This winter has been a challenging one for many across the UK with several major storms wreaking havoc, the most recent one being Storm Henk. Sadly, the bad weather isn’t close to ending as the Met Office has issued a cold weather warning for most of England.
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The bad weather doesn’t just stop at the bitter cold, it is expected to be coupled with potential floods. Which areas will be most affected and what can you do to make sure you stay safe during extreme cold weather, we have all the answers.
England issued cold weather alert
As reported by The Standard, England has been issued a cold weather alert starting today, Saturday, January 6 from 9 am.
Temperatures are expected to be below average, with London dropping to 5C on Sunday and 4C on Monday and Tuesday. Luckily, as per the Met Office, this cold spell in London will be met with clear and dry conditions.
It is expected for this cold spell to go into the coming week and the cold weather alert ends on January 12 at noon.
Met Office forecaster Jason Kelly said:
Clearer skies and a marked reduction in precipitation are expected, although any showers that do occur are likely to be wintry in nature.
Parts of the UK still under flood alerts
Storm Henk has come and gone and left a disastrous path behind it. As per Sky News, parts of the UK are still under flood alerts, indeed, from 5 am there have been 244 flood warnings across England and Wales issued by the Environment Agency.
The Midlands on the River Trent and in Gloucester, as well as areas of the South West on the River Avon, can expect ‘significant river flooding impacts’, with disruptions lasting up to 5 days in England as the ground is ‘completely saturated’ from the recent storm.
How to stay safe in cold temperatures
Dr Agostinho Sousa, UKHSA Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection explains that cold weather can cause some serious issues to people’s health, especially the most vulnerable, such as those with pre-existing health issues:
Cold weather can have a serious impact on health, particularly for older people and those with pre-existing health conditions, as it increases the risks of heart attacks, strokes, and chest infections.
Dr Souso advises people to heat the rooms where they spend the most time such as their living room and bedroom:
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, such as your living room or bedroom, in the coming days.
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Sources used:
The Standard: ‘Cold weather alert issued for whole of England as temperatures set to plummet’
Sky News: ‘UK weather: Alert for cold conditions will be in force for most of next week, amid fears flooding impact could last for days’
