{"id":101971,"date":"2025-01-18T14:25:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-18T14:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/?p=101971"},"modified":"2025-01-18T14:10:01","modified_gmt":"2025-01-18T14:10:01","slug":"met-office-warning-snow-grains-temperatures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/met-office-warning-snow-grains-temperatures\/","title":{"rendered":"UK Weather: Met Office Warns of Sub-Zero Temps and Snow Grains This Weekend"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.metoffice.gov.uk\/weather\/learn-about\/weather\/types-of-weather\/snow\/snow-grains\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Met Office<\/a> has forecasted <strong>snow grains<\/strong> may fall today as <strong>temperatures<\/strong> plunged to -2\u00b0C overnight. Simultaneously, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued <strong>eight yellow cold health alerts<\/strong>, underscoring potential <strong>risks<\/strong> to public health across England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Affected Regions Under Yellow Alerts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Regions under caution include the <strong>North East<\/strong>, <strong>North West<\/strong>, East of England, Yorkshire and The Humber, East and <strong>West Midlands<\/strong>, as well as <strong>London<\/strong> and the South East. Officials warn of &#8220;minor impacts on <strong>health<\/strong> and social care services,&#8221; including increased demand for <strong>healthcare<\/strong>, particularly among <strong>vulnerable groups<\/strong>, and a higher risk to life for individuals over 65 or those with existing health <strong>conditions<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"18\/01\/2025 \u2013  Mild in the north, colder south \u2013 Afternoon Weather Forecast UK \u2013 Met Office Weather\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/v38_gb0_7CU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Yorkshire and The Humber faces the greatest threat, with the agency warning of &#8220;potential significant impacts,&#8221; such as an increased <strong>mortality<\/strong> risk, strain on care systems, and the possibility of adverse effects on younger age groups. These alerts also highlight challenges in maintaining indoor <strong>temperatures<\/strong> at the recommended <strong>18\u00b0C<\/strong>, which could exacerbate <strong>health risks<\/strong> for at-risk populations.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/01\/image-2-600x800.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-101979\" style=\"width:792px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/01\/image-2-600x800.png 600w, https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/01\/image-2-285x380.png 285w, https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/01\/image-2-390x520.png 390w, https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/01\/image-2.png 719w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>Map of UK regions under cold weather health alerts.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Weekend Freeze to Bring -3\u00b0C and Rare Snow Grains<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Met Office highlights an impending <strong>cold front<\/strong> bringing sub-zero temperatures, particularly in southern regions. Northern England may experience milder conditions, but a &#8220;significant change&#8221; is expected as <strong>temperatures dip<\/strong> to -3\u00b0C over the weekend. Parts of <strong>Northumberland<\/strong> and <strong>County Durham<\/strong> could see freezing conditions on Saturday night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Snow grains<\/strong>, described as tiny, opaque grains resembling rice, are forecast for southern areas.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cloudy skies with occasional <strong>sunny spells<\/strong> are predicted, primarily for higher ground in the north.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Rain and <strong>drizzle<\/strong> are expected in parts of the country, maintaining damp conditions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">A dull day for central and southern England with cloud thick enough for some drizzle in places \u2601\ufe0f<br><br>Sunnier spells developing in Wales, northeastern England and parts of Scotland<br><br>Mild for Northern Ireland and Scotland, cold for England and Wales \ud83d\udcc9 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/RmhGNqNa1s\">pic.twitter.com\/RmhGNqNa1s<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Met Office (@metoffice) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/metoffice\/status\/1880578619614883987?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">January 18, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Insights from Meteorologist Alex Burkill<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Explaining the <strong>temperature drop<\/strong>, Alex Burkill stated:<br>&#8220;Colder air coming in from Europe will cause temperatures to drop relatively low as early as Friday night. Many places in England and Wales will drop close to freezing, with some areas going below.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This colder airflow signifies a departure from the milder winter <strong>weather<\/strong> experienced earlier, posing new challenges for public readiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fog, Flooding, and Emergency Responses Add to Challenges<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Prior to the <strong>cold snap<\/strong>, fog warnings issued by the Met Office created &#8220;tricky conditions&#8221; on the roads. Recent <strong>weather disruptions<\/strong> have already led to widespread issues:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Hundreds of schools were forced to <strong>close<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Firefighters in <strong>Leicestershire<\/strong> conducted 59 rescues amid treacherous conditions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In <strong>North Yorkshire<\/strong>, authorities recovered the body of a man from floodwaters.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Preparing for an Intensifying Winter<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As temperatures drop and weather conditions grow more severe, these developments highlight the fragility of existing <strong>infrastructure<\/strong> and social systems. The focus must shift from reactionary measures to robust, forward-thinking strategies that prioritise resilience:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Energy efficiency<\/strong> schemes to ensure homes meet the 18\u00b0C standard.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Strengthened <strong>emergency response systems<\/strong> to handle surges in demand.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Community-level initiatives to support <strong>vulnerable populations<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"18\/01\/2025 \u2013 Cloudy, turning cold from south \u2013 Morning Weather Forecast UK \u2013 Met Office Weather\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ktEPIxzgy5s?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>emperatures have plunged to a freezing -2\u00b0C overnight, prompting the Met Office to warn of snow grains and icy conditions sweeping the UK. Eight cold health alerts are now in place, with vulnerable groups facing heightened risks. Could the nation be caught unprepared for this winter freeze?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":101994,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-101971","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-weather","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33","no-featured-image-padding"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/101971","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=101971"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/101971\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":102004,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/101971\/revisions\/102004"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/101994"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=101971"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=101971"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=101971"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}