Will it be a white Christmas in 2021? Leeds Met Office snow forecast and odds, and when was the last one

With Leeds getting a glimpse of a white Christmas last month, many are now wondering how likely it is that more snow will fall in the city before the big day.

Bookies have now increased the odds of snow appearing in Leeds and Bradford during the festive period, with Leeds given a 39.18% chance of snow by NoDepositDaddy.com.

So what are the current odds of a white Christmas in Leeds?

Here is a comparison of various betting sites.

What are the odds of a white Christmas in Leeds?

These figures were last checked on 20 December.

NoDepositDaddy: 38/59

Betting Odds: 4/6

Paddy Power: 4/6

What does the Met Office say?

The Met Office has not predicted a white Christmas in Leeds this year, but it has suggested that frost and fog may be present throughout the week.

This is what Leeds' long range forecast is looking like so far:

Friday 24 December - Sunday 2 January

Low pressure likely to continue to be positioned to the south of the UK, and high pressure further north.

This results in a boundary between colder air to the north and milder air in the south.

Unsettled weather results, with increased cloud amounts, occasional rain and some stronger winds, fluctuating north to south through the initial period.

Rain may turn wintry at times on the northern edge, most likely across central and northern areas, and mainly over higher ground.

Milder temperatures more likely in the south, with brighter colder conditions in the north with some wintry showers.

Settled conditions look likely to return towards the end of December into the New Year with temperatures likely rather cold and the potential for overnight frost and an increasing risk of fog.

What is a white Christmas?

For most people a white Christmas means a thick layer of snow settling on Christmas day - plenty to build a snowman, use for snowball fights or go sledging in.

However for bookies, a white Christmas means something quite different.

When it comes to betting odds the classification for a white Christmas requires just one snowflake to fall in a specific location during the 24 hours of December 25 at a specified location - usually at British Airports.

Most betting sites allow visitors to bet on various locations across the UK.

When was the last white Christmas?

The last widespread white Christmas in the UK was in 2010, with snow on the ground at 83% of stations - the highest amount ever recorded.

2009 also saw a white Christmas, when 13% of stations recorded snow or sleet falling, and 57% reported snow lying on the ground.

Technically, 2020 was the last white Christmas in the UK, with 6% of weather stations recording snow falling.

However, only 4% of stations reported any snow lying on the ground.

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