The weather forecast for the early part of this week shows a band of high pressure continuing to build, bringing more settled weather across the country.

According to Met Éireann, it will be cloudy for most today (Monday December 22) with patchy rain and drizzle moving westwards.

Overnight mist and fog will be slow to clear, lingering for much of the day in places, mainly in the west and midlands.

It will become drier across much of the eastern half of the country through the afternoon, with a few bright or sunny spells developing. The clearance will extend further to the west later.

Highest temperatures will range from 6°C to 11°, coolest in Munster, in mostly light easterly or variable breezes, moderate at times along eastern and southern coasts.

Staying generally cloudy tonight with outbreaks of rain and drizzle in the north-west gradually clearing north-westwards early on.

Clear spells will develop elsewhere with scattered patches of light rain and drizzle, along with some showers feeding in from the south.

Lowest temperatures of 2° to 7° are expected, coldest in parts of the south-west and midlands, with patches of mist and fog forming in mostly light easterly breezes.

It will be a mostly cloudy day tomorrow, Tuesday, and largely dry with just some patchy light rain and drizzle at times.

Overnight mist and fog will be slow to clear in the morning with limited bright spells developing through the day and highest temperatures of 7° to 11° in light north-easterly breezes.

Tuesday night is expected to be mostly cloudy and dry with just isolated patches of light rain or drizzle and lowest temperatures of 4° to 7° degrees in light, occasionally moderate, north-easterly breezes with isolated patches of mist and fog possibly forming.

Christmas Eve (Wednesday) will be cloudy and dry for most with a few light showers or spots of drizzle, and just limited bright spells developing.

Highest temperatures will range from 6° to 9° with light to moderate easterly winds, fresh at times near exposed coasts.

Christmas Eve (Wednesday) night will be largely dry with a mix of cloud and clear spells and lowest temperatures of -1° to +4° in light, occasionally moderate, easterly breezes with frost likely to form.

Christmas Day (Thursday) should be dry for most with sunny spells and just a few spots of light rain and drizzle possible.

Highest temperatures of 3° to 7° are forecast with light to moderate easterly breezes, fresher at times near eastern and southern coasts.

St. Stephen's Day (Friday) is forecast to be another largely dry day with variable amounts of cloud and sunny spells and highest temperatures of 3° to 7° with light, occasionally moderate, north-easterly breezes.

High pressure will continue to dominate for next weekend with mostly dry conditions and highest daytime temperatures generally ranging between 4° and 8°.