Hopes of a white Christmas are fading, with forecasters predicting the big day is more likely to be grey, damp and mild.

However, there are signs that the recent cold snap could be back by Hogmanay – only this time accompanied by the risk of high winds and snow.

It raises the prospect of disruption to New Year events and the threat of last-minute cancellations as the weather takes a turn for the worse.

In previous years, thousands of revellers gathering for celebrations in Scottish cities have been sent home at the last minute amid health and safety concerns caused by gale-force winds and freezing temperatures.

This year, Edinburgh’s famous street party is expected to attract 80,000 partygoers from around the world, with a concert starring Rag’n’Bone Man planned for Princes Street Gardens and a ceilidh in the Old Town area beneath the castle.

The event was scrapped in 2007 after winds of 60mph lashed the capital. Glasgow’s George Square party was also affected.

And Stirling’s Hogmanay party was ditched in 2014 after high winds raised concerns for the safety of revellers gathering at the castle esplanade.

Met Office forecaster Mark Wilson said: “The signs are it’s unlikely to be a widespread white Christmas, but it’s something we are continuing to monitor.

“It’s still too early to say but, as things stand at the moment, it’s looking less likely than a week or so ago, when it was very cold.”

The Met Office predicts that 2018 will kick off with more wind and unsettled conditions, below average temperatures and the likelihood of snow across northern parts of the UK.