IT WILL BE a mostly dry, bright, cold Christmas across the country, with temperatures reaching as low as -1 on Christmas Day night in some places.

According to Met Éireann, the week will start mostly cloudy, with a mix a patchy rain and clear spells, before becoming brighter as the week progresses.

Today will be mostly cloud, with patchy rain and drizzle moving westwards. Mist and fog will linger in some places. It will become drier in the east through the afternoon, with some bright spells developing. 

This will extend to the west later in the evening, and it will be mild, with highest temperatures of 6 to 11 C, coolest in Munster, in mostly light breezes.

Tonight will stay mostly cloudy, with outbreaks of rain and drizzle in the northwest, gradually clearing northwards early on. Clear spells will develop elsewhere. Lowest temperatures of 2 to 7 C. 

Tomorrow will be mostly cloudy, with just some patchy rain and drizzle, highest temperatures of 7 to 11 degrees.

The forecaster said that higher pressure is building and bringing with it more settled conditions later in the week. Christmas Eve will be cloudy, with a few light showers. Highest temperatures are expected at 6 to 9 C.

Christmas Day is set to be colder, with a mix of cloud and brighter spells. Lowest temperatures of -1 to +4 degrees are forecast in light, occasionally moderate, easterly breezes with frost likely to form.

Stephen’s Day will remain settled, with the rest of the week also looking calm.