BIG CHILL
UK weather: Urgent ice warning as freezing temperatures hit in wake of severe flooding – with mercury plummeting to -6C
Forecasters say the freezing temperatures will hang around all week - while almost 200 flood warnings remain in place
THE Met Office has issued an urgent ice warning as the mercury threatens to plummet to -6C.
The freezing temperatures come after downpours drenched the UK, causing widespread flooding and seeing more than 1,000 homes evacuated.
9
9
9
9
9
9
Storm Henk saw rivers burst their banks, seeing floodwaters gush through thousands of homes.
This morning, more than 190 flood warnings, where flooding is expected, remained in place across England, while 205 flood alerts, where flooding is possible, were also still set.
And now a yellow ice warning is in place for parts of Surrey, Kent and Sussex from 4am tomorrow.
It comes as the Met Office said the mercury dipped to a chilly -4.3C in Shap, Cumbria yesterday.
Read more on UK news
Forecasters warned Brits would wake this morning to icy stretches of road, fog patches and frost.
They said that there was also a chance the temperatures would drop to -6C in rural areas along the Welsh border in Shropshire and north Herefordshire tonight.
In the hours that follow the yellow warning will come into play, with the Met urging Brits to take care as icy patches and wintry showers hit.
While the alert is only in place for six hours until 10am, drivers have been urged to take care.
Most read in The Sun
Chief forecaster Jason Kelly said: “The transition to lower temperatures will be noticeable over the weekend.
"It will become rather cold next week with lower-than-average temperatures across much of the UK, accentuated by brisk easterly winds in the south.
“As the prevailing weather conditions will be characterised by high pressure, a good deal of settled weather is likely.
"Clearer skies and a marked reduction in precipitation are expected, although any showers that do occur are likely to be wintry in nature.
"A combination of overnight freezing temperatures, saturated ground and calm winds mean increasing risks of frost, fog and icy conditions.”
It comes as an amber cold health alert has been issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office.
It covers North West of England, West Midlands, East Midlands and South West of England, and is in place until midday on Friday.
It sits alongside a cold warning, which runs for the same amount of time, and could see an "increased risk of mortality across the population".
Thousands of Brits were also forced to flee their homes as floodwaters rose, with photos showing the sheer devastation caused.
Storm Henk has now claimed two lives after a man and woman were killed in separate smashes on Tuesday and thousands of homes have been flooded.
The news of the woman's tragic death was revealed on Thursday afternoon, as floodwaters continued to rise and the Met Office warned more rain was on the way.
The same day a London party boat sank just after midday.
The Bar & Co boat, which acts as a floating bar, restaurant and nightclub, sank into the River Thames - with everyone on board luckily escaping.
A spokesperson for the boat, which was moored at Temple Pier said: "Likely it sunk because of weather conditions."
Elsewhere, swollen rivers overflowed into paddocks and gardens in Cambridgeshire, while a narrowboat was seen on its side in Barrow on Soar.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
It comes as Brits were warned of travel chaos, with train companies servicing parts of the country warning of delays and cancellations.
It came after were warned not to travel after the weather caused chaos on roads and rail.
How to take care on the roads in icy conditions
The says you should always adjust your driving according to the conditions and plan your journey by checking the latest weather forecast.
You can also look for clues on road conditions such as ice on the pavement or on your windscreen before you start your journey and take extra care.
National Highways and the governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland look after motorways and major A roads, and local authorities look after all the other roads, working as hard as they can to keep their networks clear during severe weather. Read more - how do the gritters know when to go out?
Change your route if possible:
- Stick to the main roads where you can. You should drive with care and respect the road conditions wherever you drive, but if you cannot avoid driving on a minor road, take extra care
- Only travel if really necessary. Snow ploughs are unable to get through if the road or motorway is full of stationary traffic, so do not make journeys unless completely necessary to give National Highways and local authorities the space they need to help you on your journey
- Avoid steep hills and exposed roads hills and exposed areas are likely to present more challenging driving conditions in snow and ice
Make necessary preparations before you set off:
- Clear your windscreen of snow, frost or condensation. The Highway Code stipulates you must be able to see out of every glass panel in your vehicle
- Clear any snow off the roof of the vehicle before you drive away, otherwise you may cause snow to fall on your windscreen hampering your vision. Read about the
9
9
9
Topics