Scotland in for 'erratic' New Year's weather as rain and 'severe' snow on the way

Lucy Farrell
·2-min read

Scots are being advised to prepare for New Year's chaos as the Met Office is predicting "hazardous" snow and "heavy" rain to close out 2024.

What started as a mild Christmas period is set to take a turn an "erratic" change as average temperatures and clear skies are to switch to rain, wind, and flurries of the white stuff.

The Met Office has issued a new yellow warning for rain that could bring disruption in the build up to New Year's. At the same time, its longrange forecast, which spans between Hogmanay and January 9, snow is also set to fall that will intensify by the first day of 2025.

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The latest yellow alert will start on Monday, December 30, at midnight and last until midnight on Tuesday, December 31. Covering much of the north, widespread totals of 50 to 70mm are possible over the two days, with some places perhaps seeing 100 to 140mm of rain, most likely in the west.

Met Office weather map
Scotland's Hogmanay weather is looking grim -Credit:Met Office

Flooding is a possibility especially in rural communities that risk becoming cut off, as fast moving floodwater may also cause traffic delays, as well as difficult driving conditions. Power outages are also possible, while snow could lead to hazards on higher grounds.

The long-range forecast predicts that snow will also be seen across Scotland which is to intensify as it moves southwards through the week, bringing snow and colder temperatures to other parts of the UK.

It states: "Rain, stronger winds and some snow already across Scotland may on Tuesday become more severe and start to push southwards through the middle part of next week, bringing a chance of snow to other parts of the UK, along with colder conditions more widely."

Looking further ahead, things are to become more settled by next week with a gradual return to near average temperatures, possibly becoming mild once more.

The longrange report adds: "Beyond this, a fairly changeable picture is most likely although confidence in details is, as usual at this range, very low. Wettest/windiest weather in the north and west, whilst the south and east will probably remain more settled overall."

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Scotland's new rain warning - areas affected

Central, Tayside & Fife

  • Angus

  • Clackmannanshire

  • Dundee

  • Falkirk

  • Fife

  • Perth and Kinross

  • Stirling

Grampian

  • Aberdeen

  • Aberdeenshire

  • Moray

Highlands & Eilean Siar

  • Na h-Eileanan Siar

  • Highland

SW Scotland, Lothian Borders

  • Dumfries and Galloway

  • East Lothian

  • Edinburgh

  • Midlothian Council

  • Scottish Borders

  • West Lothian

Strathclyde

  • Argyll and Bute

  • East Ayrshire

  • East Dunbartonshire

  • East Renfrewshire

  • Glasgow

  • Inverclyde

  • North Ayrshire

  • North Lanarkshire

  • Renfrewshire

  • South Ayrshire

  • South Lanarkshire

  • West Dunbartonshire

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