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A mix of snow, rain and strong winds will hit the UK, cause great disturbances on New Year’s Eve and for most of next week.
The The Met Office has issued multiple weather warnings between Monday and Thursday, with u at least one warning affecting almost the entire country.
Met Office chief forecaster Andy Page said the forecast for the coming week was “complicated” and urged people to check the forecast regularly to update their plans.
He said: “Nearly the whole of the UK is covered by at least one weather warning over the next week.
“With such a diverse and complex weather situation, there is the potential for the warning pattern to change and possibly escalate in some areas.
“With lots of celebrations and people on the move in the coming days, we urge everyone to keep checking the forecast to update their plans.”
On the eve of New Year’s celebrations, a wind warning is in effect on monday where gusts of up to 60mph could affect commuters between 11am and 6pm in areas including Durham, Northumberland, Cumbria and North Yorkshire, the Met Office said.
In England and Northern Ireland, gusts of up to 70mph could disrupt travel on December 31, with possible delays to road, rail, air and ferry transport.
The wind warning is in place from 7am until 11pm on Tuesday and covers much of Northern Ireland, including Londonderry, Tyrone, Antrim and Armagh, as well as north of York in England to Glasgow, Edinburgh and Greenock.
Heavy showers and snowfall could cause “significant disruption” across northern Scotland, with up to 140mm of rain expected on Monday and Tuesday.
Up to 20cm of snow could cover areas of higher ground, while high winds have the potential to “amplify the impact”, creating “blizzard conditions” that could freeze power lines.
A warning has also been issued for “persistent snow” likely to cause road disruptions in Orkney and Shetland from 5am on Tuesday.
The new year will get off to a turbulent start with special weather warnings for snow, wind and rain on January 1.
The worst affected areas could be covered in up to 25cm of snow, including Central Tayside and Fife, the East Midlands, northern England and the borders of Lothian.
Very strong winds of up to 60mph are forecast across England and Wales from Wednesday into Thursday morning, with gusts of 75mph possible around coastal areas and hills, the Met Office said.
A wind advisory is in effect from 9 a.m. Wednesday until 6 a.m. Thursday.
Those hoping to travel on New Year’s Day should check road conditions and public transport updates before embarking on their journey.
Residents should prepare by checking outside their homes for odd items and planning how to secure them, the forecaster warned.
Wales is set for a wet start to the New Year with up to 60mm of rain likely to drench most of the country, causing road transport delays, potential power cuts and flooding.
This comes after a thick fog has descended on the UK for a few days, causing the trip to be interrupted at some of the busiest airports in the country.
Saturday flights at Stansted Airport were affected by cloudy conditions, while live departure boards showed delays at Heathrow, Luton, Gatwick and Manchester airports.
Gatwick Airport continues to experience heavy delays on its busiest bank holiday day.