Dreaming of a white Christmas? Here are the odds for NI...

A WHITE Christmas could be on the cards this year for Northern Ireland if a Met Office forecast is correct.

The outlook for the UK for the period from Saturday, December 23 until Saturday, January 6, states that snow is “likely at times, especially in more northern and central parts of the UK”.

During the early part of this two-week period, there is likely to be a shift from spells of wet and windy weather.

A spokesman said: “This is likely to bring a mixture of colder, drier conditions and shorter lived milder, wetter and windier interludes.

“Snow is likely at times, especially in more northern and central parts of the UK.

“Temperatures will probably be below average overall.”

According to the Met Office, Northern Ireland has a 5.2 per cent chance of snow on Christmas Day. Newry has an 8.47% chance and Armagh, 7.66% and a 3.2% chance in the Republic.

For the period from December 13 until December 22, the Met Office has predicted milder conditions with “some wet weather” for the UK with the most frequent showers in the north.

The spokesman continued: “Showers are likely to turn wintry over high ground in the north. Often it will be windy with gales possible in exposed parts of the north.

“Generally it will feel cold, with widespread overnight frosts and some icy patches.

“Milder conditions are then likely to return as we move into the rest of the month with wet and windy weather at times, especially in the north and west.”

Overall Scotland has a 7.3 per cent chance, England, 6.1 per cent and Wales, 3.6 per cent.

For Christmas Day to be defined as a “white Christmas”, it’s necessary for “one snowflake to be observed falling in the 24 hours of 25 December somewhere in the country”.

Many experts believe that accurate predictions can only be given up to a week in advance.