A severe and prolonged Arctic cold snap is gripping the United Kingdom, with forecasters warning of a week of sub-zero temperatures, significant snow, and widespread travel disruption. The Met Office has issued a series of amber and yellow warnings as the freeze takes hold.
Widespread Warnings and Disruption
The Met Office has extended an amber cold health alert for all of England until Friday, January 9, amid concerns the severe weather could lead to a rise in fatalities. A yellow warning for heavy snow is in place for parts of the east coast, including Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, and Northumberland, from 5pm to 11:59pm on Saturday.
Travel chaos has already begun. National Rail advised passengers to check services before travelling, while ScotRail suspended all trains to and from Thurso in the Highlands due to heavy snow, with replacement buses also impossible. The operator urged people in affected areas to postpone journeys.
Hazardous conditions were reported nationwide. A dramatic video from Friday showed a car collision on thick ice on a country road near Ivinghoe, Buckinghamshire. Highland Council reported vehicles, including campervans, stuck on ice in tourist spots.
Significant Snowfall and Health Risks
In Scotland, where snow has been falling since New Year's Day, two separate amber warnings for heavy snow are in force for parts of the Highlands and north-east. These warn of 10 to 20cm of snow at low levels, with 30 to 40cm possible on higher ground.
Health officials have issued stark warnings. Dr Paul Coleman of the UKHSA stated that such low temperatures increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and chest infections, particularly for older people and those with serious health conditions. The British Heart Foundation echoed this, noting thousands of extra deaths from heart disease occur each winter.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the "bitingly cold snap" will add extra pressure on NHS hospitals and urged the public to only attend A&E for emergencies, and for eligible people to get their flu jab.
Freezing Forecast and Tragic Consequences
Met Office Chief Meteorologist Rebekah Hicks confirmed: "Bitterly cold conditions will persist through the weekend and into next week, with daytime temperatures struggling to rise above freezing for some, and overnight lows dipping to minus double figures in places."
Tragically, the severe conditions have already claimed a life. A major rescue operation was launched off the East Yorkshire coast near Withernsea on Friday afternoon after reports of people in difficulty in the freezing water. Humberside Police confirmed a 67-year-old man was pulled from the sea but died at the scene. The search for others continued into the night.
In response to the plunging temperatures, Mayor Sadiq Khan activated London's Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) to provide emergency shelter for rough sleepers. Authorities are advising the public to check on vulnerable neighbours, ensure they have sufficient food and medicine, and heat main living rooms to at least 18C if possible.
