Wringing in the new year: expect rain, snow and wind

Britons are bracing for snowfall and a sharp drop in temperatures, which are set to fall to -2C on New Year’s Eve in some places.

- JOE MIDDLETON and JABED AHMED

The Met Office has issued a yellow rain and snow warning that will be in force for the whole of today and tomorrow. It comes after severe fog caused travel chaos after Christmas, with dozens of flights delayed or cancelled across the UK.

The yellow warning covers large parts of Scotland, including Glasgow, Edinburgh, Perth, Inverness and Aberdeen. The forecaster said that today, in the north and east of Perthshire, precipitation is likely to fall as snow, especially over high ground, with 10cm to 20cm accumulating above 150-200 metres.

It added that 50 to 70mm of rain is possible over the two days in many areas, while some places may see between 100mm and 140mm – with these higher totals most likely over western Scotland. Some areas may also see snow, especially in northern Scotland and over high ground, while strong winds could bring further disruption, particularly on New Year’s Eve.

A yellow warning for “persistent snow” likely to cause travel disruption has been issued for Orkney and Shetland during Hogmanay.