New Year’s Day weather forecast revealed as Met Office issues SNOW warning for parts of UK – check map to see locations

THE Met Office has revealed its New Year's Day weather forecast - after issuing a snow warning for parts of the UK.

New Year's Day will see rain pushing south-eastwards across Britain, followed by a cold northerly wind.

Showers of rain and sleet will turn increasingly to snow, especially across the north.

This cold, showery northerly wind may persist for a few days, forecasters said.

High pressure will build from the west, bringing a period of more settled weather.

Although it will feel cold at first, temperatures will gradually recover to nearer average for the time of year, perhaps even mild.

The wettest and windiest weather will be in the north and west, while the south and east will probably remain more settled overall.

Met Office expert Tony Wisson said: "Wintry showers are likely to be a feature of the forecast as a cold northerly flow becomes established."

A yellow rain and snow warning will be in force for most of Scotland for the whole of Monday, December 30.

The warning will last until one minute before midnight on New Year's Eve - expiring just before the start of 2025.

Forecasters said fast flowing or deep floodwater is possible, posing a "danger to life".

A whopping 140mm of rain and 20cm of snow could fall in the warning zone.

The warning applies to the Scottish mainland from Kilmarnock and Edinburgh north, and the Western Isles.

Snow is also "likely" to fall on higher ground in and around Perthshire.

Strong winds could unleash blizzards in some areas, particularly over higher ground and across much of Sutherland and Caithness.

Spray and flooding will lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures.

Travellers face longer journey times on road, bus and train services and some communities may be cut off altogether.

Homes and businesses could be flooded, causing damage to some buildings.

Power cuts may occur and other services, such as mobile phone coverage, may be affected.

Delays or cancellations to train and bus services are possible from rain or snow.

Scottish first minister John Swinney said: "We have yellow weather warnings for rain, predominantly, over most of Scotland, for Monday and Tuesday.

"They may well have an effect on some of the outdoor events that are taking their course.

"We're obviously at the vagaries of the weather this time of year, it's an inevitable feature we've got to wrestle with.

"But the resilience planning is undertaken across Government on a daily basis.

"We are looking ahead to the events around about Hogmanay to make sure that everybody can enjoy the festivities but be safe in the process.

"I would urge members of the public to follow all of the warnings because they will develop over the course of the next few days."

Swinney added: "It's vital that all of us pay close attention to those warnings."

A yellow wind warning will also cover Durham, Northumberland, Cumbria and North Yorkshire from 11am until 6pm on December 30.

Bus and train services will probably affected, with some journeys taking longer

Some delays to road and rail transport are likely along with delays for high-sided vehicles on exposed routes.

Short term loss of power and other services is also possible, forecasters said.