WEATHER: Snow possible for Leitrim this Christmas

Everyone could be waking up to a snowy Christmas in Leitrim, as a major cold blast is set to sweep across Ireland in the coming days with conditions to turn colder from Sunday and lows of -2C in some areas.

For the coming days, Met Eireann said: "Unsettled over the coming days with rain or showers, as well as turning cooler if not colder from Sunday. However, high pressure will bring mostly dry and fairly calm conditions from later Tuesday, lasting for much of the Christmas period."

The national forecaster has confirmed "there is the chance of the odd wintry shower" on Sunday. From Saturday night, December 21, through to Christmas Day, temperatures are set to fall sharply. Lows could reach -2C on Saturday night, with daytime highs of only 4C in some areas on Sunday and Monday.

For Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Met Eireann said: "Rather cold for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day - dry and quiet with crisp winter sunshine, but with frost and ice to begin and end each day. There will be the chance of a few coastal showers up along the East Coast, in a light to moderate east to northeast breeze."

Looking ahead to the final days before the festive period, its full forecast reads: "Blustery to begin Friday with passing heavy showers and local hail. However, winter sunshine will develop more widely this afternoon and brisk southerlies will ease, as showers become confined to west and northwest counties. Highest temperatures of 7C to 10C.

"Dry and clear for much of Friday night. Some well scattered showers will begin to feed up from the southwest later though, along with freshening south to southeast winds. Lowest temperatures of 3C to 7C , coldest for Ulster.

"Saturday will be rather windy to start with some scattered showers. Rain in the southwest will slowly push northeastwards during the day with scattered showers following from the west. Highest temperatures of 7C to 11C . Brisk southeast winds will slowly ease off but with some mist in places later too.

"A very cold and calm Saturday night with frost and ice developing under clear skies. Some freezing fog possible across Ulster and the Midlands too. Showers will move into southeast and east areas later, locally turning wintry. Lowest temperatures of -2C to 2C.

"Cooler Sunday than recent days with showery rain moving in across the country on an easterly breeze, with the chance of the odd wintry shower. Highest daytime temperatures of 4C to 8C.