Cold health alerts have been issued for all of England as the UK braces for heavy snow. The Met Office and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a joint warning as temperatures are expected to drop.
An amber cold health alert will be in place from noon today (Thursday, January 2) until noon on Wednesday, January 8. It means that the wintry conditions is expected to have ‘severe impacts across health and social care services’.
There could be a ‘rise in deaths’, particularly in those aged 65 and over or with health conditions. Extra pressure could be placed on health services, while the transport and energy sectors could also be impacted.
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The alerts have been issued for the West Midlands, East Midlands, north east of England, north west of England, Yorkshire and The Humber, the east of England, London, the south East of England and the south west of England. In its forecast for Thursday, January 2, the Met Office said: “It will be a cold but mostly sunny day across the UK.
“Wintry showers for coasts exposed to the northerly breeze and North Sea. Remaining blustery in the north and east with lighter winds elsewhere.
It added: “A cold and frosty night will then follow for all with icy stretches possible. Wintry showers will persist in the north and patchy freezing fog is possible in the west.”
Looking at the forecast for Friday, January 3, the Met Office said: “Cold again with plenty of winter sunshine on offer, especially in the south and east. Wintry showers affecting northern and western coasts, winds staying generally light.”
In its outlook for Saturday, January 5, to Monday, January 6, it added: “Possibly disruptive rain and snow arriving in the south on Saturday, moving north into central areas on Sunday where it will turn milder. Colder, drier with wintry showers on Monday.”
There could be a ‘rise in deaths’, particularly in those aged 65 and over or with health conditions. Extra pressure could be placed on health services, while the transport and energy sectors could also be impacted.
It comes as a yellow weather warning for snow has been issued by the Met Office. A total of 12 regions of the UK will be affected between noon on Saturday, January 4, and 9am on Monday, January 6.