Health warning as ice and snow cause road chaos across the North
HEALTH warnings were issued yesterday as freezing temperatures left parts of the UK under a blanket of snow.
Health warnings have been issued after freezing temperatures in parts of the UK
Heavy falls across the North brought traffic on major routes to a standstill.
Forecasters warned of worse to come later this week with lows of -10c (14F).
The snow will hit southern England from tomorrow, with the worst disruption expected on Wednesday and Thursday.
The Met Office issued a Level 2 cold weather alert across much of England, warning of an increased health risk to elderly and vulnerable people.
Some parts of the UK were left under a blanket of snow
It is likely we will be issuing warnings for snow and ice this week
It says there is a 60 per cent danger of severe cold weather over the next four days.
Icy Arctic winds brought temperatures tumbling to -8C in Scotland yesterday while swathes of flood-hit Yorkshire and Cumbria lay under several inches of snow.
Met Office forecaster Jenna Macgregor said: “It is going to feel much colder from Tuesday with widespread frosts likely on Wednesday morning.
The UK has dealt with multiple storms over the past couple of months
“We will see a mix of snow, sleet and hail showers across the UK. It is likely we will be issuing warnings for snow and ice this week.”
Gary Rae, of road safety charity Brake, warned: “Stopping distances can increase up to tenfold in ice and snow.
Many areas of the UK have been flooded
UK: 1,000s evacuated in northern England due to heavy rain and floods
“If you get caught out driving in bad weather the critical thing is to slow right down and keep your distance.”
James Madden, forecaster for Exacta Weather, said conditions would worsen through the week with nowhere escaping the icy blast.
“From Wednesday through to next weekend we expect widespread snow with notable accumulations in parts.”