National Forecast

Issued at: 17 December 2025 17:36

TODAY - Wednesday 17th December

Cloudy for most this evening. Outbreaks of rain will continue for a time in the southeast, with scattered showers elsewhere, heavy at times with a chance of hail. Mist in places too, along with moderate to fresh southwesterly winds.

TONIGHT

Tonight will bring a mix of long clear spells and scattered heavy showers, mainly affecting parts of the west and northwest with a chance of hail and isolated thunderstorms. Lowest temperatures of 2 to 6 degrees, and moderate to fresh southwesterly winds.

TOMORROW - Thursday 18th December

Wet and windy on Thursday with spells of heavy rain moving in from the west, bringing spot flooding. Some possible thunderstorms across western areas starting out too. Drier across eastern areas to begin and across western areas later as a clearance develops. Highest temperatures of 7 to 11 degrees. Fresh to strong southerly winds will veer southwesterly through the day and decrease moderate to fresh.

National Outlook

Overview: Generally unsettled but with temperatures generally above average. Indications of more settled weather developing early next week.

Thursday night: Clear spells with scattered showers tracking eastwards through the night, some heavy with a chance of hail. Lowest temperatures of 3 to 7 degrees in moderate to fresh and gusty southwesterly winds.

Friday: Sunny spells in the morning with further blustery showers. The showers will become lighter and less frequent through the afternoon as better dry spells develop. Highest temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees generally in mostly moderate southwesterly winds, backing southerly later and easing light to moderate.

Friday night: Dry with a mix of cloud and clear spells for most with just showers near southern and Atlantic coastal areas. Cloud will gradually build from the west with rain moving into the south and west by morning. Lowest temperatures of 4 to 7 degrees with southerly winds increasing fresh and gusty.

Saturday: Some uncertainty in the details but indications are that it will be breezy at first with fresh and gusty southerly winds as outbreaks of rain extend northeastwards. A clearance to sunny spells and just a few showers will develop in the southwest later in the morning, gradually extending countrywide as winds ease. Highest temperatures of 8 to 11 degrees. Turning chilly overnight with some frosts possibly forming in light breezes.

Sunday: Dry for most to start but outbreaks of rain will push in from the southeast. The rain will be most frequent in the south and east with the northwest seeing the best of the dry spells. Highest afternoon temperatures of 5 to 8 degrees generally with a light to moderate easterly breeze developing.

Further Outlook: Further spells of rain expected on Monday before turning cooler, drier and more settled through Christmas week.