UK weather – Record breaking hottest year ends with balmy 11C New Year's Eve – but fog will cause chaos for thousands

December 30, 2019

BRITAIN'S record-breaking hottest year is set to end with a balmy 11C New Year's Eve – with fog causing travel chaos.

As the UK sees in the new decade, temperatures are predicted to be higher than usual, days after the warmest late winter day since 1841.

The mercury in Cassley, Scotland – more used to temperatures of -10C at night – soared to 16.9C at 3am on Sunday.

Met Office forecaster Alex Burkill revealed: “Exceptionally mild days saw up to 16C again on Monday, but a cold front will now come through more quickly and further south, so Tuesday will see 11C, which is still mild.

“There will be good conditions for fireworks with light winds and dry skies."

But thick fog is likely to cause flight disruption from this evening into New Year's Eve, air traffic control provider Nats warned.

A spokesman said: "We will be working closely with the airlines and airports to minimise the disruption, but passengers should contact their airline for the latest information on their flight."

A spokesman for Gatwick, the UK's second busiest airport, said it is expecting "minor delays but nothing significant".

The Met Office has issued a warning about fog from 5pm tonight until midnight.

NEW YEAR'S EVE

Highs of around 16C were initially forecast by the Met Office up to and including New Year's Eve on Tuesday, but the forecaster has since rowed back on the NYE heat predictions.

The average for this time of year in England and Wales is a chilly 7 to 9C.

Highs in recent days have been close to December's overall record temperatures of 17.7C in England, set in 1985 and 1994, and the UK's 18.3C, set in Scotland in 1948.

Mr Burkill added: "New Year's Day looks nice for a walk, with the best of the sunshine in the North-East and breaks in the cloud elsewhere, with 11C highs.

“All will see rain on Thursday night and Friday, with wintry showers on higher ground in Scotland at the weekend.

“But there's no signal for cold snaps, with temperatures mainly average for the next 30 days, and the North could be milder at times.”

'EXCEPTIONALLY MILD DAYS'

The Met Office said there is “no signal” for a cold spell during January, with mostly average or mild conditions.

It said winter is up to nine times more likely to be much-warmer-than-normal than much-colder-than-usual.

There is almost a 50 per cent probability of December to February being much-warmer-than-average – a category which includes 1988-89's warmest winter since records began in 1910, which had a 5.8C UK average temperature.

The warmer spell is the result of an area of high pressure which would usually bring cold and frosty weather from the Continent.

Clare Dinnis, Environment Agency flood duty manager, said parts of South England and North Lincolnshire were most at risk of flooding following prolonged spells of rain.

She said: "While the weather outlook is improving, groundwater levels continue to rise after recent rainfall, meaning that there is a continued risk of groundwater flooding in parts of southern England over the next few days.

"We continue to monitor rainfall and river levels closely and to operate our flood defences, reducing the risk of flooding to thousands of homes and businesses and helping to keep people safe."

Met Office forecaster Helen Roberts said northern parts of the UK set for more rain as conditions in the south are expected to be a lot drier.

Conditions are expected to improve and Ms Roberts added that the high pressure will "keep things fairly quiet for the next five to 10 days or so" for much of the country.

The Met Office forecast for Saturday said: "Many southern areas mostly cloudy but dry, although an increasing chance of a few brighter intervals.