WE MIGHT HAVE missed out on a white Christmas, but the first weekend of the year is set to bring a real taste of winter.

Met Éireann have warned that temperatures will plunge tonight, dropping to between -1 and 3 degrees, with frost forming on some roads.

Rain will move south across Leinster and Connacht from Ulster, with wintry showers following in the north, while Munster remains mostly dry under clear skies.

Tomorrow will be cold, with highs of just 2 to 6 degrees.

Patchy morning rain in Munster will clear to the south, leaving sunny spells and scattered showers elsewhere, some falling as sleet or snow across northern counties, while moderate to fresh northwest winds add to the chill.

Friday night will see widespread frost and icy patches, though most areas will stay dry and clear, with a few lingering snowy showers in the north and northwest.

Saturday begins cold, with frost and ice slow to clear, but a bright, mostly dry day follows, with isolated showers possible in the north and northwest and temperatures again topping out at 2 to 6 degrees.

Saturday night will remain cold, with frost and ice returning and a few showers lingering in the north and northwest, before Sunday brings another cold day with frost lingering in sheltered spots, most areas dry with sunny spells, though Ulster could see scattered showers of rain, sleet or snow.

Monday continues the pattern with a cold but mostly dry day, frost and ice lingering in sheltered areas and the chance of isolated wintry showers, with highs again reaching just 1 to 5 degrees.