Chances of a white Christmas are in Santa's gift

Those dreaming of a white Christmas for Cork may have to hope that the weather is one of the many things in the gift of Santa at this time of year, as the forecast is looking a bit Grinchy at the moment.

Today looks set be blustery and quite cloudy with just a few bright spells, according to Met Éireann, and while there will be some dry intervals, scattered patches of rain and drizzle will continue through the day, turning more persistent this evening.

It will get windier as the day progresses, with moderate westerly winds increasing fresh to strong and gusty, with the highest temperatures around 10 to 12 degrees.

The night before the night before Christmas will be wet and windy with fresh to strong and gusty westerly winds.

There will be widespread rain at first, and that will turn lighter and patchier overnight, and it will be mild, with lowest temperatures of 10 to 12 degrees.

Barring an intervention from the North Pole, Christmas Eve will be a generally dull and wet day with continued outbreaks of rain and drizzle.

It will be mild with highest temperatures of 11 to 13 degrees in fresh to strong and gusty westerly winds.

The week ahead largely unsettled during the coming week with rain and showers at times, though there will be a brief dry and bright spell on Tuesday.

Sunday night, Christmas Eve, should be cloudy with outbreaks of rain and drizzle.

On the upside, it will become less windy, so Santa will easily be able to make his way across the country, as westerly winds ease moderate overnight. Lowest temperatures of 6 to 9 degrees.

Christmas Day will be quite cloudy and breezy with widespread showers, but rain will gradually clear from the south through the day, with scattered showers and bright spells following from the northwest. Highest temperatures of 7 to 11 degrees in moderate to fresh westerly winds.

Most areas will be dry with clear spells on Monday night, and it will turn colder, with lowest temperatures of 0 to 3 degrees and a touch of frost possible. Westerly winds will ease light overnight.

St Stephens’ Day should be dry with spells of sunshine for the most part, but cloud will build from the south during the evening, with outbreaks of rain developing and spreading northwards later. A cool day with highest temperatures of 5 to 8 degrees in light winds.

Wednesday looks to be a miserable, wet day with widespread rain, turning heavy in places. It will be cool, with highest temperatures of 3 to 7 degrees, milder near south and southwest coasts, in moderate easterly winds.

The weather will remain largely unsettled for the end of the week and into the weekend, with spells of rain, and it will be generally cooler also.