The first chances of a white Christmas have been laid bare by the Met Office, and it’s not writing it off just yet.
With a snowy and sub-zero start to December, the nation has been left wondering if this theme will continue all month.
While it’s hard to pinpoint precise forecasts more than seven days ahead, the agency’s long-range outlook for mid to late December is somewhat mixed.
It speaks about a return to a milder period after the first two weeks of the festive month which will plunge much of Britain to lows of freezing and below.
The polar blast coming across from the east is set to dissipate, it says, but Christmas may fall at a time when temperatures could be about to dip once more.
In its outlook from December 10 to 24, updated just this evening, says in full: “After a cold spell leading up to it, the most likely trend through this period is for a return to milder, more changeable weather.
“Wetter and windier than average conditions are slightly more likely than normal, especially in the west and northwest.
“Temperatures are most likely to be near or above average overall, although this doesn’t rule out some spells of cold weather and associated wintry hazards.”
While the long-range forecast falls one day short of December 25, the change is not likely to be huge between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day for many areas.
The two weeks leading up to this period are also due to be turbulent, but the risk of snow appears more certain.
From November 29 to December 9, the risks of sleet and wintry showers remains high for much of England and Wales. The only factor up for contention is how much will lay and where.
Its outlook for this time period adds: “Outbreaks of rain and some hill snow are likely to spread across parts of England and Wales during Thursday.
“This could be heavy and prolonged in places, before it begins to fade and clear away again to the south during Friday. Further north, a mixture of sunny spells and wintry showers on Thursday and Friday, the showers most frequent near coasts.
“Over the weekend and into the following week, cold conditions and northerly winds are expected across the bulk of the UK.
“Showers will develop, these a mixture of rain, sleet and, at times, snow, with the most frequent showers across coastal districts in the north and east. Some inland areas, especially in the south, could be mainly dry and bright.”
