Millions of people in the UK may wake up to snow on Christmas Day, with weather models indicating a potential White Christmas. The GFS weather model suggests heavy snowfall in Northern Ireland and Scotland on Christmas Eve, with a chance of light snow in northern parts of England.
The snow is forecasted to persist on Christmas morning, with western Scotland expected to experience the most intense snowfall at 3 am. Southern Scotland, the Lake District, and the Pennines in England could also see heavy snow during this time.
By 6 am, the heaviest snow is projected to fall in Galloway Forest Park in Scotland, along with potential snow showers in cities like Glasgow and Dundee. In England, Manchester might also see light snowfall according to the maps.
Snow coverage maps for 6 pm on Christmas Day suggest significant portions of northern England, Northern Ireland, and Scotland could have snow settled on the ground, indicating a high chance of a White Christmas in cities such as Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Dundee.
For an official White Christmas declaration, the Met Office states that just one snowflake needs to fall on December 25. While the likelihood of widespread snowfall remains low, the Met Office predicts a potential increase in snowfall on higher ground in late December and early January, with a shift towards drier and settled weather patterns.