White Christmas 2009

[paul tall]

There is surely a chance that some of us will be under lying snow on Chrimbo Day and for me at least although technically not a white christmas (snow has to fall on the day) that is what it is all about.

I'd certainly remember a christmas wih lying snow in the lead up to the big day and on the day better than a green christmas where a couple of wet flakes fell and didn't settle.

[Coast]

Shropshire Star weatherman John Warner said there was a “60 per cent chance” of a white Christmas in the county as the cold weather looked set to stretch into next week. He said: “Thursday is going to be very cold and there is a chance of snow showers, though I don’t think we are going to get a great deal of snow. It will get icy on Wednesday and Thursday night as temperatures could fall as low as -4 C. "The cold weather is set to continue right through to Christmas Day so there is, I would say, around a 60 per cent chance of a white Christmas at the moment. It’s a better than evens chance.”

www.shropshirestar.com

Wintery conditions are on the way to NI with the Province now looking likely to enjoy its first white Christmas in five years. Weather forecasters said today that overall temperatures are expected to drop drastically towards the end of this week and snow could well be on the way.

According to the Met Office, a true white Christmas means that 1mm of snow must be recorded as falling between just after midnight on the 24th and a minute to midnight on December 25 at the official weather station at Belfast International Airport. Icy winds are heading for the UK from Siberia and it is these that could make temperatures feel sub-zero, and even though Northern Ireland may escape the worst of the blast, there may still be snow on the big day.

Night-time temperatures across the UK could drop to -2C at the start of the week, with bitterly cold easterly winds causing snow to drift. However, Ireland's position to the west of Britain means we could be sheltered from the worst of the freeze.

www.4ni.co.uk/northern_ireland_news

[MP-R]

Talking about a white Christmas, we've not had a real washout of a Christmas Day generally across the country for some years. Locally, there have been wet Christmases but as a whole for the country, I think the last one was probably 1998 and before that 1990.

Christmas Day 2007 was a wet one. Although only cloudy during the day with some sunshine later, 27.5mm of rain fell between 00.00 and 07.30 here.

[damianslaw]

Seems to be a bit too much certainty in some posts and the media that the cold spell will break down in time for christmas, so no white christmas.

I very much guess that such statements have a south east bias to them particularly London and whilst it may not be an official white christmas prospects for the northern half of the country look very promising at this range, with the cold air still in situ and potential for a battleground situation between rain and snow with snow likely north england northwards - a classic southerly tracking jet.

Remember an official white christmas has to be when a snowflake is seen to fall on the London weather roof centre between the hours of 09:00 am on the 25th and 09:00 the 26th.

[Thunder Snow]

I think the cold will have left us by xmas day

[Cymro]

I've a feeling that the snow will stick around I don't know why nothing scientific it's just it's ben pushed further and further back i mean it was wensday the real cold air was ment to come in and now its friday/saturday, maybe it will prolong and all we know the east might reload with the northerly and both take the South Westerlies - I hate you with force

[Thunder Snow]

Does anyone know when the nw forecast will be updated <_<

[Nick L]

Does anyone know when the nw forecast will be updated

Usually quite late, should be up about 10ish I would have thought.

[Thunder Snow]

Thanks

[Paul]

Updated forecast now online:

http://www.netweather.tv/index.cgi?action=other;type=xmas;sess=

We're onto daily updates now, so next update tomorrow - these will be earlier in the day than they have been up to now aswell..

[damianslaw]

Updated forecast now online:

http://www.netweather.tv/index.cgi?action=other;type=xmas;sess=

We're onto daily updates now, so next update tomorrow - these will be earlier in the day than they have been up to now aswell..

Yes a very plausible synoptic I feel for christmas day, with the high influencing our weather to the north meaning any low pressure attack from the atlantic will be futile sending the low on a southerly path with undercutting = mass potential for snow. Can't really see the cold being dislodged. But caution christmas day is still a long way off, it only enters the reliable timeframe come Sunday.

[Stuart]

Nice Forcast Hope dont Change much more

[Coast]

BRITAIN’S big freeze has ­finally kicked in with temperatures plunging to a teeth-­chattering minus 2C (28F) last night.

Forecasters say the weather is only going to get colder, with snow ­expected in many areas today. And the odds are high for a white Christmas as experts predict the mercury will plummet to minus 6C (21F) on Christmas Day. Most of the snow is likely to be in the Midlands and eastern areas in the next few days. But there will be more to come.

A Met Office spokesman said: “As always, the hills are likely to get most, but lower down don’t be surprised if you see quite a bit of snow.”

