A snow blast looks set to hit the UK by New Year’s Day (Image: Getty/WX Charts)
Twenty counties in the UK look set for on New Year’s Day, according to the latest .
The has already issued a yellow weather warning for heavy rain across the whole of Scotland on December 30 and into New Year’s Eve, threatening “significant disruption”.
But weather maps generated on Friday (December 27) show snow moving across a swathe of northern Britain soon after. Maps show counties in Scotland, Northern Ireland and England affected at midday on January 1.
The counties in Scotland which may see a dusting are: the Scottish Highlands, Moray, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Perth & Kinross, Stirling, Argyll & Bute, North Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, North Lanarkshire, East Lothian, Scottish Borders, Glasgow City, Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire.
Meanwhile, in England, parts of Cumbria and Northumberland could also see snow, while in Northern Ireland, Londonderry and Antrim may see snowfall, too, if WX Charts’ maps prove to be correct this far out.
This map shows up to 1cm of snow per hour over parts of northern Britain at midday on January 1 (Image: WX Charts)
This map shows a greater probability of snow further north at midnight on January 2 (Image: WX Charts)
Snow might last into January 2 as well, with one of WX Charts’ snow probability maps showing a greater risk the further north you are. There’s an 80% probability in northern Scotland at midnight on January 2, but this reduces the further south you go, with just a 15-20% chance in southern England.
The has already warned snow may present an extra hazard in the north of Scotland and over higher ground between midnight on Monday (December 30) and midnight on Tuesday (December 31).
Its yellow weather warning says 50-70mm of rain is possible over the two days in many areas, while some places may see 100-140mm – these higher totals are most likely over western Scotland.
meteorologist Simon Partridge said: “As we head towards new year, particularly for New Year’s Eve, it looks like there could be some wet and rather windy weather, particularly across Scotland, which is not ideal considering that’s the place that really goes to town for New Year’s Eve.”
New Year’s Day look set to be a chilly one as well, with -4C in parts of the Scottish Highlands, -2C around Edinburgh, 0C in the Pennines, 4C in the Midlands, 1C in west Wales and 5-9C in southern England at 6pm, according to WX Charts.
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This map shows snow in north Wales, eastern Scotland and parts of northern England on January 1 (Image: WX Charts)
This map shows a mix of snow and rain over northern Britain at 6pm on January 1 (Image: WX Charts)
Met Office UK five day weather forecast
Friday, December 27 – Tuesday, December 31
Headline: Cloudy and mild over the next few days.
Today will be cloudy for most with mist and fog patches in England and Wales lasting all day in some places. Parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland will see rain, but it will be brighter and chilly in the far northwest with isolated showers.
Tonight will see thick cloud continue across much of the UK, with mist and fog lingering in England and Wales. There will be patchy rain in Scotland and Northern Ireland, but it will be drier in the far northwest.
It will be a cloudy and murky start in England and Wales on Saturday, with rain in the northwest slowly clearing southeastwards. Sunny spells and blustery showers will follow behind.
The outlook for Sunday to Tuesday is for things to turn brighter, but colder, with blustery showers and later rain and hill snow in the north as head into the new week.