Met Office reveals 'chance' of White Christmas as wet weather set to make way for chilly temperatures

Heavy downpours hit much of the nation this weekend as millions of cars took to the roads for the year's busiest travel days.

But forecasters have predicted there is a small possibility the UK could see its first White Christmas in two years, with the highest chance of snow to arrive on England's south coast.

The Met Office predicts that average temperatures are expected to climb no higher than 7C, which is lower than recent years.

As the weather turns colder and drier, Met Office meteorologist Marco Petagna said those in the far south of England will have the greatest chance of seeing wintry weather.

Mr Petagna said: “By Christmas Day, (temperatures will be) no better than 5 to 7C across the UK, so quite a drop from what we’ve seen of late, and feeling cold in that wind, as well.

"On Christmas Day, we need to keep an eye on the far south of the UK, particularly the south coast of England.

"There’s just a chance we could see one or two wintry flurries developing.

"There’s only a ten per cent chance of anything significant developing there, but all we need, of course, is for a flake of snow to fall anywhere across the UK for it to technically be termed a white Christmas, so something to keep an eye on across the far south of England."

The UK’s last white Christmas, declared in 2023, saw 11 per cent of weather stations record snow falling, but not settling.

Mr Petagna said the UK has seen warmer Christmases for the past few years, with temperatures above average.

The last "very cold" Christmas, he said, was in 2010, when the last widespread white Christmas was declared as 83 per cent of weather stations recorded snow on the ground.

Similar Christmas card scenes are unlikely this year, though, with the Met Office predicting any snow is unlikely to settle.

Mr Petagna added: "In terms of the showers that we’re looking at, there’s a chance of a bit of sleet or wet snow falling, rather than any significant accumulations.

"For most, (there will be) a lot of dry, chilly weather around, with the best of the brightness towards the west and the north west."

The lowest temperature recorded on Christmas Day in the UK was in Gainford, Durham, in 1878, which recorded a low of minus 18.3C.