The UK’s main weather-forecasting agencies are warning that England and Scotland will experience very cold weather next week.
The Met Office and UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) have said that all regions in England will experience low temperatures from 1:00a.m on Monday (March 6) until midnight on Wednesday (March 8).
Chief meteorologist at the Met Office, Chris Almond, said there will be a “distinctly wintry” feel to the weather in the UK next week.
“Very cold air will spread across the UK bringing snow showers even to sea level in the north on Monday and these snow showers could spread further south on Tuesday.
“With freezing overnight temperatures and the risk of ice, it is likely weather warnings will be issued for Monday and Tuesday once the detail of potential impacts becomes clearer, so keep an eye on the Met Office forecast,” he said.
Weather warnings
The Met Office has issued a Status Yellow weather warning for snow and ice on Monday, saying that “snow showers are likely to cause some disruption to travel with a small chance of more widespread disruption for some”.
This warning is in place for north Scotland and the east of England.
The following day (Tuesday, March 7), the yellow warning will expand to cover more of the east of England.
Amid the weather warnings, the Met Office issued a list of things for people to expect ahead of this cold spell:
- There is a small chance of travel delays on roads with some stranded vehicles and passengers, along with delayed or cancelled rail and air travel;
- There is a slight chance that some rural communities could become cut off;
- A small chance of injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces;
- There is a small chance that power cuts will occur and other services, such as mobile phone coverage, may be affected.
The health agency is encouraging people to stay warm and look out for those most at risk from the effects of cold weather.
Dr. Agostinho Sousa, the head of extreme events and health protection at UKHSA, said: “During periods like this, it is important to check in on family, friends and relatives who may be more vulnerable to the cold weather, as it can have a serious impact on health.
“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 18° if you can.”
