UK could be set for 'white Christmas' as snow to return

People in Britain have been told to brace for a White Christmas with snow forecast to fall on certain parts of the country this Sunday.

So, the criteria for an actual White Christmas is quite low, even though it rarely happens in the UK.

What we mean here is that most of us rarely see it, unless you live in very high areas at the North of England or in Scotland.

For the criteria to be met, just one singular snowflake has to be observed falling during the 24 hours of December 25.

See, it’s not much is it?

With the weather picking up in temperature a bit over the past few days after a cold Arctic blast that saw the mercury dip below freezing pretty much everywhere in the UK, you could be forgiven for thinking that once again a White Christmas might be off the cards.

Tim Gainey/Alamy Stock Photo

However, cold weather is set to make a comeback in the north, with parts of the West of Scotland, the Highlands, and the North of England forecast to experience much lower temperatures than other places.

With those lower temperatures comes the prospect of snow, and it would be extremely unusual if we didn’t see some snow on the big day itself.

If you’re in the South of England though, you’d be might as well put the sledge away now, because it’s looking pretty unlikely.

Chances are that temperatures are set to remain in the high single figures, meaning it’s going to be a wintery sort of day, but nothing too extreme and most likely no snow.

Explaining what the forecast looks like, Met Office forecaster Greg Dewhurst said: "The jet stream remains close to the UK meaning low pressures will move in from the Atlantic, orange on the map meaning fairly mild at the moment but if we run the sequence through over the next few days we might see some colder air trying to push down from the north.

"This may introduce some colder air across central parts and northern parts as we enter the Christmas weekend."

There is – however – ‘some uncertainly where colder and milder air might lie’, he added.

Dan Harris, the deputy chief meteorologist at the Met Office, confirmed that their best guess at the minute is that if there is snow, it’ll be in the north.

He said: "From mid-week we expect to see a north/south split develop with colder weather arriving in the north, while the south hangs onto the mild 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.”

And Jim Dale from British Weather Services is more confidence on the prospect of snow.

Anne Coatesy/Alamy

He told the Daily Star: “By the end of the week the northerly airstream will have moved into Scotland as the Polar front shifts back over the UK.

“This could bring snow or sleet to the region before the cold air sinks into northern England by Saturday, and there will be more showery rain across the country through the end of the week.

“By the time we get to Christmas Eve, low pressure will have gone, and that northerly air will be across most of the country.

“It might be that the far south and the southeast may just escape and stay slightly milder.

“In terms of snow on Christmas Day, we can now be sure of something across parts of Scotland.”

There you have it – we might not all see the White Christmas, but it’ll almost certainly be happening somewhere.