AMBER cold weather warnings have been issued for the whole of England today meaning a rise in deaths is likely.
Temperatures fell to -18.7C on the UK’s coldest January night in 15 years as the wintry weather continues.
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Ice skater on a frozen flooded field in Upware, CambridgeshireCredit: PA
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Frost blanketed Temple Newsam House and its gardens in Leeds, Yorkshire this morningCredit: LNP
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Winter’s icy fog begins to lift over the B1040 in the Fens Credit: Terry Harris
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Cold amber health warnings have been issued for the whole of EnglandCredit: ukhsa
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Narrowboats frozen on the Oxford Canal Credit: Chris Eades
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Cars drive through dense fog on the A4260 north of Oxford Credit: Chris Eades
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Skaters on a frozen flooded field in Upware, CambridgeshireCredit: PA
Altnaharra, which is in the northernmost area of the highlands, recorded -18.7C on Friday night, the Met Office said.
It is the coldest January overnight temperature since 2010, when temperatures fell below -15°C several times in locations across the UK, including -22.3°C on January 8 in Altnaharra.
Much of the UK endured sub-zero temperatures overnight, with temperatures falling to -11C in Shap, Cumbria and Heathrow where -5C was recorded.
The average low in northern Scotland for this time of year is around 0.3°C, while overnight lows for England are around 1.5°C to 1.6°C.
The UK Health Safety Agency (UKHSA) has extended the cold weather warning for the whole of England until Tuesday.
Amber warnings have been extended and will now be in effect until Jan. 14, meaning an increase in deaths is likely, particularly among people age 65 and older or with underlying health conditions, the agency said.
The system, run by the UK’s Health Safety Agency and the Met Office, was introduced in June 2023.
While yellow warnings are issued during periods of cold weather that pose a risk to the elderly or those with serious health conditions, yellow warnings are issued when a wider impact is expected.
Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Zoe Hutin said Saturday would also be cold, with temperatures expected to drop below freezing overnight in eastern areas.
She said: “So there’s another cold night coming in on Saturday, but as we go into Sunday and Monday we can expect temperatures to pick up somewhat.
The UK is bracing for flooding with ‘fast melting’ snow and ice melting until next week
“I won’t rule out the risk of seeing something around or below freezing again Sunday night into Monday, but it won’t be as dramatic as the temperatures we’ll experience overnight.”
Looking ahead to next week, she said: “We’re saying it’s getting milder, but by no means does that mean (temperatures) will be above average, it’s just going to feel relatively more comfortable than it is right now.”
The UK has experienced “a particularly long cold spell”, she said.
She added: “It’s getting colder every night this week, whereas looking at previous years, we’ve had maybe two or three days where things have been particularly cold.”
Health warnings for colds
Northeast
Northwest
Yorkshire and The Humber
East Midlands
West Midlands
East of England
London
Southeast
Southwest
FA Cup fixtures across the country are under threat as the big freeze continues.
Two third-round clashes have already been postponed, with Preston’s meeting with Charlton and Mansfield’s v Wigan canceled due to icy pitches.
Multiple EFL and non-league games have also fallen victim to the cold temperatures as many clubs prepare for a football-free weekend.
Meanwhile, the grid operator said Britain had plenty of fuel after warning that stocks were at “worryingly low” levels.
National Gas said on Friday that stocks remained “healthy” and that Britain was “well placed” to meet demand this winter.
It added that gas stocks held in UK warehouses are more than half full.
Energy giant Centrica said UK stocks had fallen to “worryingly low” levels with less than a week’s worth of gas demand.
Stocks were 26 percent lower than the same period last year, leaving them about half full, it claimed.
A National Gas spokesman said: “The overall picture across the UK’s eight major gas storage facilities remains healthy.
UK weather forecast for 5 days
Today:
A frosty morning for many with the fog stubbornly clearing, leaving a clear afternoon with plenty of sunny spells.
Cloudier further west with light rain and snow on the hills spreading across Northern Ireland, into W Scotland and lingering in the extreme south-west.
Tonight:
A milder night is coming in the west, where low clouds slowly spreading eastward will bring areas of scattered light rain.
Cold elsewhere, with widespread frost developing under clear skies.
Sunday:
Partly cloudy with most of the sun in the southwest. Persistent rain is spreading in the extreme northwest.
Still cold in the southeast, but elsewhere temperatures are recovering closer to average.
Outlook from Monday to Wednesday:
Milder. In the south, mostly dry and settled, but quite cloudy with occasional rain.
Breeze in the northwest, with more persistent periods of rain coming from the Atlantic.
“Britain gets its gas from sources other than those already in storage, which means we are well placed to meet demand this winter.”
Gas inventory levels fell under pressure from cold weather conditions and the end of supplies from a Russian pipeline through Ukraine late last month.
Natural gas made up 53 percent of the UK’s electricity on Friday, according to data from the National Grid, and renewable energy sources meet only 16 percent of the country’s needs.
The UK has one of the smallest gas storage facilities of any major European country with the capacity to hold enough gas for 12 average days or 7.5 peak winter days.
Germany has enough for 89 days, France has 103 days, and the Netherlands 123 days.
Centric boss Chris O’Shea said storage levels were “worryingly low”.
He said the transition to clean energy would mean the UK needs to use more energy storage systems to meet demand.
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Vehicles drive along a frozen country lane in Dunsden, Oxfordshire
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Galloping Horses in Sam Drinkwater’s Granary Stables, Strensham, WorcestershireCredit: PA
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A layer of frost covers the cold Wicken Fen in Wicken, Cambridgeshire, this morningCredit: Solent
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Grand Union Canal in Little Venice partially frozen Credit: LNP
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Members of a public exercise in a frost-covered Hyde Park in central LondonCredit: George Cracknell Wright
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Ice forming on the steepest part of the flight at Caen Hill Locks in Devizes, WilsshireCredit: PA
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Young hockey players play on an icy flooded pitch in Upware, CambridgeshireCredit: PA
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