Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations have been cancelled as snow, rain and heavy winds are set to hit the UK amid countrywide weather warnings.
The Met Office has issued yellow alerts for Monday to Thursday, with severe weather set to sweep southward from Scotland overnight on New Year’s Eve. An amber warning for rain is also in place in the Scottish Highlands from midnight until 5pm on Tuesday.
Edinburgh’s outdoor new year events, including the street party and fireworks display, have been scrapped as a result of “extreme weather”. The cancellations for Monday and Tuesday come after Blackpool Council also made the “tough decision” to cancel its New Year’s fireworks due to “high winds”.
Meanwhile, London’s City Hall is monitoring the weather forecast ahead of the capital’s sold-out fireworks display, with gusts of wind expected to reach over 40mph in the approach to midnight.
Forecasters are also warning travellers to expect disruption, while chaos continues at Gatwick Airport for a fourth day as thick fog causes flight cancellations and delays during the busy holiday period.
Key Points
- London New Year’s Eve fireworks threatened by 41mph winds
- Edinburgh Hogmanay celebrations cancelled due to ‘extreme weather'
- Blackpool New Years Eve fireworks cancelled due to ‘high winds’
- Amber rain warning issued in Scottish Highlands
- Thousands of passengers disrupted as fog hits Gatwick flights for fourth day
- Where are the Met Office yellow warnings on 31 December?
‘Complicated’ in coming days forecast for the UK
19:00
Alex Croft
Andy Page, a chief forecaster with the Met Office, says the forecast for the UK in the coming days is “very complicated”.
“There is a very complicated weather forecast for the UK with snow, strong winds and heavy rain all feature for parts of the UK. Almost the entire UK is covered by at least one weather warning during the coming week,” he said.
“With such a varied and complex weather situation there is potential for the pattern of warnings to shift and possibly escalate in some areas. With lots of celebrations and people on the move over the coming days, we are urging everyone to keep checking the forecast so they can update their plans.”
Monday night’s weather warnings
18:46
Alex Croft
There are two weather warnings in place for Monday night.
A yellow wind warning for wind covers a patch of central northern England. “Westerly winds will be strong and gust at times. Gusts of 50-60mph are possible over high ground,” the Met Office says.
A yellow rain and snow warning covering most of Scotland will be in place until 23:59 on Tuesday, which is expected to bring “bring significant disruption in the build up to New Year”.
Second time Blackpool fireworks cancelled in three years
18:31
Alex Croft
The cancellation of Blackpool’s fireworks display to celebrate New Years Eve is the second time since 2021 the festivites have been called off.
Three years ago, the fireworks were cancelled due to the risks of blustery winds.
A spokesperson for VisitBlackpool told the BBC:
“Unfortunately, as the fireworks were being fired from the beach, it isn’t possible to move the time of the display to later this evening because of tidal conditions.
“We have therefore taken the decision to cancel now to give people the earliest opportunity to plan their day.”
How will things look at the turn of the year?
18:17
Alex Croft
As Auld Lang Syne rings out across the UK at the turn of the year, let’s take a look at where the weather may be suitabe for some festive fireworks.
The first graph shows the type and the amount of rain and snow. The grey areas in the north are where snow is expected - the darker the grey, the more snow forecast.
The second graph shows the expected temperatures, with relatively mild predictions for much of the south and chillier temperatures up north.
Met Office graphic reveals rain and snow forecast for Scotland
18:01
Alex Croft
Further rain and snow to affect Scotland this evening ⚠️
— Met Office (@metoffice) December 30, 2024
Cloudy elsewhere, though fairly mild ☁️ pic.twitter.com/Wx8VJIqq6t
Snow forecast in full
17:46
Alex Croft
Snow has been forecast in areas of northern Scotland - but what exactly can residents expect?
Until 23:59 on Tuesday, a yellow rain and snow warning will cover the majority of Scotland, barring southern parts. At 5am on Tuesday morning, a yellow warning for snow will cover the Orkney islands.
The Met says heavy rain will be “persistent and widespread” with totals of 50 to 70mm possible over two days. Some areas in western Scotland may see 100 to 140mm of rain.
North and east of Perthshire will likely see snow, with 10-20cm in areas above 150 metres, according to the forecaster. The Met Office says: “As milder air pushes in, snow will turn back to rain, and any rapid snow melt will contribute to flooding in places.
