Christmas Eve is set to be a wet and unsettled day, with the potential for thunderstorms and hail to develop, Met Éireann has said.
The forecaster said Saturday would see some sunny spells, but showers starting in the west during the morning are expected to become more widespread as the day goes on. Some of these will be heavy, with a chance of isolated thunderstorms and hail, especially in the west.
Highest temperatures will be between 7 and 10 degrees, with conditions rather breezy and blustery due to southerly winds.
A mix of clear spells and scattered showers are forecast for Saturday night. Some of the showers may be heavy and prolonged, especially near Atlantic coasts. Lowest overnight temperatures will be between 4 and 7 degrees.
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The prospect of white Christmas look unlikely to materialise with Christmas morning forecast to be dry and bright in many eastern and southern areas but with showery outbreaks of rain moving into the west and north. The rain will gradually make its way south-eastwards through the afternoon and evening.
Colder, clearer conditions will follow for the west and north, with some showers feeding into northern coastal areas later. These showers could develop into hail or sleet. Highest temperatures will be between 6 and 10 degrees early in the day.
It will turn colder on Christmas night, with clear spells and a few showers, affecting northern coastal counties mainly with some turning wintry.
Low temperatures of minus 2 to plus 2 degrees are forecast, with frost forming overnight.
The cold weather will continue on Monday, St Stephen’s Day, though it will be brighter with sunny spells and scattered showers, mainly in western and northern coastal counties. These showers may turn to sleet in some spots with some hail and hill snow possible over Ulster. Highest temperatures of 3 to 7 degrees.
Current indications suggest the return of milder air from Monday night onwards with rain and showers feeding in from the Atlantic bringing strong winds at times too.
Andrew Doran-Sherlock, a forecaster with Met Éireann, said looking further ahead “it does look quite unsettled but there is a good deal of uncertainty in the details”.
