Parts of the UK will be hotter than Istanbul or Madrid on Christmas Day.
Chances of a white Christmas are slim as temperatures reach up to 12C, the Met Office said.
Some areas could even see higher temperatures, Steven Keats, a forecaster at the Met Office, told The Independent.
While Madrid will experience temperatures as high as 10C and Istanbul around 11C, a mild and breezy day is predicted for the UK.
"In the south and southeast, it's mild, it's cloudy, very similar to what we've seen for the last few days. Quite windy as well," Mr Keats said.
Mixed weather is expected for much of Christmas Day, he said. "There's a band of rain, currently affecting western Scotland, which tomorrow will be working its way rapidly southeastwards," he added.
"Other parts of west Wales and southwest England will be turning ret and rainy as well. Most of Scotland and Northern Ireland are in for colder weather towards the end of the day."
UK news in pictures
UK news in pictures
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1/39 22 December 2017
Druids, pagans and revellers gather in the centre of Stonehenge, hoping to see the sun rise, as they take part in a winter solstice ceremony at the ancient neolithic monument of Stonehenge. Despite a forecast for cloud and rain, a large crowd gathered at the famous historic stone circle, to celebrate the sunrise closest to the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. The event is claimed to be more important in the pagan calendar than the summer solstice, because it marks the 're-birth' of the Sun for the New Year.
Getty Images
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2/39 21 December 2017
Polish Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz, British Defence Minister Gavin Williamson in the presence of Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May sign a treaty between the Republic of Poland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on cooperation in the field of defense and security
EPA
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3/39 20 December 2017
A protester wears a 'STOP BREXIT' hat outside the Palace of Westminster
Reuters
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4/39 19 December 2017
The Choristers of St Paul's rehearse for a series of services and concerts over the Christmas season at St Paul's Cathedral in London
REUTERS
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5/39 18 December 2017
Joe Root, the England captain is interviewed after Australia regained the Ashes. England lost by an innings and 41 run runs in the third test at the WACA in Perth
Getty
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6/39 17 December 2017
Photos of Richard Ratcliffe and his wife Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who has been jailed in Iran, on display at their home in north London. Mr Ratcliffe says he believes there is "still a chance" she may be released from an Iranian prison in time for a dream Christmas together.
PA
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7/39 16 December 2017
Oxford Street in London is filled with shoppers with 8 shopping days before Christmas
Rex
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8/39 15 December 2017
Jonny Bairstow of England headbutts his helmet to celebrate his century during day two of the Third Test match in the 2017/18 Ashes Series between Australia and England at the WACA in Perth, Australia. Bairstow was embroiled in controversy at the beginning of the tour after lightly headbutting Australian opening batsman Cameron Bancroft in an exchange in a bar
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9/39 14 December 2017
People at the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service
PA
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10/39 13 December 2017
Wax figures of Prime Minister Theresa May and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson wearing a Christmas Jumper at Madame Tussauds
EPA
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11/39 12 December 2017
Victims and family of victims of the Grenfell Tower fire, Nicholas Burton (left), Sandra Ruiz (second right), Karim Mussilhy (right) and a girl who asked not be named (second left), hand in a petition to Downing Street, asking for an overhaul of the public inquiry.
PA
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12/39 11 December 2017
A homeless man on the streets of Manchester. Many people are spending the night on the streets in freezing temperatures as the Met Office continues to issue weather warnings across the country. The Shelter charity has said that more than 300,000 are now homeless across Britain, equating to the population of a city the size of Newcastle
Getty
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13/39 10 December 2017
Pedestrians walk over the Millennium Bridge with St Paul's Cathedral pictured in the background as snow falls
AFP/Getty Images
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14/39 9 December 2017
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, left, and Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani, right, with interpreter at centre, during their meeting in Tehran, Iran. Johnson is expected to discuss the fate of detained British-Iranian woman Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who is serving a five-year prison sentence for allegedly plotting to overthrow Iran's government.
AP
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15/39 8 December 2017
British Prime Minister Theresa May (L) and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker address a press conference at the European Commission in Brussels
AFP/Getty Images
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16/39 7 December 2017
Nick Dunn, one of the so-called Chennai Six is greeted by his sister Lisa as he arrives at Newcastle Airport after being released from India after serving four years in jail on weapons charges.
