Met Office issues update on white Christmas after 'Arctic blast' forecast

13 December 2024, 02:13

The Met Office has issued an update on the chances of a white Christmas this year.

As the festive period nears, hopes of a white Christmas have once again returned.

The Met Office revealed that it is asked as early as October about the chances of snow arriving for the big day.

But Brits have been told to be patient this year, with a detailed forecast for the Christmas period not being available until the week before.

It comes after a long-term weather forecast suggested that snow would be "likely" at the end of the month "especially on high ground in the north".

However, longer forecasts only giving a broader description of what to expect.

Read more: Met Office gives verdict on white Christmas as Brits brace for more snow

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Meteorologist Aidan McGivern said: "What meteorologists actually do, is rather than cherry pick one computer model run for more than two weeks' time, the computer models are run lots and lots of times and then we can pick out areas where they are agreeing and areas where they are disagreeing.

"Then we can talk about likely weather patterns and less-likely weather patterns, common themes and so on."

He said despite the long-range forecast now covering December 25, it doesn't necessarily mean it is accurate.

"The long-range forecast gives a broad description of the weather that is likely to be affecting the UK," he said.

"It gives an indication of 'how' the weather might change or be different from normal (like getting warmer, colder, wetter or drier for example), but it doesn't go into too much detail as the story is always changing."