Festive travel: will the weather disrupt the Christmas getaway?

This year's Christmas holiday is expected to be the most festive on record for UK motorists, and although the weather is improving, threats such as spray and fog could also impact your travel plans. An extraordinary 37 people were killed in a RAC,external, news. In the week leading up to 25 December 2025, 5 million leisure trips are forecast to take place. This will make it the busiest pre-Christmas period since the organisation began tracking this data in 2013, with around eight million more trips than last year. The driving tips are clear: plan for delays, allow extra time for trips, and adjust your speed to the current weather conditions. People who want to use public transportation this Christmas are being advised to look for timetable updates and disruptions. Passengers are advised to check their journey,externaldetails with National Rail or their local operator, as services are likely to be heavily updated or non-existent on key holiday dates. With theBBC Weather website and theBB Weather app, you will be able to plan your journey.

Conditions for 'Snarl-up Saturday'

Despite the fact that recent widespread and heavy rain means surface water and spray would be a danger on several highways, particularly in areas of central and eastern England, may continue to worsen over the coming days. That's good news for those planning to fly on Snarl-up Saturday, which is forecast to be the busiest Saturday on record for festive travel. The RAC anticipates around 4. On the day alone, 1 million trips were planned, and motorists are warned that the heaviest delays are likely to occur between 11 a. M. And 7 p. M. Overall, it will be a much drier day, with patchy rain and brisk winds increasing in the far west later today. Morning fog can cause difficult driving conditions in some regions. The Midlands, north-east England, and the Welsh Marches are all in the Midlands. TheAA's recommendation, which is also applicable to driving in fog, is to use dipped headlights and maintain a greater stopping distance.

Travelling Sunday, Monday or Tuesday?

The weather will be cloudy on Sunday, with some potential light rain. A mix of clouds and occasional outbreaks of rain will fall on Monday and Tuesday, but the general trend is for the conditions to become increasingly cooler and drier.

Christmas Eve - peak travel day

With 4. 34 million passengers on Saturday, Christmas Eve (Wednesday) is predicted to be the single busiest day for getaways. 2 million trips expected. By then, we are likely to see a cooler and drier spell of weather. Despite the fact that the temperature is expected to decrease, it does not appear that there is still no such thing as ice or snow. Traffic will be the most heavy between 11 a. M. And 7 p. M, according to drivers.

Turning colder and drier for Christmas

Compared to the first half of December, Christmas Day is looking drier and cooler. In the days leading up to Christmas, the north-east is expected to build in. We're likely to see a decrease in wet and windy weather in favour of slightly cooler, more stable weather under the influence of high pressure. Temperatures are expected to hover around average (6-9C) or a few degrees below depending on where you are located. Overnight, the frost and fog could make it more hazard.