Those dreaming of a white Christmas can stop dreaming. The very mild weather of the last number of days is set to continue into next week.
On Tuesday, Gurteen in Co Tipperary recorded a day-time temperature of 13.5 degrees. The average for the month is 7 degrees.
Night-time temperatures too were very mild.
Dublin Airport recorded a temperature on Wednesday night of 10.8 degrees and Cork Airport 9.8 degrees.
That is 6 to 8 degrees above normal for the time of year.
The forecast suggests the weather will continue to be mild up to and including Christmas Day.
Christmas Eve is expected to reach a highest temperature of 12 degrees.
It looks like being windy and unsettled for Christmas Day with indications of some rain in the evening.
There is no sign of snow nor a return to the brief cold snap that occurred at the start of the month.
Met Éireann forecaster Liz Gavin said early indications suggest it will get colder towards the end of next week though no snow is forecast.
“Temperatures will be generally 5 to 7 degrees, which is pretty much average for this time of year,” she said. “But it will be a lot colder than it has been.”
