The United Kingdom is preparing for an intense Arctic blast that will bring the first significant cold spell of the season, with weather maps indicating snow blizzards could reach as far south as Birmingham within hours.
Amber Cold-Health Alert Activated
The UK Health Security Agency has taken decisive action by issuing an amber Cold-Health Alert for Yorkshire & Humber, North West, and North East regions of England. All other English regions remain under a yellow alert from Monday at 12pm until Saturday at 8am.
Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at UKHSA, emphasised the seriousness of the situation: "This is the first prolonged cold spell of the season, and it is therefore vital to check in on friends, family, and neighbours who are most vulnerable."
He warned that the forecasted temperatures could have severe health impacts, particularly for people over 65 and those with pre-existing health conditions, increasing risks of heart attacks, strokes, and chest infections.
Met Office Predicts Extreme Conditions
The Met Office has confirmed that temperatures could plummet to minus ten degrees Celsius during the coldest period from Wednesday to Friday. Deputy Chief Forecaster Tom Crabtree explained that this period holds the greatest potential for impactful weather, with multiple warnings already in place.
"Overnight, temperatures could get down to minus ten, with a significant wind chill from the strong northerly wind making things feel even colder," Crabtree stated.
Wintry snow showers are expected to extend southwards through Wednesday and into Thursday, primarily affecting north-facing coastal areas. The Met Office predicts snow accumulations of 2-5cm in some low-lying areas in the north and east, while hills in parts of Northern Ireland, northeast England, and Scotland could see 5-10cm of snow.
In the most severe conditions, accumulations of 15-20cm are possible above 300 metres in parts of northeastern England and Scotland.
Snow Timeline and Geographic Spread
Latest weather maps from WXCharts indicate that the freezing conditions will begin to hit the country at approximately 3am on Tuesday, starting with Scotland. By around 6am, cities including Glasgow, Perth, Dundee, and Edinburgh are likely to be covered by snow.
As the day progresses, snow showers will spread across the country, reaching cities such as Newcastle and York by 9am. The colder weather front will even affect areas around Birmingham, Manchester, and Stoke-on-Trent, with temperatures expected to oscillate between -1C and 0C in these regions.
Although many places will experience plenty of sunshine, daytime temperatures will remain well below average, with widespread frost developing during the evening, particularly in sheltered areas.
The Met Office has emphasised that updates to current warnings are possible as this first significant cold snap of the year develops, urging people to maintain regular checks on the latest forecasts.
