This one part of Spain forecast for a gloriously sunny 17C Christmas Day

A Spanish island loved by British tourists will be roasting more than just turkey on Christmas day - as high temperatures of 17C are being predicted

A record number of hotels are reportedly remaining open in Majorca over the festive season - and local forecasts suggest the island will enjoy sunshine from Christmas Day until December 29.

The island's capital, Palma, switched on its Christmas lights last weekend for a party featuring music, storytelling, theatre and acrobatics. The city also has a Christmas market at Plaza Mayor that remains open until January 7.

Visitors and locals alike look set to enjoy plenty of sunshine over the festive period. Local forecasts are predicting top temperatures of 17C, reports The Majorca Daily  Bulletin.

Weather forecaster Accuweather is forecasting highs of 16C in Palma on Christmas Day. It predicts the weather will be "mostly sunny" with light winds.

This is around average for Majorca on Christmas Day. In fact, it's actually slightly cooler than last year - when tempartures of 17C were recorded.

The Spanish celebrate Christmas, or Navidad, from December 24 to January 6 - which is Three Kings Day, or Epiphany. The night before this, January 5, is when the Three Wise Men bring gifts to children.

In towns and villages across the Majorca - there will be Three Kings parades on the Eve of Epiphany. In Palma, there will be a giant procession featuring 13 Christmas carnival floats and 41 dance troupes.

Meanwhile, the UK Met Office's long-range weather forecast suggests Britain could have a wet Christmas, with average temperatures for the time of year. The average maximum temperature for December in the UK is 7C.

In 2023, the UK experienced a mild Christmas Day with temperatures of 13–14°C in London and the southeast. This made it the mildest Christmas Day since 2016, when temperatures reached 15.1°C

The Met Office's long range forecats for the UK, between December 10 and December 24, reads: "The start of this period looks like being largely settled, with high pressure close to if not over the UK.

"However, as we move towards mid-December, there are signs that it will become less settled with west or northwesterly types preferred, These will bring some wetter and windier interludes with a risk of some snow, especially for hills in the north.

"These conditions may prevail into late December, although drier, more settled spells may also affect the UK at times, these probably more likely towards the south. Temperatures generally close to average through the period."