After a cold November, where Stockholm experienced the most snow since records began in 1905, you would not blame anyone for hoping for a white Christmas in Sweden.
Unfortunately, the preliminary weather forecasts suggest that only the northern parts of the country are expected to have enough of the white stuff for Santa Claus and his sleigh.
“If there's no snow outside your window at this moment you should perhaps not wish for a sled as a Christmas present,” said broadcaster SVT's meteorologist Nils Holmqvist.
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According to Sweden's national weather agency SMHI, any areas south of the Stockholm and Lake Mälaren region are unlikely to see any snow on Christmas Eve.
Coastal areas of the Ångermanland region may also see their thin snow cover melt by next week.
The last time most of Sweden got to experience a white Christmas was four years ago, reports the Aftonbladet tabloid. Härnösand on the east coast then had the most snow in 100 years.
But Holmqvist says it is still too early to lose hope.
“If you haven't bought your Christmas presents yet it perhaps feels as if Christmas is not far off, but for us meteorologists a lot could happen. There is still hope for a white Christmas in places where there isn't yet any snow,” he told SVT.
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