Forecasters expect Christmas Day 2020 to be the coldest in ten years across England and Wales with daytime temperatures only getting up to 5C (41F) in London after plunging below 0C (32F) tonight.
Emergency services in England and Wales have been inundated with requests for help after heavy rain fell across the UK.
A yellow Met Office weather warning for rain stretched from East Anglia, across Leicester, parts of Birmingham and north London, and through to mid-Wales and Cornwall, and remained in place until 2am on Thursday.
The BBC reported the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service received 500 calls for help on Wednesday as the downpours hit many parts of the country.
Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service said they had handled more than 250 flood calls, with several properties inundated and multiple people rescued from their stranded vehicles.
In Pictures: Floods bring misery on cusp of Christmas after a year like no other
PA
23 December 2020, 3:11 pm
It looked like being a soggy Christmas for some as rising floodwaters threatened to disrupt the festive period.
Tewkesbury Abbey, which has regularly been affected by flooding, was one building to be encircled by water as it prepared for the Christmas season.
The Severn was also causing concern in Ironbridge, where flood barriers were being raised to try and contain the risk at the heritage site.
Children’s playground equipment pokes out from floodwater surrounding Tewkesbury Abbey (Ben Birchall/PA)
Flood watches are in place at Tewkesbury Abbey (Ben Birchall/PA)
So will be a white Christmas? Heavy snow blankets Durham with temperatures set to plunge to just 4C this week in the south as Met Office issues weather warnings for floods and strong winds
After an unsettled week Christmas morning forecast to have a cold and frosty start, reaching lows of -1C (30F)
Today will see heavy rain affecting parts of England and Wales, with Yellow national severe weather warning
Christmas Eve, tomorrow, will see rain early on in the south before skies dry up making way for sunny spells