Met Office weather forecast New Year’s Eve 2022: latest outlook, what it means for NYE fireworks events

After the snow and ice in early December, the Met Office has revealed its UK weather outlook for the start of 2023
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The UK is now mere hours away from welcoming in 2023.

New Year’s Eve is one of the biggest celebrations of the year, with major firework displays across most of the country. NationalWorld has put together a quick guide on how to keep your pets calm for any worried cat or dog owners.

If you’re heading out to see the fireworks, you may be wondering what the Met Office weather forecast looks like. Given the UK has had all manner of weather conditions this year - from searing heat to freezing snow and ice - it’s been hard to know what to expect.

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What you might be surprised to hear is that the US bomb cyclone - the major snow and ice storm currently battering the USA - is set to influence our celebrations on 31 December.

So, what’s the latest Met Office weather forecast for New Year’s Eve - and what could it mean for fireworks displays? Here’s what you need to know.

New Year’s Eve fireworks displays could be disrupted by gusts (image: AFP/Getty Images)New Year’s Eve fireworks displays could be disrupted by gusts (image: AFP/Getty Images)
New Year’s Eve fireworks displays could be disrupted by gusts (image: AFP/Getty Images)

Weather forecast for the end of December

It has been an unsettled week of weather and the forecast does not look to be set to change between now and the end of 2022.

A major storm front has swept into the UK in the early hours of Friday (30 December). A Met Office amber weather warning for heavy rain is in place for parts of Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders until midday, with 40-50mm of rain predicted in total. There are warnings it could lead to major flooding.

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A yellow warning for rain is in place across much of southern Scotland until 2pm, while the Highlands and far North have a yellow warning for snow and ice until 9pm tonight.

Driving conditions may also be challenging across much of England and Wales until the afternoon, as a storm front moves across the country. Rain is likely to be especially heavy over the Penines, with sharp showers predicted to continue into the evening in the North of England and South of Scotland.

Driving conditions could become treacherous over the next few days (image: Getty Images)Driving conditions could become treacherous over the next few days (image: Getty Images)
Driving conditions could become treacherous over the next few days (image: Getty Images)

Temperatures are set to continue to be mild for most of the country, but will struggle to get above freezing in northern parts of Scotland.

The weather is being influenced by the US bomb cyclone. But meteorologist Simon Partridge said the impact on the UK would be “nowhere near” as significant as it has been on the US.

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“What effect [the bomb cyclone] has had is to strengthen the jet stream because the jet stream is basically driven by temperature differences,” he said. “So the starker the difference in temperature between the northern edge of it and southern edge, the stronger the jet stream becomes.”

He added that the knock-on effect for the UK is spells of wet and windy weather for another week or so.

What will New Year’s Eve weather be like?

New Year’s Eve itself looks like it could be a wet and windy one for most. Currently, no weather warnings are in place - although the situation could change.

Overnight, a band of windy, wet weather - including some torrential rainfall - will sweep in from the South West. Most of it should have cleared by 7am on Saturday (31 December) morning, although there is likely to still be rain in parts of the North West and North East of England, as well as the Scottish Borders throughout the morning.

Parts of Scotland were flooded on Friday after torrential downpours (image: PA)Parts of Scotland were flooded on Friday after torrential downpours (image: PA)
Parts of Scotland were flooded on Friday after torrential downpours (image: PA)
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From late morning onwards, another surge of heavy rain is likely to start making its way across the country from the South West. Much of England and Wales will see wet and windy weather throughout the rest of the day.

By 6pm, when the first fireworks displays are likely to begin, most of Wales, the South of England and the Midlands are likely to be seeing heavy rainfall. There could be showers elsewhere, particularly in Northern Ireland and Central Scotland.

As the evening progresses, this wet weather will move northwards up the spine of the UK. It will bring rainfall - some of it torrential - to the North East, North West and Scotland by midnight.

Christmas sales shoppers are set for a damp and windy few days (image: Getty Images)Christmas sales shoppers are set for a damp and windy few days (image: Getty Images)
Christmas sales shoppers are set for a damp and windy few days (image: Getty Images)

Winds could bring strong gusts of up to 40 miles-per-hour - especially in coastal areas along the Irish Sea and English Channel. These speeds could mean some fireworks displays are cancelled. Temperatures, however, will remain mild for most.

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By midnight, London looks set to be dry. It means the UK’s main New Year fireworks display should go ahead as planned. But if you’re planning to get there early, make sure you have a coat and an umbrella.

What will weather be like on New Year’s Day 2023?

At present, tne forecast for 1 January 2023 looks to be fairly dry for most. A band of rainfall will be moving northwards through Scotland throughout the morning.

Other than the possibility of the occasional sharp shower, the rest of the country could remain dry for the rest of the day. It should be a mild day for all but those in northern Scotland, with temperatures pushing double-figures in the South.

Bank holiday Monday (2 January) is also looking dry at the moment, although it looks set to be much colder than it has been of late with temperatures moving towards single figures as the day progresses. Meanwhile Tuesday (3 January) looks set to be a wet one for most of the UK.

Additional reporting by PA

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