Met Office cold weather warning

The Met Office have released a cold weather level 3 warning for period between Wednesday 7 December at 6pm to Monday 12 December at 9am for snow showers.

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Rather cold conditions are expected to turn colder across much of the UK later Wednesday and through Thursday as air from the Arctic spreads south across the country. Very cold nights are expected, with widespread frosts and potentially severe frosts. Daytime temperatures persisting near or just above freezing, with overnight temperatures continuing to trend downwards. Wintry showers are also likely to affect some coasts, perhaps pushing into some inland areas at times, bringing a risk of icy patches.

There is a 90 percent probability of severe cold weather and icy conditions between 6pm on Wednesday 7 December and 9am on Monday 12 Dececember in parts of England. This weather could increase the health risks to vulnerable patients.

Advice: Look out for friends and family who may be vulnerable to the cold, and ensure they have access to warm food and drinks and are managing to heat their homes adequately. Try to maintain indoor temperatures to at least 18°C, particularly if you are not mobile, have a long-term illness or are 65 or over. Avoid exposing yourself to cold or icy outdoor conditions if you are at a higher risk of cold-related illness or falls and stay up to date with the latest weather forecasts on the Met Office website.

If you want more information about how cold weather can affect your health please visit https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/seasonal-health/keep-warm-keep-well/

If you are concerned about your health or somebody you care for, advice can be obtained from NHS 111 or your local pharmacist.

Related pages:

• Seasonal health and wellbeing

Links

• How to stay well in winter - NHS
• ‘Keep Warm Keep Well’ leaflet - GOV.UK
• Cold weather plan for England - GOV.UK
• Energy Saving Trust
• Age UK
• National Energy Action

An update will be issued when the alert level changes in any region. Alerts are issued once a day by 0900 if required and are not subject to amendment in between standard issue times. Note that the details of the forecast weather are valid at the time of issue but may change over the period that an alert remains in force. These details will not be updated here unless the alert level also changes, the latest forecast details can be obtainedon the Met Office website.