The Christmas weekend is set to see mixed weather, with some sunny clear spells but frequent showers.
Heavy rain will extend countrywide from the southwest today (Friday, December 23), reaching the north coast by early afternoon, with the potential for spot flooding and pools of surface water.
The rain will persist across Ulster well into the evening hours, while a clearance will gradually develop across the rest of the country bringing sunny spells and a few showers.
Highest temperatures will range from 5° to 11°, north to south across the country. Moderate to fresh easterly winds will veer southwest in the clearance.
Any lingering rain near the north coast will clear early tonight. A mix of clear spells and a few scattered showers will follow for the rest of the night. Later in the night, showers will become more frequent and occasionally heavy along Atlantic coasts.
Lowest temperatures will be of 1° to 6° in a light to moderate southwest breeze. Some mist patches will form too.
Tomorrow (Saturday, December 24, Christmas Eve) will bring some sunny spells. However, showers in the west during the morning will become more widespread in the afternoon and some will be heavy. Highest temperatures will be 6° to 10°, and it will be rather breezy and blustery in moderate to fresh southerly winds.
Tomorrow night will see a mix of clear spells and scattered showers. Some of the showers may be heavy and prolonged, especially near Atlantic coasts. Lowest temperatures of 4° to 7° in a moderate to fresh southerly breeze, stronger near the west coast.
Sunday (December 25, Christmas Day) will start dry and bright for many eastern and southern areas but showery outbreaks of rain will move into the west and north. This rain will gradually make its way southeastwards across the country through the afternoon and evening.
Colder clearer conditions will follow to the west and north with some showers feeding into northern coastal areas later, possibly of hail or sleet.
Highest Christmas temperatures of 6° to 10° early in the day in a light to moderate southerly breeze, turning round to the northwest and freshening later.
Christmas night will be cold, with clear spells and a few showers affecting northern coastal counties mainly, with some turning wintry. Lowest temperatures of -2° to +2° with some frost forming, in moderate west to northwest winds, stronger along the north coast.
Monday (December 26, St. Stephen’s Day) will be a cold and brighter day 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 will be 3° to 7°.