Cold weather alert as charts show Polar vortex poised to unleash up to 20cm of snow on UK.uk
Newly-obtained weather data shows a Polar vortex could bring a white Christmas to the UK.
UK weather map shows period of heavy snow
Britain is bracing for freezing conditions this Christmas as the days leading up to the big day are set to be blighted by a bitterly cold weather front.
A brutal Polar vortex is preparing to make its way south, according to the latest weather maps from WXCharts, bringing up to 20cm of snow in several areas in the days before and even on Christmas Day.
The data obtained by WXCharts.com shows that there is a definite possibility of snow falling this year, with maps showing as much as 22cm of snow in north-west Scotland.
Across the north, Wales and the home counties, between 1cm and 5cm could fall on Christmas Day.
In some parts of the country, there could be as much as 5cm of snow per hour in northern England and Scotland, with heavy rain more likely in central and southern parts of the nation.
There is hope of a white Christmas, at least in some parts of the UK (Image: Getty/WXCharts.com)
Weather data from WXCharts.com shows that heavy snow could hit Scotland (Image: WXCharts.com)
This weather map shows freezing air hovering above the UK in the days leading up to Christmas (Image: WXCHARTS)
A seperate weather map from Netweather forecasts a hige risk of snow throughout Scotland with a slightly lesser risk further south into northern England.
Across the United Kingdom, temperatures look set to plummet, with WXCharts.com maps showing daytime temperatures as low as -4C on Christmas Eve in a small region of central Scotland, and just a degree or two lower in surronding areas.
The mercury edges up ever so slightly on Christmas Day, before plunging once again on Boxing Day, with possible lows of -6C in central Scotland.
The Met Office‘s forecast for December 16-25 reads: “Monday looks like a mainly dry if largely cloudy day. However, the far north will see some rain, especially northwest Scotland, with some light rain and drizzle likely for west-facing hills elsewhere.
“All parts will be mild. Around the middle of next week, low pressure may dominate, with a spell of mild, wet and windy weather for most places.
There is a high risk of snow throughout Scotland and northern England on Christmas Eve (Image: NETWEATHER)
“Thereafter, while high pressure may try and build at times, especially in the south late in the period, the more likely scenario is for an unsettled regime to dominate.
“Spells of wind and rain, perhaps with some hill snow in the north, are likely, followed by blustery showers, these most frequent and perhaps wintry at times in the northwest.
“Temperatures will vary around average, with oscillations between colder and milder interludes.”
A white Christmas is defined as when a single snowflake is observed falling in the 24 hours of December 25 somewhere in the UK.
