Odds of White Christmas slashed as bookies believe snow is still on the cards

According to Irish bookies, a Christmas dusting is still very much on the table ahead of the big day.

Festive optimism is growing in Dublin, with Boyle Sports cutting the odds on snow at the airport on Christmas Day from 6/1 to 7/2.

Meanwhile, confidence is also surging in the north of the country.

Belfast’s odds have been halved to 5/2 from 5/1, making it one of the leading contenders for Christmas Day snowfall.

Further west, Donegal remains firmly in the mix at 4/1, while the odds lengthen the further south you go.

Kerry Airport is priced at 9/1 to wake up to a white blanket next Thursday, while Shannon is at 8/1.

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Blessington Lake, in County Wicklow.

 Lawrence Lyons, spokesperson for Boyle Sports, said: "Weather experts are divided, but punters are definitely dreaming of a White Christmas this year.

"The odds have been falling faster than the temperatures, and Belfast is a big mover, with Dublin not far behind."

Temperatures have dropped this week, leading snow dreamers to remain hopeful about a picturesque Christmas morning.

Met Éireann has yet to issue a confirmed prediction for Christmas Day, but an initial look suggests that temperatures and rainfall amounts will be "the seasonal norm".

The national forecaster said: ‘At forecast week two and towards the latter part of December, the weather over Ireland is forecast to be mixed.

"The very unsettled weather of the preceding week is likely to give way to more changeable conditions with dry periods interspersed with wetter spells.

"Rainfall totals during the week are forecast to be around the seasonal norm. Mean air temperatures are likely to trend near the climatological average."

Meanwhile, Cathal Nolan of Ireland’s Weather Channel explained that the latest models are suggesting an "increasingly cooler Christmas period."

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Enjoying the snow!

He said: "We have seen signs over the past number of days, general trends in the models all hinting towards blocked weather patterns, with the potential for an easterly outbreak developing across the country.

"This time around, there’s not this significant cold pool across Europe to make it sufficiently cold for snow at ground level.

"But we could see one or two flurries developing over higher ground as we get in towards the Christmas period itself."

* This article was originally published on Extra.ie.