Met Éireann forecasts frost, ice, and winter sunshine over Christmas period

Eva Osborne

There will be frosty and icy conditions from Christmas Eve night through to St Stephen's Day, with plenty of winter sunshine breaking through, Met Éireann has said.

During the day, Christmas Eve will see cloudy conditions with mist that will dissipate as the day goes on.

There will then be spells of sunshine, and it will stay largely dry, with highest temperatures of 6°C to 9°C.

The weather forecaster said there will be mostly clear skies on Christmas Eve night, with just patchy cloud near some eastern and southern coasts.

It will be cold, with lowest temperatures of -2°C to +2°C generally, with frost and icy patches forming on untreated surfaces.

However, the east coast will feel less cold and will remain mostly frost free, with lowest temperatures there of around 1°C to 5°C.

Christmas Day

Christmas Day is set to be a dry and bright day for most of the country, with sunny spells dominating.

It may be cloudier at times near eastern and southern coasts.

Met Éireann said it will be chilly, with daytime highs of around 4°C to 7°C and feeling colder, especially along eastern and southern coasts with an added wind chill effect from moderate, occasionally fresh, and gusty east to northeast winds.

Christmas night will be cold and mostly clear, with just patchy cloud, mainly in the east.

There will be lowest temperatures of -3°C to +2°C generally, with frost and icy patches forming on untreated surfaces, and some patches of mist and fog too.

It will be less cold near the east coast, with lowest temperatures of 3°C to 6°C there. There will be light to moderate east to northeast or variable breezes, fresh at times along eastern and southern coasts.

St Stephen's Day

St Stephen's Day will be another dry and bright day with spells of winter sunshine.

There will be some cloudy periods in the east and south.

Highest temperatures will range from 4°C to 8°C  in light to moderate northeasterly winds, freshening near eastern and southern coasts later.

It will be dry and cold on St Stephen's night under variable cloud and clear spells.

There will be lowest temperatures of -1°C to +4°C generally, but again, it will be less cold near the east coast.

Winds will be light to moderate northeasterly, fresher in eastern and southern coastal parts.