UK Weather report: Will it snow this Christmas?

Will it be a white Christmas? It's the question we ask every year (and most years the answer is no).

Well, we're afraid to say this year's weather is forecast shows severe rain and gales in replace of winter sun and snow. Forecasters say a weather front moving across the Atlantic will batter the western coast of northern England and Scotland on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day - and remain unpredictable until the new year. Temperatures will plummet after an unseasonably warm period, with some forecasters predicting winds up to 70mph and torrential downpours. But before we groan that we're not getting a picture postcard Christmas, let's spare a thought for the people of Cumbria, who for the third time this month have been forced from their homes from severe flooding. https://twitter.com/BBC_Cumbria/status/679560859505438720 Defiant Cumbrians have vowed to continue to celebrate Christmas upstairs in their homes while floods occupy the downstairs living space. Now, they're the ones who deserve a toast.