White Christmas Edinburgh 2022: Scotland set for snow on Christmas day as bookies’ odds slashed

William Hill released new odds on which UK cities are most likely to have snowfall on Christmas day - did Edinburgh make the list?

Temperatures continue to plummet as we draw closer to Christmas Day, and the Met Office have issued yellow weather warnings for ice in some parts of Scotland, meaning a White Christmas could be on the way.

With Christmas just around the corner William Hill have revealed brand new odds with Scottish cities Edinburgh, and Glasgow now favourites for the cities most likely to see snow this year. William Hill spokesperson Lee Phelps said: “As we get closer to the big day, forecasters are starting to get a more accurate prediction on where we can expect snow.

“Naturally with Scotland being in the North, the odds have tumbled on Glasgow and Edinburgh airports, even though the country hasn’t seen snow on Christmas day since 2010 it is still the most likely according to forecasters.”

So, what UK cities are expected to see a White Christmas this year? Here’s the full list of odds from William Hill.

What are Edinburgh’s odds of seeing a White Christmas?

William Hill currently has the odds of seeing snow at Edinburgh Airport on the big day listed at 11- 4.

What cities are likely to see a White Christmas in 2022?

Here’s a full list of the cities most likely to see snow according to William Hill:

• Glasgow airport 11-4
• Edinburgh airport 11-4
• Leeds-Bradford airport 7-2
• Belfast airport 7-2
• London City airport 4-1

What has the Met Office said?

Earlier this year Professor Paul Davies, Met Office Fellow (Meteorology) and Chief Meteorologist, spoke on the long range forecast for the remainder of the year which suggested snow was on the way.

Snow is falling near George Street

Davies said: “November and December look more settled with high pressure likely to dominate our weather. Exact weather conditions will be dictated by where the high pressure settles over the Atlantic and the UK, but we are likely to see a higher incidence of northerly airflows, preventing mild, moist air flowing to the UK from the Atlantic Ocean and increasing the potential for cold snaps with some threat of snow and ice, mainly in northern areas.

He added: “The most likely scenario as we head into 2023 is for the risk of high-pressure to decrease, and a return to more unsettled conditions with wet, windy, and mild spells possible. However, there is still a risk we could see a Sudden Stratospheric Warming. If this happens it could potentially lead to a cold spell for the UK and northern Europe, although the chances of a very cold winter, comparable to 2009/10, are still low this winter.”

What defines a White Christmas?

For the Met Office to declare a white Christmas a single snowflake needs to fall at one of their 270 observation sights. In the eyes of bookmakers, all that is needed to declare a white Christmas is the observation of a single snowflake falling within 24 hours of December 25 at one of the 13 major airports in the UK. Therefore, snow doesn’t technically even need to settle for it to qualify as an ‘official’  white Christmas.