Will there be a white Christmas in the UK this year? Latest odds of it snowing on Christmas Day 2018.

Despite bookmakers shortening their odds on a white Christmas, the Met Office says it is still too early to tell as they predict seven days in advance.

The last widespread white Christmas was in 2010 when 83% of monitoring stations recorded snow on the ground - the highest ever recorded.

A white Christmas is defined as one snowflake seen falling in the 24 hours of December 25 somewhere in the UK.

The Met Office uses sites across the UK, including Buckingham Palace, Aberdeen FC and Coronation Street in Manchester, to check for snowfall.

Ladbrokes latest odds show the following figures for cities nearest to our readers:

  • Birmingham – 4/1 (was 5/1)
  • Bristol – 10/1 (was 9/2)
  • Cardiff – 10/1 (was 9/2)

2015 was a white Christmas, with 10 per cent of stations recording snow falling, though none reported snow lying on the ground.

Snow is more likely in January and March than in December, with snow or sleet falling an average 3.9 days in December, compared to 5.3 days in January, 5.6 days in February and 4.2 days in March.

Bookmaker Ladbrokes is offering odds of 2/7 for snowfall anywhere in the UK on Christmas day.

Alex Apati, of Ladbrokes, said: "It's looking increasingly likely we'll see snow on Christmas Day in the UK, with the odds dropping as fast as the temperatures."

William Hill said Aberdeen is the most likely city to have a white Christmas in 2018.

Spokesman Rupert Adams said: "The last 24 hours have been very busy as the first real chill of the winter has hit.

"The odds now suggest a real chance of a white Christmas, with the Scottish cities very much the favourites."