National Forecast
Issued at: 01 January 2026 05:06
TODAY - Thursday 1st January
A cold start to New Year's Day with patchy rain clearing southwards during the morning. Plenty of dry and bright weather will follow for the afternoon with just isolated showers. Highest temperatures of 4 to 8 degrees in light to moderate northwesterly winds, fresher near northern and northwestern coasts.
TONIGHT
Dry with clear spells at first tonight. Outbreaks of rain will spread from the north overnight, becoming confined to the southern half of the country by morning. Clear spells and scattered showers of rain and sleet will follow into the north. Frost and some icy patches developing with lowest temperatures of -1 to +3 degrees in moderate, occasionally fresh, northwesterly winds.
TOMORROW - Friday 2nd January
Rain in the south will clear tomorrow morning to leave a cold, bright and mainly dry day with spells of sunshine. Scattered showers will feed into the north and northwest, with a few of sleet or snow possible. Highest temperatures of just 2 to 6 degrees in moderate northwesterly winds, fresher on northwest coasts.
National Outlook
Overview: A cold start to 2026 but plenty of dry weather with high pressure remaining nearby. Turning colder with sharp to severe frosts developing and some wintry showers mainly affecting the north and northwest.
Friday night: Cold with widespread frost and some icy patches on untreated surfaces. Most places will be dry with clear spells but a few showers of sleet and snow will continue in the north and northwest. Lowest temperatures of -2 to +2 degrees in moderate northwesterly winds.
Saturday: Frost and any ice will be slow to clear on Saturday morning. Another generally dry and bright day with spells of sunshine, though isolated showers of rain and sleet are possible in the north and northwest. Highest temperatures of 2 to 6 degrees in moderate northwest winds.
Saturday night: A few wintry showers will continue in the north and northwest on Saturday night but it will be dry and largely clear elsewhere. Sharp frost and some ice developing with lowest temperatures of -3 to 0 degrees in light northwest winds.
Sunday: A cold day with frost lingering in sheltered spots. Once again, most areas will be dry with sunny spells but scattered showers of rain, sleet and possibly snow will affect Ulster through the day. Daytime temperatures of 1 to 5 degrees in light to moderate northwest winds.
Monday: Another cold but mostly dry and bright day, though with the chance of isolated wintry showers. Frost and ice lingering in sheltered spots with daytime temperatures of just 1 to 5 degrees in a light northwesterly or variable breeze.
Further outlook: Continuing cold early next week with plenty of dry weather, though there remains a chance of wintry showers or some patchy rain.
Temperature circle (°C): maximum and minimum temperature forecast for each day. Wind symbol (km/h): arrow points in the direction the wind is blowing. The weather and wind icons: for the time of maximum temperature and minimum temperature.