Met Office forecast: Snow set to batter UK as New Year brings wintry weather after 'mild' Christmas Day

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The UK is set to face a dramatic change in weather as snow, rain, and strong winds sweep across the country in the first week of the New Year.

According to the Met Office long-range forecast between December 31 and January 9, "an erratic change from the mild and largely settled conditions of the past few days” is on its way, with colder weather and wintry showers expected to affect large parts of the UK.

Scotland is already experiencing snow and strong winds, which are forecast to intensify and move southwards through the middle of the week. The Met Office predicts "a chance of snow to other parts of the UK, along with colder conditions more widely."

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While the wintry blast is likely to disrupt many regions, a period of more settled weather is expected later in the week. "A gradual recovery in temperatures to nearer average for the time of year, perhaps even mild," is predicted, offering some respite before further unsettled conditions return.

The UK is set to face a dramatic change in weather as snow, rain, and strong winds sweep across the country in the first week of the New Year.The UK is set to face a dramatic change in weather as snow, rain, and strong winds sweep across the country in the first week of the New Year.
The UK is set to face a dramatic change in weather as snow, rain, and strong winds sweep across the country in the first week of the New Year. | Getty Images

The north and west of the UK are expected to bear the brunt of the wettest and windiest weather, while the south and east will "probably remain more settled overall," according to the forecast. Confidence in the exact details remains low, but the Met Office advises people to prepare for potential travel disruptions and challenging conditions.

This follows a mild Christmas Day across much of the UK, but weather conditions are set to shift starting Boxing Day (December 26), with rainfall expected in central and southern Scotland as well as parts of Northern Ireland.

On Friday (December 27), patchy rain will persist in parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland, while the far northwest will see brighter but chilly conditions with isolated showers. By Saturday, colder temperatures will set in, bringing blustery showers, followed by rain and hill snow in the north on Sunday and Monday.

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