Hour-by-hour weather maps reveal regions of heaviest rain in Wales
The Met Office has released hour-by-hour weather maps showing where the most intense rain will fall in Wales. As the New Year approaches, a combination of heavy rain, strong winds, and potential snowfall are predicted in the UK forecast. An amber weather warning for rain is in effect for Scotland, while a 24-hour warning for rain has been issued for parts of Wales from 6pm on New Year’s Eve until 6pm on New Year’s Day, with northern Wales expected to experience the heaviest rainfall. Met Office chief meteorologist Steve Willington warned of upcoming disruptive weather due to a series of low-pressure systems moving across the UK over the next few days.
On New Year’s Eve, the weather map depicts that most of south Wales will remain dry and clear at noon, while significant rainfall is forecasted for large parts of north Wales, originating from the Irish Sea. The heaviest rain is expected in areas such as Eryri national park and the Conwy valley, with precipitation rates reaching 4-8mm per hour in locations like Blaenau Ffestiniog in Gwynedd. Additionally, a light rain patch is anticipated in Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion, affecting places like Llangolman.
By early afternoon, the rain will have extended further, covering substantial areas including Anglesey, Gwynedd, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Wrexham, Powys, Ceredigion, northern Pembrokeshire, and southeast valleys towards Pontypridd. Once again, heavy rain is expected in northern Wales, particularly impacting inland regions of Gwynedd and Conwy with rainfall rates of 8-16mm per hour in certain locations.
As the day progresses, at 4pm, the rain is forecasted to clear for Anglesey, Cardiff, Monmouthshire, and the Vale of Glamorgan, while persisting in other counties. Carmarthenshire, Powys, Ceredigion, and Gwynedd are expected to experience the heaviest rainfall, with rates between 4-8mm per hour in some areas.
By 6pm, as the weather warning takes effect, most of Wales will be engulfed in rain, with regions just outside Bangor in Gwynedd and near Machynlleth in Powys experiencing the heaviest downpour, with rates reaching 8-16mm per hour. Parts of south Wales, including Merthyr Tydfil, Pontypridd, and Maesteg, could encounter rainfall rates of 4-8mm per hour. Additionally, wind gusts of up to 57mph are predicted in certain areas, with the west Wales coastline facing particularly strong winds.
Throughout the night and into New Year’s Day, the rain is expected to persist in north and mid Wales, with heavy rainfall rates of up to 16-32mm per hour in some areas. However, parts of south Wales such as Cardiff, the Vale of Glamorgan, and Monmouthshire may remain dry. Rainfall rates may reach 16-32mm per hour just off the southern coast of Pembrokeshire.
As the morning progresses on New Year’s Day, the rain is forecasted to shift towards the south, affecting areas like Cardiff, Swansea, and Merthyr Tydfil with rainfall rates of 2-4mm per hour. By the afternoon, some parts of north Wales might experience light rain, while most of south Wales is anticipated to be covered in rain. Gradually, the rain will clear in the north but persist in the south, with patches of rain expected in various parts of Wales.
By the evening, most of Wales is projected to be dry, with only isolated patches of rain off the coast of southern Ceredigion. The sequence of rain patterns and intensities throughout New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day underscores the varied weather conditions that Wales will navigate during this period. Stay updated through WalesOnline for the latest weather forecasts and advisories.