“Strong winds may exacerbate impacts, particularly across the areas of Scotland affected by snow. Blizzard conditions are possible, especially over high ground and across much of Sutherland and Caithness. Powerline icing is possible where blizzard conditions occur.”
At 12am on Wednesday 1 January, it will be replaced by a yellow snow and ice warning covering the Highlands and northern areas of Scotland. “Rain turning to snow is likely to lead to some travel disruption and difficult driving conditions on New Years Day,” the Met Office says.
The snow and ice warning will remain in place until 9am on Thursday.
ICYMI: Amber rain warning issued in Scottish Highlands
17:30
Alex Croft
An amber weather warning for rain has been issued in the Scottish Highlands.
Stretching from Inverness down to Fort William, the warning will be in place from 12am until 5pm on Tuesday 31 December.
The Met Office says: “After a brief lull during Monday afternoon, another period of heavy rain is expected to develop during Monday night and persist through Tuesday morning before turning to showers on Tuesday afternoon, giving another 50-70mm on top of what has already fallen.
“This is likely to lead to significant travel disruption and may result in some flooding of properties.
“Yellow rain and snow warnings will continue to be in force after the expiry of this warning.”
Fast flowing floodwater, power cuts and travel disruption are “likely” the forecaster says.
New Year’s Eve weather: How your region will be affected as Met Office issues nationwide warnings
17:00
Alex Croft
The UK is set to be hit by snow, rain and heavy winds over the New Year with several weather warnings being issued by the Met Office.
Covering Monday 30 December to Thursday 2 January, the warnings see all parts of the UK affected at some point in the week. The wet and windy weather will begin in Scotland and northern regions before moving downwards overnight on New Year’s Eve and into New Year’s Day.
Warnings have been issued for heavy rain, winds, snow and ice. Most are yellow warnings, where extra precaution should be taken, but one amber warning has been issued on Tuesday which poses a flood threat.
Albert Toth reports:
London New Year’s Eve fireworks threatened by 41mph winds
16:29
Alex Croft
London City Hall is monitoring the weather forecast ahead of Tuesday’s sold-out New Year’s Eve fireworks display.
Wind speeds are expected to reach up to 41mph in the hours leading up to midnight, before a yellow weather warning for wind is introduced for the capital at 7am on Wednesday morning.
London lawmakers will continue monitoring the weather to ensure it is safe to go ahead, the BBC reported. It comes after New Year’s festivities in Edinburgh and Blackpool were both cancelled.
Mayor Sadiq Khan also issued a warning to Londoners about the risk of scammers selling fake tickets to the fireworks.
He said on X: “Ticketmaster is the official event partner and the only place to buy resale tickets - beware of ticket scams. If you have tickets for the night, remember to bring ID.”
Edinburgh Hogmanay celebrations cancelled
15:58
Alex Croft
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations have been cancelled due to “extreme weather”.
A statement issued by organisers said that “high winds and inclement weather” has forced the city to cancel the event for the sake of “public safety”.
The Night Afore Disco Party in West Princes Street Gardens, the Hogmanay Street Party, Concert in the Gardens and the Midnight Fireworks from Edinburgh Castle have all been cancelled.
Organisers were “unable to continue with preparations and necessary set-up” for the celebrations, and therefore took the “difficult decision to cancel all outdoor events”.
All indoor events have not been cancelled.
Flight chaos continues after hundreds of weekend cancellations
15:24
Simon Calder | Travel Correspondent
After a weekend in which an estimated 350 flights were cancelled at key London airports, more departures are being grounded ahead of New Year’s Eve because of three days of fog in southeast England.
At London Gatwick, short-notice cancellations continued long into Sunday night, with easyJet in particular grounding dozens of flights as passengers waited in the terminals.
British Airways, Vueling and Wizz Air also left thousands of people stranded on Sunday.
Many of the passengers who made it back to Gatwick were severely delayed, with some easyJet, BA and Tui flights arriving four hours or more behind schedule.
Luton and Stansted report zero cancellations due to fog at their airports
14:57
Simon Calder, Travel Correspondent
London’s two busiest airports, Heathrow and Gatwick, between them experienced hundreds of flight cancellations due to fog between Friday 27 and Sunday 29 December. London City was also hard hit, with proportionately more cancellations and diversions than any other airport.
But Stansted and Luton, both busy single-runway airports, report no cancellations due to fog at in their areas.
