The predictions of a white Christmas will be disappointing for many, but it is possible to see snow on Northern hills in England and Wales.
For most areas of England, Wales and Northern Ireland on December 25, it will be dry and cloudy with a chance of rain in the South.
The snow and sleet will also be likely in the uplands of south Scotland. This morning, there is an ice advisory for Northern Scotland. It will be difficult to travel home in these conditions for Christmas.
According to The Met Office, the exact locations of snowfall on Christmas Day is not yet known. It’s unclear where there will be colder or milder weather and which regions might experience snow.
London temperatures will average at 10C on December 25, compared with Glasgow’s 5C (41F). The Scottish capital may see possible lows of 3C and highs up to 6C (43F) all afternoon.
Northern England will be also mild with temperatures ranging from 5C (41F), to 6C (6F) in Manchester, Leeds and possibly some rain. For the whole of the UK, the average December temperature is 7C (45F).
It is possible to bet at Bookmaker Coral that Christmas Day will see snow in the UK. This odds are based on the fact that there have been 40 white Christmases over the past 61 years. The odds of London being the closest to 3-1 were also given.
Millions of Britons are likely to experience travel chaos during Christmas and New Year due to disruptions at airports and rail strikes.
| Datum | Car rental for leisure trips | It is likely that major roads will be especially busy during this period. | Between major roads, likely less traffic | Major road expected to be subject to longest delay (excludes impact of any unplanned breakdowns or collisions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday, 20 December | 3.7m | 3.30pm and 6.30pm | Before 1pm | Mid-afternoon, M60 clockwise J7-18 |
| Tuesday 21 December | 3.7m | From 4pm to 5:30pm | Prior to 8am | Early evening, M6 north J5-J10a |
| Wednesday 22 December | 3.7m | From 12pm to 3pm | After 5pm | Mid-day M40, J11 south to J9 |
| Thursday, 23 December | 4.1m | From 12pm to 4pm | After 6pm | M25 clockwise J7 – J16, middle day |
| Friday, 24 December | 5.3m | 11 am to 2 pm | After 6pm | A303 West Solstice Park to A36 in the middle of day |
Wales will have mild weather December 25, but there is a chance of some light snow and rain.
Because of its mild climate, there’s little chance of frost or ice in most parts of the UK. Any rainfall is likely to be brief-lived and not cause much disruption.
The risk of fog in southern England and Wales could cause delays for travel on Christmas Eve. However, this should clear by Christmas Day.
This is the second Christmas vacation in two years. There has been a high demand for leisure travels by rail, road and air.
Transport Focus conducted a survey among nearly 2000 people across Britain and found that 44% of respondents planned to travel over Christmas to see their family or friends.
Coronavirus restrictions prevented many from receiving such visits twelve months ago.
According to the poll, most people planning on a vacation this year will travel by car. Only one percent of respondents plan to use public transportation.
According to RAC analysis, 4.1 million people will travel on UK roads for overnight or day stays on Thursday. That number could rise to 5.3million Christmas Eve.
Major roads will be especially busy on Thursday and Friday between 12 and 4pm, and 11 and 2 on Friday.
According to the RAC survey of 1,400 drivers it is expected that this will be the most popular Christmas destination in the next five years.
Even though demand for rail travel has fallen to around half the pre-pandemic level, thousands are still travelling by train to celebrate Christmas with their loved ones.
Due to shortages of staff in the pandemic, hundreds upon hundreds of trains were cancelled.
In the coming days, the Railways will conduct 370 engineering projects that could disrupt service.
Network Rail and Transport for London will simultaneously work at Heathrow Airport, cutting off access to the Tube and rail networks for Heathrow Airport on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
The following are examples of disruption elsewhere:
- Leeds will offer a reduced service from December 27 to January 3. This includes a very limited service on January 2.
- There will not be any services running between London King’s Cross Station and Finsbury Park during Christmas Day or Boxing Day.
- Between December 27-31, CrossCountry trains won’t call on Bristol Parkway.
You can check with your train operator to find out how affected you are.
International travel is most active during the festive period, other than summer. People visit their family and go skiing or sunbathing in winter.
It is expected that an area of low pressure in the Atlantic will move in. However, it will be pushed against easterly wind over Britain. The cool winds make the Atlantic feel cool.
While the number of individuals traveling abroad has increased from last year, it is still lower than pre-pandemic levels.
Freezy riders! NAKED skiers can be seen on the slopes of Scotland’s 4,000ft mountain in frozen -2C morning
Henry Martin for MailOnline
On a freezing morning, a pair of naked skiers raced up the mountain to capture their actions.
George Robertson, 64, was rambling a remote mountaintop on Cairn Gorm, a peak in the Grampian Mountains in the Highlands of Scotland, hoping to snap wild hares when he captured more than he’d bargained for.
Retired father-of-3 spied a couple nude on Saturday while they were holding skis high up on the snowcapped peak.
