The UK is set for a wintery start to 2025, with the Met Office predicting heavy snow, rain, and wind that could wreck New Year’s Eve travel plans.

Weather warnings blanket the nation from Monday to Thursday, as the Met Office alerted the public to potential disruptions.

Scotland will face the initial brunt of the stormy conditions, expecting “pulses of rain” and snowfall on Monday, while northern England prepares for strong winds reaching 60mph.

Monday sees a weather warning for strong winds, potentially affecting journeys between 11am and 6pm in Durham, Northumberland, Cumbria, and North Yorkshire.

In contrast, southern England and Wales are forecasted to enjoy milder temperatures of 10 to 12C and a relatively peaceful day with possible “glimmers of sunshine”.

As New Year’s Eve approaches, transport delays across various modes are “likely” due to persistent strong winds, which may hit speeds of 70mph in parts of England and Northern Ireland.

An alert for wind on Tuesday has been issued from 7am until 11pm It encompasses much of Northern Ireland, including Londonderry, Tyrone, Antrim, and Armagh, and extends from just north of York in England to Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Greenock.

Hogmanay celebrations in northern Scotland could be dampened by heavy showers and snow, threatening “significant disruption”, with rainfall predictions of up to 140mm on Monday and Tuesday.

Areas of higher ground in the UK are bracing for up to 20cm of snow, with strong winds threatening to create “blizzard conditions” and potentially freeze powerlines.

Orkney and Shetland are on alert for “persistent snow” from 5am Tuesday, which could wreak havoc on roads.

Craig Snell, a senior Met Office forecaster, said: “Moving into New Year’s Eve, another system moves in from the Atlantic, again, Scotland bearing the brunt of this one with some further heavy rain and snow and strong winds.”

He added: “The winds also picking up for Northern Ireland and northern England through New Year’s Eve as well, with rain arriving into that part of the world basically quite an unsettled last day of the year for the northern half of the UK.”

“For those in the south, expect some rain later on New Year’s Eve, but it shouldn’t cause too many problems, apart from if you’re out celebrating you might get a bit damp.”

“The main bit of advice from the Met Office over the coming days is, with the celebrations and people on the move throughout the new year and Hogmanay period, is the keep checking the forecast and to stay up to date with that.”

He also urged travellers to allow extra time for journeys and stay informed about flood alerts and warnings.

Mr Snell said: “With the multiple hazards going on across the UK, I think we can probably expect some travel delays right across the UK,” he added.

The A66 in Cumbria has been reopened to high-sided vehicles after being shut for several hours due to strong winds, while CalMac Ferries warned that services on Scotland’s west coast were either cancelled or at risk of disruption.

The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company stated it was monitoring conditions, and sailings between Douglas and Heysham could face disruption.

The new year is set to begin on a turbulent note, with separate weather warnings for snow, wind, and rain in place for January 1.

In the worst affected areas, including Central Tayside and Fife, the East Midlands, northern England and the Lothian borders, up to 25cm of snow could fall.

The Met Office has forecast very strong winds of up to 60mph across all of England and Wales throughout Wednesday and into Thursday morning, with gusts of 75mph likely around coastal areas and hills.

The alert for wind will be in effect from 9am on Wednesday until 6am on Thursday.

The Met Office has advised residents to prepare by checking for loose items outside their homes and planning how to secure them.

On New Year’s Day, temperatures are expected to reach between 10 to 12C in southern England, with chillier conditions of around 5 to 7C further north.

The forecaster added that the rest of the week will be much colder, with widespread frost predicted across the country on Thursday night.