Santa isn’t bringing us any snow.

Met Éireann are confident that the key Christmas days – Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Stephen’s Day – are all pretty likely to be miserable.

Tomorrow (24th December) will open with cloud and outbreaks of rain that clear as they spread north. The afternoon will at least be bright and dry, without any freezing cold temperatures. Sadly, the rain will return by nightfall, spreading from the southwest and eventually hitting the whole country.

The rain is expected to continue throughout Christmas day, with the regional forecast for Munster predicting “a rather cloudy Christmas morning with outbreaks of rain moving in from the south and becoming more widespread by the afternoon.”

Met Éireann have reassured us however that “while the exact details of the weather over the Christmas weekend can be a little uncertain at times, with Rudolph’s help, Santa will have no problem navigating his way through the rain.”

Stephen’s Day will follow the same pattern, a generally cloudy day with scattered outbreaks of rain at times. There will be some afternoon clear spells with light winds and cool-to-mild temperatures between 7 and 10 degrees.