The New Year has officially begun in most of the world, with cities around the globe celebrating the start of 2018 beginning with the Pacific Ocean nations of Samoa, Tonga and Christmas Island/Kiribati.
The last places on Earth to see in the New Year are minor outlying US islands like Baker Island and Howland Island - although these are uninhabited. The last inhabited island is American Samoa which will welcome 2018 when it's 11am in London on January 1.
When major cities will welcome 2018
- 11.00 GMT Auckland, New Zealand
- 13:00 GMT Sydney, Australia
- 15:00 Tokyo
- 16:00 Beijing and Hong Kong
- 20:00 Dubai
- 23:00 Paris, Rome and Brussels
- 00:00 London
- 05:00 New York
- 08:00 Los Angeles
In the UK, Storm Dylan brought a wet and windy end to the year, with howling gales in excess of 70mph hitting parts of Ireland and Wales and squally rain bearing down on the UK mainland. Forecasters have warned of severe gusts of up to 80mph.
Across the pond, New Yorkers braved the elements for one of the coldest New Year celebrations on record.
Revellers were warned to bring handwarmers, wrap up warm and avoid alcohol as they flocked to Times Square, where temperatures dipped below the -11 Celsius recorded in 1962, the second coldest year on record. The coldest ever was in 1917, when it was -17 Celsius at midnight.
Drinking alcohol is discouraged because it causes body temperature to drop faster.
