Will Scotland see a white Christmas this year?

Should any snow fall in the UK, the Scottish Highlands have the highest chance of a fresh covering, which is not unusual at this time of year.

Stormy conditions are expected over the weekend, with yellow warnings of strong winds in place for the whole of Scotland on Saturday, and everywhere except Orkney and Shetland on Sunday.

Gusts of between 50-60mph are expected in many areas, with a chance of winds reaching 70mph around some coasts and areas of high ground.

This could cause delays to public transport and some disruption to the road network, which may have a greater than usual impact given the busier pre-Christmas weekend travel.

Dangerous coastal conditions can be expected too, with large waves an additional hazard.

Dan Harris from the Met Office said: “Current indications are that more settled conditions are likely to develop from Christmas Eve onwards, with the majority of the UK coming under the influence of high pressure.

“The exception however may be northwest Scotland where there is a reasonable chance of further wind and rain.

“Christmas Day itself is likely to be settled, often cloudy, and dry with light winds for the majority.

“Once again, the far north may be windier, with a small chance of further rain across northwest Scotland.

“Temperatures are expected to be widely mild, so if you are hoping for a blanket of snow across the country on Christmas Day, I’m sorry to say you will be disappointed.”