Britons hoping for a white Christmas are set to be sorely disappointed with a mild and grey 25 December, forecasters have predicted.
For the Met Office to declare a white Christmas, a single snowflake has to be observed falling in the 24 hours of Christmas Day anywhere in the UK.
However, the day is likely to be settled, cloudy and dry with light winds for most of the UK, according to the forecaster.
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There is a small chance of rain across north-west Scotland, though temperatures are expected to be widely mild, dashing any hopes of snow.
It will come after a weekend of heavy rain and wind, with more than a hundred flights cancelled from Heathrow Airport, and dozens of trains and ferries cancelled.
Snow also saw part of the M62 closed, with heavy traffic caused by congestion and poor weather conditions.
White Christmases are a common occurrence, with more than half of all Christmas Days being declared a white Christmas since the 1960s.
The last white Christmas in the UK was actually last year when 11 per cent of weather stations recorded snow falling – although none reported any snow lying on the ground.
The last widespread Christmas with snow settling on the ground was more than ten years ago.
The UK has only seen widespread snow coverage on Christmas Day four times since 1960 – in 1981, 1995, 2009 and 2010.
The Met Office will continue to provide updates in the coming days in case the forecast changes, but for now, it doesn’t seem likely.
Dan Harris of the Met Office said: “Current indications are that more settled conditions are likely to develop from Christmas Eve onwards, with the majority of the UK coming under the influence of high pressure.
“The exception however may be north-west Scotland where there is a reasonable chance of further wind and rain.
“Christmas Day itself is likely to be settled, often cloudy, and dry with light winds for the majority.
“Once again, the far north may be windier, with a small chance of further rain across north-west Scotland.
“Temperatures are expected to be widely mild, so if you are hoping for a blanket of snow across the country on Christmas Day, I’m sorry to say you will be disappointed.”
