Freezing weather conditions are likely to hit the UK hours before Christmas as weather maps show a 344-mile ice bomb hammering the country. Weather maps from WXCharts suggest snow is likely to fall on December 22 in areas ranging from Wick to Manchester.
WXCharts maps have turned white and purple indicating the depth of snow in various areas across the country.
According to these maps, heavy snow is expected to fall on areas around Edinburgh, Newcastle and Manchester.
The cold weather conditions are predicted as the country battles the fourth storm of the season, Storm Darragh. Many parts of the UK have been affected due to the adverse weather conditions over the weekend.
A rare red weather warning was issued by the Met Office, covering parts of Wales and southwest England- with gusts of up to 93mph recorded in parts of Wales this morning.
The latest weather maps suggest that temperature level will stay below 4C for the entire country. The northern areas such as Scottish Highlands, Wick, Aberdeen, Edinburgh may see mercury levels oscillating between -1C to 0C.
Similarly, down south, the temperature may hover between 1-2C, maps suggest.
According to the Met Office, 2023 was the last white Christmas in the UK with 11% of stations recording snow falling, although none reported any snow lying on the ground.
The forecaster stated: “Before that, 2022 saw 9 percent of weather stations recording falling snow, but none with any snow settling. 2021 and 2020 were also technically white Christmases, both with 6 percent of weather stations recording snow falling, but in these years, less than 1 percent of stations reported any snow lying on the ground in 2021 and only 4 percent in 2020.
“There was no record of snow falling at any station in the UK in 2018, or in 2019. The last widespread white Christmas in the UK was in 2010.”
The Met Office’s long-range forecast between December 21 and January 4 reads: “Mainly unsettled conditions appear likely for most, with spells of wind and rain followed by showers affecting most areas but especially towards the north or northwest.
“Some sleet and snow is also possible at times, especially on high ground in the north.
“However, there are also some signs that more settled conditions are possible at times, these perhaps most likely across the south late in December or into early January.
“Temperatures are likely to be around average overall, with any more settled interludes bringing a risk of frost and fog.”