Snow is forecast on New Year’s Day with temperatures expected to drop significantly in the coming days – a stark contrast to the mild Christmas Day many regions saw
Snow will blanket most of the country on New Year’s Day, forecasters say.
Weather maps issued by meteorologists with Ventusky show a white hue covering the majority of the UK at various times across Wednesday. The heaviest of the deluge is thought to happen throughout the afternoon across Yorkshire, however Scotland will see significant snowfall on New Year’s Eve too, the Met Office said.
Temperatures are set to tumble to -7C on Wednesday, a 17C drop from Friday’s 10.5C recorded in Drumnadrochit, Scottish Highlands, and an even greater plunge from the balmy 12.1C experienced in Lake Vyrnwy, Powys.
Ventusky says it means snow could be heavy on Wednesday, particularly across West Yorkshire. More than 20cm (7.8 inches) is expected across the the Peak District. Similar levels are anticipated across East Yorkshire and around the Humber Estuary later in the day, the weather maps show.
The Met Office has a rain and snow weather warning in place – but this ends minutes before the gong on New Year’s Eve. It covers most of Scotland, including Glasgow and Edinburgh. These areas will also be impacted by snow into Wednesday but Ventusky has stronger concerns for England and Wales.
“Wintry showers are likely to be a feature of the forecast as a cold northerly flow becomes established,” said Tony Wisson, a deputy chief meteorologist at the Met Office, which says the weather will remain unsettled into 2025.
The snow will linger throughout Wednesday evening, potentially falling as far south as Wiltshire. It eventually clears to the east, but temperatures will remain cold. Here, the Mirror lists each county expected to see snowfall on New Year’s Day – and when exactly to look out for it.
Full list of counties/council areas likely to see snow on New Year’s Day
- Aberdeen City – throughout the early hours of New Year’s Day
- Aberdeenshire – throughout the early hours of New Year’s Day
- Argyll and Bute – throughout the early hours of New Year’s Day
- Bedfordshire – during the evening
- Blaenau Gwent – during the evening
- Bridgend – during the evening
- Buckinghamshire – during the evening
- Caerphilly – during the evening
- Cambridgeshire – the western and northern tips of the county will see flurries in the evening
- Carmarthenshire – during the evening
- Ceredigion – during the evening
- Cheshire – from around midday, and heaviest at around 3pm
- Conwy – from around midday, and heaviest at around 3pm
- County Down – flurries in the morning
- County Durham – throughout the afternoon, heavy at times
- Cumbria – throughout the afternoon, heavy at times
- Denbighshire – from around midday
- Derbyshire – from around midday and particularly heavy across the Peak District as the afternoon progresses
- East Yorkshire – throughout the afternoon, heavy at times
- Edinburgh City – throughout the early hours
- Fife – throughout the early hours
- Flintshire – during the morning, heavy around noon
- Glasgow City – throughout the early hours
- Gloucestershire – throughout the evening
- Greater Manchester – from midday, heavy after 2pm
- Gwynedd – during the morning
- Herefordshire – throughout the afternoon
- Isle of Anglesey – during the morning
- Isle of Man – flurries in the morning
- Lancashire – from around midday
- Leicestershire – throughout the evening
- Lincolnshire – throughout the evening
- Merseyside – throughout the afternoon, heavy at times
- Merthyr Tydfil – during the evening
- Monmouthshire – during the evening
- Moray – throughout the early hours
- Neath Port Talbot – during the evening
- Newport – flurries during the evening in the north of the patch
- North Yorkshire – throughout the afternoon, heavy at times
- Northamptonshire – during the evening
- Northumberland – throughout the afternoon, heavy at times
- Nottinghamshire – throughout the afternoon
- Orkney – throughout the early hours
- Outer Hebrides – throughout the early hours
- Oxfordshire – flurries in the north of the patch in the evening
- Pembrokeshire – flurries in the evening
- Perth and Kinross – throughout the early hours
- Powys – throughout the afternoon
- Rhondda Cynon Taf – during the evening
- Rutland – during the evening
- Scottish Borders – throughout the early hours
- Scottish Highlands – throughout the early hours
- Shetland – throughout the early hours
- Shropshire – from noon, heavy over higher ground
- South Yorkshire – from noon, particularly heavy after around 2pm
- Staffordshire – throughout the afternoon
- Swansea – flurries in the evening
- Torfaen – flurries in the evening
- Tyne and Wear – light snow during the evening
- Warwickshire – during the evening
- West Midlands – during the evening
- West Yorkshire – from midday, particularly heavy in the afternoon
- Wiltshire – flurries in the evening
- Worcestershire – during the evening
- Wrexham – from noon
