While there won't be a white Christmas, it will be a settled and dry Christmas Day
Hopes of a white Christmas morning have been quashed - but the big day is looking like a "nice fresh clear day" with dry and settled weather.
Overall, Met Éireann forecasters say the weather will turn drier and more settled with high pressure building over Christmas week. The national forecaster confirmed some outbreaks of rain on Monday, and some drizzle and rain on Tuesday before a largely dry Christmas Eve.
Alan O'Reilly from Carlow Weather also shared that while Monday and Tuesday would see some showers, things would "brighten up" for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, which is shaping up to be a "nice fresh clear day"
"Sunday will see some rain as well but a lot of dry spells also," he said in a video update. "Some sunny spells, Monday then will be largely cloudy with some mist and drizzle and a few showers. Tuesday also a little bit dull, but the good news is that things will start to brighten up for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
"And at the moment, Christmas Day is looking like a nice fresh clear day with temperatures not too high, only maybe getting up to 4C or 5C and some frost but dry and settled, no big issues really expected now from Christmas Eve until New Year's Eve."
He added: "The good news is, once we get beyond Sunday and Monday really things start to improve and from Christmas Eve, Wednesday onwards, nice settled calm weather, no real wind, no real rain, yes it will be cool, how cool? Little bit uncertain yet, some frost, little bit of risk of fog maybe but it looks good."
Mist and fog patches along with lingering rain in the north and west will clear this morning leaving a mix of cloud and sunny spells with just well scattered showers. Some longer spells of rain will spread up from the southeast in the evening, extending northwestwards. Highest temperatures of 5C to 10C in light, occasionally moderate easterly or variable breezes.
Mostly cloudy tonight with outbreaks of rain and drizzle, extending northeastwards. Lowest temperatures of 4C to 9C for Ulster and Leinster, 2C to 6C for Munster and Connacht with the best of the clear spells. North or northeast winds will be mostly light allowing mist and fog patches to develop but will be more moderate near northern and eastern coasts.
Monday
Mostly cloudy tomorrow with just occasional sunny spells. Further outbreaks of rain and drizzle will occur though there will be plenty of dry intervals. Mist and fog patches may also linger in places through the day. Highest temperatures of 6C to 11C in light easterly or variable breezes, more moderate near exposed coasts.
Cloud with outbreaks of rain and drizzle will gradually clear northeastwards overnight with clear spells and some showers following from the southeast. Lowest temperatures of 1C to 6C generally but falling colder in some midland areas. Fog will form in mostly light easterly breezes.
Tuesday
Foggy for many in the morning, persisting in some places through the day. Limited sunny spells will occur but it will be largely dry with just some light rain or drizzle at times, mainly near coasts. Highest temperatures of 6C to 10C in light northeasterly breezes.
Some clear spells but overall mostly cloudy. Dry apart from possible spots of light rain or drizzle near eastern coasts. Lowest temperatures of 3C to 7C in light, occasionally moderate northeasterly breezes.
Wednesday - Christmas Eve
Largely dry with just a few light showers or spots of drizzle. The best of any sunny spells will be in the afternoon. Highest temperatures of 6C to 9C generally with light to moderate easterly winds, fresh at times near exposed coasts.
Thursday - Christmas Day
Largely dry with a mix of cloud and sunny spells and just a few light showers. Highest temperatures of 4C to 8C in mostly light to moderate easterly winds, fresher near eastern and along southern coasts.