Health agency issues cold weather warning for England

A cold weather warning has been issued for England by the UK Health Security Agency, which is advising that vulnerable people be checked in on as temperatures plunge later this weekend.

The UKHSA and the Met Office said a cold snap would hit England between 6pm on Sunday and 6pm on Tuesday. Temperatures could fall to -3C in rural areas and frost was expected.

All regions of England would be affected, but forecasters said they expected the West Midlands and the Welsh borders to be the coldest.

Temperatures would plummet at night but were not expected to fall below mid-single figures during the day.

Older people and those with underlying health conditions were urged to keep their heating on at least 18C, and people were advised to look out for those who are most vulnerable in cold conditions.

Dr Agostinho Sousa, a consultant in public health medicine at UKHSA, said: “Cold weather can have serious consequences for health, with older people and those with heart or lung conditions particularly at risk.

“It’s important to check in on family, friends and relatives who are more vulnerable to the cold weather. 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 18C if you can.”

David Oliver, a deputy chief forecaster at the Met Office, said: “From Sunday and into early next week an area of high pressure will dominate the UK’s weather.

“This will bring some cold nights with a widespread frost across the country. However, by day, temperatures will recover to around mid-single figures, near normal for the time of year.”

The Met Office meteorologist Dan Stroud said: “We are expecting a cold front to sink south during the course of Saturday and it is going to really help clear the clouds.

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“It is going to allow overnight temperatures to dip below zero and we are likely to see an increasing risk of overnight frost as we move into the early part of next week. Wrap up warm and close your curtains in the evening to help keep in the heat.

“Daytime temperatures will be responding to the sunshine … we are likely to see them go to about average or just below average.”

The UKHSA said if people could not heat all the rooms they used, they should heat the living room during the day and the bedroom just before going to sleep. People should wear several layers of thinner clothing rather than one thick jumper, it added.