Christmas weather 2021 UK: Met Office forecast for Xmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year - and will it snow?

The weather of late has been a mixed bag, with cooler temperatures, rain, frost and bursts of winter sunshine.

But what is the weather set to be like over Christmas?

Here’s what you need to know.

What will the weather be like in the run up to Christmas?

In the days leading up to Christmas Day some parts of the United Kingdom look set to experience feels-like temperatures of -4°C however milder weather will return on Thursday December 23 and Friday December 24.

The milder air is short-lived as the entire country will see temperatures drop again on Christmas Day with places in the north set to see snowfall on lower ground.

A widespread frost is expected on Tuesday night according to the Met Office with hill snow falling in the north.

As we move into Friday (Christmas Eve) the temperatures begins to turn cold again with wintry conditions and sleet and snow.

The cooler air comes from the Arctic and keeping it company will be a bitterly cold wind.

What will the weather be like over the Christmas period?

Looking further ahead over the festive period, the Met Office said there is an increasing chance the high pressure will move allowing for more unsettled and windier weather to affect the UK with rain, and perhaps snow, possible for some places.

Met Office Expert Meteorologist, Dan Rudman, said: “There is still a lot of uncertainty in the forecast for the Christmas period. Whilst there is certainly a risk of wintry conditions for many places, other outcomes are still possible such as warmer air to move across the UK bringing rain widely with any potential snow being restricted to higher ground and the far north.

“We will continue to keep an eye on developments over the coming days and update as the level of certainty increases.”

Will it snow - and will we get a white Christmas?

According to Oddschecker, it’s currently 3/10 for snow in Aberdeen on Christmas Day, 4/6 for snow in Newcastle and for a white Christmas in Edinburgh and Glasgow it is currently 4/11 and 1/2 respectively.

The odds have also shortened for cities further south e.g. Leeds, 4/7; Birmingham, 5/6; Liverpool, 6/4 and London, 4/1.

Even if a white Christmas does not materialise for parts of the UK where on is expected there will be a second band snow moving across the country in the days between Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve.

The majority of the snowfall will be seen in eastern England and Scotland.