Brits are bracing for a sharp drop in temperatures as snow is set to hit parts of the UK within days, bringing a bone-chilling -2°C New Year’s Eve for some.
According to the Met Office, the first snowflakes of the season will fall over northern Scotland on Monday, December 30, starting around 6 p.m. The snowfall is expected to intensify as the evening progresses, accompanied by hailstorms battering the region.
By midnight, snowfall rates in northern Scotland and the Scottish Highlands could reach up to four millimeters per hour, with Fort William and nearby areas also facing torrential rain and hail, peaking around 3 a.m.
Boxing Day forecasts will vary throughout the UK, with the south of England and Wales set to experience a misty start, while Scotland and Northern Ireland will see patches of heavy rain, particularly around Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Northern England will start misty but might enjoy some sunny spells by the afternoon.
Temperatures across the country are expected to remain around seasonal averages, with Scotland and Northern Ireland hovering at approximately 10°C.
The southwest coast of England, including Plymouth, may see similar highs, while much of England and Wales will stay around 8°C to 9°C. The Midlands, however, could drop to lows of 6°C.
However, temperatures are expected to plummet next week as New Year’s Eve approaches, with northern Scotland set to drop to -2°C while most of the country remains just above freezing level.
The north of England and the Midlands are expected to stay at around 4°C, with slightly higher temperatures expected further south. Coastal areas may reach as high as 7°C as the clock strikes midnight to welcome 2025.
This chilly forecast follows an unseasonably warm Christmas, with ‘exceptionally mild’ temperatures on Christmas Eve providing a stark contrast to the cold snap ahead. Forecasters predict the wintry weather will continue into the New Year, bringing a brisk and frosty start to 2025.
Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said: ‘Not a lot changes through the rest of this week and indeed this weekend, but as we move towards the New Year, we could see a change to cooler conditions and wetter conditions more widely.
‘There could be some heavy rain at times and there is an increasing chance of some snow – but it’s too early to say where that snow is going to fall.’
He said this year will be a ‘green Christmas’ as no snow or frost is expected anywhere in the country, and added: ‘So great news if you do have travel plans over the next few days, no weather warnings are expected, no disruptive weather – but, as I say, not great news if you want a festive feel and certainly no snow or frost on the way.
‘Christmas Eve has been very mild – we haven’t broken any records, but we did see a high temperature today of 14.8C in Aberdeen, which is exceptionally mild for Christmas Eve.
‘It’s going to stay very similar through the Christmas period, so Christmas Day will dawn cloudy and very mild once again.’
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