Overview
- Forecasters issued a Met Office yellow wind warning for Christmas Day with gusts of 45–55mph, up to 65mph on exposed coasts, as a UKHSA yellow cold-health alert remained in place for south west England through December 27.
- Several flagship swims were called off or delayed, including Coverack in Cornwall for the first time in 57 years (reset for New Year’s Day), Felixstowe’s hospice dip postponed to 2026, and cancellations at Torcross, Teignmouth and Torbay, Southwold, and Dublin’s Forty Foot.
- Other events proceeded after adjustments, with Hunstanton relocating to a more sheltered beach, Ilfracombe using its harbour for cover, and local organisers providing briefings and warm-up support.
- Large turnouts were reported where conditions allowed, including around 1,000 at Boscombe’s Macmillan dip, more than 1,000 at Porthcawl, busy scenes at Cullercoats and Brighton, Lowestoft’s 46th annual dip, and London’s Peter Pan Cup on the Serpentine.
- Safety officials highlighted cold-water risks and advised checking local conditions, noting an easterly to northeasterly airflow creating choppier seas on east coasts and warning of sub-zero nights in rural Scotland and Wales.