StanstedOn Saturday, a total of 12 flights were cancelled to and from the Essex airport. Two were due to a crew hours issue. Two happened because of bad weather in Chambery in the French Alps. Three were made in order not to infringe the curfew at Amsterdam airport. One cancellation was triggered by an earlier divert.
The highest number, four, was due to Krakow airport being effectively closed for the whole weekend because of thick fog.
LutonOf four weekend cancellations at the Bedfordshire airport, two were caused by bad weather at Krakow. Another was grounded due to the airport curfew at Lyon, and a Belfast flight was cancelled due to the crew going out of hours.
ICYMI: Cancellations continue at Gatwick
14:31
Alex Croft
After three days of fog led to the cancellation of around 200 flights to and from London Gatwick, more departures and arrivals have been grounded at the Sussex airport.
Planes and pilots are out of position, with flight time limitations also coming into play.
So far 27 more flights have been grounded at Gatwick, affecting up to 5,000 passengers. The biggest airline at the Sussex airport, easyJet, has grounded 17 flights. Inbound services from Aberdeen, Inverness and Belfast City were axed.
Departures on easyJet to Nice, Venice, Murcia, Milan, Naples, Innsbruck and Rennes have also been cancelled.
Passengers were told: “We were affected by a three-day disruption caused by low-visibility weather conditions in London Gatwick.
“This has meant that air traffic control has had to limit the number of aircraft that can arrive and depart, which has sadly led to delays and cancellations today. The safety of you and our crew is our highest priority, and we thank you for your understanding.”
British Airways has grounded flights from Gatwick to Algiers, Jersey (two services), Seville and Verona.
Weather warnings for December 30-31
14:11
Alex Croft
‘Complicated’ in coming days forecast for the UK
13:50
Alex Croft
Andy Page, a chief forecaster with the Met Office, says the forecast for the UK in the coming days is “very complicated”.
“There is a very complicated weather forecast for the UK with snow, strong winds and heavy rain all feature for parts of the UK. Almost the entire UK is covered by at least one weather warning during the coming week,” he said.
“With such a varied and complex weather situation there is potential for the pattern of warnings to shift and possibly escalate in some areas. With lots of celebrations and people on the move over the coming days, we are urging everyone to keep checking the forecast so they can update their plans.”
Second time Blackpool fireworks cancelled in three years
13:26
Alex Croft
The cancellation of Blackpool’s fireworks display to celebrate New Years Eve is the second time since 2021 the festivites have been called off.
Three years ago, the fireworks were cancelled due to the risks of blustery winds.
A spokesperson for VisitBlackpool told the BBC:
"Unfortunately, as the fireworks were being fired from the beach, it isn't possible to move the time of the display to later this evening because of tidal conditions.
"We have therefore taken the decision to cancel now to give people the earliest opportunity to plan their day."
New Years Eve fireworks cancelled in Blackpool
13:23
Alex Croft
Blackpool’s New Years Eve fireworks celebrations have been cancelled due to high winds.
The city lies just outside the Met Office’s yellow weather warning for wind on Tuesday evening.
A spokesperson for the council said: “Due to the forecast of high winds tomorrow evening we have had to make the tough decision to cancel the fireworks display this year.
“The rest of the New Year's Eve Family Party will continue as planned.”
Snow forecast in full
13:09
Alex Croft
Snow has been forecast in areas of northern Scotland - but what exactly can residents expect?
Until 23:59 on Tuesday, a yellow rain and snow warning will cover the majority of Scotland, barring southern parts. At 5am on Tuesday morning, a yellow warning for snow will cover the Orkney islands.
The Met says heavy rain will be “persistent and widespread” with totals of 50 to 70mm possible over two days. Some areas in western Scotland may see 100 to 140mm of rain.
North and east of Perthshire will likely see snow, with 10-20cm in areas above 150 metres, according to the forecaster. The Met Office says: “As milder air pushes in, snow will turn back to rain, and any rapid snow melt will contribute to flooding in places.
“Strong winds may exacerbate impacts, particularly across the areas of Scotland affected by snow. Blizzard conditions are possible, especially over high ground and across much of Sutherland and Caithness. Powerline icing is possible where blizzard conditions occur.”
At 12am on Wednesday 1 January, it will be replaced by a yellow snow and ice warning covering the Highlands and northern areas of Scotland. “Rain turning to snow is likely to lead to some travel disruption and difficult driving conditions on New Years Day,” the Met Office says.
The snow and ice warning will remain in place until 9am on Thursday.
