Brits could enjoy their first white Christmas in over a decade this year, with forecasters predicting a sharp tumble in temperatures this autumn.
Leading bookmaker Coral has slashed their odds on a White Christmas this year to 4-5 (from 2-1) as the outlook suggests the UK could also be hit with the coldest October since records began.
‘The odds say it will be all white on the big day,’ said Coral spokesman John Hill.
‘We are less than 100 days away from Christmas now, and with temperatures set to fall rapidly over the upcoming days, the early odds suggest we could be set for a White Christmas this year.’
The last White Christmas occurred in 2010, and forecasters are predicting temperatures could drop by as much as -8°C in the coming weeks as the country’s ‘Indian summer’ ends.
This month could also be a very chilly one for millions across the country, Hill added.
He said: ‘Not only have we cut the odds on it ending as the coldest on record, but we are not ruling out snowfall.’
Alexander Burkill, senior operational meteorologist at the Met Office, has forecast that it will be markedly colder this week.
He said: ‘We will have cold, northerly air moving in which is why the weather will feel more autumnal this week.
‘Temperatures will be a little below average for the time of year with highs for most in the mid-teens Celsius, although some chillier spots in the north may stay in single figures.
‘Monday night into Tuesday looks likely to be the coldest when temperatures in prone rural spots are likely to dip a little below freezing, around -2°C.
‘Thereafter there will be a gradual rise in temperatures but it will still feel more like autumn than of late due to brisk winds and some showers too.’
But it’s not just the usual Arctic winds set to send the country into a tailspin.
The fallout from America’s Hurricane Ian is due to cause heavy rain and further disruption across northern England and Wales over the coming days.
‘We are going to get something of everything in the next few days, a complete smorgasbord of weather,’ said Jim Dale, meteorologist for British Weather Services.
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