Sean Batty: Christmas temperatures could be close to record highs

As we edge closer to the big day, weather models are settling into a more consistent pattern, and, unfortunately, it’s not looking ideal for everyone.

If you plan to travel to or from the islands this weekend, be prepared for potential ferry disruptions, particularly affecting the Hebrides and Northern Isles.

Friday might offer a better window for travel, with slightly calmer conditions, while Monday and Christmas Eve also look less turbulent.

While stormy weather is likely to dominate at times, snow and ice shouldn’t be an issue. That said, higher elevations could see brief spells of snow later in the weekend, but these will likely be short-lived.

For those who dream of a white Christmas, like me, it might be time to get creative with cotton wool and snow spray.

This year, the festive forecast points to mild conditions, with warm air flowing from Morocco and the Canary Islands. Temperatures could climb into the double digits, with some areas not a million miles away from their record highs for Christmas Day.

After the severe cold we experienced in December 2010, the following Christmas saw a new high of 15.9C being set at Faskally in Perthshire – the warmest Christmas Day on record for Scotland.

Christmas Day 2016 was another warm one, with temperatures hitting 14.6C in Dunbar, East Lothian.

Meteorologically speaking, Christmas Day is still a little too far out to give specifics for the day, but if the models have got the wind direction correct, then I wouldn’t rule out highs of 14-15C in Aberdeenshire.

After weeks of wildly oscillating temperatures — swinging between northerly and southerly airflows —Christmas looks set to land in a milder phase. However, don’t be surprised if colder air sweeps in just a few days later, as this pattern of rapid shifts has been a recurring theme so far.

I’ll keep you updated in the coming days with the latest on this weekend’s conditions — stay tuned!