Residences were inundated, and weather alerts were issued on New Year's Day
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Over 100 flood warnings have been issued throughout the UK as various regions experienced severe wind and rain on the first day of 2025.
Greater Manchester Police have declared a major incident following reports of individuals being trapped in their homes without access to running water, while rescue operations were initiated for those stranded in vehicles amid rising floodwaters.
The Met Office has issued yellow warnings for wind and rain affecting much of Wales, northwestern England, Yorkshire, the East Midlands, and southern England, alongside a snow and ice warning for northern Scotland.
This situation follows the cancellation of New Year's Eve events nationwide due to adverse weather conditions, although celebrations in Manchester and London proceeded as planned.
The police force reported that heavy and persistent rainfall on Tuesday and into Wednesday led to flooding in several areas of Greater Manchester.
Affected locations include Bolton, Didsbury, South Manchester, Harpurhey, North Manchester, Stalybridge, Stockport, and Wigan.
In Stockport, floodwaters have left several residents trapped in their flats without electricity or running water.
Authorities conducted two separate rescue operations overnight in Warrington and nearby Lymm after individuals became stranded in their cars due to flooding.
The current weather warnings issued by the Met Office across the UK include:
A yellow warning for snow and ice in northern mainland Scotland, effective from 04:00 on Wednesday until 09:00 on Thursday.
A yellow ice warning for the remainder of Scotland, northern England, the Midlands, Northern Ireland, and Wales, in effect from 16:00 on Wednesday until 10:00 on Thursday.
A yellow wind warning for Wales and large portions of England, valid from 00:15 until 15:00 on Wednesday, with expected gusts reaching up to 75 mph.
An amber rain warning for parts of North West England, effective until 09:00 on Wednesday, alongside a yellow rain warning for much of Wales and northwestern England until 11:00.
A yellow warning for snow and rain covering the Highlands and Moray is also in effect.
London's New Year's Day parade experienced a brief postponement due to strong winds affecting the city.
The event was delayed by 30 minutes to prevent overlap with a squall line, a narrow band of intense winds anticipated in London around midday.
Organizers announced that inflatable cartoon characters planned for the parade would not be inflated following guidance from the Met Office.
Snow is predicted for the upcoming weekend
In the last 24 hours, between 60 and 90mm of rain has fallen across much of northwest England, with over 100mm recorded in certain hilly areas of north Wales and Cumbria. The effects of the now-lifted amber rain warning in northwest England will persist throughout the day.
Numerous lane closures are in effect on various motorways and roads in northwest England. Travelers are advised to check conditions prior to departure.
Rain and strong winds will continue to impact parts of southern England and East Anglia, while drier and brighter weather is expected across Wales, the Midlands, and northern England as the strong winds subside.
A weather front moving over Scotland is bringing rain, along with sleet and snow in hilly regions. As it progresses southward, much colder arctic air will follow, leading to sunny intervals and snow showers.
A few centimeters of snow are anticipated at lower elevations overnight, while the hills of northern Scotland may receive 5-10cm of snow in certain areas, potentially causing local disruptions.
The temperature will feel increasingly frigid as arctic air reaches all regions by Thursday.
A yellow snow warning is in effect for most of the UK over the weekend, covering southern Scotland, northern England, the Midlands, Wales, London, and much of the southeast and southwest.
An area of low pressure is expected to move into this cold air on Sunday, bringing rain and potentially disruptive snow on its northern edge.
Adverse weather conditions are resulting in rail disruptions in various parts of the country.
Severe flooding has caused widespread cancellations across Northern Rail services.
