'More settled and drier' conditions expected over Christmas week

Thu, 18 Dec, 2025 - 06:01

Darragh Leen

Met Éireann has forecast dry and "more settled" weather conditions for Christmas week, but the country will see more mixed conditions over the coming days.

The forecaster predicted rain for Monday, December 22, but after this, conditions are expected to become more settled. However, there is still no snow expected for Christmas. The last recorded Christmas Day snowfall was 15 years ago.

Before Monday, the country will have to battle some poor conditions once again, including outbreaks of rain and strong winds.

Thursday will see a band of rain moves eastwards across the country, clearing the east coast in the evening. The rain will be heavy at times, but will give way to some bright spells in the west in the afternoon.

There will be clear spells early tonight, before scattered showers "feed in from the Atlantic and track eastwards through the night".

"Some of the showers will be heavy with a chance of hail," Met Éireann said.

Some welcome sunny spells are due on Friday morning, but they will eventually make way for further blustery showers. The showers will dissipate through the afternoon.

Tomorrow night will be dry with a "mix of cloud and clear spells for most with just showers near southern and Atlantic coastal areas". Temperatures may go as low as 4C with southerly winds increasing fresh and gusty.

Heading into the weekend, Met Éireann said "the mobile Atlantic regime will continue to bring unsettled and mixed conditions for the remainder of this week, with further spells of rain, showers, and sunny spells all forecast".

"However, current indications are that a shift to a more easterly airflow will introduce more settled and drier, but cooler, conditions as we move into next week and towards Christmas."

Saturday will be breezy at first with fresh and gusty southerly winds as outbreaks of rain extend northeastwards.

"A clearance to sunny spells and just a few showers will develop in the southwest later in the morning, gradually extending countrywide as winds ease. Highest temperatures of 8C to 11C. Turning chilly overnight with some frosts possibly forming in light breezes."

Lastly, on Sunday, we are expected to see dry conditions in the morning, but outbreaks of rain will push in from the southeast.

"The rain will be most frequent in the south and east, with the northwest seeing the best of the dry spells. Afternoon temperatures will reach highs of 5C to 8C.

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