Will we have a white Christmas this year? Odds slashed as temperatures plummet

12 November 2021, 13:54 | Updated: 9 December 2021, 14:14

Will there be a white Christmas this year? Picture: Alamy/Getty Images

Bookies have slashed odds on there being a white Christmas in 2021 as temperatures are set to fall.

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It’s been unseasonably mild over the past few weeks, but things are set to get very chilly towards the end of the month.

According to WXCharts, some parts of the UK will even see snow as early as mid-November.

This has led bookmakers to slash odds that we will have a White Christmas. So, here’s everything we know…

The UK could see a white Christmas this year. Picture: Alamy

Will there be a white Christmas in 2021?

It’s a little too early to tell at the moment, but bookmakers have slashed the odds on it happening up north.

Bookies Coral has odds 4-5 that there will be snow anywhere in the UK on Christmas Day, while Aberdeen is at 5-2, Manchester is 4-1 and London sees odds of 5-1.

Coral’s John Hill said: “It could be a special Christmas this year as those who dream of a White Christmas may be set to get their wish granted. We make it odds-on for snow to fall on the big day.

There hasn't been a white Christmas since 2015. Picture: Alamy

“Unsurprisingly, it is the Scottish cities of Aberdeen and Glasgow which we make the most likeliest to see snow, however, we have seen strong support for Manchester and London too.”

William Hill has also cut the odds for a White Christmas, with their numbers at 10-3 for Edinburgh, while Newcastle, and Birmingham Airports are now at 4-1.

Belfast has odds of 9-2, while Leeds Bradford, London and Dublin are at 6-1.

The UK has not seen snow on Christmas Day since 2015.

What is a white Christmas?

The Met Office defines a white Christmas as one snowflake being observed falling in the 24 hours of 25 December somewhere in the UK.

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When asked how t his is measured, a spokesperson for the Met Office said: “Traditionally we used to use a single location in the country to define a white Christmas, which was the Met Office building in London.

“However, with the increase in betting on where will see a white Christmas, the number of locations have increased and can now include sites such as Buckingham Palace, Belfast (Aldergrove Airport), Aberdeen (Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen FC), Edinburgh (Castle), Coronation Street in Manchester and the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

“We also analyse the data from our observing stations around the UK to provide a complete picture of where snow has fallen or was lying on Christmas Day.”