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New Year’s Eve could be mildest on record with temperatures soaring to 15C

The previous New Year’s Eve record of 14.8C was set in 2011

Luke O'Reilly
Monday 27 December 2021 11:28 GMT
The Clifton Suspension Bridge sits unobscured as low mist rolls in over Bristol on Boxing Day morning
The Clifton Suspension Bridge sits unobscured as low mist rolls in over Bristol on Boxing Day morning (PA)

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New Year’s Eve this year could be the mildest on record, with temperatures as high as 15C, the Met Office has said.

The previous New Year’s Eve record of 14.8C (58.64F) was set in 2011. However, this year could see that level matched, or even surpassed, in some parts of the UK.

Parts of the UK saw a white Christmas this year
Parts of the UK saw a white Christmas this year (PA)

Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst said: “The record is 14.8C on New Year’s Eve and that was in 2011. Temperatures look like they’ll be 14 to 15C, so it is possible that [they could reach] that value.”

Mr Dewhurst said the weather throughout the week would be “on the mild side”, adding: “We’re going to see across the whole of the country, through the rest of this week, temperatures that are above average for this time of year.

“The average temperature in the UK around this time of year should be around 7-8C.

“Going forward, we’re looking at highs of around 12-14C, possibly locally 15C in one or two spots, so it’s going to be well above average.”

Snow fell in Tow Law, County Durham
Snow fell in Tow Law, County Durham (PA)

It comes after parts of the UK had a white Christmas, with snowfall in northern England and Scotland.

However, Mr Dewhurst warned that Britons would not be basking in unseasonable sun. “It isn’t going to be blue skies all week,” he said.

“There’s going to be cloud at times, as well as strong winds and heavy rain, particularly across the north and the west of the UK.

“This is all being driven by low-pressure systems moving across the Atlantic and bringing in the milder air and wet weather.”

He added that there were no weather warnings in place, but that parts of the UK could be buffeted by gale-force winds later in the week.

“Gales are possible at times in the south and the west as we move through the week,” he said.

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