How will things look at the turn of the year?
12:30
Alex Croft
As Auld Lang Syne rings out across the UK at the turn of the year, let’s take a look at where the weather may be suitabe for some festive fireworks.
The first graph shows the type and the amount of rain and snow. The grey areas in the north are where snow is expected - the darker the grey, the more snow forecast.
The second graph shows the expected temperatures, with relatively mild predictions for much of the south and chillier temperatures up north.
Met Office graphic shows snow movement across northern Scotland
12:02
Alex Croft
⚠️⚠️ Amber weather warning issued ⚠️⚠️
— Met Office (@metoffice) December 30, 2024
Rain across parts of Scotland
Tuesday 0000 – 1700
Latest info https://t.co/QwDLMfS950
Stay #WeatherAware ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/c1lyE3TH1x
Amber rain warning issued in Scottish Highlands
11:34
Alex Croft
An amber weather warning for rain has been issued in the Scottish Highlands.
Stretching from Inverness down to Fort William, the warning will be in place from 12am until 5pm on Tuesday 31 December.
The Met Office says: “After a brief lull during Monday afternoon, another period of heavy rain is expected to develop during Monday night and persist through Tuesday morning before turning to showers on Tuesday afternoon, giving another 50-70mm on top of what has already fallen.
“This is likely to lead to significant travel disruption and may result in some flooding of properties.
“Yellow rain and snow warnings will continue to be in force after the expiry of this warning.”
Fast flowing floodwater, power cuts and travel disruption are “likely” the forecaster says.
Strong winds see major road closed to certain vehicles
11:10
Alex Croft
As strong winds begin to hit Scotland and northern regions, a major road has been closed to vehicles which are likely to be affected.
National Highways said the A66 has been closed in both directions to “high-sided and vulnerable vehicles” between the M6 and A1M.
This will cause major disruption to some drivers planning to travel between Cumbria and North Yorkshire today. Drivers planning to cross the Pennines are advised to consider alternative routes such as the A69.
Conditions have “significantly improved” says air traffic controller – but delays remain
10:40
Alex Croft
The foggy conditions that caused disruption at Gatwick Airport over the weekend have lessened, air traffic control services have said, but significant delays remain.
Air traffic control provider Nats said in a statement: “The weather conditions that caused disruption to UK airports over the weekend have significantly improved.
“Only a few air traffic regulations remain, and these are within normal operating limits.
“Passengers should still check the status of their flight with their airline, as there may be knock-on impacts to the usual flying schedule.”
More than 20 flights planned for Gatwick today have been cancelled in advance, with passengers warned of more delays to come.
Cancellations continue at Gatwick
10:10
Albert Toth
After three days of fog led to the cancellation of around 200 flights to and from London Gatwick, more departures and arrivals have been grounded at the Sussex airport.
Planes and pilots are out of position, with flight time limitations also coming into play.
So far 27 more flights have been grounded at Gatwick, affecting up to 5,000 passengers. The biggest airline at the Sussex airport, easyJet, has grounded 17 flights. Inbound services from Aberdeen, Inverness and Belfast City were axed.
Departures on easyJet to Nice, Venice, Murcia, Milan, Naples, Innsbruck and Rennes have also been cancelled.
Passengers were told: “We were affected by a three-day disruption caused by low-visibility weather conditions in London Gatwick.
“This has meant that air traffic control has had to limit the number of aircraft that can arrive and depart, which has sadly led to delays and cancellations today. The safety of you and our crew is our highest priority, and we thank you for your understanding.”
British Airways has grounded flights from Gatwick to Algiers, Jersey (two services), Seville and Verona.
Where are the Met Office warnings over New Year?
09:50
Albert Toth
The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings covering the New Year period, with every region of the UK covered at some point over the next week.
The forecast spells a turbulent New Years’ Eve for many as the bad weather is set to travel southwards across the country between 31 December and 1 January.
Here’s what the weather warnings look like today and over the next few days:
Many flight delays into early hours of Monday morning
09:26
Simon Calder
At London Gatwick, short-notice cancellations continued long into Sunday night, with easyJet in particular grounding dozens of flights as passengers waited in the terminals.
British Airways, Vueling and Wizz Air also left thousands of people stranded on Sunday with cancellations to and from the Sussex airport.
Many of the passengers who made it back to Gatwick were severely delayed, with some easyJet, BA and Tui flights arriving four hours or more behind schedule.
