West Midlands residents are bracing for strong winds after a yellow warning was issued

The Met Office has issued a series of yellow weather warnings as part of the National Severe Weather Warning Service (NSWWS), valid from Monday 30 December until Thursday 2 January 2025.

New Year’s Day begins with snowfall across parts of Northern Ireland, southern Scotland and northern England as a low pressure area moves eastwards across the UK, encountering colder air.

Even as the heaviest snowfall is expected in Scotland, forecasters warn that the West Midlands could experience persistent rainfall and gusty winds during this period, causing localized flooding and traffic disruptions.

Areas across England and Wales are under a NSWWS yellow wind warning for both Wednesday and Thursday. This warning indicates possible wind gusts of up to 65-75 mph in exposed locations.

Andy Page is chief forecaster at the Met Office. He said: “There is a very complicated weather forecast for the UK with snow, strong winds and heavy rain for parts of the UK.

“Almost the entire UK will be covered by at least one weather warning over the coming week. With such a diverse and complex weather situation, there is the potential for the pattern of warnings to shift and potentially escalate in some areas.”

“With so much celebration and people out and about in the coming days, we urge everyone to continue to check the weather forecast so they can update their plans.”