“It certainly looks like we are in for a taste of ‘winter’ as we welcome in the New Year,” said the Met Office’s Mark Sidaway, as Arctic air drops in behind tonight’s celebrations. Yellow warnings stretch into the first week of January.

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for snow and ice across large parts of England and Wales from 00:00 to 12:00 on Friday 2 January, with forecasters flagging 2–5cm for some areas and more on higher ground. Separate yellow warnings cover Northern Ireland from 00:00 to 10:00 on Friday and northern Scotland from 06:00 on Thursday through to late Friday. Expect longer journeys and some disruption.

For Northern England, the warning area reaches into Cheshire and Greater Manchester and down to the Midlands and the South East. The advice is straightforward: plan extra time, dress for sub‑zero windchill and assume minor roads and untreated pavements will be slippy in the morning.

Rail operators are trimming and tweaking timetables tonight and into New Year’s Day. Northern says most services run to weekday timings on 31 December but last departures are around 21:00, with a revised start‑up on Thursday and engineering work affecting Leeds–York/Selby; “check before you travel,” urged chief operating officer Matt Rice.

In Scotland, ScotRail confirms last trains on Hogmanay depart earlier than normal and there are no services on New Year’s Day, with a later start on Friday 2 January. If you’re crossing the Central Belt tonight, build in a margin.

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is back after last year’s washout. Organisers say they’ll use some of the fireworks purchased for the cancelled 2024 event, while Titanium Fireworks told BBC Scotland to expect a six‑minute midnight display with around 10,000 effects and a bespoke soundtrack.

Coastal Aberdeenshire keeps its tradition too: Stonehaven’s midnight fireballs are set to go ahead, with about 40 swingers on the High Street and an immediate harbour fireworks finale. Crowds of up to 10,000 are expected-arrive early as gates close at capacity, usually by 23:40.

Health officials have escalated the cold‑weather response. UKHSA’s amber cold‑health alerts are now active across all of England from 20:00 on 31 December until 10:00 on 6 January, warning of increased risks for older and clinically vulnerable people and pressure on health and care services.

Forecasters also flag a burst of strong northerly winds in the far north: a separate yellow wind warning covers the Northern Isles and the northernmost mainland from 20:00 on Wednesday 31 December to 09:00 on Thursday 1 January. On Friday, snow showers push across Northern Ireland, Wales, northwest England, the Midlands and into the South.

If you’re heading south for the capital’s countdown, City Hall says tickets for the Thames fireworks are sold out and the Met warns: “Do not try to come… without a ticket.” Primrose Hill is also closed from 20:00 on 30 December until 06:00 on 1 January. Some operators will run extra post‑midnight trains from central London, but always check live updates.

The Met Office has a stark safety note for the morning after: as sleet and snow clear, icy surfaces form quickly and slips, trips and collisions rise-take it steady on untreated paths and side streets. Keep an eye on neighbours who might struggle with the cold, and plan journeys around the worst of Friday’s showers.