Christmas weather 2022 UK: Met Office forecast for Xmas Day - will it snow?

Christmas is almost upon us and many people are gearing up for a holiday which brings about more excitement than any other. It is a time which brings families together from all over the world to celebrate and reflect on some of the best moments of the year that has passed.

Snow is synonymous with the festive season for revellers and a number of hopefuls are dreaming of a white Christmas where they can go sledging, build snowmen and have fun in the snow.

In recent weeks the UK has recorded sub-zero temperatures and a cold snap of Arctic air has been widespread throughout England, Scotland and Wales. But can we expect it to snow on Christmas Day and will the cold weather continue? Here is everything you need to know.

What is the 2022 Christmas Day weather forecast?

The most recent weather reports from The Met Office suggest that it is unlikely to snow on Christmas day with the weather likely to be mild with a risk of rain and showers. However, there is expected to be a divide between the north and south in terms of meteorological conditions meaning there is much higher likelihood of snow in northern England and Scotland in comparison to further south.

Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Dan Harris said: “From mid-week we can expect to see a north / south split develop with colder weather arriving in the north, while the south hangs on to milder conditions. There are, however, large uncertainties concerning where the boundary between these two air masses will eventually end up, especially as we head into the Christmas weekend.

“However, what we can say is that Christmas day will most likely be mild with a risk of rain or showers in places for the south, especially the far south, while any cold air or wintry conditions will most likely be confined to the north of the UK.”

When was the deepest snow on Christmas day?

The Met Office states that around half of the years since 1960 have seen at least 5% of their network record snow on 25 December. There has only been a widespread covering of snow on four occasions. These instances were 1981, 1995, 2009 and 2010.

The deepest lying snow on Christmas day was recorded in 1981 when Kindrogan Perthshire recorded 47 cm of snow. Areas such as Buxton in Derbyshire also recorded around 43 cm of snow that same year.

When was the wettest Christmas day?

Rain is forecast to hit the southern areas of the UK with the Met Office predicting light showers, however it is unlikely to top the wettest Christmas day on record.

The wettest Christmas on record came in 2015 when Capel Curig, Gwynedd in Wales recorded 165.4 mm of rain. The record in England was set back in 2003 with Ennerdale, Cumbria recording 103 mm of rain.