Issued: 0900 Friday 18th December 2020
Duty forecaster: Alexi Venerus

Mild initially and rather unsettled but then turning colder over Christmas.

Staying on the milder side and rather unsettled through the weekend and into next week but the north in particular cooling off through next week. Wintry showers with some snow, sleet and rain all possible around the Christmas period as winds turn more northerly.

For the weather for the next few days click here

Monday 21/12/20
Low pressure affects all parts of the UK and Ireland on Monday. An area of heavy rain will cross Ireland, Wales and England with some strong to gale force winds along particularly southern coasts. There will also be showers or longer spells of rain pushing through Northern Ireland and Scotland. Quite a temperatures difference between the north and the south today with highs at 6C for the northern half of the UK and 13C in central and southern England as well as south Wales.

Tuesday 22/12/20
A further area of low pressure will track across southern Ireland, central and southern England and Wales on Tuesday. This brings the threat of some heavy rain to the south. Brighter and colder for Northern Ireland and Scotland as well as the far north of England. Highs at 10C in the far south, 5 or 6C elsewhere.
 

Wednesday 23/12/20
A low pressure centre crosses England on Wednesday bringing unsettled conditions for many. It will bring cloud and rain across southern areas with a risk of some sleet and snow over the hills of Wales, northern England and southern Scotland. It may be that some wet snow occurs at lower levels later. Potentially drier and brighter yet cold across northern Scotland and conditions improving across Ireland and Northern Ireland. Highs at 2 to 7C.

Christmas Eve 24/12/20
Rain and sleet in southern England on Christmas Eve. Colder air dragging into the rest of the UK with scattered snow showers in Scotland and down eastern coasts of England. A widepsread frost across Scotland and northern England with temperatures struggling to reach above zero for many. Highs at 2 to 6C.

Christmas Day 25/12/20
Confidence is low in this but the current scenario is that many places will start dry and chilly, but an area of low pressure will push down a front from Scotland southwards, initially falling as snow, particularly over the higher ground, but then turn to sleet and rain behind as the air temperature warms slightly. Highs at 3 to 7C.

Boxing Day 26/12/20
It is currently looking like a rather unsettled day with blustery winds along with showers or longer spells of rain, particuraly affecting northern and western areas. Possibly drier towards the south and southeast. Highs of 4 to 6C.