When will it next snow in the UK and will it be a white Christmas?
What is the Met Office definition of a white Christmas and will it snow this year?
- The Met Office defines a 'white Christmas' as a single snowflake being observed falling anywhere in the UK on Christmas Day.
- There is no significant snow forecast for the current period, with mild westerly conditions bringing a mixture of sunny spells and rain.
- The long-range forecast indicates changeable and unsettled conditions with low-pressure systems dominating, bringing rain and strong winds, with snow likely confined to high ground in the North.
- The Met Office states it is too early to predict if there will be a 'white Christmas' this year, with clearer forecasts typically available a week before the day.
- Historically, over half of Christmas Days since 1960 have technically been 'white Christmases', but widespread settled snow on the ground is rare, having only occurred four times since 1981.