light southerly breeze.

Into Saturday night, it will be cloudy, with scattered outbreaks of rain in western areas early in the night.

Some fog may form in any prolonged clear spells. Lowest temperatures of 3°C to 6°C. Light to moderate southwest winds will veer northwest overnight.

Sunday

Sunday will begin cloudy and damp in most areas, with some lingering rain or drizzle. Any patches of fog in the morning will be slow to clear.

It will become drier in the afternoon, with sunny spells developing and just light northerly winds. Highest temperatures of 7°C to 10°C.

The night will be mostly clear and dry in largely calm conditions.

Lowest temperatures of -1°C to 2°C over the northern half of the country, leading to some frost, milder further south.

Management notes

Sheep

Darren Carty delves into the dwindling supplies of Spectam Scour Halt, clean livestock policy and ewe condition as lambing is already under way on many farms.

Beef

In this week’s beef management notes, beef editor Adam Woods takes a look at soil fertility and soil sampling before slurry, mart versus factory trade and getting ready for calving in Tullamore.

Dairy

Aidan Brennan outlines some management tips as farmers prepare for the busy calving period.

Tillage

Andy Doyle is keeping an eye on the weather, as above-average temperatures for air and soil during November and December could prove to be a help to a number of pests and diseases this spring.