Cold and health alerts issued for Scotland and northern England as snow and ice expected

UKHSA warns of health impact on those vulnerable to cold and urges people to check in with neighbours

Cold weather warnings have been issued for parts of the UK, as alerts for the risk to health services are due to begin on Sunday evening.

The Met Office issued yellow weather warnings for ice for central and eastern Scotland from 6pm on Sunday evening until 10am on Monday.

People should be vigilant as they travel due to the risk from slipping on footpaths in icy conditions, it added.

It comes as the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued yellow cold health alerts for north-west and north-east England and for Yorkshire and the Humber about the impact of the cold snap on health services.

A previous warning for the West Midlands has been dropped.

They will come into force at 9pm on Sunday and run until Thursday morning.

The UKHSA alerts mean the weather is “likely to have minor impacts on health and social care services”, including an increased use of healthcare services and a greater risk to life for vulnerable people, the agency said.

Suffolk had the lowest temperature in the UK overnight into Sunday, with -4.5c recorded at Santon Downham.

The Met Office said snow could fall on hills in northern England and Scotland in the coming days.

Dan Stroud, the senior operational meteorologist at the Met Office, said the cold weather was caused by northerly winds and longer nights.

Further weather warnings could be issued early in the week, the Met Office indicated. The weather will become briefly milder in midweek before returning to cold as the weekend approaches.

Stroud said: “The weather does try and settle down a little later in the period, with high pressure trying to build in from the middle of the week onwards from the north.

“So it will be turning brighter, but still plenty of showers in the mix. It will remain cold in the north, with temperatures remaining near average in the south.”

He added: “There will be a cold, widespread frost in the north on Friday, with daytime temperatures below normal, in single digits.”

Paul Coleman, a consultant in public health at the UKHSA, said: “This is the latest cold health alert of the season, and we can expect more as we move further into winter.

“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.”

Coleman added that people should try to heat the rooms they use the most, if possible, and dress warmly during colder spells.