Met Office says white Christmas unlikely in Wiltshire and Swindon

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 16 Oct, 16:59 · Archive

The Met Office has said snow in Wiltshire is 'highly unlikely' this year, with no snow expected until at least January.

The Met Office has said snow in Wiltshire and Swindon is 'highly unlikely' this year, with no snow expected until at least January. Those hoping for a white Christmas will be disappointed, as the coming weeks are forecast to be wet and windy rather than snowy.

The Met Office announced that due to changing weather patterns caused by climate change, this winter is expected to be wetter and milder than winters in the past, with falling snow becoming increasingly rare. A Met Office spokesperson said that snow is more likely to appear in January and February than in December.

Historically, snow lies on the ground for an average of three days in December, compared to 3.3 days in January, 3.4 days in February and 1.9 days in March, according to long-term averaging data from 1991 to 2020.

This year's El Niño, which occurs when sea temperatures in the Pacific rise beyond average, is expected to bring increasingly turbulent weather as it reaches its peak in the coming weeks. El Niño has been known to cause extreme weather conditions in the southern hemisphere, including flash floods, droughts, storms and hurricanes in Asia, Africa and North and South America. Its impact on the northern hemisphere is typically minimal, though it can cause strong winds and storms in some places.

Met Office says white Christmas unlikely in Wiltshire and Swindon — Image: Gazette & Herald

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How it is being reported

Verdict on chances of snow as wet and windy weather forecastThe Met Office has given its verdict on the chances of snow in Wiltshire and Swindon.Gazette & Herald · 16 Oct, 15:31
Verdict on chances of snow as wet and windy weather forecastThe Met Office has given its verdict on the chances of snow in Wiltshire and Swindon.Wiltshire Times · 16 Oct, 15:31
Verdict on chances of snow as wet and windy weather forecastThe Met Office has given its verdict on the chances of snow in Wiltshire and Swindon.Swindon Advertiser · 16 Oct, 15:31

In this story: Met Office · Wiltshire · Swindon · El Niño

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