UK households are being urged to stockpile six essential food items as forecasts warn of a bitterly cold spell and potential snow on Sunday. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued the first cold health alerts of the winter for the West Midlands and the north west of England.
Cold snap and snow forecast
The cold health alerts commenced at 9am today and will run until 12pm on Saturday. Met Office weather maps indicate that several areas will be hit by snow on Sunday, with large parts of Scotland expected to experience heavy snowfall.
Some areas, including parts of Highland, Moray, Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross, Angus, Stirling and Argyll and Bute, could see snowfall rates of up to 4mm per hour. The Met Office's weather outlook for Saturday to Monday reads: "Saturday starts cold and frosty with sunshine for many, though cloudier in the north and west. Sunday and Monday bring more unsettled conditions, with rain and hill snow possible."
Stockpile advice
To prepare for the plummeting temperatures, direct Energy advises households to stock up on non-perishable snacks and supplies in case they are unable to get to their local supermarket, or are hit by a power outage, ensuring they don't go hungry while waiting for the harsh weather to pass.
This comes after the Met Office warned that a weakening Polar Vortex could send a surge of freezing Arctic air towards the UK and Europe, increasing the likelihood of snowfall in the coming weeks. A recent blog post read: "After a foggy start to November, the UK’s weather is beginning to change. The widespread low cloud, mist and dense fog of recent days will gradually give way to clearer skies, colder Arctic air and an increasing risk of frost and ice. But despite recent changes high above the North Pole, this colder spell is not being caused by the polar vortex."
Essential items to stockpile
- Bottled water
- Bread
- Milk
- Tinned goods, especially warming foods like soups and stews
- Snack foods, such as crisps, crackers and cookies in sealed packages
- Cereal and granola
- Dried pasta and jars of sauce
In its online advice on preparing for a snowstorm, the firm said: "After heavy snowfall or blizzard conditions, you could find yourself snowed in for days. Getting cut off from your local grocery store could be made worse by a prolonged power outage, which would leave you with just a few hours to enjoy the remaining contents of your fridge safely. But if you stock your pantry with filling shelf-stable foods, you won't go hungry while waiting for the snow to be cleared."
