What Are The Chances Of A White Christmas?

For the rest of the UK, rain and strong or even gale-force winds appears more likely over the holiday season than a festive dusting of snow.

Northern and western parts, including areas hit by the recent devastating floods,are predicted to experience the heaviest rain and highest winds.

A longer-term forecast issued by the Met Office for the Christmas period and into the New Year said it "seems more likely than not" that the unsettled weather of November and early December would continue.

The latest update said: "This would suggest that all parts of the UK will see rain and strong or gale force winds at times, with the north and west of the country experiencing the heaviest and most frequent rainfall as well as the strongest winds.

"Further south and east some drier and more settled spells will intersperse the wet and windy periods.

"Overall temperatures are likely to be mild for the time of year, although there will still be brief colder spells leading to a risk of frost, and snow over northern hills."

Sky Bet is offering varied odds for snow on Christmas Day, depending on the part of the country.

Currently, in Aberdeen it is 2/1, 5/1 in Birmingham, and 6/1 in both Cardiff and London.

In the meantime, flood-hit areas are keeping a wary eye on the weather as the Met Office issued a severe warning for heavy rain and snow for North Wales and the North West of England on Saturday.

Up to 60mm of rain could fall in parts, and the Met Office said: "Given saturated ground, be aware of the potential for some localised flooding of land, roads and properties, as well as some travel disruption."

However, this was not expected to be as widespread or severe as that seen at the weekend.

The forecaster also said there was a chance of rain turning to snow in northern areas, which could cause traffic difficulties, especially where flooded roads have been closed and more minor routes are in greater use.

Sky News weather producer Joanna Robinson said: "A band of rain will move north across the UK and Ireland on Saturday and may well stall over northern England and north Wales, before returning south again on Sunday.

"There's still some uncertainty on where the heaviest rain will fall, but northern England and north Wales could see 20 to 40mm, locally 60mm.

"Central and western parts of Ireland will also be at risk, with potentially higher rainfall amounts there.

"Any rain falling on already saturated ground and flood affected regions will be unwelcome and bring the risk of further flooding.

"As the rain moves into colder air on Saturday it will bring the additional hazard of snow for the Cumbrian Fells, the Pennines and the hills of North Wales.

"On Monday, another spell of wet and windy weather is forecast, but from the middle of next week it may briefly turn drier and calmer.

"That won't last long though as the mild, unsettled and potentially stormy weather regime looks to continue through the second half of December.

"Areas in the North and North West will be most at risk."