MET OFFICE ISSUES COLD WEATHER ALERT
18 January 2023
There is a 90% probability of severe cold weather and icy conditions between 0900 on Wednesday 18 Jan and 0900 on Monday 23 Jan in parts of England. This weather could increase the health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services. Please refer to the national Cold Weather Plan and your Trust's emergency plan for appropriate preventive action.
Cold air continues to affect the country and is expected to remain through the rest of the working week and much of, if not all the way through the weekend. This brings widespread overnight frosts with some freezing fog and daytime temperatures struggling to recover much above freezing, especially in the north. Brisk winds, along with spells of wintry showers are also possible, mainly until Friday, with icy conditions developing as a result. These mostly likely where the brisk north to northwesterly winds bring coastal showers inland. As previously discussed, there remains uncertainty as to the longevity of the cold conditions across the west, with temperatures potentially recovering over the weekend. This a result of a slow-moving frontal system bringing milder conditions, though this could stall to retain the colder conditions, especially in the east into next week.
An update will be issued when the alert level changes in any region. Alerts are issued once a day by 0900 if required and are not subject to amendment in between standard issue times. Note that the details of the forecast weather are valid at the time of issue but may change over the period that an alert remains in force. These details will not be updated here unless the alert level also changes, the latest forecast details can be obtained at the following link: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/forecast/#?tab=map
Amber — Severe weather action
Triggered by the Met Office when we are experiencing weather which breaches any of the thresholds. This stage requires social and healthcare services to target specific actions at high-risk groups.
Advice: Look out for friends and family who may be vulnerable to the cold, and ensure they have access to warm food and drinks and are managing to heat their homes adequately. Try to maintain indoor temperatures to at least 18°C, particularly if you are not mobile, have a long-term illness or are 65 or over. Avoid exposing yourself to cold or icy outdoor conditions if you are at a higher risk of cold-related illness or falls and stay up to date with the latest weather forecasts on the Met Office website
If you want more information about how cold weather can affect your health please visit www.nhs.uk. If you are concerned about your health or somebody you care for, advice can be obtained from www.nhs.uk/winterhealth, NHS 111 or your local pharmacist.
More information can be found at the Cold Weather Plan for England page