Channel Islands could technically have a White Christmas

Tuesday, 23 December 2025 07:10

Wintry showers are predicted for 25 December 2025 and if just one snowflake is recorded, the islands will technically have a White Christmas.

This December, the Channel Islands have experienced relatively mild conditions, with winds predominantly coming from the Atlantic.

However, that is set to change on 25 December.

Jersey Met forecasts that air will begin to flow in from Eastern Europe (from as far afield as Russia), triggering a sharp drop in temperatures.

Daytime highs are expected to fall from 11°C to just 5°C, with overnight lows close to freezing.

Forecaster John Searson says, although snow is not on its way, residents should brace for a “bitterly cold” Christmas Day.

"There is going to be hail or rain or possibly sleet, and because sleet is a mixture of rain and snow, we could possibly get a snowflake, which could constitute a White Christmas according to the rules of the past."

The last time snowflakes were officially recorded on Christmas Day in the Channel Islands was at Jersey Airport in 1974.

Mr Searson says traditional outdoor activities may be interrupted by the weather.

"You'll have to wrap up warm.

"Anyone planning on going out sea swimming, you are going to find that incredibly hard to deal with.

"Also, you've gotta think about the safety of where you’re swimming, there is going to be a very strong easterly wind and any bays exposed to the east will have very rough conditions.

"So this is a year where you might think, yeah, I’m not gonna go in."