COLD AS ICE
UK weather: Met Office issues yellow warning for ice as Brits brace for MORE snow flurries & freezing temperatures
Parts of southern England, including London and Kent, saw snowfall on Monday morning
THE Met Office has issued a yellow warning for ice today as Brits brace for more snow flurries and freezing temperatures.
The latest weather warning across southern England and South Wales will last from 3pm on Monday to 3am on Tuesday.
15
15
15
15
15
15
15
15
15
The weather service said there would be snow flurries through Monday evening affecting parts of South West England into the early hours of Tuesday morning.
It came as parts of southern England, including London and Kent, saw snowfall on Monday morning in a cold start to the week.
Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said that not much of the snow appeared to have settled, with some areas seeing a "dusting of maybe one centimetre or two of snow".
He added that Tuesday would be drier with limited snowfall, apart from some wintry showers in Cornwall.
Read More UK News
The forecaster said a cold wind coming in from the east means there will be a "significant wind chill" again on Tuesday, which will make temperatures feel more like minus 3C in the South West of England.
He said: "We're not expecting much in the way of further snowfall on Tuesday.
"In actual fact, it will be much sunnier than today, particularly in the south compared to Monday."
Mr Morgan said there was a risk of ice in some areas because the ground "is still quite wet" after several weeks of wet weather.
Most read in The Sun
He added: "We are likely to see some icy patches tonight, particularly in South Wales and southern parts of England."
The Met Office forecaster said a blast of cold air coming down from the north, mostly affecting Scotland, was likely to bring more cold conditions over the weekend with some snow showers.
The wintry weather comes after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visited flood-hit residents in Oxford, and as Environment Agency workers are still trying to mop up from the heavy rainfall and high winds during Storm Henk last week.
The Environment Agency said "significant" floods are expected to continue on parts of the lower River Trent on Monday with minor impacts expected there and along the rivers Thames and Severn until Wednesday.
Minor groundwater flooding is expected across parts of Dorset, Wiltshire and Hampshire and could possibly hit other parts of the south as well as Yorkshire.
An amber cold health alert for the North West of England, the Midlands, the South West of England and the South East of England is also in place until noon on Friday.
The amber alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), means "cold weather impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service for an extended period of time".
There is also a yellow cold health alert in place for the North East of England, Yorkshire and the Humber, the East of England and London.
Cold weather can raise the risk of heart attacks, strokes and chest infections, and is particularly dangerous for the elderly and people with underlying health conditions.
Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at UKHSA, said: "With the Met Office forecasting drops in temperature across the United Kingdom into next week, it is important to check in on the wellbeing of those most vulnerable to the cold."
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Environment Minister Robbie Moore said "2,000 properties are flooded" as a result of Storm Henk.
On Monday evening, there were 125 flood warnings in place, where flooding is expected, and 136 flood alerts for southern parts of England, up through the Midlands and into Yorkshire.
How to travel safely in the snow
Here is the Met Office's advice to drivers about how to stay safe on snowy or icy road:
Before snow or ice
- If you have to make a journey when snow is forecast, make sure you have warm clothes, food, water, boots, a torch and spade, and let someone know when you expect to arrive and your route. Try to wait until the roads have been gritted before travelling
- Put grit or cat litter on paths and driveways to lessen the risk of slipping on compacted snow
- Check on vulnerable neighbours
During snow or ice
- Avoid travel if possible
- If you must drive check the Highway Code for advice on driving in ice and snowy weather. A summary of the advice is: Take care around gritters. Don't be tempted to overtake. Slow down - it can take 10 times longer to stop in snowy or icy conditions, so allow extra room. Use the highest gear possible to avoid wheel spin. Manoeuvre gently and avoid harsh braking and acceleration. If you start to skid, gently ease off the accelerator and avoid braking. If braking is necessary, pump the brakes don't slam them on. If you get stuck, stay with your car and tie something brightly coloured to your aerial
- If you go outside wear several layers of clothing and keep dry to prevent loss of body heat. Watch out for signs of hypothermia - uncontrollable shivering, slow/slurred speech, memory lapse and drowsiness and frostbite - loss of feeling in and pale appearance of fingers, toes, nose and ear lobes. Keep moving your arms and legs to help the blood circulate
- Be aware of black ice. It isn't always visible and so can be an even greater hazard for both motorists and pedestrians. Black ice may be formed when rain or drizzle fall on a road surface which is at a temperature below zero
After snow or ice
- Be careful when walking or driving on compacted snow - it may have turned to ice
- Take care when shovelling snow. Cold air makes it harder to work and breathe, which adds some extra strain on the body and can be the cause of heart attacks in the vulnerable
- Travel advice
15
15
15
15
15
15
Topics