The UK faces a -15C weather shift in the coldest night of the year. Temperatures are set to plunge as low as -15C in the UK as Brits face the coldest night of winter so far on January 8, the Met Office has warned, in what could be the coldest night since last January.
January 17, 2024 marked -14C lows – and tonight could break that record. Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at UKHSA, said: “We are extending the duration of our Cold-Health Alert, since the Met Office are forecasting that the low temperatures we are seeing will continue further into this week, with snow and icy conditions likely to persist.
“This weather can have a serious impact on the health of some people, including those aged 65 and over and those with pre-existing health conditions, and it is therefore vital that we continue to check in on friends, family and neighbours that are most vulnerable.
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“These people could be more at risk of heart attacks, stroke and chest infections as a result of cold temperatures.” Forecast weather is likely to cause significant impacts across health and social care services, the UKHSA has gone on to say.
It includes a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions. We may also see impacts on younger age groups and a likely increase in demand for health services as well as temperatures inside places like hospitals, care homes, and clinics dropping below the levels recommended for assessing health risks.
There will be challenges keeping indoor temperatures at the recommended 18°C leading to more risk to vulnerable people and staffing issues due to external factors (such as travel delays), the UKHSA has added, as well as other sectors starting to observe impacts (such as transport and energy).