Monday is set to be a dry and generally cloudy day, with mist and fog gradually clearing through the morning and just occasional bright spells developing.

Met Éireann is forecasting highest temperatures of 5°C to 8°C in a light to moderate east to southeast breeze.

The night will be cloudy and mostly dry but there could be some patchy drizzle in Munster, with some localised mist and fog in places.

Tuesday

Tuesday will also be mostly dry and cloudy, with highest temperatures of 5°C to 9°C in mostly moderate southeasterly winds. Rain will extend into the southwest by morning.

Wednesday

The day will start mostly cloudy again, while rain in the southwest will gradually extend across the country. Highest temperatures of 6°C to 11°C are predicted. On Wednesday night outbreaks of rain and drizzle will continue, becoming patchier as the night goes on. There is a chance that some will fall as sleet over higher ground in the north.

Thursday

Thursday will be mostly cloudy with outbreaks of rain and drizzle in many areas through the day, falling as sleet over higher ground in Ulster. It will be cold over the northern half of the country with highest temperatures of just 4°C to 8°C, but milder in the south with highs of 9°C to 11°C in moderate to fresh easterly breezes.

Outbreaks of rain and drizzle will continue overnight, most persistent in Connacht and Ulster with the chance of sleet continuing in Ulster over higher ground.

Outlook

Met Éireann says the indications are that Christmas Eve will be “a tale of two halves”, with northern parts remaining cold with outbreaks of rain with sleet on higher ground, while further south will be milder with a mix of showers and sunny spells.

Christmas Day, at this time, is expected to be cold and dry with a mix of cloud and sunny spells.