Oxfordshire has seen three white Christmases since 1993, with the white stuff last falling on Christmas Day in 2001. It might seem a little early to be contemplating the weather at Christmas but bookmakers are thinking ahead and are starting to quote odds for a White Christmas for various major cities.
Snow is most frequent in late winter and early spring. Consequently there were only 6 'white Christmases' in the 20th century. In February 1888 snow accumulated to a level depth of 20-24 inches-the deepest on record.
Snow can be expected to fall on around 16 days in a typical year, with the ground snow-covered on six or seven mornings. The greatest known snow depth was 61 cm which fell in February 1888. Thunderstorms occur on around 10 days per annum, most frequently during the summer half-year.
From Scottish burghs and Irish metropoles to cities across England, here's a definitive list of UK cities that are most likely to experience a White Christmas.
Edinburgh. Coming in at number one with the highest probability of snowfall this Christmas is… ...
Met Office forecasters confirmed "some snow falling across the Scottish high ground" just after midday on Monday. Christmas 2023 is officially a white one - despite parts of the country reaching the highest minimum daily temperature on record for 25 December.
When was the last time it was a white Christmas in the UK?
Meanwhile in the UK, 2022 was the last white Christmas in the UK with 9% of stations recording snow falling, although none reported any snow lying on the ground. The last widespread white Christmas in the UK was also in 2010.
When was the last time it snowed on Christmas Day in London?
When did London last have a white Christmas? According to the Met Office, a white Christmas is officially recorded whenever a snowflake falls on Christmas day. The most recent time London had a snowy holiday was in 2022, with 2021, 2020, and 2017 also being classed white Christmases.
Oxford is famed for its iconic stone buildings, towering spires and cobbled streets, all of which are steeped in history. It's a beautiful city to visit at any time of year but the winter months certainly add to its magical atmosphere.
Winters in Oxford tend to be cold and a little humid.
However, from December to February there might be around 6 to 8 days of snowfall or rain. This means you could get to see Oxford city and its University covered in snow! One of the main advantages of visiting Oxford in the winter is the lack of tourist traffic.
Oxford - Weather by month. January, the coldest month of the year, is generally a quite cold month. The average temperature is of 5.1 °C (41 °F), with a minimum of 2.2 °C (36 °F) and a maximum of 8 °C (46.3 °F). On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around -4 °C (25 °F).
Saturday is a very busy day in Oxford! best to come during the week or on a Sunday (shops open 10-4 on a sunday). Avoid Monday as some of the attractions are closed. hope you enjoy your visit.
Most years there's some snow around January / February, which is when the temperature is lowest. It doesn't rain as often as it does in most of the country - something to do with wet weather coming in from the west and having 'rained itself out' before it gets as far as East Anglia!
We are much more likely to see snow between January and March than in December. On average snow, or sleet falls 3.9 days in December, compared to 5.3 days in January, 5.6 days in February and 4.2 days in March.
The hottest Christmas Day on record was 15.6C in 1920, and there is a chance – albeit a small one – this could be matched or even beaten, the Met Office says. The Met Office said temperatures hit 15.3C in Heathrow, west London, and Cippenham in Slough.
What part of England had heavy snow on 2nd December?
Parts of Cumbria saw over 30cms of snow on Sat. 2nd December, that's a foot of snow. There was disruption, power cuts and people stuck in their cars, so how to prepare. There has been a taste of winter for the UK during the end of November and the start of December.
It forecasts that the most affected areas could witness up to 9.5 inches of snow on the ground. A Met Office spokesperson told the Independent that it has a 'high degree of confidence it will be a white Christmas this year'. But probably not for everyone. They added: 'that does not mean we will see blankets of snow.
The coldest Christmas day for England was in 1878, when Gainford in Durham dropped to -18.3 °C. However, this is not the case for the rest of the UK as the coldest Christmas days were in living history for the other three nations. In Northern Ireland temperature dropped to -17.5°C at Katesbridge, Down in 2010.
Orkney Islands. The Orkney Islands lie off the northeast tip of mainland Scotland and are grouped into the North and South Isles. The Loch of Hundland on Mainland recorded the most snow, with snow falling on 59 days each year.
For most of us it's usually pretty exciting to see snow in the UK, because it doesn't happen all that often. The reason for this is that we are surrounded by relatively warm seas, which can often keep our temperatures up.
