Freezing temperatures for New Year’s weekend with outbreaks of rain and cyclonic winds expected

SATURDAY: A wet and windy start with widespread rain, heavy or thundery at times, with some localised flooding possible. Rain will clear to sunny spells and showers through the morning. Highest temperatures of 6 to 9 degrees in fresh to strong and gusty southerly winds.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Clear spells and squally showers. Most frequent in the west and southwest. Lowest temperatures of 3 to 6 degrees in fresh to strong and gusty southerly or cyclonic variable winds.

SUNDAY: Breezy or windy with sunny spells and scattered showers and a chance of hail. Fresh to strong and gusty westerly or cyclonic variable winds will gradually decrease from moderate to fresh and gusty through the day. Highest temperatures of 5 to 8 degrees generally.

SUNDAY NIGHT: Showers will continue overnight, mainly for Atlantic counties, with longer spells of rain possible in the northwest. Some frost or ice will form with the lowest temperatures of -1 to +3 degrees in mostly moderate westerly winds.

NEW YEAR’S DAY (MONDAY): Sunny spells and scattered showers at first, becoming more isolated through the morning and early afternoon. Clouds will build from the southwest with rain following, extending northeastwards over much of the country by night. Highest afternoon temperatures of 5 to 8 degrees in light to moderate southwesterly winds, backing southeasterly and increasing moderate to fresh with the rain.

MONDAY NIGHT: Outbreaks of rain will clear northwards from most areas overnight, with clear spells and scattered showers following from the west. Lowest temperatures over the northern half of the country of -2 to 0 degrees, milder further south.