Weather forecast UK: Met Office issues yellow warning for snow with white Christmas predicted for part of UK

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for snow and ice, with one part of the UK forecast to get a white Christmas.

The Scottish Highlands can expect snowfall, though the conditions come with the weather warning across most of the Highlands, as well as some lowland areas, from 9pm on Christmas Day to 6pm on Boxing Day.

“Frequent blustery snow showers are likely to cause some travel disruption to higher routes,” the Met Office said, adding 10cm (four inches) of snow is expected to fall on higher ground. The conditions could also see interruptions to power supplies, with potential for the temperature to drop as low as 1C overnight on Sunday.

While the rest of the UK is unlikely to see a white Christmas, flood alerts and warnings have been issued with downpours forecast for much of the weekend. The Environment Agency has issued 66 alerts for possible flooding in England while flood warnings, meaning flooding is likely, are in place for Hellingly and Horsebridge in Sussex and North Sea at Roker in Sunderland.

Met Office deputy chief meteorologist David Oliver said: “An unsettled Christmas weekend is on the way for many, with those in the north and west seeing the most frequent and the heaviest showers. High winds will affect some coasts through the weekend with gales in places, especially the north and west. Christmas Day will be unsettled for many, with the most frequent showers in the northern half of the UK and some more sporadic and mostly lighter showers further south.”

While Met Office spokesman Stephen Dixon said: “It’s going to be a cloudy and wet Christmas weekend for some of the UK and any wintry showers are most likely to be confined to the far northwest of Scotland.

“A white Christmas, which according to the Met Office is defined by a single snowflake falling anywhere in the UK on Christmas Day, is most likely in the northwest of Scotland later on the day on Sunday, with some snow moving in from the north-west as part of a cooler pool of air and some snow could even be seen in the northwest of the UK at lower levels overnight on Christmas Day and into Boxing Day.

“What we’re looking at for Christmas Eve is staying mainly dry for southern and eastern parts but areas to the northwest will see some showers and some longer spells of rain for a time, including some heavy rain as well for a short time and some snow falling over the high ground of Scotland.

“Some breezy conditions as well on Christmas Eve, some gusty winds especially in the north and west of the UK. That scene continues into Christmas Day with unsettled weather in charge of the UK regime at the moment.”