But the record delay on Sunday was a Ryanair lunchtime flight from Belfast International to London Stansted, which took off 12 hours late and landed at the Essex airport at 2.11am.
Thousands of passengers disrupted as fog hits Gatwick flights for fourth day
08:56
Albert Toth
Flight restrictions remain in place at Gatwick Airport for a fourth day because of fog, disrupting travel plans for thousands of passengers.
More than 20 flights planned for the West Sussex airport on Monday were cancelled in advance and passengers are being warned of delays throughout the day.
Flights at the UK’s second busiest airport have been disrupted since Friday because of fog.
A Gatwick spokesperson said: “Temporary air traffic restrictions have been put in place due to fog causing poor visibility.
“Some flights may be delayed throughout the day.
“London Gatwick apologises for any inconvenience.
“Passengers should contact their airline for further information.”
Passengers on flights delayed by more than two hours may be entitled to assistance, including food and drink or overnight accommodation if necessary.
Weather warnings December 30-31
06:00
Barney Davis
How long will the icy, wet and windy weather last?
05:04
Barney Davis
Northerly winds will draw cold air across the UK. Showers of rain and sleet will turn increasingly to snow, especially across the north, and coasts which are exposed to the onshore wind.
This cold, showery northerly may persist in the east, as high pressure builds in the Atlantic brings a period of more settled weather to western areas.
There is also a chance that rain may move in from the south over the first weekend of January, falling as snow as it runs into colder air. Into the following week, a fairly changeable picture is probable.
Wettest and windiest weather in the north and west, whilst the south and east will more likely remain more settled overall.
How do I qualify for a cash payout if my flight is delayed?
04:00
Barney Davis
If you are flying from a UK/EU airport or on a British/ European airline and are delayed in arrival by at least three hours, the presumption is that you are owed hundreds of pounds in compensation.
The payment depends on distance:
The only way the airline can avoid paying out is by demonstrating “extraordinary circumstances” were responsible.
extraordinary circumstances refers to “political instability, meteorological conditions incompatible with the operation of the flight concerned, security risks, unexpected flight safety shortcomings and strikes”.
Flight delays: What rights do you have to compensation if your plane is late?
01:00
Barney Davis
Met Office wind, rain and snow warnings over coming days
Sunday 29 December 2024 23:10
Barney Davis
⚠️
— Met4Cast° (@Met4CastUK) December 29, 2024
Met Office wind, rain & snow warnings issued over the next few days. Lots of weather to keep an eye on! pic.twitter.com/Aj3f75luyy
Met office chief says volatile week looking complicated to predict
Sunday 29 December 2024 21:04
Barney Davis
Met Office chief forecaster Andy Page said the forecast for the upcoming week was “complicated” and urged people to check the forecast regularly in order to update their plans.
He said: “Almost the entire UK is covered by at least one weather warning during the coming week.
“With such a varied and complex weather situation, there is potential for the pattern of warnings to shift and possibly escalate in some areas.
“With lots of celebrations and people on the move over the coming days, we are urging everyone to keep checking the forecast so they can update their plans.”
Wales set for soggy start to New Year with potential flooding
Sunday 29 December 2024 19:04
Barney Davis
Those hoping to travel on New Year’s Day should check road conditions and public transport updates before embarking on their journeys.
In Wales, the new year will be off to a soggy start as the majority of the country is likely to be drenched by up to 60mm of rain causing delays for road transport, potential power cuts and flooding.
20cm snow persistent expected
Sunday 29 December 2024 18:17
Barney Davis
A yellow warning for “persistent snow” likely to cause travel disruption has been issued for Orkney and Shetland during Hogmanay.
The Met Office alert covers all of the islands and is in place from 5am all day on Tuesday.
Up to 20cm of snow are expected in the worst affected areas, mainly Mainland and Hoy, with 5 to 10cm predicted elsewhere.
Longer road journey times are likely as a result of difficult driving conditions, the forecaster warned.
Gatwick delays and diversions intensify
Sunday 29 December 2024 17:25
Simon Calder, Travel Correspondent
Delays and cancellations are building up at London Gatwick, the world’s busiest single-runway airport. Around 60 flights to and from Gatwick have been grounded, affecting an estimated 9,000 passengers.
While Sunday morning started with only some modest waits of up to an hour, by lunchtime the average delay extended to two hours. Some departures were five hours behind schedule, including easyJet to Aberdeen.
