UPDATE: The Met Office has just announced that the chances of experiencing a white Christmas in the UK this year are “extremely low.” As the holiday approaches, forecasts indicate a shift to drier conditions next week, with temperatures gradually decreasing but not conducive to snow.
To officially declare a white Christmas, the Met Office requires that at least one snowflake must be observed falling anywhere in the UK within the 24 hours of December 25. Historical data shows that since 1960, over half of all Christmas Days have been recognized as a white Christmas. However, the last occurrence was in 2023, when only 11% of weather stations reported snow falling, and none recorded any snow accumulating on the ground.
Tom Morgan, an operational meteorologist at the Met Office, stated, “We are confident that next week we’ll see a transition to much drier conditions.” He attributes this change to high pressure dominating the weather patterns, contrasting with the low-pressure systems that have caused significant rainfall this month.
While there may still be some rain and isolated showers during the festive season, Morgan explained, “Temperatures may not be cold enough before December 25 to have snow on the day.” He emphasized, “There’s certainly not any significant signal for widespread snow or deep or any kind of really settling snow whatsoever at all at this stage.”
For most, it appears the dream of a picturesque white Christmas may lead to disappointment. Morgan added, “If you want any snow, it’s going to be likely that you’re going to be disappointed, really, because we’re not expecting any kind of Christmas card scenes or any travel disruption either.”
Travel conditions are expected to improve next week, as the Met Office does not anticipate any severe weather warnings. The forecast predicts a relatively dry period, albeit often cloudy, with temperatures gradually falling but remaining mild.
Public weather forecasts for Christmas Day will be available starting December 19, so stay tuned for the latest updates as the holiday approaches.
