Yahoo News If you are dreaming of a White Christmas, then it might just come true (Maybe)
If you are dreaming of a White Christmas, then the good news is you might – might – just wake up to snow on December 25th.
Although the Met Office long-range forecast says it will be mostly rainy across the UK on the big day, bookies have slashed odds for snow in several cities and not just for those on high ground.
William Hill have Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow at 3/1 for a White Christmas, with Newcastle and Belfast at 4/1.
But William Hill spokesman Rupert Adams says some punters fancy their chances with some more southerly cities.
‘London and Norwich have been the two best backed cities so far as there is some talk of a beast from the east,’ said Adams.
The ‘Beast from the East‘ was the name of the wintry storms that hit the UK in February this year, blanketing the country in heavy snow and seeing temperatures plunge.
London and Norwich are both 7/1 for snow on December 25, according to William Hill.
Paddy Power have London at 4/1 and Norwich at 5/1 for snow, with Edinburgh the lowest priced British city at 5/2, according to Lee Price, Paddy Power’s Head of PR.
And Coral have Edinburgh at 2/1, with Glasgow at odds of 9/4. London is 5/1.
‘In terms of bets taken, we don’t tend to take huge amounts but this is a popular market for novelty punters having a few quid here and there,’ said Coral’s Harry Aitkenhead.
‘London always proves popular, and whilst it’s probably unlikely to get snow, if it does we will be paying out long into Boxing Day!’
A widespread White Christmas in the UK is a rare thing.
The last time it happened, according to the Met Office, was in 2010 as snow was recorded at more than 80% of weather stations across the country.
The deepest snow ever recorded at Christmas was 47 centimetres in Perthshire in 1981.
The coldest ever was -18.3 degrees Celsius, way back in 1878, in Durham.
Sadly, the wettest ever December 25th was only in 2015 when Capel Curig in Wales received 165mm in a single day.
The Met Office has not given its forecast for Christmas Day, and say they would have much more of an idea seven days ahead.
Their long-range 30-day forecast though is not too encouraging for lovers of snow.
‘It looks at the moment more likely to be wwt, windy and mild,’ said Met Office spokesman, Richard Miles.