The biggest airline at Gatwick, easyJet, has so far cancelled flights to Edinburgh, Glasgow, the Isle of Man, Berlin (two services), Munich, Basel, Geneva, Zurich and Innsbruck.
One easyJet inbound flight from Nice diverted to Bournemouth.
British Airways has cancelled flights to Bordeaux, Gran Canaria, Jersey and Geneva, while Wizz Air grounded its departure to Larnaca in Cyprus.
The Spanish low-cost airline Vueling has once again cancelled some inbound flights, from Asturias, Malaga, Seville, Santiago and Barcelona, to avoid them being caught with long delays to land and return to Spain.
Norwegian did the same from Bergen, Copenhagen (two services), Oslo, Stavanger, Stockholm and Trondheim.
Swiss grounded its flight from Zurich, as did TAP Portugal from Porto.
Cancellations are likely to increase into the evening as crews reach their maximum permitted hours.
Hogmanay under threat with 25cm snow expected
Sunday 29 December 2024 17:10
Barney Davis
For those celebrating Hogmanay, heavy downpours and snowfall may cause “significant disruption” across northern Scotland, with up to 140mm of rainfall on Monday and Tuesday.
Up to 20cm of snow may blanket areas of higher ground while strong winds have the potential to “exacerbate impacts”, creating “blizzard conditions” which could freeze powerlines.
A warning has also been issued for “persistent snow” likely to cause road disruption in Orkney and Shetland from 5am onwards on Tuesday.
The new year will be off to a turbulent start with separate weather warnings in place for snow, wind and rain on January 1.
Worst affected areas could be covered in up to 25cm of snow, including Central Tayside and Fife, the East Midlands, northern England and the Lothian borders.
Heathrow fog: What happens if my flight is cancelled?
Sunday 29 December 2024 16:15
Barney Davis
Nearly whole of UK under weather alerts from Monday to Thursday
Sunday 29 December 2024 15:15
Barney Davis
Heavy snow, rain and wind are set to hit the UK, causing travel disruption over New Year’s Eve and the majority of next week.
The Met Office has issued multiple weather warnings between Monday and Thursday, with nearly all of the country impacted by at least one alert.
In England and Northern Ireland, gusts of up to 70mph may lead to travel disruption on December 31, with delays to road, rail, air and ferry transport all likely, the forecaster has warned.
70mph winds expected to blast New Year’s Eve
Sunday 29 December 2024 14:15
Barney Davis
The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for winds of up to 70mph that may cause travel disruption on New Year’s Eve.
The alert, in place from 7am until 11pm on Tuesday, covers most of Northern Ireland, including Londonderry, Tyrone, Antrim and Armagh, as well as just north of York in England up to Glasgow, Edinburgh and Greenock.
Delays to transport are likely, with gusts of up to 60mph expected in most areas, the forecaster has warned.
Those affected should check road conditions for driving and the latest travel information as well as preparing for in advance for potential power cuts.
In pictures: Cars driving in foggy conditions on the M20 near Folkestone in Kent
Sunday 29 December 2024 13:15
Barney Davis
Airport train cancellations add to passengers’ woes
Sunday 29 December 2024 12:40
Barney Davis
Staff shortage on the railways means thousands of airline passengers will find they cannot easily get to or from the airport.
CrossCountry has cancelled a number of trains serving Birmingham airport, blaming a shortage of drivers and train managers.
The rail firm says: “Services will be extremely busy and may be subject to last-minute changes and cancellations. Essential travel only between Bournemouth, Reading and Birmingham.”
This is the line that includes Birmingham International, the station serving the West Midlands airport.
Manchester airport’s railway station is seeing the usual Sunday cancellations of trains by Northern due to a shortage of train conductors. The Manchester airport-Wilmslow link is one of nine routes that have been closed to trains for the day.
Northern says: “Recently, we have seen higher levels of cancellations in the north west and for that we are sorry. The underlying reason is train crew availability, in particular on Sundays which is contractually outside of the working week.”
In pictures: Early morning dippers dodge the fog in epic sunrise swim
Sunday 29 December 2024 12:36
Barney Davis
Swimmers brave the December chill as fog appears to dissipate above Cullercoats Bay on the north east coast of England.
25cm snow warnings issued over New Year
Sunday 29 December 2024 11:38
Barney Davis
Heavy rain and snow may bring significant disruption in the after New Year, the Met Office has warned.
