Latest white Christmas odds for Belfast as Northern Ireland hopes grow for snow

For many of us, snow is synonymous with Christmas and many people in Northern Ireland will be hoping for some snowfall on December 25 after parts of NI were blanketed by snow last week.

The definition that the Met Office uses to define a white Christmas is for one snowflake to be observed falling in the 24-hours of December 25 somewhere in the UK.

Traditionally, forecasters used to use a single location in the country to define a white Christmas, which was the Met Office building in London. However, with the increase in betting on where will see a white Christmas, the number of locations have increased and can now include sites such as Belfast (Aldergrove Airport).

READ MORE: NI weekend weather forecast brings breezy and milder outlook

READ MORE: Bookies outline odds of a White Christmas in Northern Ireland this year

Weather experts also analyse the data from observing stations around the UK to provide a complete picture of where snow has fallen or was lying on Christmas Day.

The latest predictions have revealed the chances of Belfast experiencing a white Christmas this year. The team at OLBG have shared the latest white Christmas predictions and there is a 28.6% chance that Belfast will see snowfall on Christmas Day.

So when it comes to which areas are most likely to have a white Christmas in 2024, the current odds for Belfast are 5/2.

Across the UK, the predictions have revealed three Scottish cities most likely to see snowfall on Christmas Day, with the highest probability chance in Aberdeen (50.0%). Temperatures have plummeted over recent weeks, with snow and ice spreading across the UK, which could indicate what’s to come between now and the 25th of December.

Meanwhile Newcastle is the English city most likely to have a white Christmas, with a 33.3% implied probability chance. When looking at other areas in England, those living in London have the lowest chance of seeing snowfall on Christmas day (11.1%).

Across the pond, New York is synonymous with a festive holiday and for anyone travelling to The Big Apple for Christmas, there is an 18.2% implied probability of snowfall - higher than UK cities such as Manchester and Liverpool.

Technically, 2023 was the last white Christmas in the UK with 11% of Met Office weather stations recording snow falling, although none reported any snow lying on the ground.

Which areas are most likely to have a white Christmas in 2024?

A Met Office spokesperson added: "Before that, 2022 saw 9% of weather stations recording falling snow, but none with any snow settling. 2021 and 2020 were also technically white Christmases, both with 6% of weather stations recording snow falling, but in these years, less than 1% of stations reported any snow lying on the ground in 2021 and only 4% in 2020.

"There was no record of snow falling at any station in the UK in 2018, or in 2019. The last widespread white Christmas in the UK was in 2010. It was extremely unusual, as not only was there snow on the ground at 83% of stations (the highest amount ever recorded) but snow or sleet also fell at 19% of stations.

"We also had a white Christmas in 2009, when 13% of stations recorded snow or sleet falling, and 57% reported snow lying on the ground."

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