Cold weather warning to elderly & vulnerable Brits, as Met Office says ‘freezing temperatures’ to sweep UK
AN urgent cold weather warning has been issued to elderly and vulnerable Brits as “freezing temperatures” are expected in the next few days.
The alert, issued by the Met Office and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), covers all areas of England with low temperatures and wintry showers forecast.
The warning is in place from 1am on March 6 to midnight on March 8.
UKHSA is advising people to stay warm and and to look out for any vulnerable people.
Dr Agostinho Sousa, the UKHSA’s head of extreme events and health protection, said: “During periods like this, it is important to check in check in on family, friends and relatives who may be more vulnerable to the cold weather, as it can have a serious impact on health.
“If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over the age of 65, it is important to try and heat your home to at least 18°C if you can.’’
The Met Office’s deputy chief meteorologist Chris Almond said: “Although we’ve moved into meteorological spring there will be a distinctly wintry feel to our weather next week.
“Very cold air will spread across the UK bringing snow showers even to sea level in the north on Monday and these snow showers could spread further south on Tuesday.
“With freezing overnight temperatures and the risk of ice it is likely weather warnings will be issued for Monday and Tuesday once the detail of potential impacts becomes clearer, so keep an eye on the Met Office forecast.”
According to the latest Met Office forecast chilly winds from the north are set to blow in and temperatures will once again plunge to -1C in the coming days.
The Met Office long-range weather forecast has predicted some “wintry showers” and “snow”.
Although the health warning is in place, many people have been struggling to heat their homes due to the ongoing cost of living crisis and having difficulty paying their energy bills.
If people are struggling, the UKHSA has advised they seek help from Simple Energy Advice which provides free advice on energy efficiency and national grants that are available to help keep you warm this winter.
If people can’t afford all the rooms they use, they are urged to heat the living room during the day and the bedroom just before going to sleep.
People are also advised to wear several layers of thinner clothing which will keep you warmer than one thicker layer.
Having plenty of hot food and drinks is also effective to keep you warm.
Meanwhile, bookies are making this March to be the coldest ever.
Coral has slashed their odds to 6-4, from 3-1, on this month being the coldest March on record in the UK.
The bookmaker makes it as short as 1-2 for snow to fall in any major city in the UK this month.
Coral’s John Hill said: “Spring is going to feel like a distance away at times this month, and we could be set for the coldest March on record if our odds anything to go by
“It looks likely we will see snow fall in March. We make it odds-on for the white stuff to come down in a major UK city this month.”