Unprecedented Warmth on Christmas Eve: Highest temperatures since 1997 with 15.3C measured near Heathrow

According to the Met Office, Sunday marked the warmest Christmas Eve in the UK since 1997. Temperatures reached 15.3C in Heathrow and Cippenham, causing speculation that it could be the warmest December 24th ever. However, that record still belongs to 1931 when temperatures of 15.5C were recorded in Aberdeen and Banff in Scotland. Despite the mild weather, the conditions set the stage for potentially the hottest Christmas Day since 2016. Meteorologist Dan Stroud stated that temperatures were expected to peak on Christmas Eve, with a slight downward trend for Christmas Day, but still remaining comfortably above average. It is predicted that temperatures may reach 13C or 14C on Christmas Day, making it the warmest since 2016's 15.1C temperature. The warmest Christmas Day on record occurred in 1920 with a temperature of 15.6C recorded in Devon. In Scotland, the warmest Christmas Day reached 15.1C in Dyce in 2011 and in Urquhart, Ross, and Cromarty in 2016. While many experienced mild temperatures on Christmas Eve, strong winds with gusts of up to 56mph were reported in parts of the Isle of Wight and Northern Ireland. A yellow weather warning for wind was issued for eastern England, stretching from the Scottish border to the Midlands, with potential travel disruption, damage to buildings, and power cuts expected until 22:00 GMT. Christmas Day is anticipated to be damp across the UK, with heavy rain possible in Wales. Scotland will experience rain showers and relatively warm temperatures of 8C or 9C. However, forecasters suggest that parts of northern Scotland may still see a white Christmas, with the possibility of snowfall on higher ground, such as Caithness and Sutherland. According to meteorological definitions, for Christmas Day to be officially classified as a white Christmas, only one snowflake needs to be observed within a 24-hour period.