This year marks the mildest start to Christmas Day on record in Northern Ireland and Scotland.
According to the Met Office, in Kinloss, Moray, temperatures reached 11.9C, while at Killowen, Co Down, it peaked at 11C for the 24-hour period ending at 9am on 25 December. A temperature of 14.2C was reached in Dyce, Aberdeen, meteorologist Kathryn Chalk said.
“No sign of snow this Christmas, with a mild and cloudy theme,” said Chalk. “A cloudy Christmas Day for many, however, there are some breaks in the cloud giving sunny spells, especially to the east of any higher ground with some patchy rain in the far northwest of Scotland.”
People have been sharing pictures of their Christmas Day walks on social media, while also commenting on the weather. “Christmas Day walk along the beach. Unseasonably mild, but we’re not complaining,” one user wrote on X. One user on the platform called the weather “practically tropical”.
“Four [photos] from our Christmas morning walk on the hills above Pitlochry,” wrote another while sharing scenic images. “Incredibly mild day so little snow remaining even on the higher hills.”
Open water, outdoor swimmers have also been taking advantage of the warmer-than-expected temperatures, kicking off their festive celebrations with a dip.
At organised swims in Boscombe Pier in Bournemouth, and at Hunstanton in Norfolk, people charged towards the sea before taking the plunge. Similarly, members of the Serpentine Swimming Club took part in the Peter Pan Cup race, which is held every Christmas Day in the Serpentine, in central London’s Hyde Park.
Rain will affect much of Scotland and Northern Ireland overnight into Boxing Day, according to Chalk. Elsewhere is expected to be cloudy with patchy drizzle in the west – but some clear intervals and local fog patches are possible.
On Boxing Day rain is expected in many parts of the country – affecting central and southern Scotland and parts of Northern Ireland. However, it will be mostly dry and mild, though rather cloudy further south.
A mild, mostly cloudy day is also expected on Friday, Chalk said. The weekend is expected to be brighter but colder with blustery showers.
