EXPERTS at the Met Office have released their weather forecast covering the Christmas period.

The UK is in the grip of a cold blast this week, with some snowy scenes caught on camera in the West Yorkshire area today. 

The chilly weather is expected to continue for the rest of this week

As we head into December and the start of meteorological winter, many people will be wondering what the weather may have in store over the festive season.

Looking between next Tuesday and December 14, a Met Office forecaster said: "There's a fair amount of uncertainty at the start of this period as milder and more generally unsettled conditions across the south and west try and extend further north and east through the week.

"It is likely that northern and perhaps some eastern areas will remain cold with further overnight frost and fog patches, then clear or sunny spells and wintry showers in places.

"Elsewhere, milder, or at least less cold weather than the preceding days, with areas of rain and stronger winds, more especially in the west, this erratically spreading further north and east with time.

"Moving towards mid-December, more generally unsettled and milder conditions look most probable with any colder interludes likely to be short-lived."

Looking ahead to between December 14 and December 28 - including Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day - the forecaster added: "Conditions are most likely to be changeable through this period.

"Wetter and windier than average conditions are slightly more likely than normal, especially in the west and northwest.

"Temperatures are most likely to be near or above average overall, although this doesn't rule out some spells of cold weather and associated wintry hazards, though the chances of any prolonged spells of cold weather are low."