Which parts of the world will see extreme weather this Christmas?

With Scotland heading into a thankfully quiet Christmas – and no festive storms on the horizon – I thought we’d take a look at some of the more extreme weather expected around the world this Christmas.

From blizzards to sweltering heat at the Christmas BBQ, it’s a real mixed bag globally.

Snowiest

Snow here in Scotland is becoming harder to come by as the seas around us continue to warm, and asking for it to fall during the 24 hours of Christmas Day is really pushing our luck.

But the snowiest place on Christmas Day (ignoring mountainous regions) looks set to be Newfoundland, Canada. Very strong winds, blowing snow, and around 20cm settling by the end of the day — imagine that on Christmas Day!

Stormiest

This is the one no one wants on Christmas Day, and we’ve had our fair share over the years. One of the biggest was back in 2017, when Storm Conor swept across the Northern Isles, knocking out power and bringing winds of over 90mph in Shetland.

This year, the biggest Christmas Day storm is most likely to affect western Japan, where winds could reach 70mph along the coast, and potentially 90mph out at sea.

Wettest

No – for once – we’re not topping this list, with largely dry weather expected across much of Scotland for the next wee while.

Instead, it’s Australia’s Northern Territory and Queensland that look set to take the title, with nearly 100mm of rain possible in some higher areas on Christmas Day. California won’t be too far behind either, with a very wet day expected there as well.

Hottest

I know some of you would happily take hot weather and a Christmas BBQ, but it’s definitely not for me – yuck! I suppose if you grow up somewhere like Australia, Christmas in summer is all you know, but for us, it still feels very strange.

Unsurprisingly, this title also goes to Australia, with parts of Western Australia expected to reach the mid-40s. Can you imagine that unbearable heat on Christmas afternoon as you tuck into your turkey dinner?

Biggest thunderstorms

The most intense thunderstorms this Christmas look likely to break out over Mozambique and northern Argentina.

So while it might be disappointing that we’re unlikely to see snow this Christmas, I’m sure most of us will be grateful for the quieter spell – and thankful we’re not claiming any of the titles above.

Have a lovely Christmas, and wrap up warm with a few colder days on the way between now and the New Year.