The first cold health alert of the winter has been issued as vulnerable Britons are warned to brace for plummeting temperatures in the coming days.
On Tuesday, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued an alert for the North West and West Midlands regions of England.
The cold-health alert will run from 9am on Thursday morning until midday on Saturday.
Other English regions remain unaffected at this time.
Cold-health alerts are issued when low temperatures are expected to pose health risks to members of the public.
The UKHSA Weather‑Health Alerting system uses a colour-coding system to outline the severity of an alert: yellow, amber and the most severe, red.
The agency issued yellow alerts for the North West and West Midlands regions, meaning the cold conditions may affect vulnerable people.
People identified as vulnerable in cold weather include pregnant women, those aged over 65, babies and children under five years old, people with cardiovascular or respiratory conditions and individuals with disabilities or mental health conditions.
UKHSA public health consultant Dr Anya Gopfert said: “This is the first cold-health alert of the winter, but we can expect more as we move further into the season.
“Cold weather can have a serious impact on the health of some people, including those aged 65 and over and those with pre-existing health conditions, so it is vital to check in on friends, family and neighbours who are most vulnerable.
“We’re also reminding people to take simple steps to stay warm and look after their health as temperatures begin to fall.
“Keeping homes heated where possible and dressing warmly can help people stay safe and well during colder weather.”
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While the cold-health alerts focus on the health impacts of adverse weather on vulnerable groups in England, helping health and social care services prepare, the National Severe Weather Warning Service (NSWWS) provides broader warnings on severe weather risks across the UK.
The alert was issued as temperatures are set to plunge as low as -2C in some parts of the country, with daytime highs of just 6C in certain areas.
Britain may also be hit with snow within days, with weather maps generated by WXCharts showing wintry conditions beginning to affect Scotland from midnight on Sunday.
The maps show that northern areas of rural Scotland, from Wick to Portree, could be blanketed in snow as temperatures reach as low as -4C from Sunday.
As it shared the forecast for this weekend, the Met Office said: “There remains some uncertainty over how quickly conditions change over the weekend.
“High pressure is expected to move away towards continental Europe, allowing Atlantic weather systems to become increasingly influential.
“Cold conditions are likely to become less widespread, with temperatures recovering closer to average and some rain possible later in the weekend.”
Meanwhile, the organisation’s chief meterologist Jason Kelly said: “Snow showers could briefly fall on lower ground in northern Scotland and the Northern Isles, mainly Shetland, overnight on Wednesday and into Thursday.
“However, snow may only settle on higher ground and this is relatively normal for the time of year.”
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