UK and Europe weather forecast latest, December 24: Freezing air, widespread snow to cover the UK over the next couple of weeks

	UK and Europe weather forecast latest, December 23: Ferocious Arctic snow bomb sets to bombard Britain
	UK and Europe weather forecast latest, December 22: Low pressure and wintry conditions to cover the UK amid freezing air
	UK and Europe weather forecast latest, December 21: Freezing sub-zero temperatures and snow to sweep over the UK during Christmas week

UK's weather forecast

Britain is bracing for 35 inches of snow to strike as freezing air from Iceland could bring 14 days of snow, Express reported.

Low pressure is forecast to sweep across the UK over the next couple of weeks from a northerly direction. The weather system is expected to bring cold air and wintry conditions that could last for a two week period from Christmas Day on Friday, December 25, until Thursday, January 7, according to maps from WXCHARTS. Snow is predicted to batter Scotland on January 7, with up to 35 inches (89cm) to settle in the east.

The maps show four inches of snowfall hitting the region on Friday and gradually deepening over the next two weeks, with 66cm on New Years Day on Friday, January 1.

North western parts of England are also forecast to see around three inches of snow on January 7. Temperatures are also expected to plunge as low as -7C in Scotland on New Years Eve, on Thursday 31.

The bitterly cold sub-zero air is likely to sweep down the UK next week, with Liverpool seeing -3C on New Year's Eve and most of the south including London and Southampton averaging 0C.

UK long-range forecast: Britain is bracing for 35 inches of snow (Image: WXCHARTS)

Temperatures are likely to stay in single figures by January 7, with Yorkshire regions including Leeds and York seeing 0C.

Nick Finnis at Netweather warned cold air from Iceland is forecast to hit the UK as early as Boxing Day.

He said: "Boxing Day turning wet and windy from the northwest, as fairly deep area of low pressure moves southeast from Iceland towards the North Sea, hill snow developing across Scotland as colder air filters in here from the north, with some significant snowfall possible for the Highlands."

"Sunday will likely see low pressure centred over the North Sea, bringing sunshine and showers – which will be wintry in nature, with snow over hills, showers mostly towards coasts but some getting inland. Staying cold into next week, with further wintry showers or spells or rain, sleet and snow."

The BBC's long-range forecast from Monday, December 28 to Sunday, January 3, added sleet or snow showers are likely as cold air continues to push in.

The forecast said: "It looks likely that milder air will move in around December 28 and 29 but this will be accompanied by periods of rain and increased winds as a frontal systems pass across the UK. Some wintry precipitation will be possible over the higher ground in Scotland but elsewhere mild enough even to avoid frost in most places."

UK long-range forecast: Temperatures could drop as low as -10C in Scotland (Image: WXCHARTS)

"These lows should shift away southeast and eastwards, inducing colder flows from a northwesterly direction on the 30th and into New Year's Eve."

"This is also partly due to high-pressure west of the UK, and this will maintain these chilly flows from the northwest through the New Year into the first week of January."

The forecast added: "However, no deep cold is expected, with temperatures just a little below normal. It should become drier for most areas through this period but a few showers will be possible, chiefly for northern and western areas."

"Any showers could be wintry over higher ground in Wales, Northern Ireland and Northern Ireland, and perhaps at lower levels in Scotland from time to time. There looks to be little chance of any strong winds."

"Although this is the most likely development, models diverge and there could be threats of stronger cold with winds from the north or northeast, which would bring sleet or snow showers to Scotland and eastern England were this to develop."

The Met Office also warned of cold conditions lingering until the start of January. The forecast between Tuesday 5 and Tuesday 19 said: "A continuation of rather cold conditions look most likely to persist through the early part of January."

UK long-range forecast: Cold air is expected to sweep down the UK (Image: NETWEATHER)

"A decent amount of fine and dry weather is likely to persist too with western areas likely drier than average. Eastern areas have the greatest chance of seeing wintry showers at times. By mid-January confidence in the prevailing weather patterns becomes much more uncertain."

"There are tentative signs that more unsettled conditions will develop widely again with temperatures returning to around average."

On Christmas Eve

According to Weather Online, high-pressure is to the west of Ireland on Christmas Eve with low pressure East of England. This results in a cold northerly flow affecting all areas. There will be some snow showers affecting eastern coast and hills, with further showers across western parts of Scotland and through western Wales and the coast of Ireland. These will be wintry again. Elsewhere it will be cold but bright with lots of sunshine and brisk northerly wind. Highs at 3 to 5C.

Photo: Weather Online

On Christmas Day

A ridge of high-pressure built over the UK and Ireland on Christmas Day. Frost will be widespread in the morning but for most of the day should be dry and bright with good spells of sunshine. Increasing cloud across Scotland, northern and western Ireland, Wales and Northwest England in the afternoon. Rain probably affecting western Scotland by evening. A cold day at 3 to 6C.

Europe's weather forecast

Rain in Portugal as well as northwest Spain today. Fine for the rest of Spain with good spells of sunshine. Staying fair across the Balearics and Italy with more sunshine here. Fine too in Greece and Turkey with plenty of sunshine.

France will be windy in the north with outbreaks of rain and showers. To the south it will be drier with soms sunny spells. Heavy rain across the Low Countries and much of central and northern Germany. Poland will be far in the north but with rain to the south. Austria and Hungary as well as Switzerland will be dry, plenty of sunshine to come here.

A mainly fair day in Denmark. Staying dry across southern Sweden and the Baltic States. Wind and some showers in Finland as well as northern Sweden. Norway will have showers on the coasts with more persistent rain in the north.

Photo: Stirimeteo

Photo: Stirimeteo

On Christmas Eve

Showers in northern Spain. A few affecting Portugal too. Drier in central and eastern Spain. Fair through the Balearics, Corsica and Sardinia. Italy should be dry overall with some sunny spells. Greece and Turkey will be dry too with more sunshine here, Weather Online reported.

Unsettled in much of central Europe. Rain across western and northern France, this heavy at times. Further ain through the Low Countries as well as in northern Germany and northern Poland. Heavy showers for southern Poland, these affecting Hungary and Austria too. Mostly dry for Switzerland with some sunny spells.

Photo: Weather Online

Cold for Denmark with a risk of some sleet and snow to the south. Mainly fair in the Baltic States. Chilly with a few snow showers in Finland. Maily dry in Sweden. Snow showers affeting the coasts of Norway, but fair inland.

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