UK weather forecast – White Christmas 'expected' with snow in parts amid -4C DEEP FREEZE, Met Office says
A WHITE Christmas is on the cards for parts of the UK this year as temperatures are set to drop below freezing across the festive season.
While the weather forecast for Christmas Day is mainly dry and bright, there is a chance that high ground in Scotland may witness a White Christmas as temperatures plunge as low as -4C early next week.
For there to be a White Christmas, there only needs to be snow somewhere in the UK – and the Scottish Highlands may experience the phenomenon next week.
Met Office forecaster Bonnie Diamond said: "On Christmas Day there is the potential for snow to fall over high ground in Scotland.
"A light flurry may be expected."
Temperatures will drop to below freezing as we enter into the run-up to Christmas Day – with lows of -4C expected in the rural parts of northern England and Scotland.
Most of the UK will have a dry, bright festive period as high pressure brings light winds overnight on December 24.
There are a total of four severe weather warnings in place between now and Christmas Day – bringing fog and rain to Northern Ireland and the south of England.
BELOW FREEZING
The Met Office has issued a yellow fog warning for Northern Ireland for today and tomorrow – bringing travel disruption and a possibility of cancelled flights.
The mist and freezing fog is set to rise by 11 am tomorrow morning.
A second warning is in place for Saturday, bringing spells of heavy rain to southern parts of England, especially across the coastline.
Since the rain will be falling on ground that's already been saturated, the 30mm rain is expected to cause some flooding in places.
ODDS ON SNOW FALLING ON CHRISTMAS DAY
Edinburgh – 4/1
Glasgow – 4/1
Belfast – 6/1
Liverpool – 6/1
Nottingham – 6/1
Birmingham – 7/1
London – 8/1
Bristol – 8/1
Dublin – 8/1
Cardiff – 10/1
Plymouth – 10/1
It comes after Gatwick passengers were hit with road closures and train cancellations yesterday as torrential rain lashed Frantic Friday.
The M23 was shut in both directions and landslides blocked Southern train lines sparking "do not travel" warnings.
Cars trying to get to the airport were sat bumper-to-bumper in long queues as a large chunk of the motorway were closed.
Met Office forecaster Bonnie Diamond said: "Central and eastern parts of England are expected to be wet over the weekend.
"The impact of the wet weather may cause some flooding in Cornwall."
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The same area, reaching from East Sussex to Plymouth, will be affected by more rain on Sunday – in the Met Office's final weather warning before Christmas Day.
John Hammond, chief meteorologist for Weathertrending told The Sun Online: "It’s a very volatile weather situation we’re heading into over the next few days.
CHILLY CHRISTMAS
"Chilly air will be seeping down from the north, meeting milder air to the south.
"Where these two meet, there’s the chance that an area of low pressure will form somewhere across the heart of the UK.
"Where this happens there’ll be rain, but the air may just be chilly enough on the northern boundary for this to turn to snow.
The bookies have now cut odds from 4/9 to just 1/3 on snow falling anywhere in the UK on Chrsitmas Day, with Edinburgh and Glasgow chalked up as the most likely destinations.
Alex Apati from Ladbrokes said: "Punters dreaming of a White Christmas will be cashing in if the latest odds are anything to go by."
Amy Hodgson, meteorologist for The Weather Company, said: "Overall on Christmas Day, eastern areas are expected to be mostly dry with sunny spells, whilst western areas will see scattered showers, with rain moving in across the south-west as fronts edge in from the Atlantic.
"Any snow or sleet will be restricted to the higher levels of the Scottish Highlands.
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