Weather: Hour by hour forecast as Met Office predicts North East snow

After a previous warning of snow to close the year did not come to fruition, wintry conditions are back according to the Met Office.

To kick off the year the weather service has included snowfall as part of its shirt term forecast across the region, starting on New Year’s Day and heading into the second day of the year.

When is snow forecast in the North East?

The Met Office is expecting wintry weather very soon, with rain starting on New Year’s Day becoming more wintry thanks to colder conditions in the evening.

Clear skies to start the year will cloud over by lunchtime across much of the region with rain falling between 11am and 5pm. Around this time temperatures will fall with it feeling below freezing from mid afternoon into the night.

Wintry conditions may initially mix with rain before turning towards mainly snow towards 6pm. Freezing conditions are expected to continue into the night thanks to a clear sky, meaning wet ground may turn icy as we enter Thursday, January 2.

The Met Office’s medium to long range forecast is also predicting wintry conditions into the rest of the month. The forecast from Sunday, January 5 until Tuesday, January 14 reads: “A cold start to this period, with a mix of snow, sleet and rain showers in the north.

“Milder air may make inroads from the south during the first Sunday and Monday, bringing snow, rain and perhaps strong winds, but the northern extent of this is unclear and it may be that most or all of the UK remains in the colder air.

“Beyond this, the weather looks rather varied, with high pressure, cold air and wintry showers more likely across the north and North East.

“Overall, temperatures are more likely to be below normal than above, but day to day and regional variations are likely.”