Ireland is shaping up to have a bright and dry Christmas however the country will be hit with a blast of rain and wintry showers later in the week.
With Christmas week in full swing the country is in for a cold and wet couple of days but thankfully Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are both shaping up for some very nice weather.
Today will start off mostly dry with frost slow to clear and some icy stretches on roads.
But there'll be sunny spells over the northern half of the country this morning which will give way to cloud building from the southwest, with rain pushing into Munster by midday, falling as sleet over high ground.
There'll also be more rain spreading northwards later tonight.
Tomorrow however things look very different with a wet and windy start to the day in Leinster and Munster.
There'll be sunny spells in Connacht and Ulster slowly making their way southeastwards through the afternoon.
Sadly the last of the rain won't not clear southeastern counties until after dark on Wednesday night
Thankfully however we're in for a dry couple of days over Christmas with .
A forecaster said Christmas Eve will be "mostly dry with sunny spells".
"Cloud will increase through the afternoon with a few light showers in the northwest. Highs of 5 to 7 degrees, with northwesterly winds easing.
"Dry on Thursday night with cloud increasing from the west. Clear spells early in the night and light winds will allow temperatures to drop to -2 to +2 degrees, coldest in the east. Some patches of mist and fog will mean Rudolf will probably have to lead Santa's sleigh."
Christmas Day will be "rather cloudy, but mostly dry apart from a little drizzle in the west and north later in the day. Feeling slightly milder than previous days with highs of 6 to 9 degrees, in light to moderate southwest winds.
"A band of light rain will cross the country from the northwest Friday night, with lows of 4 to 7 degrees."
While we're in for a nice few days this weekend things will take a turn for the worst with heavy rain and "wintry showers" set to blast the country.
A forecaster added Saturday will be "a wet and windy day, with heavy rain extending from the northwest to all areas through the afternoon and evening. Strong westerly winds with gales on western coasts. Highs of 5 to 9 degrees.
"Rain clearing southeastwards Saturday night, with showers following and turning wintry in the north and west. Lows of zero to +2 degrees.
"Sunday will be a cold day with sunny spells and wintry showers. The showers most frequent in the north and west. Maximum temperatures of just 3 to 6 degrees, in blustery northwesterly winds."
