White Christmas In UK Unlikely As Cold Health Alert Issued Amid Falling Temperatures
A white Christmas is highly unlikely across the UK in 2025 as a cold spell is expected to bring mostly dry and settled conditions.
The UK Health Security Agency has issued a yellow cold health alert for south-west England from 6pm on Christmas Day until noon on 27 December. Low temperatures during this period may have a minor impact on health and increase demand on healthcare services, with a greater risk to the lives of vulnerable individuals.
The Met Office forecasts Christmas Day to be mostly dry and bright in the south of England. The north will see more cloud, but this is expected to clear. A high pressure system will bring a settled, cooler spell accompanied by a gusty easterly wind along the south coast.
Temperature highs are expected to reach around 7°C in north-east England and 6°C in south and south-east England. In rural Scotland, temperatures could drop to as low as -6°C, while rural Wales may see temperatures near -4°C with frost in western rural areas.
There is a very low chance of snow this Christmas. Any precipitation is likely to be limited to a rain band skirting the Channel, which may affect the south-west, but snow is considered unlikely.
Overall, the UK will experience a dry spell over the next few days.
The RAC predicts around 4.2 million car trips on Christmas Eve, with traffic expected to be heaviest between 1pm and 7pm. Drivers are advised to watch for congestion on the M25, particularly the clockwise northern and western sections, as well as the M5 northbound from Gloucestershire toward the West Midlands.
All times and temperature forecasts remain subject to change as updated weather information becomes available.
