KILLER SNOW STORM ALERT
Doctors issue new big freeze health warning
AN ARCTIC blast set to blow into Britain could put lives at risk, health officials warned last night.
Elderly and vulnerable people were told to prepare for freezing temperatures and snow as a cold weather alert was issued for all regions.
Significant snowfall is expected to hit London, the South-east and eastern England on Sunday night.
Arctic winds will make it feel close to -10C (14F) in northern England and overnight lows of -7C are forecast widely.
Even daytime temperatures are expected to stay around zero well into March.
“Prolonged periods of cold weather can be dangerous, especially for the very young, very old or those with chronic diseases,” Government advice said.
Officials said they expect to raise the cold weather alert to level-3 – the second highest. A
level-2 alert is already in place “across all regions”. A Government statement said: “As the weekend approaches, average temperatures are likely to fall.
“The cold continental east or south-easterly wind will also become a factor, strengthening enough to give significant wind chill.
“The alert is likely to be reviewed on Friday, and perhaps upgraded and extended further into the new week as the cold weather looks likely to continue.”
Dr Thomas Waite, of Public Health England’s Extreme Events team, added: “For the next few days, as colder weather settles across the country, it is really important for us all to keep a lookout for the people we know who could be affected, and make sure they get the help and support they need to stay well.”
Flurries
Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: “Exposure to the cold can have a really serious impact on older people.
“Cold weather raises blood pressure, which in turn increases the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
“Breathing in very cold air can also increase the risk, and impact, of serious illnesses like flu and pneumonia.”
Arctic conditions threaten to hold on for the next fortnight.
Met Office forecaster Martin Bowles warned: “We are now confident of snow on Sunday night and into Monday across eastern regions including London. There may be showers in central regions and flurries further west.
“It will turn gradually colder through this week. On Sunday daytime temperatures will be widely at zero with maximums of 2C or 5C. We expect overnight temperatures to drop widely to -4C to -5C next week and there will be a significant windchill. Even during the day it will feel close to -4C.”
What could be the coldest UK weather for five years is being driven by changes in the stratosphere over the Arctic.
The last time the same thing happened, in 2013, it was linked to very cold weather which persisted for weeks.
Exacta Weather forecaster James Madden said: “People should prepare for the possibility of disruption including travel and other services.
“These are the sort of conditions which lead to school closures.”
Councils have 1.5 million tons of salt stockpiled for use on roads.