The forecaster says a band of rain in association with a deep low pressure system moving in from the west pushes east on Wednesday affecting Scotland, North East and swathes of Yorkshire.
They say it’s likely to turn to snow as it moves into cold air across the northern half of the UK.
Around 2-5 cm is expected locally and nearer 10 cm of snow accumulations are possible widely, with 10-15 cm and locally 20-25 cm over hills with significant drifting due to strong winds.
The warning begins at 9am on January 1 and lasts until 3am January 2.
Some London airports reporting clear runways
Sunday 29 December 2024 11:00
Barney Davis
Heathrow, Stansted and Luton Airports said flights had not been affected by the weather as of Sunday morning.
Krakow airport closed with dozens of diversions
Sunday 29 December 2024 10:56
Simon Calder
The airport serving Poland’s most popular tourist city, Krakow, has seen dozens of arriving flights diverted to other cities, or simply cancelled, as fog blankets the area.
Problems began on Saturday, with the Institute of Meteorology warning of “dense fog with very poor visibility – 200m, locally 100m”.
The airport posted on Sunday morning: “According to the weather forecast today, from 9am the weather conditions will improve. Between 12 noon and 3pm a temporary deterioration of weather conditions is expected.”
So far on Sunday 40 flights have been diverted.
The main diversion airport is nearby Katowice, which is where Ryanair flights from London Stansted, Liverpool, Leeds Bradford, Belfast and Newcastle touched down, along with Wizz Air from Luton.
Rzerzow, Wroclaw and Warsaw in Poland, as well as Ostrava in the Czech Republic and the Slovakian capital, Bratislava, are also being used for diversions.
Gatwick airport: Five hour delays to one flight
Sunday 29 December 2024 10:31
Simon Calder
Thousands of passengers arriving at London Gatwick airport overnight endured long delays. Among the longest: an easyJet flight from Enfidha in Tunisia due at 11.10pm, which was over four hours late.
A British Airways jet from Lanzarote touched down at 3.03am, almost four hours behind schedule.
Among flights enduring three-hour delays were easyJet from Marseille and Palma, and BA from Alicante and Las Palmas.
Among Sunday morning arrivals, both Tui planes from Barbados arrived around two hours behind schedule.
The omens for Sunday flights from Gatwick look unfavourable, with easyJet to Grenoble and Montpellier both two hours late. Passengers have been told enigmatically by the airline: “Why is your flight delayed? We’re sorry that your flight has been delayed.”
The longest outbound delay of the day so far is expected to be Wizz Air from Gatwick to Larnaca. The plane was due out at 4.35pm but the airline says it will depart 5h20m late, arriving in Cyprus at 4.30am.
Flight delays caused by the fog may continue into Sunday morning at Gatwick airport
Sunday 29 December 2024 09:26
Barney Davis
A spokesperson for the West Sussex airport said: “Temporary air traffic restrictions have been put in place due to fog causing poor visibility.
“Some flights may be delayed throughout the day.
“London Gatwick apologises for any inconvenience.
“Passengers should contact their airline for further information.”
Disruption caused by thick fog is expected to continue at some airports around London on Sunday.
Sunday 29 December 2024 09:10
Barney Davis
Flights at Stansted Airport were affected by the weather conditions on Saturday, while live departure boards showed delays at Heathrow, Luton and Manchester Airports.
Nats, the UK’s main air traffic control provider, said temporary air restrictions will continue on Sunday as airfields are affected by fog.
A Nats spokesman said: “While the weather conditions have improved, fog continues to affect some airports in London today.
“Temporary air traffic restrictions are therefore in place at airfields with low visibility to maintain safety.
“Our teams are working closely with the airports and airlines to minimise disruption but passengers should check the status of their flight with their airline.”
Fog to turn to snow and heavy rain as New Year flood warning issued
Sunday 29 December 2024 09:02
Tom Watling
How do I qualify for a cash payout if my flight is delayed?
Sunday 29 December 2024 08:00
Jabed Ahmed
If you are flying from a UK/EU airport or on a British/ European airline and are delayed in arrival by at least three hours, the presumption is that you are owed hundreds of pounds in compensation.
The payment depends on distance:
The only way the airline can avoid paying out is by demonstrating “extraordinary circumstances” were responsible.
extraordinary circumstances refers to “political instability, meteorological conditions incompatible with the operation of the flight concerned, security risks, unexpected flight safety shortcomings and strikes”.
