Warnings for cold and windy weather will come into force on Christmas Day, as forecasters said those hoping for a white Christmas are likely to be disappointed.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued a yellow cold health alert from 6pm on Thursday to noon on December 27 for South West England, while the Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for wind affecting a similar area and much of Wales from 4am to 11.59pm on Christmas Day.
Low temperatures are likely to have minor impacts on health and social care services including “increased use of healthcare services by vulnerable people” and a “greater risk to life of vulnerable people”, according to the UKHSA.
Together with the @metoffice, UKHSA have issued a yellow cold-health alert for the South West of England, from Thursday, December 25 at 18:00 to Saturday, December 27 at 12:00.
— UKHSA South West (@UKHSA_SouthWest) December 24, 2025
Don’t get stranded in cold weather. pic.twitter.com/Vmoc405BMI
The Met Office said east to north-easterly winds will become particularly strong and gusty during Christmas Day, with peak gusts fairly widely of 45-55mph, but 55-65mph possible along some exposed coasts and to the west of prominent hills.
It added that “given the more unusual wind direction, this may lead to some disruption to transport and power supplies” and that “large waves will be an additional hazard on some coasts”.
Met Office spokesman Oli Claydon said Thursday would see “pretty decent” conditions with mainly dry weather.
He told the Press Association: “On Christmas Day there will be a bright start in the south of England and then into Wales as well as the cloud clears.
If sunshine was on your Christmas list this year, you’re in luck 🎅
— Met Office (@metoffice) December 23, 2025
We'll see more sunny spells over the next few days but it'll feel colder especially when exposed to the easterly wind 🥶 pic.twitter.com/ZIDojNbFML
“It will be cloudier further north, but there will be some cloud breaks starting to break through by lunchtime, and some good sunny spells establishing further north as well.
“The other notable factor will be the wind, so with the positioning of the high pressure there is a quite strong easterly wind, particularly across the south coast of England, so it could be quite gusty there.
“High pressure is now firmly in control of the weather across the UK, bringing a much more settled spell, and also cooler temperatures than we’ve had of late.”
Mr Claydon said it was “highly unlikely” that the UK will see a white Christmas this year.
He added: “We’ve got a very dry picture across the UK over the next few days.
“The only vague possibility is there’s a little band of rain that’s skirting westwards across the Channel through tomorrow and there’s an outside chance it could clip the South West of England.
“The chances of any snow falling out of that are very low.”
Mr Claydon said the highest temperatures on Christmas Day were forecast to be around 7C in North East England and 6C in south or South East England.
He added that frost and freezing temperatures are likely in western rural areas overnight on Christmas Day into Boxing Day with minus 6C possible in rural parts of Scotland and minus 4C in rural Wales.
