Snow coverage maps show that by December 22, almost every region north of the Central Belt could see lying snow.
16:03, 06 Dec 2025
Rainfall across the UK at 6pm on Sunday(Image: WX Charts)
Scotland could be hit by a series of snowstorms in the run-up to Christmas, with weather maps suggesting as many as three fronts sweeping across the UK before December 25.
Advanced modelling from the GFS system shows roughly half the UK could be impacted by an Arctic blast, with several inches of snow possible in parts of Scotland – and some areas potentially seeing lying snow right into Christmas Day.
The wintry conditions are expected to kick off on December 20, as an Atlantic front pushes in snow and rain. Northern Ireland is expected to bear the brunt first, before the system spreads across the Highlands, central Scotland and the north of England.
A second snowstorm is projected to hit Northern Ireland at 6am on December 21, bringing snow at a rate of up to 1cm per hour. From there, the snow band looks set to move across the UK once again, with western Scotland among the areas likely to see the heaviest flurries.
Weather maps for December 22 show a third snowy front sweeping in, with several centimetres forecast for Northern Ireland, northern England and much of Scotland. Some uncertainty remains over whether temperatures will stay low enough for snow to stick around until Christmas Day.
Snow coverage maps show that by December 22, almost every region north of the Central Belt could see lying snow. The data suggests up to 12cm (around five inches) could settle in parts of the Highlands, with around 6cm possible in areas of the central belt uplands and southern Scotland.
Met Office Christmas forecast
The Met Office says snow later in December is possible, particularly over higher ground. Its forecast for December 20 to January 3 states:
“Changeable conditions are expected across the UK. Low pressure systems will probably dominate, bringing showers or longer spells of rain, heavy at times, and some hill snow in the north. Strong winds are likely at times, especially around coasts. Temperatures are expected to be near or slightly above average overall.”
BBC Christmas forecast
BBC Weather’s outlook for December 22 to January 4 also highlights uncertainty but expects conditions to stay mostly mild:
“The most probable outcome is further changeable weather with occasional rain or showers and periods of strong winds. Any snow should remain confined mainly to northern uplands.”
However, the BBC notes that conditions could shift in early January if high pressure develops over Iceland or Greenland – a setup that can sometimes bring colder spells to Scotland.
