UK: Rain, clouds to put damper on New Year’s Eve festivities

By Kristina Pydynowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

December 28,2016, 12:29:57PM,EST

 

 

While the weather will be calm for most of the week across the United Kingdom, unsettled conditions will return in time for New Year's celebrations.
A cold front will drop southward across the U.K. with a bout of rain starting Saturday.

The front will sweep away the settled weather pattern with areas of fog and reduced visibility.
Fog during the midweek caused dozens of flights to be delayed or canceled and led to traffic accidents, according to Guardian News.
Travel will continue to be impacted through the week and into New Years Eve due to low cloud.
The greatest chance for rain to put a damper on New Year’s Eve festivities on Saturday evening will be in Northern Ireland, southern Scotland and northern England.
This includes Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations and the New Year’s Eve winter carnival and fireworks in Newcastle upon Tyne.
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The front’s pace through the northern U.K. will determine in exactly which cities revelers will need brollies. The rain also could spoil fireworks displays.
In the wake of the front and its rain, odd showers will dot northern Scotland as brisk winds usher colder air southward. The showers will be wintry in the hills.
The rain should wait until later at night or New Year’s Day to reach Wales and southern England, allowing revelers in London or Cardiff to leave brollies at home.

Fireworks explode over the River Thames and the Palace of Westminster's Elizabeth Tower, known as Big Ben, during the New Year's Day celebrations in London, Friday, Jan. 1,2016. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

However, low-hanging cloud could still be holding stubbornly overhead on New Year’s Eve. It is not out of the question for odd drizzle to lightly dampen a few communities along the western coast.
If the cloud is hanging low enough in the sky, the highest-shooting fireworks set to ignite from London Eye could be obscured. In addition, the higher humidity in the atmosphere could dull the colours.
Otherwise, temperatures will be near to slightly above normal for New Year’s Eve across the southern U.K. and generally range from 5-8 C (41-47 F).