Ireland is set for another icy blast of now – but just a day too late for a White Christmas.
Met Eireann forecaster Michelle Dillon said that weather models for the big day are still not clear, but a white Christmas is not looking likely.
However, “wintry flurries” are set to blow in on St Stephen’s Day.
She told Newstalk: “There is a bit of uncertainty in the detail, but at the moment it looks like we’ll still be seeing those average temperatures – but there is a little bit of uncertainty in that.
“After that then – into St Stephen’s Day – possibly things getting colder again.
“At the moment, it looks like staying on the more average temperatures, so some wet and some windy weather.
“There could be a chance of a few wintry flurries straight after Christmas Day, maybe into St Stephen’s Day, especially in northern parts.”
Michelle said that at the moment, forecasters can only be certain up to Thursday and Friday of this week.
She said: “After that then we’re getting different answers from our computer model.
“We’ve 52 answers that we look at, some of them are giving different answers than others.”
It comes as Ireland is hit by a surprise weather swing with temperatures jumping by 15C in just 24 hours.
Michelle said: “At the moment temperatures have really increased, it’s very mild out there.
“Temperatures at the moment ranging 11C to 13C, the Arctic air has been replaced by a tropic air mass.
“Temperatures will taper back more to average values through this week – ranging by day more like 7C to 10C.
“With that, unsettled, some wet and windy weather.”
Last week, Met Eireann meteorologist Joanna Donnelly said the chance of snow this Christmas is possible but unlikely.
She told RTE Radio One’s Morning Ireland: “Well, there’s always a chance, but our climate doesn’t set us up for white Christmases here in Ireland.
“It’s generally too warm due to that southwesterly airflow, the prevailing southwesterly airflow, and at the moment, it looks like there’s going to be a bit of a breakdown this weekend with some southerly winds bringing some wind and rain.
“But it’s looking to get colder again after that.”
Joanna added: “Not quite as cold as where we are at the moment, but we won’t rule it out just yet.”
Ireland is still under a status yellow gale warning for coastal regions until 6pm tonight.
Met Eireann warned: “Southerly winds will reach gale force 8 or strong gale force 9 at times on Irish coastal waters from Fair Head to Wicklow Head to Mizen Head and on the Irish Sea.”
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