Robertson confirmed his findings through the use of a pair bird-watching binoculars.
It was unusually hot that day, melting snow and drawing many walkers.
Robertson was there with four other photographers who were interested in nature photography. He believes the nudists pair could clearly be seen by them, however he asserts that they seemed to not care about being noticed.
George Robertson (64), was walking up a mountaintop in Cairn Gorm in the Grampian Mountains of the Highlands, Scotland to capture wild hares. He captured more than he bargained for
Retired father-of-3 spotted two nude men and a woman on Saturday through his lens as they held onto their skis at the top of the snowcapped peak.
“There were five people out there taking photos of wildlife, and about 100m away from the summit we came upon these two naked skiers,” he explained.
“It was quite busy because of the warm weather. For close to 50 year, I have been walking in the Scottish hills and this is something I’ve never seen before.
“It was disbelief because at the beginning I was scanning the sky through my camera and saw a couple with their arms outstretched without clothes. It was shock and disbelief at first, but then we continued to look for wildlife.
“They clearly could see the other mountain people because they were directly in our line of sight, but they kept going doing their thing and continued to ski off.
“I was not offended, but it seemed a little odd to see that many hundred metres high on a mountain covered in snow. At the time, I found the photos quite funny: people running in the snow without any skis or bobble caps.
Although it’s not an offense to expose oneself in public, in England and Wales, the act can become a crime when the victim proves that they intended to inflict and shock.
It is a simple offense under the common law in Scotland. The test for this is whether the naked public alarms or disturbs anyone.
Gatwick Airport announced that they expect to host nearly 750,000 passengers in December, which is seven times as many as the previous 12 month period but half what was seen before the virus crisis.
Boxing Day, Thursday and Boxing Day will be its busiest days with departures of up to 35,000 passengers per day.
Some of the most sought-after destinations are Dublin, Ireland, as well as Cancun in Mexico.
Jonathan Pollard (Gatwick) said that while the airport is encouraged by the amount of people who want to travel for Christmas, he also said that some travelers have been affected by new coronavirus requirements.
He stated that while we fully understand the importance of measures to prevent the Omicron-related spread until better scientific evidence is available on its severity, these must be implemented as quickly and effectively as possible.
Bristol Airport anticipates that it will be used more than 100,000 times between December 21st and 31.
It will see approximately 12,000 people fly into or out on the 27th of December, which will be one of its busiest days.
Liverpool John Lennon Airport reported that around 40,000 passengers will pass through the airport between Christmas Eve (or January 3), which is about 40% more than pre-pandemic levels.
According to the airport, demand should be around 70%-80% of what it was before the restrictions were put in place.
Brittany Ferries, Eurostar, and Brittany Ferries reported that they had experienced an increase of cancellations since France banned UK visitors to France last week for both tourism and business travel.
According to the Met Office, the Met Office forecast for Christmas was unsettling. However, it was not clear whether the airflow from the Atlantic would bring more mild weather or if it would be cold and easterly.
The Atlantic Low Pressure Zone is expected to be moving in. However, it will face easterly winds from Britain. It will feel cool and could bring wintry conditions up high.
Chris Bulmer said that the Christmas season will see a lot of uncertainty in the UK. Mild air will dominate the UK’s south and west, causing many to see cloudy and wet conditions.
“Where colder air is trying to sink south, there’s a possibility of Christmas snow. This is most likely looking over the Pennines. However, it is not clear exactly where that boundary will lie.
Clearer skies and colder conditions will give you a wintry feeling. In many parts, an easterly blow will produce a noticeable wind chill.
Following a cold morning yesterday and a raw day yesterday afternoon, mild weather moved in overnight and later, bringing with it cloud and rain from South West. It was expected to change to freezing rain in Scotland and sleet in Scotland.
Two inches of snow can fall at high elevations above 400m (1,300ft), to 500m (1,600ft), during the night in Highlands.
Christmas Eve is going to be cloudy and mild. However, on Christmas Day the UK will see a clash between wet, mild air in the South West and cool, northerly air.
Forecasters predicted that the unsettled weather pattern would persist through Christmas. According to the Met Office’s Christmas Day forecast, there will be ‘continued rainfall across Wales’.
The article added that there was a possibility of snow on high ground, further north than the border between colder and milder air.
Although the exact spot is uncertain, the Pennine area and the Southern Uplands of southern Scotland are more likely to receive snow.
“Further north in the cold, the sky will be clearer, with sunny and lower daytime temps. According to the Met Office, for New Year’s Eve, it was stated: “The outlook looks unsettled with mild air from Southwest bringing windy and wet conditions.
Forecasters stated that the South will continue to experience’mild and unsettled’ weather in January.
According to the Met Office, “To the North” means more stable conditions with better spells and wind that gradually ease to allow for frost or ice.
“It will become more mild in the northern regions over time. The boundary is susceptible to severe weather and snow. It is expected that January will be colder than normal with milder, unsettled spells likely to affect the south and west.