Christmas weather around the world by Jo Farrow
At the time of writing, New Zealand is on the cusp of welcoming in Christmas Day. As the rest of the world spends Christmas Eve eagerly awaiting the big day, who will get the white Christmas, and who will be sunning themselves?
New Zealanders can expect an average Christmas weather-wise, with temperatures around normal. Auckland might see a few showers but Wellington should be fine and dry with a high of 21°C (70°F). In neighbouring Australia, some may have to rethink Christmas dinner. Due to hot, dry weather, authorities have placed a ban on the lightning of fires in New South Wales, so barbeques on the beach may be out and a more traditional Christmas dinner will have to be served instead.
In Japan, a white Christmas is a foregone conclusion in central and northern parts of the country. In some places hundreds of centimetres of snow have fallen already, disrupting transport and stranding remote villages. More snow is expected on Christmas Day in northern and some western prefectures.
Fog is the reason for transport disruption in northern India. Flights in and out of New Delhi have been cancelled or delayed for the last two days, and forecasts are calling for the fog to persist for a couple more days yet.
Some South Africans are being warned of very hot weather for Christmas Day. A high heat-discomfort warning has been issued for the northern Limpopo province, where temperatures are expected to reach between 35 and 40°C (95 to 104°F).
Arizona in the United States could see record-breakingly high temperatures on Christmas Day, while further north the Californian Sierra Nevada mountain range is on a winter storm alert. In the eastern Canadian province of Ontario, mild air is causing snow to melt.
Anyone who has escaped the UK and headed for southern Spain or Portugal hoping for some Christmas sun will be disappointed; Christmas Day there is looking rather unsettled and wet! Meanwhile the UK won’t see a white Christmas Day this year; the snow is running a couple of days late. The Met Office has issued an early warning for disruption due to heavy snow for eastern counties from Boxing Day night onwards.
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