PA
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17/39 6 December 2017
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II (L) greets Nigeria's ambassador to the United Kingdom, George Adesola Oguntade (C), and his wife, Modupe Oguntade, during a private audience at Buckingham Palace in central London
AFP/Getty
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18/39 5 December 2017
800 abandoned buckets appear at Potters Field Park, London, in a moving tribute to the 800 children who die every day, on average, due to a lack of clean water and sanitation. Just one bucket in the installation, part of WaterAid’s #Untapped appeal, could hold almost enough safe drinking water for one child for a week. Every £1 donated to the #Untapped appeal until 31st January 2018 will be matched by the UK Government.
WaterAid / Ollie Dixon
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19/39 4 December 2017
British Prime Minister Theresa May smiles to European Union President Donald Tusk as she attends Brexit negotiations' meetings
AFP/Getty
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20/39 3 December 2017
The last Supermoon of 2017 sets over Whitley Bay, Northumberland
PA
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21/39 2 December 2017
The crowd reacts as England's Dawid Malan fails to stop a boundary during the first day of the second Ashes test match
REUTERS
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22/39 1 December 2017
England manager, Gareth Southgate, jokes with Belgium manager, Roberto Martinez, after their sides were drawn in the same group during the Final Draw for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia
Getty Images
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23/39 30 November 2017
A supporter of Lauri Love, who is accused of hacking into U.S. government computers, wears a Donald Trump mask as he protests in front of the Royal Courts of Justice in London
AP
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24/39 29 November 2017
A sign reading 'We want our future back' is displayed in front of Westminster during an Anti-Brexit Demonstration
Rex Features
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25/39 28 November 2017
This year's innovative V&A Christmas Tree, The Singing Tree, is shaped from a cloud of floating words, contributed by visitors, and is created by leading stage and performance designer Es Devlin.
Rex Features
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26/39 27 November 2017
David Jones and Margaret Tyler wait outside Kensington Palace after hearing about the engagement of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Rex
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27/39 26 November 2017
Sailors from the Royal Navy perform the Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace for the first time in its 357-year history
PA
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28/39 25 November 2017
Arlene Foster gives her leader's speech during the annual DUP party conference at La Mon House
Getty Images
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29/39 24 November 2017
Ex-England footballer Michael Owen prior to riding in a charity race at Ascot racecourse
Rex
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30/39 23 November 2017
Shoppers pass a promotional sign for 'Black Friday' sales discounts on Oxford Street
AFP/Getty
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31/39 22 November 2017
Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Phillip Hammond poses with the budget box at 11 Downing Street
EPA
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32/39 21 November 2017
Protestors hold up a banner during a protest held in solidarity with the University of London cleaners' strike
Petros Elia
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33/39 20 November 2017
British Prime Minister Theresa May greets Ghana's President Nana Akufo-Addo outside number 10 Downing Street
Getty
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34/39 19 November 2017
Grigor Dimitrov reacts to winning the Men's Singles Final with the trophy, during day eight of the NITTO ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 Arena in London
PA
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35/39 18 November 2017
Central Scotland MSP Richard Leonard is congratulated by Glasgow MSP Anas Sarwar at the Glasgow Science Centre after he was announced as the new leader of Scottish Labour
Jane Barlow/PA
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36/39 17 November 2017
British Military Working Dog Mali poses for a photograph with his handler, Cpl. Daniel Hatley, after receiving the PDSA Dickin Medal, the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross, for his heroic action in Afghanistan
Reuters
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37/39 16 November 2017
Theresa May chats with resident Val Lay during a visit to a housing estate in London
AFP/Getty
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38/39 15 November 2017
Richard Radcliffe leaves the Foreign Office with his local MP Tulip Siddiq, following a meeting with Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson
Marc Ward/REX
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39/39 14 November 2017
Four-time Olympic champion Sir Mo Farah after being awarded a Knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II
PA
But some parts of the UK could see the potential for snow.
"The fun begins late in the day, as the colder air mingles with this weather and brings some risk of snow. Parts of southern and eastern Scotland could see now."
"There will be cold weather for a few days after that."
The week leading up to the New Year could see more snow, Mr Keats said, adding there could be ice "at the very least."
"It will generally be on the cold side, with some showers in the north and overnight frost to contend with.
He added: "It will be a good bit colder than it's been over the last few days. It's going to feel a bit more seasonal."
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