Those waking up on New Year’s Day might be looking out of the window onto a very wintry 2025 as the country faces a 78-hour snow and ice blast.

The fresh conditions could be perfect for overcoming a hangover with a walk on January 1, but they could also make travelling difficult as many are still off work and trying to visit loved ones over the festive period.

Tuesday January 2 seems to be when charts show the snow will be present almost everywhere in greater abundance, especially across northern England, the Midlands and Scotland and Wales. London and the south east of England will also not be immune to a dusting.

But according to new maps from forecast WXCharts, the snowy conditions are set to hold the UK in their icy grip at least until January 3 with the white stuff settling from the far north of Scotland to as far south as Devon.

The 590-mile long band of cold weather will see snow falling in some places as fast as three inches per hour, and settling to at least around a foot deep on higher ground.

Cold conditions are not just confined to the New Year, with the Met Office issuing a yellow weather warning tonight (Sunday) for Scotland in the regions of Central, Tayside, Fife, The Highlands, Eilean Siar (Western Isles) and Grampian.

The weather agency warns “icy patches on untreated surfaces may lead to locally difficult travel conditions overnight and into Monday morning”.

In a latest forecast covering the start of Janaury, the Met Office said: “Around the turn of the year, it looks more probable that colder, more showery conditions will likely make at least some ingress into northern and perhaps central areas, bringing a risk of some impacts from ice, sleet and snow.

“Widely mild at first, perhaps exceptionally so in some places, but temperatures probably return to nearer normal by early January.

“Throughout, any clearer spells overnight may lead to localised frost and fog.”

This Evening and Tonight:

Showers becoming confined to far eastern coasts and winds will slowly ease. Clear spells developing overnight for most, but cloud building in the west towards dawn. Feeling cold overnight with a touch of frost in some prone spots.

Monday:

Dry and fine in the east with prolonged periods of sunshine, though feeling chilly. Outbreaks of rain and extensive low cloud spreading into western areas, and turning mild.

Outlook for Tuesday to Thursday:

Predominantly settled, mild and cloudy for the Christmas period. Best chance of brighter spells to the east of high ground. Wetter and windier across northwest Scotland.