It’s more likely to be a windy Christmas than a white one, with forecasters warning of blustery conditions and rain for many parts of the country.
Low-pressure conditions are likely to dominate from around Christmas Eve onwards which means spells of heavy rain and strong winds between Christmas and New Year.
Those living in the far north of Scotland may be the only ones to experience snow on Christmas Day.
Met Office meteorologist Helen Chivers said: “For the big day itself, parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland are likely to see some heavy and prolonged rain and there is still a possibility of a white Christmas for some northern areas of Scotland.
“But, for most of us, it’s largely going to be dry and breezy Christmas Day.”
Friday is expected to be mostly dry, cloudy and mild, with brighter spells in the east and light rain in western Scotland and the far west of England and Wales.
(PA Graphics)
England and Wales are forecast to be mild, cloudy and “increasingly breezy” over the Christmas weekend.
Ms Chivers added: “The RAC have dubbed this Friday as ‘Frantic Friday’ because it’s anticipated to be really busy on the roads, but from a weather perspective bursts of rain and gusty winds on Boxing day may cause motorists more disruption on what is expected to be the busiest day of Christmas travel, with an expected 5.2 million car journeys planned.”
A Highways England spokesman said: “Drivers will typically slow down in snow, ice or fog but when it rains, many consider it to be normal so they don’t adapt their driving habits.
“Despite this perception, rain is a serious threat, making it harder for tyres to grip the road and harder for drivers to see ahead – factors that significantly increase the chances of a collision.”
According to new research from the Met Office, 1.56 million drivers have suffered at least one accident in the last five years due to winter road conditions, with motorists forking out an average of £1,362 in damages per incident.