Overview
- The Met Office’s long-range outlook highlights December 20 to January 2 as a period when snow, frost and fog are possible, with hill snow most likely in northern areas.
- Before that window, December 10 to 19 is forecast to be mostly unsettled with rain or showers and temperatures near or slightly above average, with any snow largely confined to high ground in the north.
- Betting markets have reacted to early signals, listing Scottish cities as frontrunners for Christmas Day snowfall and making Newcastle the likeliest English city at 6/4, though odds are not meteorological forecasts.
- The Met Office says location-specific predictions for Christmas Day typically become reliable only within about five days of 25 December.
- Widespread lying snow on Christmas Day remains uncommon in the UK, with the last extensive event in 2010 and recent years meeting only the technical definition at limited stations.