London: The UK is gearing up to enter the new year with a stormy start. Weather warnings have been issued across most of the country, and the Met Office is predicting gusty winds, heavy rains, and snowfall in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland until January 2, 2025.
Due to the weather warning, many New Year’s Eve gatherings on Tuesday for revellers to ring in the new year have been called off.
A wind warning was in effect for parts of Durham, Northumberland, Cumbria, and North Yorkshire on Monday. By Tuesday, the warning is expected to extend across more areas of north-east England and Cumbria, as well as southern Scotland – including Glasgow and Edinburgh – and much of Northern Ireland.
Regional Weather Alerts and Impacts
In England, four yellow warnings are currently in place. On 30 December, a wind warning was in affect for the North Pennines and Yorkshire Dales from 11 am to 6 pm (local time).
Another wind warning will come into effect at 7 a.m. on New Year’s Eve, covering northeast England, East Yorkshire, and the northwest. On 1 January, a warning for strong winds will apply to much of southern England and parts of the West Midlands.
Scotland is under five warnings, including an amber warning. Heavy rainfall and snow are now affecting almost all of Scotland, potentially causing flooding and travel disruption. A fresh snow warning is active for Orkney on New Year’s Eve (December 31), while central Scotland faces an amber warning for rainfall, which may lead to property flooding and further travel disruption.
Additionally, a heavy rain warning will be issued for parts of the northwest, including Manchester and Liverpool, from 6 am on December 31 to 6 am on January 1.
Events Cancelled Across the UK
Edinburgh’s New Year Hogmanay celebrations, which draw tens of thousands of revellers to the Scottish capital for street parties and fireworks, have been cancelled due to severe weather, organisers announced on Monday.
The Hogmanay Festival, a major attraction for both tourists and locals, typically features a torchlight procession, large street parties, live concerts, and a fireworks display over the castle. Indoor events will proceed as planned.
“Due to ongoing high winds and adverse weather in Edinburgh city centre, we regret to announce that outdoor events scheduled for tonight and 31 December cannot go ahead for public safety reasons,” organisers said in a statement.
Edinburgh’s street party, fireworks display, and outdoor concert have been cancelled for public safety following yellow wind and rain warnings from the Met Office.
Indoor events, such as the candlelit concert at St Giles’ Cathedral, are set to proceed as planned. Several pubs and cafes in Scotland that function indoors have vowed to continue with New Year’s Eve parties as planned following the cancellation of outdoor festivities.
In Blackpool, the annual seaside fireworks display to celebrate the New Year has been cancelled due to the forecasted strong winds.
Meanwhile, in London, City Hall stated it is monitoring the weather forecast ahead of the capital’s sold-out New Year’s Eve display.
