UK FREEZE ALERT: Britain faces coldest night in SIX YEARS as temperatures plummet to -15C
BRITAIN faces the coldest night in six years sparking warnings to elderly and vulnerable people to take extra care and ‘stay indoors’.
Met Office forecasts a 'wintry week' as cold air sweeps UK
Forecasts for severe cold have triggered a government ‘weather action’ health alert – one step below ‘national emergency’.
Charities and safety campaigners warn not to go out during the worst of the weather and stock up on essentials.
Bitter winds blew in from Scandinavia on Monday sending the mercury plunging and heralding the start of a lengthy cold snap.
Heavy snowfall in parts of the country led to rush-hour chaos on roads, motorways and transport networks.
Tuesday night is forecast to be the coldest night of the week and could bring the lowest temperatures since February 2012.
There is now high confidence for a period of cold weather this week, raising the alert to level-3 for all areas
Thermometers could touch -15C (5F) in exposed spots with lows of between freezing and -7C (19.4F) forecast widely. Icy winds will make it feel close to -20C (-4F) over very high ground in exposed parts, forecasters have warned.
Further heavy snowfall is forecast across Scotland, northern England and Wales through much of today (Tuesday).
A separate Met Office severe weather warning for snow and ice is in place down the west coast of the UK into Wednesday morning.
More than a foot could settle in the worst-hit regions by the end of the week, according to some weather experts.
Hannah Findley, forecaster for The Weather Channel, said: “We are currently forecasting lows of -12C (10.4F) for Tuesday night in the Scottish Cairngorms, but this will feel like -19C (-2.2F) in the wind chill.
Weather latest: Met Office warn of rain, sleet and snow
“There will also be 20 to 40cm [15.7 ins] of lying snow in the Cairngorms and -15C (5F) is certainly possible, there is around a five-per cent chance of reaching this temperature.”
Campaigners have urged people to take extra care over the coming days amid forecasts for dangerous cold weather.
Public Health England (PHE) with the Met Office has issued a level-3 cold weather health alert across England until Friday.
It states: “Cold weather has now set in, with brisk northeasterly winds in the south.
“There is now high confidence for a period of cold weather this week, raising the alert to level-3 for all areas.
“Prolonged periods of cold weather can be dangerous, especially for the very young, very old or those with chronic diseases.”
James Madden, forecaster for Exacta Weather, said thermometers across Britain will sink into double-minus figures over the next few nights.
He warned to expect widespread harsh frosts and temperatures below -10C (14F) bringing the coldest night for six years.
He said: “Throughout Tuesday evening and the early part of Wednesday we will see a widespread harsh frost with negative temperatures developing across most and if not all parts of the country.
“Our current indications do show that it could dip to as low as -10C in places, however, some even lower temperatures could be recorded in remote locations in the north.
“This could make it one of the coldest nights in more than five years.”
Experts warn severe cold weather this week threatens to hit people with health conditions especially hard. Campaigners have reiterated pleas to watch out for elderly friends, neighbours and relatives over the coming days.
Malcolm Booth, chief executive of the National Federation of Occupational Pensioners (NFOP), said: “Winter is now upon us delivering another bout of cold weather and we must not forget the risk of the cold to older citizens.
“It is especially important to follow advice, keep warm and avoid going out in the worst of the weather.
“It would be wise to stock up on basics, have something warm to eat in the house and this will save you having to venture out during extreme cold.”
Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revel there were 31,800 excess deaths last winter from cold-related illness. Age UK warned the elderly are among the most at risk during a severe winter snap and have urged people to be extra vigilant.
Charity director Caroline Abrahams said: “This dramatic jump in excess winter deaths in England is a terrible rebuke to anyone who thought it was 'job done' when it comes to keeping older people safe and sound through the winter.
“Many older people live in poorly insulated homes and worry about turning up the heating during the cold months, increasing their risk of ill health.
“We’d urge everyone to keep a friendly eye on older relatives, friends and neighbours, especially when the weather is very bad and it’s difficult to get out.”
The Met Office has warned sleet, snow, hail and ice will lead to travel disruption and ‘risk of injury’ on slippery roads and pavements.
Met Office issues warning for snow and ice across UK
Chief forecaster Frank Saunders said: “Some transport disruption is possible, with longer journey times and delays to public transport.
“Icy patches are likely to develop on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths, leading to an increased risk of injury from slips, trips and falls.”
Ladbrokes has slashed the odds on the mercury touching -10C (14F) this week from 5-4 to 4-7 with 1-3 from 2-1 on this week bringing the coldest night of the year.
Spokeswoman Jessica Bridge said: "There's no escaping the cold, and it looks like a safe bet that the coldest night of the year will be clocked up this year thanks to the freezing temperatures."
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