Mild and mainly dry run up to Christmas

Springfield Park

After the recent cold weather, the run up to Christmas will be relatively quiet and mild across the UK.

High pressure will continue to dominate the weather in the south into the weekend bringing the potential for some foggy conditions through until Saturday. It will remain mild with much of the UK consistently seeing 10 or 11°C but it will still be cloudy and grey.

Deputy Chief Meteorologist Chris Bulmer said: “For most of us, it’s largely going to be dry, rather cloudy and breezy.”

There have been some headlines about the possibility of a named storm affecting the UK after Christmas. Although the weather is expected to become more unsettled with wet and windy conditions between Christmas and New Year, no named storms are expected at this stage and there are currently no warnings for wind.

With transport networks expected to be very busy around the festive period, agencies have been warning people to take care in any adverse conditions. A Highways England spokesman said: “Drivers will typically slow down in snow, ice or fog but when it rains, many consider it to be normal so they don’t adapt their driving habits. Despite this perception, rain is a serious threat, making it harder for tyres to grip the road and harder for drivers to see ahead – factors that significantly increase the chances of a collision.

"The hard fact is that 2,978 people were killed or seriously injured on the roads during rain in the last year. A good rule of thumb is if it is time for your wipers, it is time to slow down. Now with high wind and rain expected over Christmas, and many motorists possibly rushing to get to their loved ones, we are trying to make drivers aware of the dangers and advising them to stay safe when driving over the festive period.”