A weather forecaster has given his verdict on the likelihood of a white Christmas this year.
James Madden of Exacta Weather took to Facebook with his forecast as anticipation builds ahead of the big day. It comes after snow maps indicated an Arctic blast could hit much of the UK, with WXCharts – based on Met Desk predictions – suggesting temperatures might plummet to -10C in some areas before the year’s end.
Despite these chilly prospects, Madden believes the UK won’t see snow in time for December 25. He expects conditions to be “normal to even mild” and the weather to be “more settled.”
His post reads: “Unfortunately for snow, or fortunately for more settled weather lovers, this would then look to set the way for some normal to even MILD temperatures and potentially more settled weather around the CHRISTMAS period on the current main third-party repeated projections of recent days.
“Additionally, the same several-month-ahead winter subscribers report for this winter also clearly stated this as a possibility for around the Christmas period (less cold or MILD weather) if we were to experience any limited or later stratospheric interference in this period.”
However, Madden is still predicting snowfall before the end of December, with the “final days” of the month and the start of 2025 likely to bring a “big freeze.”
In another update, Madden shared: “Our several-month-ahead subscribers winter report and recent forecast indications for the ‘final days of December and early 2025’ are still highly set for a widespread snowy period on our current forecast indicators (around early next week starting 30 Dec, possibly slightly earlier).”
Senior meteorologist and founder of British Weather Services Jim Dale previously advised New Year’s Eve party-goers to “keep their fingers on the pulse” given the risk of “severe wind and snow” as 2024 draws to a close. Speaking to the Express, he said: “It’s an early warning that we could well be in for some hazardous weather to bring in 2025.”
Meanwhile, the BBC’s preliminary outlook for the New Year hints at a calmer start, especially in south-western and western regions, although unsettled conditions could prevail elsewhere.
In its prediction up to January 6, the outlet states: “It seems possible that the rather settled conditions could return to some extent during the first week of the new year, at least in the south-western and western areas of the UK.
“By contrast, the rest of the country may see wetter and windier conditions. Temperatures could remain above average, following a brisk west to occasional north-westerly flow pattern. There is still a slight chance of colder spells making their way through at times, especially across Scotland where wintry precipitation seems likely.”
The Met Office has also warned: “Around the turn of the year, it looks more probable that colder, more showery conditions will likely make at least some ingress into northern and perhaps central areas, bringing a risk of some impacts from ice, sleet and snow.”