Brits are being warned to brace themselves for a chilly start to the new year, with an Arctic blast to bring freezing temperatures and snow heading towards the weekend. Temperatures will plummet from Thursday when it will feel much colder across the UK.
Sunny and clear conditions are expected on Thursday and Friday, with temperatures of around 3C and 4C, but snow and rain will then be blowing in to pummel Britain. Snow is expected to arrive in the Midlands from 7pm on Saturday, according to latest BBC weather forecasts.
Flurries are then forecast to continue into Sunday morning. Heavy rain is then due to follow, so any snow that has settled may not hang around for long. It could make conditions on roads and rail treacherous over the weekend.
READ MORE: All the cities in Britain set to wake up to snow on New Year’s Day
Don’t miss the biggest and breaking stories by signing up to the BirminghamLive newsletter here
A bitterly cold spell of weather is then expected to continue the following week. Daytime temperatures will struggle to climb above 3C on both Tuesday and Wednesday on what will be a freezing start to 2025.
It is expected to be sunny and clear most of the week from Monday – but that will also mean it will be bitterly cold. It will follow a wild start to 2025 in terms of the weather.
The new year festivities will come as heavy rain and winds of up to 70mph batter Britain. Met Office weather warnings are in place today and tomorrow for rain and wind across much of the country.
The weather agency said: “Unsettled end to 2024. Turning colder as we start 2025. A wet night (Tuesday) across northern and central England and Wales. Rain, sleet and snow also moving south across Scotland, with a few showers for Northern Ireland. Staying windy.
“A wet and windy New Year’s Day for much of England and Wales. Colder for Northern Ireland and Scotland, with a mix of sunshine and wintry showers.”