Will it snow at Christmas in 2019? Odds on a White Christmas

At the moment the chances of seeing the white stuff on December 25 are looking fairly slim for much of the country, if the latest information from forecasters the Met Office, and bookmakers is to be believed.

The Met Office has contradicted claims the UK is set to face the "coldest winter in 100 years".

According to long range weather forecaster Exacta Weather, there could be blizzards on Christmas Day followed by a freezing cold January.

Reports in The Express said the UK could see "some type of 100-year cold or snow records being breached this winter".

But weather experts at the Met Office have said their long-range predictions are completely different.

The weather forecaster said temperatures are likely to be above average for the time of year.

Currently a bet on snow falling on Christmas Day. are about 6-1 in the south of England but lower in the north and in Scotland.

The website "Will I Get A White Christmas?" lists the chances as 50 per cent of a white Christmas for Edinburgh but for London, the chance is lower at 25 per cent.

A Met Office spokesman said: "At the the moment, the longest range we are looking at is January, but this is not a forecast, it's a probability.

"We're probably looking at milder than average conditions - so, not the coldest for 100 years, or a collapsed polar vortex."

According to the long range weather forecast there could be some wintry showers at times between December 8 and December 22.

However, a wet and rainy Christmas is looking far more likely than snowfall.

It said: "Widespread frosts and ice are also likely. There looks to be a change around mid-month to milder conditions, although the timing is very uncertain.

"This change looks likely to bring milder and wetter conditions across most parts of the UK, allowing temperatures to recover to around average, or perhaps slightly above.

"The wettest conditions are likely to be in the north and west, with an increased likelihood of drier spells in the south and southeast.

"Colder interludes are still possible."

There have only been four occasion in the UK in the last 51 years where more than 40 per cent of stations in the UK reported snow on the ground at 9am. 

After 40-50cm of snow fell in the Highlands and 70mph winds occurred on the Welsh Coast a few weeks ago, bookmakers started offering odds on snowfall in a number of cities across the UK.

However, betting odds have now changed, suggesting snow is less likely to fall in the UK this Christmas.

A spokesman for William Hill said: "At this stage of the year, the odds always suggest that a White Christmas is a long shot."

It's 9-4 against snow in Aberdeen on Christmas Day, 5-2 against snow in Glasgow, 5-2 against snow in Edinburgh, and 3-1 snow in Newcastle.

London is 6-1.

According to long range weather forecaster Exacta Weather, there could be blizzards on Christmas Day followed by a freezing cold January.