Edinburgh’s Hogmanay cancelled due to ‘extreme weather’ – what are the alerts where you are?

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is the latest victim of bad weather set to batter the UK over the new year after being cancelled on “public safety grounds”.

Outdoor events scheduled for 30 and 31 December will no longer take place due to high winds and “extreme” weather, organisers UniqueAssembly announced hours ahead of events kicking off on Monday.

Organisers apologised to tourists who travelled internationally for the Hogmanay events, which included a concert headlined by Scottish band Texas, and said it was not safe to carry out preparations outdoors in such bad weather.

However indoor events, including a sold-out concert by Idlewild, and a sold-out service at St Giles Cathedral on New Year’s Eve, will still go ahead.

‘Difficult decision’

A spokesperson for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay said: “Due to ongoing high winds and inclement weather in Edinburgh city centre, we regret to announce that outdoor events scheduled for Monday and December 31 are unable to go ahead on the grounds of public safety.

“The cancellation includes tonight’s Night Afore Disco Party in West Princes Street Gardens, and on 31 December, the Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party, Concert in the Gardens, and the midnight fireworks from Edinburgh Castle.

“We have been unable to continue with preparations and necessary set-up for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay outdoor events due to extreme weather and forecast conditions. Therefore, for safety reasons we, along with our event partners, have taken the difficult decision to cancel all outdoor events.”

Meanwhile, Blackpool’s New Year’s Eve fireworks have also been cancelled due to the forecast of high winds in northwest England tomorrow night.

Organisers of London’s celebrations are monitoring the weather carefully.

Britain is set to be hit by high winds, heavy rain, and snowfall – as weather warnings cover almost every part of the UK.

Here’s what forecasters are predicting across the UK over the next few days.

Scotland

Scotland is covered by five different weather warnings across the next four days – including a more severe amber warning.

The first alert, for rain and snow, covers almost all of Scotland and warns the weather could bring “significant disruption in the build-up to the new year.

It is in place across Monday, until 11.59pm tonight, and warns that some homes and businesses could be flooded and there could be delays to travel services.

Orkney, which is not covered by this warning, is covered by another alert for snow lasting from 5am on New Year’s Eve until midnight.

There is also an amber warning in place for central Scotland from midnight tonight until 5pm tomorrow.

The Met Office says the rain is “likely to cause some property flooding and travel disruption”.

Southern areas of Scotland, including Edinburgh and Glasgow, are also covered by another wind alert from 7am on New Year’s Eve until 11pm.

There is also a yellow alert for snow and ice in place for northern areas of Scotland from midnight on 1 January until 9am on 2 January.

England

There are four yellow weather warnings covering different parts of England over the next few days, including one on Monday 30 December.

That yellow alert for wind is in place for the North Pennines and Yorkshire Dales from 11am until 6pm.

It warns of potential disruption to travel in the area and the potential for short-term power cuts.

Another yellow weather warning for wind comes into place from 7am on New Year’s Eve. That covers the northeast of England, down towards Bridlington in East Yorkshire, and across towards Carlisle in the northwest.

Read more from Sky News:
President Biden leads tributes to Jimmy Carter
One of UK’s oldest golf clubs fights for its future

It warns of “strong westerly winds” that could lead to travel disruption on New Year’s Eve and is in place until 11pm.

England then has two warnings in place on New Year’s Day.

The first, for strong winds, covers southern England and parts of the West Midlands from 7am to 11.59pm on 1 January.

The second, for heavy rain, covers a large part of the northwest and covers areas such as Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, parts of Liverpool, Preston and north towards High Bentham.

That warning runs from 6pm on New Year’s Eve until 6pm on New Year’s Day.

Wales

Wales is covered by a yellow weather warning for rain on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

The alert covers a central belt of Wales from the north coast, to the south, and is in place from 6pm on New Year’s Eve until 6pm on New Year’s Day.

Northern Ireland

A yellow weather warning is in place for much of Northern Ireland, covering Belfast, Londonderry, Coleraine and Larne, from 6am until 7pm on New Year’s Eve.

The whole of Northern Ireland, from Derry to Enniskillen, and Newry to Ballycastle, was covered by a yellow weather alert for “heavy and persistent” snow from 7am until 11.59pm on New Year’s Day, but that has now been withdrawn by the Met Office.