Participants taking part in traditional Christmas Day swims around the country have been urged to excercise extreme caution as high winds can make swimming conditions challenging.
Met Éireann has issued a status yellow weather warning for counties in the northwest as winds are expected to reach speeds of up to 65km/h with gusts of up to 110km/h.
The warning for Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo comes into effect at 3pm Christmas Day and remains valid until 6am St Stephen's Day.
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Met Éireann said the Christmas Day weather will be “very mild and very windy” with scattered outbreaks of rain, heavy in places.
Temperatures are forecast to reach as high as 14 degrees in strong to gale force southwesterly winds.
Colder, clearer weather is expected as the evening progresses with scattered wintry showers and possible thundery downpours in the west and north expected overnight.
It will be very windy on Christmas night with lowest temperatures of 1 to 5 degrees and some frost in sheltered areas.
Irish Water Safety has appealed to anyone planning a swim over Christmas to be very careful and only swim in groups.
It’s chairman Martin O’Sullivan said the organisation did not want to spoil anyone’s fun but wanted everyone to come home safely. He said people should swim in areas where there is a lifeguard present.
Earlier in the week Clare County Council urged anyone participating in Christmas Day swims to excercise extreme caution because of strong winds and sea swells.
“Extreme caution should be taken by all those planning on participating in
Christmas Day swims. Be aware that strong currents are caused by large waves which would make conditions very dangerous for swimmers,” said Clare water safety development officer Clare McGrath.