New Year’s Eve Travel at Risk as UK Braces for Snow, Strong Winds

The Met Office has advised travellers to allow extra time for journeys and to amend travel plans if necessary.

Heavy snow makes driving conditions treacherous in Huddersfield, England, on Dec. 29, 2017. Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

The UK faces an unsettled beginning to 2025, with forecasts of heavy snow, rain, and strong winds likely to disrupt travel on New Year’s Eve.

Yellow warnings, issued by the Met Office for Scotland and northern England on Monday, indicate a risk of significant disruption in the build-up to New Year due to heavy rain and snow.

Further travel disruption and an amber warning for Dec. 31 means that households and businesses in Scotland may be flooded and some buildings damaged.

“Moving into New Year’s Eve, another system moves in from the Atlantic, again, Scotland bearing the brunt of this one with some further heavy rain and snow and strong winds,” Senior Met Office forecaster Craig Snell said. “The winds also picking up for Northern Ireland and northern England through New Year’s Eve as well, with rain arriving into that part of the world—basically quite an unsettled last day of the year for the northern half of the UK.”

Currently, yellow warnings are also projected for the first two days of 2025. The Met Office advised people to stay up to date with the forecast throughout the New Year and Hogmanay periods.

Chief forecaster with the Met Office, Andy Page, said that almost the entire UK is covered by at least one weather warning during the coming week.

“With such a varied and complex weather situation there is potential for the pattern of warnings to shift and possibly escalate in some areas,” Page said. “With lots of celebrations and people on the move over the coming days, we are urging everyone to keep checking the forecast so they can update their plans.”

Travel Plans

With flood alerts and warnings in place, the Met Office has advised those with travel plans to allow extra time for journeys.

“With the multiple hazards going on across the UK, I think we can probably expect some travel delays right across the UK,” Snell said.

The public should look out for road closures and difficult driving conditions. Elsewhere, train and bus services may experience delays and some cancellations.

On Monday, National Highways reported the closure of the A66 in both directions—between the M6 in Penrith, Cumbria, and the A1(M) Scotch Corner in North Yorkshire—to high-sided and vulnerable vehicles due to strong winds.

Road users wishing to travel across the Pennines have been advised to plan ahead and consider alternate routes such as the A69.

National Rail warned that poor weather may affect travel until Jan. 2 and advised the public to monitor updates by train operators.

Sailings between Douglas and Heysham are at risk of disruption, according to the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company.

Winds, Cold

A turbulent start to the new year could see up to 25cm of snow cover the worst affected areas, including Central Tayside and Fife, the East Midlands, northern England, and the Lothian borders, according to the Met Office.

Met Office deputy chief forecaster Tony Wisson said that parts of Northern Ireland, southern Scotland, and northern England could see 10-15cm of snowfall, “with larger amounts over the higher hills, and with associated strong winds we could see drifting snow in some parts.”

Wednesday and Thursday morning across England and Wales will be marked by strong winds of up to 60mph. Gusts of 75mph are likely around coastal areas and hills, the Met Office warned.

Residents are advised to check for loose items outside their homes and plan how to secure them.

On New Year’s Day, temperatures in southern England are forecast to range between 10 and 12 degrees Celsius, while northern areas will experience cooler conditions around 5 to 7 degrees Celsius.

Later in the week, the weather is expected to turn much colder, with widespread frost predicted across the country by Thursday night, according to the forecaster.

PA Media contributed to this report.