Weather: Mild morning to turn fresher in afternoon
This morning, rain will spread eastwards across Ulster. It will be heavy in many areas. It will clear in the early afternoon with sunshine and scattered showers following.
The latest weather forecast from Met Eireann is giving for mild conditions during the morning with temperatures of 10 or 11 degrees and moderate to fresh south to southwest winds. Becoming cooler and fresher this afternoon.
This evening and tonight, bands of showers will spread eastwards across the region, some heavy with hail possible. Clear spells also. Lowest temperatures of 4 to 7 degrees with fresh, south to southwest winds.
Saturday will be cool and breezy with sunshine and widespread showers, many of them heavy and some of hail. Highest temperatures of 8 to 10 degrees with fresh, gusty southwest winds.
Saturday night will bring clear spells and showers of rain or hail, some heavy. Lowest temperatures of 4 to 7 degrees with fresh, gusty southwest to west winds.
Sunday will be cool and bright with sunny spells and scattered showers, some heavy or of hail. They'll become more isolated in the evening. Highest temperatures of 7 to 9 degrees with moderate west to southwest breezes. On Sunday night rain will move eastwards across the country. It will be heavy in many areas and may be accompanied by strong winds. Lowest temperatures of 3 to 7 degrees.
Monday will be cold and mainly dry with sunny spells and perhaps a few showers near west and north coasts. Highest temperatures of 5 to 8 degrees with moderate westerly winds. Monday night will be cold and mainly dry with clear spells and frost developing. There may be a little rain or sleet in the south. Lowest temperatures of -2 to +2 degrees.
Tuesday will start off dry. However, rain and sleet will spread northeastwards across the country through the second half of the day and will continue in many areas on Tuesday night. Highest temperatures of just 3 to 6 degrees by day, and falling to between 0 and 3 degrees at night.
On Wednesday morning, rain and sleet will clear eastwards with sunshine and showers following from the west. Highest temperatures of 5 to 7 degrees with moderate to fresh northwest winds. Frost will develop on Wednesday night.
Christmas Eve will be cold with sunny spells and a good deal of dry weather, but a few showers also. Highest temperatures of 4 to 7 degrees with light to moderate northwest breezes. It looks like there'll be frost on Christmas Eve night.
At the moment, Christmas Day looks like being a cold and mainly dry day with some bright spells, but with the possibility of rain developing in the west later.