A WEATHER map has revealed the worst places to be out on New Year’s Eve at midnight – with firework displays in jeopardy – is your area on the list?
Brits have been told to brace for snow, 70mph winds and floods with the Met Office issuing five yellow weather warnings and one amber alert for rain.
Across the UK many firework displays to see in the bells have been scrapped in anticipation of the storms.
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations were today cancelled due to “extreme weather”.
Blackpool Council also today said it had made the “tough decision” to axe its New Year’s Eve fireworks display owing to the winds.
It comes as fears are growing London’s fireworks display could also be at risk.
A spokesman for Unique Assembly, which operates the Hogmanay festival, said: “We have unfortunately been unable to continue with preparations and necessary set-up for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay outdoor events due to extreme weather and forecast conditions.
“Therefore, for safety reasons we, along with our event partners, have taken the difficult decision to cancel all outdoor events.
“We know that this will be hugely disappointing to all hoping to celebrate Hogmanay in Edinburgh and that people travel from around the world to be here at the Home of Hogmanay.”
And a statement from Blackpool Council added: “Due to the forecast of high winds tomorrow evening, we have had to make the tough decision to cancel the fireworks display this year.”
Almost every part of the country is covered by at least one of the multiple weather warnings that have been issued by the Met Office between today and Thursday.
There is an amber alert for rain covering parts of northern Scotland including inverness and Fort William.
It comes into place at midnight tomorrow and ends at 5pm.
In the same areas there is also a yellow weather warning for rain and snow from midnight today until just before 12am tomorrow.
This notice stretches out wider than the amber alert, reaching the whole of the Scottish Highlands as far down as Glasgow.
Met Office spokesman Oli Claydon said: “There will be pretty severe weather from that rain over the next 48 hours.”
He also advised residents to check flood alerts on the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) website.
Cordelia Menmuir, Sepa’s duty flood manager, said: “Extremely high water levels are expected in Speyside, the Great Glen and Tayside, resulting in disruptions to transport and to communities. It is possible we could see similar levels to those experienced in early October 2023, when places like Aviemore and Perth were severely affected.
“We’re likely to see extensive river and surface water flooding impacts across these areas. We’re already seeing impacts on the road and rail network, and further rain will only exacerbate this.
“We urge people living, working and visiting in the affected areas to consider any steps you need to take now to be prepared for flooding impacts. Consider whether your journey is necessary.”
Further north, the Orkney Islands are also subject to a yellow snow warning from 5am tomorrow until midnight.
Up to 20cm of snow may blanket areas of higher ground while strong winds have the potential to “exacerbate impacts”, creating “blizzard conditions” which could freeze powerlines.
Meanwhile a yellow wind alert is due to affect Scotland and northern England from 7am tomorrow until 11pm.
Another wind warning of the same category has been placed across much of Northern Ireland, including Londonderry, Tyrone, Antrim and Armagh, from 6am until 2pm tomorrow.
On New Year’s Eve, delays to all types of transport are “likely” as strong winds persist and may reach speeds of up to 70mph in England and Northern Ireland, the Met Office warned.
Gusts of 50 to 60 mph are expected, perhaps reaching 70 mph in a few exposed areas.
Moving south, the Met Office have issued a yellow warning for rain across the coast of north west England and Wales, from Manchester to Cardiff.
It is active from 6pm tomorrow until 6pm on Wednesday.
Stefan Laeger, flood duty manager at the Environment Agency, said: “Heavy and persistent rain means river levels could be high across parts of the Midlands and the North of England on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, when significant inland flooding is possible but not expected.
“Environment Agency teams will be out on the ground, taking action to reduce the impact of flooding and support those communities affected.
“We advise people to stay away from swollen rivers and urge people not to drive through flood water as just 30cm of flowing water is enough to move your car.”
Senior Met Office forecaster Craig Snell added: “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.
“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.”
“To the south, we will see some rain later on New Year’s Eve, but it shouldn’t cause too many problems, apart from if you’re out celebrating – you might get a bit damp.”
He continued: “The main bit of advice from the Met Office over the coming days is, with the celebrations and people on the move throughout the new year and Hogmanay period, is the keep checking the forecast and to stay up to date with that.”
Those with travel plans should allow extra time for journeys and keep updated with flood alerts and warnings, Mr Snell said.
“With the multiple hazards going on across the UK, I think we can probably expect some travel delays right across the UK,” he added.
FIREWORK displays for New Year's Eve could be in jeopardy - including in London where 45mph winds are forecast.
Fireworks expert Stephen Miller – whose firm consults on spectacular displays nation-wide – revealed the issues organisers will be facing in the coming hours.
A firework display health and safety consultant for Bromley Council for over 25 years, Mr Miller said there’s a chance the more hazardous effects may have to be cut if the weather keeps up.
The Met Office is forecasting snow, torrential rain and severe winds in parts of the UK as the New Year is ushered in.
London could see 45mph wind gusts on Tuesday night – while other areas are facing winds of up to 70mph, the Met Office says.
A spokesperson for Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said they “continue to monitor the weather forecast closely”.
Former MOD research scientist and bomb disposal engineer Mr Miller told The Sun the most important aspect that determines whether a display can go ahead in full is wind speed.
And it could be wind speed – coupled with rain – that forces the most spectacular fireworks in London’s display off.
He said if the wind in London gets “particularly strong” then organisers would have to “cut down on the major effects”.
“They’re the ones that are going to be the major hazards,” he continued.
“They’re the most spectacular but they’re the most dangerous because there’s a bigger bang and projection of fragmentation. If there is a risk you cut out the bigger fireworks.”
In terms of whether heavy rain is likely to have an impact, he said: “It would have to be absolutely torrential.”
It comes as Gatwick and Edinburgh were among the busiest airports last night to see flights axed due to the severe fog which has plagued the UK for days.
Restrictions remain in place at Gatwick for a fourth day with more than 20 flights cancelled.
Scotland will be hit first by the turbulent weather, with “pulses of rain” and snow today, meanwhile, northern England will be battered by blustery conditions, including gusts of up to 60mph, according to the Met Office.
A weather warning is in place today where strong winds were expected to impact travellers between 11am and 6pm in areas including Durham, Northumberland, Cumbria and North Yorkshire.
In southern England and Wales, highs of 10 to 12C were predicted along with a calmer day overall, including “glimmers of sunshine”, the weather service said.
The new year will be off to a turbulent start with separate weather warnings in place for snow, wind and rain on January 1.
Up to 25cm of snow could fall in the worst affected areas, including Central Tayside and Fife, the East Midlands, northern England and the Lothian borders.
Temperatures on New Year’s Day are expected to reach between 10 to 12C in southern England with chillier conditions of around 5 to 7C further north.
The remainder of the week will be much colder, with widespread frost across the country predicted on Thursday night, the forecaster added.
