Brits face fresh wave of snow over Christmas and New Year as Met Office issues new forecast

5 December 2023, 18:10 | Updated: 7 December 2023, 16:39

By Kieran Kelly

@kellyjourno

Brits could be in for a fresh wave of snow and ice over Christmas and New Year, the Met Office has said.

It comes after much of the UK was hit by snow last week, with particularly heavy downfall in Scotland and around the north west of England.

While temperatures are expected to slowly increase throughout the week, reaching as high as 13C in southern England by Friday, there is a strong chance more snow is on the way throughout winter.

In particular, the Met Office has warned of more snow and ice over the Christmas and New Year period.

Read More: When is it going snow next? Met Office verdict on weekend weather

The Met Office's latest long-range forecast, which runs from December 20 to January 3, says the weather is likely to be more "unsettled" in this period.

"The chance of a colder spell of weather, with hazard such as snow and ice, does increase later in December and into the New Year period," the Met Office added.

While there is certainly a chance this could happen, the Met Office said conditions are more likely to remain "mild and wet".

The chances of a White Christmas will become clear as we approach December 25.

Read More: Will it be a White Christmas? Met Office gives verdict as snow set to fall 'in days'

Read More: Exact date snow will end as temperatures to hit 13C after cold snap

It's been a couple of years since the last White Christmas, with the last one officially recorded in 2022, though no snow was actually recorded on the ground.

According to the Met Office's definition, it is a White Christmas if one snowflake falls in the 24 hours of 25 December somewhere in the UK.

While the national forecaster says the most accurate forecast for a White Christmas can be given between December 20 and 25, its long-range forecast now covers the big day.

When was the last widespread White Christmas?

The last white Christmas in the UK was in 2022, when nine percent of stations recorded snow falling.

There were also White Christmases recorded in 2020 and 2021, though again, less than one percent of stations reported snow actually lying on the ground in 2021, and four percent in 2020.

There was no snow recorded in 2018 or 2019, according to the Met Office, and the last widespread White Christmas came in 2010, when there was snow at 83 percent of stations in the UK.

This was the highest ever amount recorded.