Stormy Start to 2024: UK Faces Wet, Windy, and Wintry Weather
A powerful jet stream is hammering the UK with a series of low-pressure systems from the Atlantic. This means wet, windy weather is here to stay for several days. The Met Office has issued multiple weather warnings for rain, snow, ice, and strong winds.
Met Office Warns of Unsettled New Year Weekend
Deputy Chief Meteorologist Helen Caughey said, “It’ll be an unsettled New Year weekend for much of the UK. New Year’s Eve will be the wetter day, with several fronts bringing rain and gusty winds nationwide. This wet and windy weather will continue into the evening.”
Scotland will mostly dodge the worst on New Year’s Eve, with just a few showers early on. But a persistent band of rain and hill snow is set to move in later. New Year’s Day looks mixed, with much of the wet, snowy action shifting further north. Southern England will stay relatively mild, but the north faces a chill with icy patches on Sunday morning.
Elsewhere across the UK, it should be drier on New Year’s Day, although some western areas will see showers. By Monday, conditions are expected to become more settled.
Bitter Split in Weather Next Week
The outlook for next week points to a weather tug-of-war. High pressure will cling stubbornly to the south, bringing calmer, drier days there. Meanwhile, low pressure to the north will deliver more unsettled spells across northern parts, with showers, stronger winds, and bouts of rain.
Details on how far south and east the wet and windy weather will creep remain uncertain. Forecasters say confidence in the exact split will improve over the coming days.
