The prospect of waking up to a snowy Christmas morning across the United Kingdom this year is slim to none, according to the latest official forecast.
Forecasters Predict Dry and Milder Conditions
The Met Office has stated that the chance of a white Christmas in 2025 is 'extremely low'. Operational meteorologist Tom Morgan explained that a shift in weather patterns is expected next week. High pressure will dominate, bringing much drier conditions compared to the wet weather driven by low pressure seen so far in December.
While some rain or showers may linger during the festive period, temperatures are not anticipated to drop low enough in the lead-up to December 25th to facilitate snowfall on the day itself. Morgan emphasised there is 'no significant signal for widespread snow' or the kind of settling snow that creates classic winter scenes.
What Counts as an Official White Christmas?
For the Met Office to officially declare a white Christmas, only a single snowflake needs to be observed falling anywhere in the UK within the 24-hour period of December 25th. It does not require snow to settle or lay on the ground.
Historical records show that since 1960, more than half of all Christmas Days have met this technical criterion. The last official white Christmas was in 2023, when 11% of UK weather stations recorded falling snow, though none reported any accumulation.
Truly widespread snow cover on the ground on Christmas Day is a much rarer event, having occurred only four times in the last 65 years:
- 1981
- 1995
- 2009
- 2010
Travel Outlook and Final Verdict
The forecasted drier spell is likely to be good news for festive travel plans. The Met Office does not anticipate issuing any severe weather warnings and expects conditions to be relatively dry, often cloudy, with gradually falling temperatures that are not 'particularly cold'.
Tom Morgan offered a clear message for those dreaming of a picturesque, snow-blanketed holiday: 'If you want any snow, it's going to be likely that you're going to be disappointed... we're not expecting any kind of Christmas card scenes.' The advice is to prepare for a green, rather than white, Christmas across the British Isles this year.
