White Christmas ‘unlikely’ but health alert issued amid falling UK temperatures | UK weather

Christmas Day will bring bright weather in much of the UK, but a cold health alert has been issued warning of a “greater risk to life of vulnerable people”.

While the prospect of a white Christmas is “highly unlikely”, according to forecasters, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a yellow cold health alert from 6pm on Christmas Day to noon on 27 December for south-west England.

The agency said low temperatures are likely to have a minor impact on health and social care services, including “increased use of healthcare services by vulnerable people” and a “greater risk to life of vulnerable people”.

Oli Claydon, a Met Office spokesperson, told the Press Association there would be “pretty decent” conditions with mainly dry weather on Christmas Day.

In the south of England there wil be a bright start to Christmas Day, which will spread to Wales as cloud clears. Further north it will be cloudier, but by lunchtime the cloud will begin to disperse with “some good sunny spells”, said Claydon.

“The other notable factor will be the wind, so with the positioning of the high pressure there is quite a strong easterly wind, particularly across the south coast of England, so it could be quite gusty there.

“High pressure is now firmly in control of the weather across the UK, bringing a much more settled spell, and also cooler temperatures than we’ve had of late,” he said.

Those dreaming of a white Christmas are likely to be disappointed, with the prospect “highly unlikely” this year, said the forecaster. He added: “We’ve got a very dry picture across the UK over the next few days.

“The only vague possibility is there’s a little band of rain that’s skirting westwards across the Channel through tomorrow and there’s an outside chance it could clip the south-west of England.

“The chances of any snow falling out of that are very low.”

Claydon said the highest temperatures on Christmas Day were forecast to be around 7C in north-east England and 6C in south or south-east England.

In rural parts of Scotland, temperatures could be as low as minus 6C on Christmas Day into Boxing Day, and as low as minus 4C in rural Wales, with frost and freezing temperatures likely in western rural areas.

The RAC said it was expecting festive getaway trips by car to peak on Christmas Eve at 4.2m, with regular commuter traffic “likely to be far lighter”.

A spokesperson for the RAC said: “Traffic is expected to be heaviest on major roads between 1pm and 7pm, so our advice to drivers – especially those travelling longer distances – is to set out before this time if possible.

“Main roads to watch for jams are the clockwise northern and western sections of the M25 from mid-morning, and the M5 north from Gloucestershire towards the West Midlands later in the afternoon.”