Met Éireann has delivered its latest forecast for Christmas Day and the days between then and New Year.
There is a risk of ice and sleet and snow in some parts but most of the country will endure damp and breezy conditions in the coming days.
The national forecaster says Christmas Eve will bring "scattered showers, some heavy with the chance of thunderstorms and hail. Afternoon temperatures of 7 to 11 degrees in moderate to fresh and gusty southerly winds.
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Tonight will also see scattered showers but Met Éireann has said Santa need not worry as his sleigh is well-equipped to cope with the weather.
"Rudolph's nose will help to keep Santa on track as he makes his way across the country," they said.
There is a "continued chance of isolated thunderstorms and hail merging to longer spells of rain at times" on Christmas Eve night with lowest temperatures of 3 to 8 degrees, coldest in Ulster in moderate to fresh southerly winds.
Met Éireann is predicting showers or longer spells of rain on Christmas Day.
"Afternoon temperatures of 6 to 10 degrees in light to moderate southerly breezes. The wind will veer northwesterly later, introducing much colder conditions with the risk of icy surfaces."
They have also warned that some of those showers, particularly in the northwest, "will turn to sleet and snow over high ground in the evening."
Christmas night "will be cold with a widespread frost, and possibly some ice developing under mostly clear skies, however there will be a few wintry showers about too, mainly affecting northwestern coastal counties. Lowest temperatures of minus 2 to plus 2 degrees, in light to moderate northwesterly winds, fresher near the coast."
For Monday, St Stephen's Day, forecasters predict a cold and brighter day with sunny spells and scattered showers, most frequent in western and northern coastal counties.
"The showers early in the day may fall as sleet in some parts, or even snow at times on higher ground although they will tend to transition back to rain as the day progresses. Highest temperatures of 3 to 7 degrees.
"While temperatures will drop back close to freezing once again on Monday night, it will quickly warm up as cloud and rain spreads from the west becoming widespread by morning. Lowest temperatures of 0 to 5 degrees, coolest in the east early, but temperatures will rise considerably after midnight."
They say it will be a wet start across the country on Tuesday in moderate to fresh southwest winds.
"The rain will clear southeastwards through the afternoon, followed by prolonged sunny spells and isolated showers. Highest temperatures of 7 to 11 degrees with winds veering westerly and moderating later in the day."
Their forecast added: "Uncertainty grows on Tuesday night, however current indications suggest that after a cool clear start to the night, it will turn wet and windy after midnight. Lowest temperatures of 3 to 8 degrees, coolest in the north early in the night with light variable winds, increasing fresh to strong and gusty southerly winds later in the night.
"Wet and windy to start Wednesday morning, in fresh to strong and gusty southerly winds, with gales on the coast. The rain will clear to blustery showers through the morning and the winds will veer westerly but remaining quite blustery. Highest temperatures of 8 to 11 degrees."
Beyond that, they say "current indications suggest it will remain very changeable and unsettled towards the end of the week."
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