Britons may have got their hopes up after the blizzard two weeks ago saw parts of the country covered with the white stuff, but the Met Office has predicted “changeable” weather next week with temperatures returning to near or above average.

Cloud and rain will develop into Saturday and Christmas Eve, and some parts of the country will have heavy fog and frost which could cause hazardous driving conditions.

And Christmas Day is expected to be dryer and brighter in the south-east than in the north, where wintry showers could cast a shadow over the festivities.

Ladbrokes have even cut odds to 3/1 on Christmas Day being the warmest ever, beating the record 15.6C set in Edinburgh in 1896 and Devon in 1920.

The betting firm said: “The chances of a white Christmas are thawing.”

Met Office forecaster Mark Wilson said: “A notable change to very mild conditions for all could see 15C on Tuesday in eastern Scotland, with south-west England a degree behind as a south-westerly flow arrives from the Azores."

Meteorologists said 55mph gusts will arrive in the north of Scotland on Tuesday before the strong winds move south as Christmas Day approaches.

The Weather Outlook said blustery gales at speeds of 7mph could come on Boxing Day Storm Dylan rolls in.

Forecaster Brian Gaze said: “Storm Dylan has potential to be named over the Christmas period.

“Stormy spells are due. 60mph gusts and some snow risks are expected in the North leading into the pre-Christmas weekend, with winds picking up in the South with 50mph gusts possible by Christmas Eve.

“And after Christmas Day looks like seeing stronger winds which could push 70mph.

“Before then, an exceptional 16C could be seen on Tuesday or Wednesday.”

The computer predicts it could be too mild for snow in Northern Ireland, the Republic, the Midlands, north and south, but according to the site, the area north of Yorkshire and Lancashire has the highest chance of snow at 18 per cent.

Leading bookmaker Coral is offering odds of 2-1 on this December being the wettest on record amid fears that Storm Dylan is set to batter the UK over the festive period. The firm make it 1-2 that anywhere in mainland UK will see wind speeds of over 100mph before the end of the year. 

Coral's Harry Aitkenhead said: "Forecasters are warning of trouble for people travelling and shopping over the festive period and now punters are getting behind a wet and windy festive period."

This has dashed hopes of a White Christmas, although some parts of the north of the UK will still be hopeful. Coral make Aberdeen the most likely at odds of 7-4, with Glasgow and Edinburgh both 2-1 and Leeds and Manchester 3-1. 

Mr Aitkenhead said: ”We've taken a flurry of bets on a White Christmas since October but the latest forecasts suggest that we might be able to breathe a sigh of relief on a snowless Christmas Day."

The Met Office say it is difficult to accurately predict snow until five days beforehand.

The Met Office describes a White Christmas a being a "single snowflake, falling during the 24 hours of Christmas Day" at a particular location.

White Christmases were recorded in many parts of Britain during the 'Big Freeze' of 2009/10.

The last White Christmas in the UK was seen in 2010, when around 83 per cent of stations were covered in snow.