Snow and ice warnings for New Year with polar vortex ‘straight from North Pole’

There may have been no White Christmas, but there could be a white New Year, with snowfall forecast throughout the first week of 2026.

Freezing weather is on the way, with the Met Office issuing warnings for snow and ice, saying more are ‘likely to come’.

Weather forecaster Jim Dale told Metro that things will be getting significantly colder as we enter the New Year, with a polar vortex dislocation coming ‘straight out of the North Pole towards us’.

It will be more like ‘the nightmare after Christmas’ with widespread areas seeing snow, particularly in the North and East of the UK, he said, and it was a case of ‘watch and wait’ to see if it would settle as far south as London.

Wintry weather would last until around the 10th of January, he added, starting in Scotland and heading further south.

Yellow warnings from the Met Office are currently in place from 6am on New Year’s Day, lasting throughout January 2. They have been issued for Scotland so far, but snow and wintry showers are forecast as far south as London during the first week of 2026.

Mr Dale, who predicted a polar vortex would hit weeks ago, said today that if snow gets as far as southern England, this would likely be around January 4 or 5.

Parts of Scotland are set to see temperatures as low as -12°C, while Wales and northern England could also go as low as -7°C inland, and there will be the possibility of blizzards, with strong winds combined with snow.

All this is expected to lead to significant travel disruption, as well as the happier scenes of snow men and tobogganing.

The polar air will not just be affecting the UK, as it will also sweep northern and central Europe, making headlines in many other countries too.

The Met Office said today: ‘We’ll see a transition to more unsettled and wintry conditions into the New Year, with a snow and ice warning issued and more likely to come.

‘High pressure remains in charge over the next few days, meaning we see a continuation of the current chilly, but settled conditions.

‘Things look largely settled for many on New Year’s Eve, but turning windy with showers in Scotland. Conditions then turn colder at the turn of the year.

‘Throughout Thursday, showers will increasingly turn to snow in northern Scotland, and a strong, perhaps gale force northerly wind will also set in. A yellow national severe weather warning for snow and ice has been issued, with some significant accumulations possible by Friday morning.

Meanwhile, amber and yellow cold health warnings cover the whole of England, lasting until January 5.

Why is getting so cold at the New Year?

Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster Mark Sidaway said: ‘It certainly looks like we are in for a taste of “winter” as we welcome in the New Year, initially in the north, but more widely across the UK for the first week of 2026.

‘Arctic air and strong northerly winds will bring cold or very cold conditions to all parts of the UK, and it will feel especially cold in the strong winds.

‘Widespread and locally severe frosts are expected, along with the first snow of the winter for many.

‘These colder conditions and wintry hazards – snow, ice and strong winds – will develop more widely as we enter the New Year, with more warnings for snow and ice likely.

‘It looks like this cold spell will last through at least the first week of January, so it’s important people keep up to date with the latest forecast and warnings.’

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued an amber cold health alert  covering the North East and North West of England until January 5. All other regions in England will be under a yellow alert for the same period.

Dr Agostinho Sousa of the 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.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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