UK weather: Christmas washout as December forecast could remain mild, wet and windy

Hopes for a White Christmas may be ruined as the UK braces for more mild temperatures through December. Forecasters have warned that unsettled conditions are likely to continue for the rest of the month, with more wet and windy weather for most.

According to weather experts, a fast-moving jet stream has remained over the south of the UK through December, bringing stormy and mild weather to the UK. There are now signs that the jet stream may slow down, which could bring colder intervals. However, temperatures are unlikely to drop significantly.

A spokesperson for the Met Office said: "Through the Christmas period and into the start of January it seems more likely than not that the unsettled weather pattern we have experienced through November and early December will continue."

The Met Office warned that all parts of the UK will see rain and strong winds, with gale force winds forming in some parts. The north and west of the country are likely to experience the more frequent rainfall and the strongest winds. The south and east are likely to see drier and more settled spells, however, these regions will also see wet and windy weather at times.

While there could be a period of brief colder spells, overall temperatures are likely to remain mild, falling near or just above the yearly average. Snow showers might be possible on higher grounds in north-west England and Scotland.

The Weather Network has said that while the year could end on a colder note as the jet stream splits north and south across the UK, the beginning of January is likely to see milder temperatures and unsettled conditions.

A spokesperson for the Weather Network said: "2016 welcomes back the wind and rain, the colder air not returning until later in January and into that cold February. Of course long-range forecasts are subject to change but with the milder start and colder end to the season it's a winter of two halves."