Season of good CHILL: Festive swimmers brave the Brighton sea and Hyde Park Lido as Britain swaps white Christmas for frosty morning with plenty of sunshine to follow

• It’ll be a frosty start across the UK this morning with sunny spells set to break through later in the day 
• Festive revellers braved the chilly conditions for a Christmas Day dip off Brighton Beach this morning 
• Fog is set to spread across the Midlands tonight and it’ll be a cloudy night for the west of the country
• Comes as M1 remains closed following a horror crash last night amid flood warnings and thunderstorms 

Festive revellers braved chilly temperatures as they took a Christmas Day dip off Brighton Beach as frost coats the country this morning.  

Swimmers were pictured sporting gloves and Santa hats as they waded into the water right next to the resort’s iconic pier.

It comes as a cold start hits families across the UK as they huddle indoors to open presents and get the festivities underway.  

Pictured: Revellers in Brighton wade into the water sporting gloves, Santa hats and festive swimwear as they enjoy a Christmas Day dip in the freezing conditions this morning as the UK gets off to a frosty start with milder weather expected later on this afternoon 

Pictured: Hardy souls jump into the water for their annual Christmas day swim in Hyde Park, central London with the air temperature at a balmy four degrees

But it won’t stay cold for long as sunny spells are set to clear skies in the south and east of England but there will be scattered showers in the north and Scotland.

It means those dreaming of a white Christmas will have to wait until at least next year, with the Met Office predicting plenty of frost and sunshine but no snow for Christmas Day.

Much of the UK will wake up to frosty and foggy conditions on Christmas morning, before the wintry weather lifts to make way for sunshine later in the day.

Pictured: Swimmers run into the water on Brighton Beach next to the Palace Pier, with some sporting festive swimwear and jumpers as well as Santa hats as they brave the chilly conditions this morning, with warmer weather forecast by the Met Office later today

‘Christmas Day is looking like a lovely day for pretty much the whole of the UK,’ Met Office forecaster Greg Dewhurst said.

‘It is highly unlikely there will be any significant snowfall this year. If there is any snow, it will be over the tops of Scottish mountains, which we don’t class as a white Christmas.’

Temperatures in Scotland are forecast to fall to lows of minus 3C and about 0C in England and Wales. That will increase to about 7C in northern parts of the UK and 8C in the South, the Met Office said. The thickest of the morning fog is likely to be in Wales and central and western parts of England.

But the pleasant conditions will be short lived, with rain and and wind forecast for parts of the UK throughout Boxing Day.

Pictured: Londoners take a Christmas Day dip in the lido at Hyde Park in central London today as the country gets off to a frosty start but with milder conditions forecast for later today

Pictured: As the country gets off to a frosty start today, swimmers took to the lido water at Hyde Park in central London to brave the chilly conditions 

Swimmers hug at the Lido in Hyde Park, central London, today as they got Christmas Day off to a chilly start as frost spreads across the country 

The Environment Agency has also warned of potential flooding across England, due to further wet weather later in the week.

Today’s mild start comes as the M1 has been closed for nine hours following a Christmas Eve crash in treacherous conditions as 114 flood alerts and 43 flood warnings hit England along with thunderstorms in the south-west.

The Met Office tweeted today: ‘A cold, frosty and foggy start in places on Christmas morning, but it will be mostly dry with sunny spells #MerryChristmas.’

Fog will hit the Midlands tonight as it spreads across central and eastern parts of the UK as cloud hangs over the west. 

Rain will fall over Northern Ireland, Wales and western England as the night continues with brisk south-easterly winds.

It’ll be a mostly grey and cloudy with outbreaks of rain spreading north-eastwards, with snow possible at times over northern hills. 

After noon it will remain wet for many, especially in the north and east. However it may become dry and bright at times in southern England. Moderate southerly winds are expected.

Friday will see rain across Northern Ireland, Scotland, and perhaps northern and eastern England but it will mostly dry in the south and west with moderate winds across the UK. 

A mild and breezy Saturday is expected with dry and cloudy conditions for most but there will be rain in north-west Scotland. Forecasters say there will be brisk southerly winds.

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