Major Ireland weather update with polar cold spell and snow to arrive within days

Ireland could be set for a cold weather twist after Christmas with weather experts monitoring a polar system heading our way. 

Weather expert Cathal Nolan from Ireland's Weather Channel has said weather models are showing a mild Christmas but a bitterly cold start to 2025.

He posted on social media on Saturday: "Becoming much milder for Christmas Eve and Day with temperatures up into double figures for many as an area of high pressure beings settled weather across the country and with it light winds.

"However, the models, especially the GFS model are playing around with the idea of something a little colder as we head towards New Year's Day with the potential of some cold weather and snow.

"At the moment it's still quite a while away so don’t be too concerned just yet, and the ECMWF is struggling to follow along with something more neutral coming from it… but for those hoping for snow, it brings a greater chance."

On Sunday, he told followers that both the GFS and ECMWF models were aligning to show the arrival of a cold spell around the New Year. He said they were "getting very interesting."

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Meanwhile, Met Éireann's extended forecast is so far not showing the arrival of a similar cold spell. For the week starting on December 30, they say: "There is a slight signal for high pressure to continue to dominate our weather. Current indications suggest conditions will turn more unsettled this week with rainfall amounts signalling slightly above average over much of the country. Mean air temperatures are also expected to be slightly above average."