Children across the UK may be dreaming of a white Christmas, but unless they find themselves alongside some hardy sheep on high ground in Scotland they are likely to be disappointed.
Most of the UK can instead expect a damp, blowy and unseasonably warm Christmas Day, with temperatures up to 12 or 13C in the south of England.
Forecasters said it was unlikely that the record for the warmest Christmas Day on record – set in Killerton, Devon, in 1920, when the temperature reached 15.6C – would be broken, but temperatures would still be 5-6C warmer than normal for this time of year.
But the record temperature for Christmas Eve – also 15.6C, recorded in Scotland – could be broken, because of the foehn effect, a change from wet and cold conditions on one side of a mountain, to warmer and drier conditions on the other.
“There is a chance that we could see 15, even 16C and if we see those sorts of temperatures been recorded, then it’s likely to be the warmest Christmas Eve on record,” said the meteorologist Liam Eslick. “It is only a small chance at the moment, but it does highlight the fact that is extremely mild for the time of year.”
The UK recorded its hottest day of the year in September, experiencing the longest prolonged period of hot weather ever seen in that month. Earlier this year, analysis by Climate Central said heatwaves were made five times more likely by the climate crisis.
The weather has not helped an already chaotic travel situation in the UK, with the AA warning of “lengthy” traffic jams and longer journeys. The Severn Bridge in Gloucestershire was closed in both directions on Sunday afternoon due to strong winds. The Humber Bridge in East Yorkshire was also closed to high-sided vehicles.
On the railways, weather-related cancellations compounded woes caused by major engineering works at Paddington and King’s Cross in London, and crew shortages on a number of train operators. From Christmas Eve, London’s Paddington station is closed for four days, while there will also be no long-distance train services from King’s Cross.
West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway, Northern and Chiltern Railways all said they were facing crew shortages while the east coast mainline and ScotRail saw disruption on Christmas Eve because of the weather.
Links to mainland Europe have also been affected by Storm Pia, with strikes in France causing cancellations on the Eurostar.
People travelling to visit family and friends or get away from fractious festivities on Christmas Eve have been warned to beware of strong winds causing flying debris and power cuts.
Two separate yellow wind warnings have been issued by the Met Office in Scotland and northern and central areas of England, with warnings of travel disruption, damage to buildings and power cuts, on Christmas Eve while the rest of the country may see showers during the day. A rain warning is in place for Wales, where there has been heavy rain for several days.
The weather…
2023-12-24 10:39:55
Source from www.theguardian.com
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