Arctic air will move south on New Year’s Day, bringing a sharp temperature drop and a run of Met Office yellow warnings for snow, ice and wind. In parallel, the UK Health Security Agency has escalated Cold‑Health Alerts to amber across every region of England from 20:00 on Wednesday 31 December until 10:00 on Tuesday 6 January, signalling sustained pressure on health and care services.
Yellow snow and ice warnings are scheduled across large parts of England and Wales from 00:00 to 12:00 on Friday 2 January, with similar warnings for Northern Ireland from 00:00 to 10:00 that morning and for northern Scotland from 06:00 on Thursday 1 January through to late on Friday. A separate yellow wind warning applies in Grampian, the Highlands and the Northern Isles from 21:00 on Wednesday 31 December to 09:00 on Thursday 1 January. The Met Office highlights likely transport delays and a risk of injuries from slips on untreated surfaces.
Transport operators are adjusting services around the peak periods. The Met Office advises travellers to expect longer journey times by road, bus and rail under snow and ice warnings. In London, National Rail has arranged additional overnight departures, including extra Elizabeth line services and a 01:39 last London Northwestern Railway train from Euston to Milton Keynes Central. Other operators will finish earlier than normal or run revised timetables.
For central London, the Metropolitan Police has confirmed a substantial New Year’s Eve operation and reiterated that the Mayor of London’s fireworks are strictly ticket‑only. The event is sold out; those without tickets will not be admitted at cordons around the viewing areas on the South Bank and Westminster.
Royal Parks have tightened access at common vantage points. Primrose Hill is closed from 20:00 on Tuesday 30 December and will reopen at 06:00 on Thursday 1 January; Royal Parks also stress there are no official viewing areas for the fireworks within their estates and have brought forward closures at several parks on New Year’s Eve.
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party remains scheduled with last entry at 23:00, a midnight fireworks moment above Edinburgh Castle from 00:00 to 00:10, and live performances across the arena. Organisers ask attendees to use their allocated entrances and follow steward directions given the expected crowds and low temperatures.
ScotRail services finish earlier than normal on Wednesday 31 December, there are no trains on New Year’s Day (Thursday 1 January 2026), and a revised timetable applies on Friday 2 January. Passengers are being advised to check journey planners before travelling.
Elsewhere in Scotland, the Stonehaven Fireballs ceremony is scheduled to start at midnight on 31 December on the High Street, with access closed once capacity is reached and a short fireworks display to follow. The event is free to attend and operates on a first‑come basis.
An amber Cold‑Health Alert indicates a likely, prolonged impact on health and social care, with increased risks for older people and those with cardiovascular or respiratory conditions. Under the Weather‑Health Alerting system, amber status prompts a coordinated response by the NHS, local authorities and voluntary groups to support vulnerable residents.
The Met Office expects the cold spell to persist into the first full week of January, with further warnings possible. Those attending events or travelling between Wednesday 31 December and Friday 2 January should monitor live Met Office alerts and operator updates, as timings and coverage of warnings may change with the forecast.