IT’S A RELATIVELY warm start to the weekend, but the weather is set to turn at the start of Christmas week with low temperatures, hail and sleet expected in the coming days.  

But despite the wintry weather, it’s expected that there will be no white Christmas this year, with a dry day forecast for 25 December.

Met Éireann says tomorrow will be cool and breezy with sunshine and widespread showers across the country, with some showers heavy and prolonged and including hail.

Top temperatures will be between 8 and 10 degrees, before cooler conditions on Saturday evening with lowest temperatures of 4 to 7 degrees.

Sunday will initially see similar conditions, although it will be cooler, with highest temperatures of 9 degrees before rain moves across the country in the evening.

Monday is expected to be cold again, with mainly dry conditions and sunny spells with highest temperatures just 8 degrees.

It will be colder again that night, with clear spells and frost developing with some rain or sleet in the southern part of the country and lowest temperatures of -2 to +2 degrees Celsius.

Looking ahead to the end of next week, Christmas Eve is expected to be cold with sunny spells and dry weather, but with a few showers too. Highest temperatures will be between 4 and 7 degrees.

And Met Éireann says Christmas Day looks like being cold and mainly dry, with some bright spells, although there is a chance of some rain developing in the west later on.