The Met Office has indicated that while a white Christmas is possible for some parts of the UK, the likelihood of significant snowfall remains low. According to meteorologist Marco Petagna, the south coast of England, particularly South Devon and Cornwall, has the greatest chance of seeing 'the odd wintry flurry'. However, he noted that the probability of noteworthy snowfall is only around 10%, meaning widespread snow is unlikely.
Technically, a white Christmas is defined by the Met Office as a single snowflake falling anywhere in the UK on Christmas Day. Based on this definition, every year since 2020 has been a white Christmas, except for 2024. In 2023, 11% of weather stations recorded snow falling, and in 2022, 9% did, though snow did not settle in either year.
The Royal Meteorological Society reports that snow has fallen on Christmas Day at least somewhere in the UK 54 times in the past 66 years. However, lying snow on Christmas Day has only occurred four times since 1960: in 1981, 1995, 2009, and 2010. The highest percentage of stations with snow on the ground was 83% in 2010.
High pressure is building across the UK, bringing drier and more settled weather for many, though a strong easterly breeze will make it feel colder. Daytime temperatures on Christmas Day are expected to reach 7°C, with night-time lows of -3°C or -4°C. The Met Office notes that most UK snow days occur between January and March, offering hope for winter weather later in the season.
