A wet and windy Christmas not expected to hamper Santa’s progress

Despite heavy rain that is expected in some places, Rudolph and co should have no problem getting through their deliveries on time.

Met Eireann says that rain in the southwest this morning will move slowly across the country, reaching Ulster in the afternoon.

It will be breezy at times too with moderate to fresh southeast winds, although it will become drier and brighter in the south and later in central areas as the rain clears.

Highest temperatures will reach to between 8 and 11 degrees.

Rain will return to the southwest later in the evening and will become patchier and clear northwards early in the night.

However, outbreaks of showery rain in the southwest will extend across the country with heavy falls in places.

Temperatures will dip to between 4 and 8 degrees before everyone wakes up to see what’s under the tree.

It will be a wet, cloudy and breezy start to Christmas Day with widespread outbreaks of showery rain, heavy at times with a risk of spot flooding.

Brighter conditions will see some scattered showers developing in the southwest early in the afternoon, and this will slowly extend over much of Connacht and Munster during the evening.

It will become drier for a time with rain clearing to showers on St Stephen's Day and Monday before it turns quite unsettled again from early next week with spells of rain and breezy conditions at times but becoming milder.

Rain over Ulster and Leinster will clear away through Christmas night, with clear spells and scattered showers elsewhere extending across the country.

St Stephen's Day will see a mix of cloud and sunny spells with scattered showers, most frequent over Connacht and Ulster. Highest temperatures will be between 7 and 10 degrees in light to moderate south to southwest breezes.

Sunday night will be mostly dry with occasional clear spells while a few isolated showers will affect parts of the west and northwest.

However, temperatures will dip to between -1 and 4 degrees with frost forming.

Fog will be slow to clear in places on Monday but overall, it will be a largely dry with sunny spells though some well scattered showers will affect parts of the west and northwest.

Current indications suggest that the rain will clear north-eastwards early on Tuesday, becoming mostly dry for a time with hazy sunshine but rain will again encroach from the southwest later.

Met Eireann says the last few days of 2021 will remain rather unsettled with spells of rain and breezy conditions at times. It will continue to be mild for the time of year with temperatures likely increasing slightly on previous days.