With just one week to go until the big day, the burning question for many in Birmingham is whether the city will wake up to a festive blanket of snow on Christmas morning.
What Are The Odds Of A White Christmas?
According to bookmakers BOYLE Sports, there is a 6/1 chance of snow falling over Birmingham Airport on December 25th. This offers a glimmer of hope for those dreaming of a picture-perfect, snowy Christmas scene.
However, the official outlook from the Met Office, based on an update from December 17th, suggests the chance of a widespread White Christmas across the UK remains very low. This is expected to hold true even if winds turn to come from an easterly or northerly direction.
The Met Office Long-Range Forecast
The national weather service's detailed forecast for the period from Monday, December 22nd to Wednesday, December 31st paints a picture of changing conditions. It indicates that unsettled weather at the start of the week will give way to a growing influence from high pressure to the northeast.
This shift is predicted to bring a broadly easterly flow across the country, with rain becoming increasingly confined to southern and southwestern areas. As high pressure builds, more dry and settled weather is anticipated, though eastern parts could see isolated showers, which may turn wintry at times.
The key takeaway for the West Midlands is a drop in temperature. The forecast states: "Temperatures will lower compared to recent weeks, closer to or perhaps a little below average for many." This increases the likelihood of overnight frost and fog, or even freezing fog, becoming more common. However, the Met Office adds that any particularly severe cold is unlikely at this stage.
Other Forecasts For Christmas Day
Looking at other forecast providers, the picture for snow on the day itself seems less promising. AccuWeather's early prediction for Thursday, December 25th in Birmingham suggests a day of broken cloud and sunshine, with no snow currently in their outlook.
They are currently forecasting highs of around seven degrees Celsius for the city, with a very low precipitation probability of just four per cent.
While the dream of a White Christmas hangs in the balance, one certainty is that the festive day is now only days away. Birmingham residents will be watching the skies closely as the final forecasts are firmed up in the coming week.
