Yellow health alert issued ahead of snow forecast

PA Media

Snow has already fallen in parts of northern England and Scotland, including Northumberland, this week.

Temperatures have fallen as cold Arctic air spreads across the UK, with a yellow cold snap health warning in place ahead of a weekend snow forecast for much of the country.

The Met Office has issued an amber warning for snow and ice for most of England and Wales and parts of Scotland for three days, with the cold weather expected to continue until Monday.

Separate warnings for ice are in place for Thursday and Friday after much of the UK was battered by strong winds and heavy rain, causing widespread flooding across north-west England.

Flood warnings and warnings remain in place for parts of north-west England as extensive clean-up operations continue after hundreds of people were evacuated from their homes.

The colder weather brought an end to unseasonably mild weather over the festive period, with highs ranging from 11C to 13C on Christmas Day.

Temperatures are expected to be about 5 degrees lower than the average in early January, and cold winds will blow, making it feel even colder.

The yellow cold health alert applies to the whole of England, but does not apply to the rest of the UK.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issues alerts when temperatures are likely to affect people's wellbeing, particularly older people or those with existing health problems.

The alert provides early warning to health care providers and suggests actions such as actively monitoring high-risk individuals and ensuring those most vulnerable to cold-related illnesses are prepared for visitors or phone calls.

An amber warning for ice has been issued across north-west England, western Scotland and Northern Ireland until Friday morning as temperatures drop overnight.

A heavy ice warning has also been issued for Western Wales from this evening until 10:00 GMT on Friday.

The Met Office also warned that snow would fall in northeastern Scotland, including the Orkney and Shetland Islands, until Friday.

Cold weather will continue into the weekend.

A yellow warning for snow and ice is in place for most of England and Wales, excluding the south west, from noon to midnight on Saturday. A separate yellow warning for snow covers Scotland from midnight on Sunday until 12:00 GMT. Monday and Saturday are likely to be the coldest days, with maximum temperatures ranging from minus 1 to minus 2 degrees in most areas. We're in for some chilly weather right now with wintry showers and a chance of heavy snow over the weekend, but that's not unusual for winter. in england

Age UK director Caroline Abrahams said the government's decision to limit winter fuel payments due to cold weather would be a “relief” and said people “worrying about what to do” had already contacted the charity. He added that he did.

She urged older people to “do everything they can to stay warm”, including risking spending more on heating bills. Mr Abrahams said energy companies had a “duty to help” people who were struggling, adding there could also be support from local councils.

The Prime Minister has previously said it was important to protect pensioners who need the benefits most, but many did not need them because they were “relatively wealthy”. The cuts aim to save $1.5 billion annually.

ht247 / BBC Weather Observer

Snow has already fallen in parts of Scotland.

Rain will change to snow as it hits colder Arctic air as the weather system approaches the UK late on Saturday.

There will be temporary snow in parts of southern England, but it will quickly change back to rain as milder air moves in on Saturday night.

Low levels of up to 5cm of snow could fall in Wales, the Midlands and northern England, with freezing rain possible for a period of time.

In some areas of Wales and the Pennines, up to 20-30 cm (8-12 inches) of snow could accumulate in the higher elevations. As blizzards and blizzards intensify, up to 40 centimeters of snow could accumulate in these areas as well.

Travel disruptions, power outages and lockdowns in some rural communities are likely.

The focus of heavy snow will shift to Scotland on Sunday and overnight into Monday, with the Met Office issuing a further yellow warning warning of snow accumulations of 2-3cm in lower places and up to 20cm in higher places.

This weather set-up is a tricky one for forecasters, with cold air across the UK and a rainy weather system moving in from the Atlantic.

How much snow will fall and exactly where it will fall can be difficult to determine more than a day ahead, leading to uncertainty in the forecast.

Snow is expected to fall across the Midlands, Wales and northern England over the weekend.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said on Thursday that no new postcode cold weather payments had been triggered.

Eligible households will receive $25 if the average temperature in their area is recorded or forecast to be below 0C for seven consecutive days.

Many Britons celebrated New Year's Day with heavy rain and widespread flooding, including in Greater Manchester, where a major incident was declared on New Year's Day.

Emergency services tackled a major incident on Thursday afternoon, evacuating almost 1,000 people over the past 36 hours. Flood warnings remain in place and evacuation centers are open.

In Cheshire, the Bridgewater Canal embankment collapsed, spilling water into fields around Little Bollington, causing road closures and property evacuations.

The cold weather is a sharp change from December, which was the fifth warmest on record, according to Met Office figures released on Thursday.

This was the general trend throughout 2024, making it the fourth hottest year in the UK.

Mike Kendon, Chief Scientist at the Met Office, said: “With 2024 joining the top ten warmest years in the UK’s annual temperature series, this once again makes it clear that our current climate is changing and continues to head towards a warming curve.” said. .

The warmer climate has brought more rain to the country. The winter of 2023-2024 was the wettest winter in England and Wales, with a record number of storms.

Additional reporting by Esme Stallard

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos