SNOW will be falling before Christmas in Bucks in what will be a colder than average winter, a Bucks forecaster said today.

But residents need not get out their shovels quite yet.

Jim Dale, of British Weather Services, based in Hazlemere, told the BFP the white stuff is odds on for December, but not likely before then.

Some parts of Britain have already started seeing snow already but Bucks will not be added to that list yet, Mr Dale said.

He said: “Snow in December is odds-on based on what we're looking at. We think there will be snow this side of Christmas.

"That doesn't mean Christmas Day of course but it does mean we will see the odd occasion when that will be the case.

"The art or the science of it is to say how long, whether it lasts, how protracted and how deep it goes but at the moment it's more likely than not.

“Expect the winter as a whole to be colder on average in our area and drier on average.

“That isn't to say we're expecting a repeat of 2010 but but there are some good signs will have to watch our back at times, so to speak.

“In other words, we will occasionally dip into the more severe side of winter and will have to keep our eyes on that - although nothing this side of November 20.”

However, in the immediate future, residents in Bucks can expect more temperate weather.

This week coming will be predominantly dry and less cold and the weakness just gone, Mr Dale forecast.