As the final Christmas travel rush and last-minute shopping dash approaches, the UK is experiencing improving weather conditions. All weather warnings have now been lifted after a weekend of strong winds that caused flight cancellations and widespread rail delays. Despite this, the disruption has largely cleared and the picture regarding travel looks a lot more straightforward, with no widespread issues with National Rail and ferries being the only mode of transport experiencing ongoing disruption.
The Met Office has predicted a “grey Christmas” with “extremely mild” temperatures for most in the coming days – rendering the possibility of a white Christmas unlikely in the majority of the country. The Western Isles saw winds hitting 82mph, and while Heathrow Airport was forced to cancel around 100 flights on Sunday, it is business-as-usual on Monday. However, although driving conditions have improved, congestion is still likely, with the RAC predicting almost seven million journeys from Tuesday to Christmas Eve alone.
Despite this, those heading to the supermarkets on Monday, predicted to be the biggest food shopping day of the year so far, could find travelling relatively smoother. High street retailers and supermarkets have prepared for a busy day, with shoppers claiming to be more cautious about eating out and turning to household budgets instead.
The final run-up to Christmas Day will be slightly brighter, with some areas experiencing sunshine. Forecasters at BBC Weather predict that Northern Ireland and western Scotland will see patchy rain that will make its way into western parts of England and Wales on Monday afternoon. There is also a chance of snow over the Scottish hills and the Pennines. Even though Christmas Eve is predicted to see cloudy skies, it is expected to be notably warmer, with temperatures hitting an average of 12-13°C –which is one of the mildest on record – while Christmas Day is expected to be 11-12°C.
Despite travel congestion and isolated ferry disruption, the UK looks like it is set for a mild Christmas. The strong winds from the previous days have cleared, making last-minute shopping and travel plans a lot more straightforward for many
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