Met Office and BBC give their predictions for new year

Nationally, forecasters say the end of 2025 will not be “particularly fantastic”, with temperatures of around 7-8C, but things will take a turn as 2026 arrives.

Northern parts of the country are expected to bear the brunt of the chillier conditions from New Year’s Day onwards.

The Met Office is forecasting Wednesday, New Year’s Eve, will see York having a maximum temperature of 5C, but it will be fine.

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Thursday, is forecasted to have a maximum 7C in York, with 0C and frost at night.

Friday is predicted to see a fine, cold day with a 3C maximum and -2C at night.

The BBC is forecasting 5C and fine on Wednesday, with 2C at night.

New Year’s Day will be 7C, with light rain, according to the BBC.

By the weekend, temperatures will drop to a maximum of 2C, with -3C frosts at night.

Next Tuesday the 6th, says the BBC, York could receive sleet and a maximum 3C.

Met Office forecaster Dan Stroud said: “We’re losing this sort of settled but chilly conditions, and bringing in something a little bit more showery with more wintry hazards in the forecast, particularly for the north of the country.”

An amber cold health alert has been issued for the North East and North West of England from 8pm on Sunday to 12pm on January 5.

Temperatures in these regions are expected to fall to around 3-5C.

The UKHSA has said the weather is “likely” to cause significant impacts across health and social care services, including a “rise in deaths” among those with health conditions or aged 65 or over.

The agency said the UK may also see “impacts on younger people” and said there will likely be an “increase in demand for health services” across the regions.

Other impacts include “temperatures inside places like hospitals and care homes dropping below the levels recommended for assessing health risks” and “challenges keeping indoor temperatures at the recommended 18C leading to more risk to vulnerable people”, the UKHSA said.

It also warned of staffing issues due to external factors such as travel delays, and said other sectors, such as transport and energy, could start to see the impacts.

The agency also issued a yellow cold health alert for the East Midlands, West Midlands, South East, South West, East of England, Yorkshire and the Humber, and London.

Temperatures are expected to fall to around 4-6C from New Year’s Day in areas where the yellow health alert is in place.

Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at UKHSA, said: “As the colder weather sets in it is vital to check in on friends, family and neighbours that are most vulnerable.

“The forecasted temperatures can have a serious impact on the health of some people, leading to increased risk of heart attacks, strokes and chest infections, particularly for individuals over the age of 65 and those with pre-existing health conditions.”