UK weather: Urgent warning extended as freezing cold conditions causing health risk forecast to continue into weekend

AN urgent health warning has been extended as freezing cold conditions have been forecast into the weekend.

A level three cold weather alert has been extended now from Friday until Saturday by the UK Health Security Agency.

Brits were today braced for more flooding.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) extended the current level 3 cold weather alert until 12pm on Saturday 28 January.

The Environment Agency has activated 33 flood alerts, meaning flooding is possible, and 13 flood warnings, meaning flooding is likely.

The warnings cover areas including the Ebble Valley in  and the Tarrant Valley in .

Most of them are related to groundwater flooding, where the ground is so waterlogged that it cannot absorb any more and so the excess water floods the surface.

It comes after heavy rain and freezing fog have blighted the country in recent weeks, giving groundwater no time to evaporate away.

An end to the fog is in sight and conditions are set to remain mostly dry this week.

The Met Office is forecasting that the freezing fog will clear tomorrow morning, giving way to sunny spells and a "mainly fine day".

Light rain showers are expected in the  but most areas are set to remain clear.

Temperatures are predicted to stay lower than usual for this time of year, as Brits recover from a cold snap earlier this week that saw the mercury dip to -8C.

Going into the weekend, the Met forecast says: "Rain at times, especially in the North West. Some frost and fog in the South through the weekend.

"Very windy in the north on Sunday and into Monday. Temperatures around normal."

High winds could be seen in northern and coastal areas in particular over the weekend, with gusts predicted to reach 51mph in Shetland on Sunday.

However, most of the country can expect calmer, brighter weather as more settled conditions follow behind the icy front that swept across Britain this week.