UK weather: Brits brace for more snow as Arctic blast triggers amber cold health alert & mercury plunges to -11C
BRITS are being warned to brace for more snow as an Arctic blast sweeps across the UK.
Forecasters say the mercury is set to plunge even further – and a cold health warning has been issued for much of England.
Last night in Aviemore, Scotland, temperatures dipped to a shocking -11C.
The freezing conditions mean the UK Health Security Agency has placed much of the country under a Cold Health Alert.
It covers the North West of England, West Midlands, East Midlands, South East and the South West of England until 12pm on Friday.
An amber alert means that cold weather impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service, with the potential for the whole population to be at risk.
It comes as conditions are set to get worse.
Aidan McGivern said: “A cold front from the north towards the weekend will mark another change in the airmass for the UK, moving from something with a bit of an Atlantic influence to air that comes more directly from the Arctic.”
This front over the weekend will bring some rain to northern areas, with the west of Scotland likely to most in the way of rain, but it also means worse cold conditions are on the way next week.
Met Office Head of Situational Awareness Will Lang said: “There will be a resurgence in the really cold weather through the weekend and that spreads across the whole of the UK during the early part of next week.
“Initially, this means there will be more in the way of showers around the coasts, turning increasingly to snow for many areas, especially further north.”
It comes as 110 flood warnings remain in England where flooding is expected, including a flood warning on the River Thames southwest of London in Wraysbury.
The majority of flood warnings are in the south of England and the Midlands, particularly through Reading, Slough, Oxford, Salisbury and further north in Cheltenham and Peterborough.
Dr Agostinho Sousa, of the UKHSA, stressed the importance of checking on those who could be vulnerable during the cold weather.
She said: “Cold weather can increase the risks of heart attacks, strokes, and chest infections so that it can have a serious impact on health, particularly for older people and those with pre-existing health conditions.
“Temperatures are expected to turn particularly cold overnight, as expected at this time of year.
“If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over 65, it is important to try and heat the rooms where you spend most of your time, such as your living room or bedroom, in the coming days.”