UK weather: Hopes of White Christmas take hammering amid 'bubbling temperatures'

Hopes of a white Christmas have taken another hammering amid predictions temperatures are about to bubble skywards.Balmy highs of 13C are forecast across southern counties this week as frost melts under mild conditions.However, Arctic winds in the north threaten to plunge the mercury this weekend.The yo-yo cycle between mild and cold will persist through the start of December, experts warn. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say The Met Office’s Alex Burkill said: “Temperatures are probably creeping up a bit and as we go through the week, later in the week, there are signs of something a bit milder. But, while there could be some milder air coming in from the south, and it will be a bit milder than average for the time of the year, it is not a warm plume. So, we are not expecting a typical warm spell, because there is colder air always lingering to the north of the UK, and on Saturday some of that colder air comes back in.”Weather models show temperatures across the south hitting double

News Dec 2, 2025 0 5 Add to Reading List

UK weather: Hopes of White Christmas take hammering amid 'bubbling temperatures'

Hopes of a white Christmas have taken another hammering amid predictions temperatures are about to bubble skywards.

Balmy highs of 13C are forecast across southern counties this week as frost melts under mild conditions.

However, Arctic winds in the north threaten to plunge the mercury this weekend.

The yo-yo cycle between mild and cold will persist through the start of December, experts warn.

The Met Office’s Alex Burkill said: “Temperatures are probably creeping up a bit and as we go through the week, later in the week, there are signs of something a bit milder. But, while there could be some milder air coming in from the south, and it will be a bit milder than average for the time of the year, it is not a warm plume. So, we are not expecting a typical warm spell, because there is colder air always lingering to the north of the UK, and on Saturday some of that colder air comes back in.”

Weather models show temperatures across the south hitting double figures this week, while Scotland and northern England continue to shiver.

Milder weather, however, will bring the risk of wind and rain, with heavy downpours threatening floods.

Jim Dale, meteorologist for British Weather Services and co-author of Surviving Extreme Weather, said: “This is going to be a difficult week for some people with relentless rain in parts probably going to lead to flooding. We have low pressure and weather fronts coming in through the week, and these are carrying a lot of rain. Western counties, especially parts of Wales, are going to see the heaviest downpours, and there is no real end in sight to this through the next 15 days.”

Up to two inches of rain could push rivers to breaking point, he warned.

He said: “The ground is already reaching saturation point after heavy rain, and the water tables are high, so any rainfall on top will bring the risk of flooding. We could see anywhere between 30 to 50mm [2 inches] of rain in parts of the country, and this will bring us to the point of river levels rising to concerning levels. I would expect to see flood warnings in force at some point during this period.”

A ‘mobile Atlantic’ weather pattern is being blamed by the Met Office, which also warned of a risk of wintery showers.

A Met Office spokesperson said: “The UK is currently under the influence of a mobile Atlantic weather pattern, driven by a strong jet stream that is steering a series of low-pressure systems across the country. These systems bring warm, moisture-laden air from the Atlantic, which leads to heavy rain and strong winds. When this milder air meets colder air moving down from the north, it can produce upland snow in some areas, adding to the unsettled conditions.”