Betting firm Sporting Index are offering punters the chance to challenge their freezing forecast for Christmas Day. They are taking bets on whether the lowest temperature in the UK will be higher or lower than the minus 6C they predict. Spokesman Wayne Lincoln said: “It has already started to get very cold in the build-up to Christmas and it looks like there’ll be little respite on the day.”

www.dailystar.co.uk

The chances of a White Christmas are looking remote, with Betfair customers making it odds-on that no snow will fall on December 25th.

The Met Office has today stated that the white stuff is expected to arrive in areas of The UK over the next few days, however punters have not been tempted by the wintery pre-Christmas forecast.

According to the betting markets, Glaswegians are the most likely to see Yule-tide snow (11-4), while Londoners’ chances of a fairytale Christmas morning are an outside 4-1.

Odds on the citizens of Cardiff, Liverpool and Birmingham seeing snow while they tuck into their Christmas turkey are also at 4-1, while Mancunians (7-2) have been given slightly more hope by Betfair customers.

Betfair spokesman Ari Last said: “Snow does appear to be on the way, however it looks set to arrive a few days too soon, and the chances of a White Christmas are looking slim.”

A White Christmas Betfair Bet

London:

4-1 Yes

1-5 No

Manchester:

7-2 Yes

1-6 No

Liverpool:

4-1 Yes

1-6 No

Glasgow:

11-4 Yes

2-13 No

Edinburgh:

3-1 Yes

2-11 No

Cardiff:

4-1 Yes

1-10 No

Birmingham:

4-1 Yes

1-10 No

Belfast:

100-30 Yes

2-11 No

www.liveoddsandscores.com

[V for Very Cold]

have to say - I'm quite happy with a 40% chance - still better than I've seen at this time in a long time

[Nath]

A white Christmas would be lovely, but having a cold spell in the run up to the big day makes Christmas feel really special. If we do get snow on the big day it will be the cherry on the cake.

[The Giant Daddy Jackpot]

Snow on xmas eve and xmas day would be just wonderful. I'd certainly be raising the brandy glass to it. Cheers!

[Snowmadsam]

ECM for chrsitmas looking good: http://www.meteociel.fr/modeles/ecmwf.php?ech=72&mode=1&map=0

Lets hope it stays this way!!

[damianslaw]

Still believe that the cold source at this in the north of the country will still be with us come Christmas day raising the prospects for much of N England and Scotland of a white christmas especially if you have a bit of height - everything looks to hinge on where low pressure decides to track - every chance it will stay on a southern course, very promising stuff, still too early - Sunday at the earliest before clearer signals appear.

[tinybill]

i still think its on looking at the gfs to-night with so much cold air trapped xmas day going to be very white

[Tim Bland]

ECM for chrsitmas looking good: http://www.meteociel.fr/modeles/ecmwf.php?ech=72&mode=1&map=0

Blizzards on Christmas Eve?

[Stuart]

55% Chance of a white Christmas

White Christmas Forecast Issued: 2009-12-16 19:05:00

Next Forecast: 2009-12-17 19:00:00

Synopsis

Very little change in the forecast since Tuesday. Yesterday the GFS was hinting at the cold spell lasting past Christmas Day though currently it has gone back to a breakdown just before the big day which overall seems the most likely option but only just. Whether a breakdown of the cold occurs on Christmas day itself remains yet to be decided by the models but the chance of snow remains very similar across the country at the moment. If a breakdown does occur on the big day then because of the sustained cold we will have recently had then widespread snow is possible for a time before rain most likely follows. However there is still a while for charts to change yet so stay around for the updates which are now daily. Overall, Christmas day will probably be cool, perhaps cold in the North with snow still a possibility.

http://ukasf.co.uk/module-Christmas/

[Coast]

The icy weather is set to continue, with the odds on a white Christmas shortening. Meteo-group senior forecaster Brendan Jones said: "It is highly likely that most, if not all, parts of the UK will see at least a snow shower at some point in the next week.

"The prospects for next week are looking just as cold, at least to begin with. The prospects of seeing snow on the big day are greater than they have been for a number of years." Bookies responded by cutting the odds of a white Christmas in London from 8/1 to 5/2.

William Hill said it would have to pay out millions of pounds if there is a blanket of snow across the country on December 25. One gambler from Derbyshire stands to collect over £14,000 if it snows on Christmas Day.

www.yorkshirepost.co.uk

[keithlucky]

Bold statement from john kettley on radio no snow on xmas day only glasgow has a chance,considering how the met dont like to predict a week ahead he must be very confident of a southerly wet spell of weather on xmas day.

[V for Very Cold]

have to say, look at the models it seems to be an all or nothing senario lolol - so it's either hawaiian shirts and shorts or long johns and salopettes - think tomorrows 7 day forecast should be interesting

[Thunder Snow]

What will xmas look like on the 18z run