There will be a cold start to New Year's Day 2021 with frost and ice in places, Met Éireann has said.

It will be dry for the day in most areas, with sunny spells, but scattered showers of rain will continue to affect northern and western coastal counties.

Another cold day is in store, with highs of just 3°C to 5°C in light to moderate northerly winds.

There will be a widespread frost on Friday night and it will remain dry in most areas. Scattered showers are forecast in northern and western coastal counties, with showers turning wintry once again on high ground.

Lowest temperatures on Friday night will range from 1°C to -3°C in a light northwest breeze.

Saturday

There will be a mix of bright spells and scattered showers on Saturday, the showers mostly of rain, occasionally falling as sleet and snow on high ground.

Met Éireann has said that it will be another cold day, with afternoon temperatures of just 2°C to 5°C in a light northerly breeze.

It will be very cold on Saturday night, with a widespread sharp frost. It will be dry and clear in most areas, with a few showers affecting coastal regions.

Overnight temperatures will range between 1°C near coasts to -4°C inland, in light northerly winds.

Sunday

Frost will be slow to clear on Sunday morning, with a sunny day expected.

Temperatures through the day will rise just above freezing in many places, and no higher than 4°C with a light to moderate northerly breeze, Met Éireann said.

Cloud will build on the east coast later in the day.

Sunday night temperatures are expected to be between 2°C and -4°C and it will be coldest in the midlands and west.

A northeast breeze will keep temperatures above freezing on the east coast, that same northeast breeze bringing showers on to eastern coasts, it will stay dry elsewhere.

Outlook for next week

Current indications from Met Éireann suggest that it will be cold and dry next week, with a northeasterly airflow becoming established.

It said this will bring the risk of showers to eastern coastal counties, with drier conditions further west.

Temperatures by day will remain low, generally between 2°C and 5°C, with widespread frosts each night. The best of the sunshine is likely to be in the west.

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