New Year celebrated across world amid new UK weather warning and cancelled events: live
Millions of Britons feared New Year’s Eve washout – but London’s dazzling fireworks still went ahead
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Your support makes all the difference.New Year’s is being celebrated across the world – including in London, where the fireworks went ahead despite bad weather forcing the cancellations of events across the UK.
Millions of Britons feared a New Year’s Eve washout as storms swept southward and the Met Office issued weather warnings for nearly every part of the country – as well as a fresh alert hours before midnight.
Heavy rain, snowstorms, 70 mph gales and even landslides have caused travel disruption, flooding and celebration cancellations, with Edinburgh’s Hogmanay outdoor events scrapped.
However, the capital’s fireworks display dazzled as thousands flocked to Big Ben despite the bitter weather.
A couple of hours beforehand, the Met Office issued an amber alert for heavy rain, which has been put in place across parts of North-West England until 9am on New Year’s Day, with warnings of “danger to life” flooding.
Network Rail Scotland said they were dealing with 15 flooding incidents on the Far North Line and a landslip near Brora on 31 December, while rising river levels have led to closures of the Dalguise viaduct lines and the Highland Main Line remains closed in Kingussie.
“Do not travel” warnings have been issued as rivers are feared to burst their banks in other areas of Scotland.
Three days of weather warnings are in place across the country, with heavy rain set to turn to blusters of snow showers on Wednesday, which is forecast to continue through the night in Scotland.
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Full story: Revellers cheer in New Year around world despite bad weather forcing cancellations in UK
Revellers have cheered in the New Year around the world – including millions across the UK, despite bad weather forcing the cancellation of many celebrations.
From Sydney to Mumbai to Nairobi, communities around the world began welcoming 2025 with spectacular light shows, embraces and ice plunges.
Countries in the South Pacific Ocean are the first to ring in the New Year, with midnight in New Zealand striking 18 hours before the ball drop in Times Square in New York.
Read the full story here:
Revellers cheer in New Year around world despite bad weather forcing UK cancellations
From Sydney to Mumbai to Nairobi, communities around the world began welcoming 2025 with spectacular light shows, embraces and ice plunges
UK braces for strong winds and heavy rain on New Year’s Day
The UK is set to be battered with wind and rain to start 2025.
Met Office weather warnings are in place across parts of England, Wales and Scotland on New Year’s Day.
This includes an amber alert for heavy rain that has been put in place across parts of North-West England until 9am, stretching from Settle in the Yorkshire Dales across to Preston and down to parts of the Peak District. It states that heavy rainfall is “likely to lead to disruption including flooding in some locations” with a chance some places could see more than 10cm of rain.
The forecaster warned of difficult driving conditions, “danger to life” flooding, potential road closures and transport delays. There may also be power cuts.
Meanwhile, winds of up to 60mph are forecast across much of England and Wales all day on Wednesday, with gusts of 75mph likely around coastal areas and hills, according to the Met Office.
This could lead to travel delays, damage to buildings, power cuts, and even danger from flying debris or large waves, the forecaster said.
Some roads and bridges may close, and injuries could occur, particularly in coastal areas.
Rain turning to snow on New Year’s Day is likely to cause travel disruption, particularly on roads and railways across Grampian, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray, and the Highlands & Eilean Siar, the Met Office said.
In pictures: London’s stunning fireworks display dazzles
London’s fireworks display begins
London’s fireworks display has begun.
Huge crowds have gathered at the Embankment under Big Ben.
Revellers will be relieved the display is going ahead after there were fears the bad weather would disrupt or even force the cancellation of the event.
Happy New Year!
The new year has begun!
It is officially 2025 in the UK.
Fireworks can be heard exploding across the country as Big Ben chimes midnight.
Just a couple minutes to go
The new year is fast approaching, with just a couple of minutes left of 2024...
Berlin has just seen in New Year – London next
Countdown to London’s fireworks as midnight approaches
Heavy rain to lash parts of UK to kick off 2025
Heavy rain will lash parts of the UK to begin 2025 after New Year’s Eve celebrations across the country were cancelled.
Many faced heavy rain, strong winds and even snow in some parts, leading to widespread disruption on Tuesday.
An amber warning for heavy rain has been put in place across parts of North-West England until 9am on New Year’s Day.
The Met Office warning stretches from Settle in the Yorkshire Dales across to Preston and down to parts of the Peak District.
The warning states that heavy rain is “likely to lead to disruption including flooding in some locations” with a chance some places could see more than 10cm of rain.
Winds of up to 60mph are forecast across much of England and Wales all day on Wednesday, with gusts of 75mph likely around coastal areas and hills, according to the Met Office.
Rain turning to snow on New Year’s Day is likely to cause travel disruption, particularly on roads and railways across Grampian, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray, and the Highlands & Eilean Siar, the Met Office said.
Starmer: 2025 a chance to rediscover the great nation that we are
The UK faces a “year of rebuilding” while also “rediscovering the great nation that we are” in 2025, according to Sir Keir Starmer.
The Prime Minister used his first new year’s message since entering Downing Street to reflect on a “year of change” in 2024, although joked this did not extend to football as the England men’s team experienced “another agonisingly close shave” by losing to Spain in the Euro 2024 final.
He added his Labour administration has begun the “work of change” since winning the general election in July and pointed to an increase in the minimum wage, clean energy projects and NHS investment as examples.
Read the full story here:
Starmer: 2025 a chance to rediscover the great nation that we are
The Prime Minister has delivered his first new year’s message since entering Downing Street.
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