New Year’s Eve festivities throughout the UK have been called off as the nation prepares for a blustery and rainy beginning to 2025.
Outdoor activities scheduled for 31 December as part of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay will no longer occur, while events on the 30th were also scrapped.
A representative stated that activities in the heart of the Scottish capital, including fireworks from the castle, cannot proceed “for public safety reasons” due to “strong winds and adverse weather conditions”.
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Meanwhile, the organizers of a planned fireworks show in Blackpool also announced its cancellation due to weather conditions.
Visit Blackpool confirmed that only the fireworks had been affected, and the rest of the New Year’s Eve Family Party will continue as scheduled, which includes complimentary ice skating and a projection light extravaganza.
Weather alerts are active for 31 December. Pic: Met Office
Another fireworks celebration in Ripon, North Yorkshire, also fell victim to the weather, with the council announcing on Facebook that the event in the Market Square was unable to proceed due to strong winds.
Additionally, a homemade boat race in Poole, a coastal dive in Lyme Regis, as well as firework displays on the Isle of Wight and at Newcastle’s Quayside, were all called off on Tuesday morning.
In London, the City Hall indicated that it is “keeping an eye on the weather” as tonight’s festivities approach.
Pic: PA
A surfer faces the waves. Pic: PA
Currently, there are no indications that any New Year’s Eve events in London will be cancelled, including the traditional fireworks at the London Eye situated on the South Bank of the River Thames.
Warnings for rain, wind, and snow
Four distinct weather alerts were issued across Scotland on Tuesday, among which is an amber warning for rain impacting the areas of Nairn, Badenoch, and Strathspey.
The Met Office has announced that showers are predicted to persist into the afternoon, with an additional rainfall of 50-70mm expected.
Although the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency has lowered the flooding risk in Highland communities after observing less rain overnight than anticipated, there are still 31 warnings and 10 flood alerts in effect as of Tuesday morning.
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Hogmanay event cancelled
Flood alerts have also been issued for certain regions in North Yorkshire, where elevated tides and fierce winds are anticipated to lead to substantial waves. Additionally, the Environment Agency has issued 11 further flood warnings across England.
Both Glasgow and Edinburgh are under a yellow wind alert until 11pm, which may result in delays affecting road, rail, air, and ferry transport, according to the Met Office.
ScotRail, the train operator, has cautioned that its services are experiencing disruptions due to speed constraints prompted by “extremely heavy rainfall”.
At least 11 train lines have been impacted, as reported by the ScotRail website, and 18 trains were cancelled on Tuesday morning.
Network Rail announced the closure of the Highland Main Line at Kingussie due to “increased severe rainfall experienced overnight”.
A yellow rain and snow warning stretches across almost the entirety of the country until midnight, while a snow warning is in effect for Orkney.
1 January weather warnings. Pic: Met Office
Certain areas in northern England are under a yellow wind alert from 7am until 11pm on New Year’s Eve, additionally, there is a separate wind warning in Northern Ireland from 6am until 2pm.
A 24-hour yellow rain warning will also be implemented across a large portion of Wales and northwest England beginning at 6pm on Tuesday.
‘Challenging days ahead’
As the clock strikes midnight in the UK, distinct warnings for wind and rain will be in effect on Wednesday.
Preparations for the New Year’s Eve fireworks display in central London. Pic: PA
Predicted winds of up to 60mph are expected to sweep across major parts of England and Wales throughout the day on January 1, with gusts potentially reaching 75mph along coastal and elevated regions, according to the Met Office.
The weather service also indicated that “the entire UK will face a transition to chillier conditions” on Thursday, with temperatures likely plummeting below freezing, with some areas in Scotland possibly nearing negative double digits.
A warning for snow and ice is in effect for January 2. Pic: Met Office
A yellow weather alert for snow and ice will take effect from midnight until 9am on January 2 across sections of the Scottish Highlands.
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According to Met Office meteorologist Craig Snell, “These coming days will be challenging, marked by wet and windy conditions for many as we enter the new year.”
“We advise anyone contemplating travel to stay informed with the weather updates and announcements from local authorities.”
