Severe cold weather alert issued as Britain braces for snow and hail with temperatures set to plunge again
13 January 2023, 18:25
A severe cold weather alert for icy conditions and heavy snow has been issued for parts of England next week.
After weeks of relatively mild weather, the UK is braced to go back to chilling temperatures.
Rain, hail, sleet and snow could all be in the mix, an expert warned.
Northern areas will be affected by winds developing on Sunday and Monday before that moves south.
Western parts will see showers, as will some sections of the east, and strong winds will make the weather feel even colder.
Issuing an alert level two, the second lowest alert out of four, the Met Office said: "There is a 70% probability of severe cold weather/icy conditions/heavy snow between 1800 on Sunday 15 Jan and 0900 on Thursday 19 Jan in parts of England.
"This weather could increase the health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services."
Its advice about level two alerts says: "Prolonged periods of cold weather can be dangerous, especially for older people, those with underlying health conditions, and young children.
Read more: Parts of UK to be hit by ‘heavy snow’ as Arctic blast set to bring -3C freeze
"If you're able, ask if your friends, family or neighbours need any support. Stock up foods and medicines so you don't have to go out too much when it's cold or icy.
"When indoors, stay warm, heat homes to at least 18°C, and keep up-to-date with the weather forecast.
"If you want more information about how cold weather can affect your health please visit the NHS website. If you are concerned about your health or somebody you care for, advice can be obtained from NHS Winter Health, NHS or your local pharmacist."
Northern and eastern areas will see a brief lull in the unsettled conditions this evening
— Met Office (@metoffice) January 13, 2023
A patchy frost forming here under the clear spells ✨🌡️📉
However, more wet and windy weather will arrive across the west and southwest 🌨️🌬️ pic.twitter.com/FgRMBFFqlr
The alert covers the north, the Midlands, central and eastern England, while London, the south and the south.
It follows a spell of heavy rain that led to dozens of flood warnings and more than 160 alerts across England, with eight warnings also posted for Scotland and seven in Wales.
Read more: Pubs flood and sewage runs in the streets as York is hit with torrential rain
Met Office meteorologist and presenter Aidan McGivern said: "Next week, the jet stream is a bit more amplified and it's coming at the UK from the northwest rather than from the west like recent days.
"This subtle change into the start of next week will see colder weather coming in and rather than prolonged bouts of rain from the west, we're likely to see rain and showers coming from the northwest.
"These showers from the north could fall as snow over the high parts of Scotland, northern England and Northern Ireland later in the weekend, and as we move through next week often below average temperatures could support a mixture of rain, hail sleet and snow."
