BRITS are braced for more Christmas misery amid torrential rain and flood warnings on the big day.
With Christmas plans already in chaos for millions of Brits thanks to the new coronavirus crisis, a period of miserable weather will only make things worse.
Strong winds are set to batter the west coast, while the Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning that floods are possible later this week.
The forecaster warned that homes and business could be flooded by flowing water on Wednesday and Thursday, with trains and buses also cancelled in many areas.
Follow our weather live blog for all the latest news and updates from around the country…
- Niamh Cavanagh
WET AND MISTY WEATHER IN LANGLAND BAY, SWANSEA
Credit: Alamy Live News Credit: Alamy Live News - Niamh Cavanagh
LOW PRESSURES DOMINATES THE WEATHER TODAY
- Shayma Bakht
IN PICTURES: Celebrations of the winter solstice at Selsley Common in Stroud
- Niamh Cavanagh
TONIGHT'S FORECAST
Showers becoming confined to northern and western Scotland. Clear spells elsewhere, and turning cold for at time with frost across some central parts.
Becoming milder in the south as rain moves northwards, reaching much of England and Wales by dawn.
- Niamh Cavanagh
FORECAST FOR THE FESTIVE PERIOD
Mild with further rain at times.
Colder further north, with a mixture of sunny spells and showers, increasingly wintry.
Becoming drier and colder nationwide by Thursday with widespread frost.
(-Met Office)
- Niamh Cavanagh
ODDS ON FOR THIS DECEMBER TO BE WETTEST SINCE RECORDS BEGAN
Leading bookmaker Coral now makes this month odds on, at 1-2, to be the wettest December since records began after another wet weekend.
The firm go just evens for this winter to go down as the coldest on record too.
"The final weekend before Christmas was a wet one and we now make this December firmly odds on to be the wettest we have ever had. Weather wise, it's going to be one to forget," said Coral's Harry Aitkenhead.
"The long range forecasts predict a cold winter and we go evens on it ending up in the record books as the coldest ever," added Aitkenhead.
1-2 this December to be the wettest since records began
Evens this winter to be the coldest since records began
- Niamh Cavanagh
WEATHER WARNINGS ISSUED
- Niamh Cavanagh
WINTER SOLSTICE – SHORTEST DAY OF THE YEAR TONIGHT
The sunset sets over Stonehenge last night ahead of the shortest day of the year.
Credit: Nick Bull/pictureexclusive.com - Niamh Cavanagh
MET OFFICE PREDICTS 2021 WILL ENTER SERIES OF EARTH'S HOTTEST YEARS
The Met Office annual global temperature forecast for 2021 suggests that next year will once again enter the series of the Earth’s hottest years.
The average global temperature for 2021 is forecast to be between 0.91 °C and 1.15 °C (with a central estimate of 1.03 °C) above the average for the pre-industrial period (1850-1900): the seventh year in succession when temperatures have exceeded or been close to 1.0 °C above pre-industrial levels.
More on the story can be found here.
- Niamh Cavanagh
WET MORNING AHEAD
- Niamh Cavanagh
WEATHER TODAY
Rain occasionally heavy, across central and southern UK clearing, then brighter weather across central areas.
Remaining cloudy in south with dreary mizzle over coasts and hills, but very mild.
Colder across Scotland with further showers in north and west.
- Ben Hill
FLOOD WATCHES
The Met Office said flood watches were in place for southern parts of England and Wales following recent bouts of wet weather, and rainfall warnings may be necessary for the beginning of the week.
The Eden Project botanical gardens in Cornwall was closed on Sunday due to "significant flooding" on the site overnight.
A spokesman said high volumes of rainwater caused several landslips on the site but there had been no injuries to staff.
"Managers closed the site as a safety precaution and are assessing the damage," they said, adding that the site would be closed to visitors again on Monday when a further assessment would be carried out.
- Ben Hill
TWO DAY FORECAST
Tonight: Showers will continue across northern and western Scotland where some will be heavy and perhaps wintry over higher ground.
There will be plenty of clear spells across Scotland and Northern Ireland. But, England and Wales will see overcast skies accompanied by light rain. Gentle westerly winds.
Tomorrow: A drier day tomorrow across Scotland, Northern Ireland, north-west and north-east England with sunny spells, but with a few showers in western Scotland.
It will be cloudy for Wales and southern England with spells of showery light rain that will continue during the day. Light north-easterly winds
- Ben Hill
COLD CHRISTMAS
Tom Morgan, meteorologist at the Met Office, said the mercury could drop to minus 3C in parts of England and Wales on Christmas Eve morning.
Temperatures are expected to reach a high of 6C in London and the south of England on December 24 and a high of 5C on Christmas Day.
Parts of the north including Manchester face similarly low temperatures of 4C and 5C on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day respectively.
"It's going to be dry for the vast majority of the UK, and it will be a cold and frosty start to the day, particularly for England and Wales," said Mr Morgan.
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
TODAY'S FORECAST FOR THE UK
Here's the forecast for today according to the Met Office: "Cloudy and very mild across southern parts with occasional rain or drizzle, though brightness developing to the east of hills.
"Colder across Scotland with showery rain, and snow on hills."
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
FLOODED ROADS IN HEREFORDSHIRE
Credit: Rex Features - Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
YESTERDAY EVENING'S FORECAST: NORTHEAST
According to the Met Office: "Evening showers in Cumbria will quickly stop, leaving a dry night with clear spells for most.
"Turning chilly for a time under any clearer skies. Cloud will build during the early hours, with rain arriving in the south before dawn.
"Minimum temperature 3 °C."
- Dan Keane
BLUE MONDAY
Tomorrow is set to be a dull day with spells of rain pushing up from the south through the day, according to Meteogroup.
The forecaster said showers will clear eastwards, allowing some late sunny spells to develop across Northern Ireland.
Rain will continue to affect western Scotland, some with hail, they added.
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
SUNSET OVER ESSEX
Credit: Alamy Live News - Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
TONIGHT’S FORECAST: LONDON AND THE SOUTHEAST
Here’s the forecast for tonight for London and the southeast.
The Met Office says: “Showers will fade to leave a dry and largely clear evening although it'll become chilly with a rural frost developing.
“Becoming cloudy and less cold into the second half of the night, but wet with prolonged rain and coastal gales. Minimum temperature 1 °C.”
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
BIG WAVES IN BRIGHTON EARLIER THIS WEEK
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
TONIGHT'S FORECAST: SCOTLAND
Here's the forecast for Scotland tonight.
The Met Office says: "Showers or the odd longer spell of rain during this evening, but mainly dry with clearing skies and easing winds overnight.
"Southwest winds fresh to strong at times around the Isles and coasts. Minimum temperature 3 °C."
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
SUNSET OVER STONEHENGE
Credit: Nick Bull/pictureexclusive.com - Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
TONIGHT’S FORECAST: WALES
Here’s the forecast for tonight for Wales.
Here’s what you can expect, according to the Met Office: “A few heavy showers this evening but dry for most, with clear spells.
“Turning cloudy overnight as a band of persistent rain, that could be heavy at times, spreads across the country from the southwest.
“Lighter winds than today. Minimum temperature 2 °C.”
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
RED SKIES OVER MORECAMBE
Credit: Alamy Live News
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