Never miss any of the fun stuff. Get the biggest stories and wackiest takes from the Daily Star, including our special WTF Wednesday email
Thank you for subscribing!
Never miss any of the fun stuff. Get the biggest stories and wackiest takes from the Daily Star, including our special WTF Wednesday email
We have more newsletters
Urgent health warnings have been issued as Brits face being pummelled by up to five centimetres of snow.
Large parts of the country woke up to white blankets of snow outdoors, as temperatures dropped to as low as -10c in parts of Scotland. And as Southwest England hits -6c, with Wales plunging to -8c, the UK's Health Security Agency has joined forces with the Met Office to issue ominous warnings lasting until December 5.
Five parts of the UK have been upgrade to amber cold health alerts – East Midlands, West Midlands, North West, North East and Yorkshire and The Humber – while another four are under yellow alerts. Those are the South West, South East, East of England and London. They were brought in last night, and will last until Tuesday.
READ MORE: Met Office issues 800-mile weather warning for snow and ice as Brits battered by cold
For more weather news, click here.
An amber alert means that cold weather impacts are likely to be felt across the “whole health service for an extended period of time”, with potential for the whole population of the impacted areas to be at risk.
A yellow alert means that any impacts include the increased use of health care services by “vulnerable populations” and an increase in risk to health for individuals over the age of 65, those with pre-existing health conditions, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and some other vulnerable groups, such as those sleeping rough.
-
Met Office extends 'snow and ice' weather warnings across most of UK – list of places affected
Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at UKHSA, said: “With a risk of widespread overnight frosts and some snow across the country this week, it’s important to check in on the well-being of those most vulnerable to the cold.
-
UK hit by rare 'Diamond Dust' weather phenomenon as cold plunge sets in across country
“Cold weather can have a serious impact on health, particularly older people, and those with pre-existing health conditions, as it increases the risks of heart attacks, strokes, and chest infections. If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over the age of 65, it is important to try and heat the rooms where you spend most of your time in, such as your living room or bedroom.”
-
UK's weakest regions when it comes to turning heating on – and it's not Southern softies
The Met Office increased its own yellow warnings earlier today, as they were originally due to end at 11am. They warn of “wintry showers” impacting on the North Sea coast districts of England and northern parts of Scotland, with snow fall of around two centimetres hitting the areas as well.
The warning also covers parts of London, with Kent and Medway specifically in for a rough time.
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletter by clicking here.
- Met Office
- London
- Weather Forecast
- UK Weather
- Health issues
Source: Read Full Article