With the chance of snow, will it be a white Christmas for Northern Ireland?

The Met Office has said the outlook for Christmas Day looks unsettled, with the chance of snow in some northern parts of the UK – including Northern Ireland and Scotland.

The key uncertainty for Christmas Day is where the boundary between cold and milder air will meet and, therefore, where the greater chances of any snow are.

Currently, the most likely regions to be in the colder air are Scotland, the far north of England and Northern Ireland, where there is the possibility of some snow - particularly over higher ground.

However, small changes in the positioning of this boundary will significantly change the outlook.

To the south of this, conditions remain unsettled - cloudy with spells of rain and some stronger winds at times, while to the north drier and brighter spells, with some wintry showers developing, likely feeling very cold in the brisk northeasterly winds.

Deputy Chief meteorologist, Helen Caughey, said: “After a relatively benign start to the week, the forecast turns more unsettled and finely balanced as we approach Christmas.

“With colder air meeting milder air over the UK, the specific details of the forecast for Christmas day are still a little uncertain.

“Milder air moves northeast over much of the country by the middle of the week, with spells of rain for most at times, which will turn to snow over higher ground in northern Scotland initially.

“The boundary between the milder and colder air is then forecast to sink south later on Christmas Eve and through Christmas Day, introducing colder, clearer conditions for some.

“However, exactly where this boundary gets to is hard to pin down at the moment, and is key as to where can expect any snow over Christmas, so keep up to date with the forecast for the latest information as we move through the week.”

Check the latest forecast for your area on the Met Office website www.metoffice.gov.uk

Keep track of current weather warnings on the weather warning page.