UK weather: More snow forecast as cold snap triggers amber health alert – live

The Mayor of London has urged people to contact homeless charities as temperatures plunge overnight.

Sadiq Khan posted on X: “London: it’s freezing tonight – and in addition to regular services, emergency shelters are open across London so anyone sleeping rough has a warm and safe place to stay. If you see someone who needs help – contact @StreetLink_ for support.”

The mayor’s office said that a total of 1,350 people were helped off the streets last winter, with 560 people being accommodated during the first SWEP period this winter.

Speaking in the latest Met Office Deep Dive, which takes an in-depth look at the meteorological drivers behind the UK’s long-range outlook, Aidan McGivern said: “A cold front from the north towards the weekend will mark another change in the airmass for the UK, moving from something with a bit of an Atlantic influence to air that comes more directly from the Arctic.

“This front over the weekend will bring some rain to northern areas, with the west of Scotland likely to most in the way of rain, but what it really signals is a reinforcement of the cold conditions as we move into next week.”

Carolyn Richardson, the emergency planning officer for West Berkshire Council, told the BBC: “It’s still serious across the area.

“Certainly the risk of new flooding is perhaps slowing down in the West Berkshire area and the rivers there are starting to stabilise and reduce.

“But in the east, in the Windsor and Maidenhead area, the levels of the Thames and Colnbrook are still very high as it’s moving through – there are still significant issues with the rivers.

“We’ve experienced flooding in areas that we haven’t in the past this year which is challenging.”

The Met Office issued an update on Tuesday afternoon saying: “The UK is under the influence of high pressure, which is bringing colder than average weather for the time of year, and a marked reduction in rainfall amounts following a wet start to January.

“These cold and largely dry conditions will persist through much of this week, with areas to the south particularly cold compared to average. However, by the time we reach Sunday a northerly airflow develops, which could increase the chances of wintry hazards for some.”

The Met Office head of situational awareness, Will Lang, said: “There will be a resurgence in the really cold weather through the weekend and that spreads across the whole of the UK during the early part of next week.

“Initially, this means there will be more in the way of showers around the coasts, turning increasingly to snow for many areas, especially further north.”

A cold snap has seen the UK blanketed in snow as plunging temperatures reach lows of -10C in parts of the country.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued an amber health alert, meaning that the impacts of the weather are likely to be felt across the health service for a long period.

To help support people during cold snaps like these, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) runs the Cold Weather Payment scheme for qualifying households.

This is a one-off payment of £25 that is triggered for every seven-day period where the temperature in your area is at or below zero degrees.

The government is committed to helping those affected by floodings, the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs said.

It comes as large parts of the UK were left under water following Storm Henk, which brought heavy rainfall and strong winds to the country last week.

“We’re committed to helping households and businesses, including farmers, through the effects of flooding caused by Storm Henk,” it said on X.

“Announced this weekend, a package of support is being made available to flood-hit communities through the Flood Recovery Framework.”

The Environment Agency has warned pedestrians to stay out of floodwater as Britain was hit by a deluge following Storm Henk last week.

Writing on X, the agency said floodwater can hide many dangers and urged people to stay away from it. It comes as over 100 flood warnings were in place across the UK.

“There is a lot of flood water around. Please stay out the water as it can hide many dangers,” it said on X.

More cold weather is set to hit the UK this week following chealth warnings issued by the UK health security agency on Monday.

“Further cold weather is likely through much of this week, with an increasing chance of wintry hazards towards the start of next week. Find out what the weather set-up is for next week,” the Met Office said.

Temperatures plummeted to -11C in parts of the UK on Tuesday morning, the Met Office said. The 11.1C was recorded in Aviemore, Scotland.

Meanwhile, Met Office spokesperson Stephen Dixon said: “The UK has transitioned to a colder weather regime, with less in the way of rainfall accumulations compared to recent weeks.

“High pressure is chiefly in charge this week, reducing the frequency of showers, but helping to develop the cold conditions we’re seeing for much of the UK.

“While there will be a few showers in the north of England tomorrow (Wednesday), many in the south will have clear skies in what will be a brisk winters day. These conditions will remain largely dominant through the week, chiefly staying dry but cold.”

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.

“Cold weather can increase the risks of heart attacks, strokes, and chest infections, so it can have a serious impact on health, particularly for older people and those with pre-existing health conditions.

“Temperatures are expected to turn particularly cold overnight, as we would expect at this time of year. If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over the age of 65 it is important to try and heat the rooms where you spend most of your time, such as your living room or bedroom, in the coming days.”