Those planning a walk or swim on New Year’s Day can expect chilly conditions with highs of 5C expected in Belfast, 7C in London, 6C in Manchester, 3C in Edinburgh and 8C in Cardiff, according to the forecaster.

In a post on X on Wednesday, the Met Office said a “dip in the sea” on January 1 will feel “relatively mild compared to the wind chill that can be expected on land”, adding that people along eastern coasts should be aware of large waves and higher tides brought by strong winds.

For New Year’s Day, the weather service has issued a yellow warning for snow and ice in northern Scotland between 6am until the end of Friday.

A yellow warning for wind is also in place until 9am on January 1 in Orkney and Shetland, Highlands and Eilean Siar and Aberdeenshire where gusts in excess of 70mph may occur.

On January 2, a further yellow warning for snow and ice has been issued across large parts of England and Wales between midnight and noon, including Chester and Greater Manchester down to London and Kent.

Snow up to 5cm deep could blanket some areas especially on higher ground in parts of North Wales and north-west England, according to forecasters.

Separate yellow warnings are in place for Northern Ireland between midnight and 10am on Friday.

People have been urged to prepare for longer journey times by road, and on bus and train services.

The forecaster has also warned of injuries due to slips and falls on icy surfaces, which will develop quickly as sleet and snow clears.

A Met Office spokeswoman said: “This warning highlights the risk of disruptive snow showers and icy surfaces, particularly in northern and eastern areas, with impacts on travel and potential hazards for the public.

“We expect this cold spell to persist into the weekend and on into next week, with further warnings possible as temperatures remain well below average and snow showers continue in places.”

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has also issued more severe warnings for the start of the year.

It previously issued amber cold health alerts in the North East and North West of England.

However, yellow alerts have been upgraded to amber across the East Midlands, West Midlands, South East, South West, East of England, Yorkshire and the Humber, and London.

These warnings will be in place from 8pm on December 31 until 10am on January 6.

The UKHSA said it means the weather is “likely” to cause significant impacts across health and social care services, including a “rise in deaths” among those with health conditions or aged 65 or over.

Dr Paul Coleman, consultant in health protection at the UKHSA, said: “The weather is forecast to be very cold across England over the coming few days.

“Low temperatures like these can have serious impacts on the health of some people, particularly older people and those with serious health conditions.

“Exposure to cold can lead to increased risk of heart attacks, strokes and chest infections.

“It is therefore really important, as the colder weather sets in, to check in on friends, family and neighbours that are most vulnerable.”

On Thursday, the temperature is expected to plummet in northern England, north Wales and Scotland.

There will also be frequent, and at times heavy, snow showers across northern Scotland and potentially in north-east England.

However, fine and bright conditions are expected across much of the UK before the weather warning comes into force on Friday.