Dominant ‘anticyclone’ to bring ‘foggy gloom’ as forecaster ‘uncertain’ on potential white Christmas

While Scotland and parts of northern England could see snow on December 25, with some areas potentially receiving more than a foot of snowfall, the Met Office suggests most regions will experience unsettled conditions.

Four regions in England – the South East, South West, East and London – are not expected to see any snow on Christmas Day.

A NetWeather spokesperson said: “While bringing mainly dry, quiet weather, anticyclones at this time of year can cause forecasting headaches. One is predicting where skies will break, and another, currently, is determining how much a weak front in the North Sea moving around the periphery of the high will influence conditions, bringing mist, drizzle and gloom.”

The forecaster explained that Scotland and Northern Ireland have experienced clearer skies near the centre of the anticyclone. However, much of England and Wales remain cloudy, with only limited breaks offering winter sunshine over Cumbria, West Wales, the South West and potentially towards the South East.

After dark, patches of fog and frost are expected to form in western and southern regions. The latest forecasts show patches of freezing fog and frost continuing to linger in Scotland, though cloud after dark bringing drizzle may lift much of this, leaving misty conditions.

East of the Pennines has turned very misty, with hill fog and patchy light rain or drizzle expected.

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Temperatures today will struggle to rise above -2C in Scotland, while Humberside is set to be the warmest part of the country with Hull forecast for 7C.

The Met Office said: “Remaining cloudy for many with patchy drizzle, and hill fog. Brighter skies in the far west and across much of Scotland, where fog could linger all day. Feeling rather cold.”

A forecast for December 25 indicates, “low pressure may dominate, with a spell of mild, wet and windy weather for most places.” The national forecaster adds that while high pressure may try to build at times, “the more likely scenario is for an unsettled regime to dominate.”

“Spells of wind and rain, perhaps with some hill snow in the north, are likely, followed by blustery showers, these most frequent and perhaps wintry at times in the northwest,” the Met Office states.

Temperatures are expected to “vary around average, with oscillations between colder and milder interludes.”

Looking further ahead, forecasters predict unsettled conditions could persist from December 25 to January 8, particularly affecting northwestern regions.