The Met Office has recorded the highest daily minimum temperature for Christmas Day on record.
Temperatures in Exeter Airport, Devon, and East Malling, Kent, have not fallen below 12.4C, beating the previous record of 11.5C measured at Waddon in Croydon in 1983.
In terms of maximum temperatures, the mercury has so far hit 13.2C at Exeter Airport and Merryfield in Somerset, which makes Monday the warmest December 25 since 2018, when meteorologists recorded 13.3C.
Liam Eslick, a meteorologist at the Met Office, said: “The jet stream is just to the north of us and has been pretty strong over the last few weeks, bringing in this milder air from the south,” he said. “It’s bringing temperatures up but also the greyer conditions, with more cloud and rain. That will be a bit of a trend for the next week.
“It will be a bit more settled for Boxing Day but it will be more unsettled for the back end of the year.”
The record ended dreams of a white Christmas for most of the UK, with warmer temperatures continuing after the country saw its warmest Christmas Eve for more than 20 years.
However, some areas in northern Scotland may still see some snow, technically making it a white Christmas, which is defined by the Met Office as a single snowflake falling on December 25.
Predicted high temperatures of 13-14C in London and the southeast would make it the mildest Christmas Day since 2016, when temperatures reached 15.1C.
The average maximum temperature for December is 7C.
Despite the mild weather Christmas Day was “damp and miserable” for much of England and Wales, while northern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland were having a mix of sunny spells and showers.
A blustery walk on the beach in Boscombe, Dorset. The weather was forecast to be more settled on Boxing Day
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It comes after temperatures in Heathrow, southwest London and Chippenham, Berkshire, hit 15.3C on Sunday, making it the warmest Christmas Eve since 1997.
Wind speeds of up to 70mph were recorded in Scotland, and 60mph in the northeast of England.
The warmest December 25 on record was 15.6C in 1920, while the highest Christmas Eve temperatures of 15.5C were set in Aberdeen and Banff in Scotland in 1931.
The Met Office forecasts a drier and brighter Boxing Day for many with sunny spells, but it may turn unsettled once again from Wednesday onwards, with strong winds, heavy rain, and snow over hills in the north.
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
