Snow and cold weather forecast to spread to south of UK

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/jan/28/snow-cold-weather-forecast-uk-met-office

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Snow swept into northern parts of the UK on Wednesday and is expected to spread south over the next 24 hours, bringing health concerns and possible travel disruption.

Matthew Martin, a forecaster with MeteoGroup, said: “There are already heavy snow showers moving into Northern Ireland and Scotland, and they will extend into northern England.

“At first they will be sleety but we expect some accumulations by tomorrow morning in Scotland, Northern Ireland, northern Wales and northern and central England.

“We expect to see up to 10cm (4in) on the hills and 2-5cm (1-2in) elsewhere, with temperatures commonly zero and falling to minus 3C in rural areas.

“Tomorrow we expect to see snow showers spread further south across England, bringing a risk of snow in southern England and the greater London area, though it is not expected to be much.

“Tomorrow evening and Friday will be slightly less cold, then there will be a colder Arctic flow on Saturday bringing snow which will be generally restricted to coastal areas, and remaining very cold into early next week.”

A Met Office yellow “be aware” warning is in place for large parts of England and Wales, and an amber “be prepared” warning for parts of north-west England, a large part of Scotland and Northern Ireland.

A Met Office forecast said there would be cold conditions across England for the next few days.

“Snow showers will affect most areas at times through the rest of this week and over the weekend with locally significant accumulations in places, particularly for hilly areas in the north,” it said.

“Showers and overnight frosts also bring the risk of icy stretches forming on untreated surfaces. Strong winds will accentuate the cold feel at times although it is likely to prevent any extremely low overnight minimum temperatures.”

Dr Angie Bone, head of the extreme events team at Public Health England, said: “Parts of England are really going to feel cold for the next few days so it’s really important people take extra care when out and about.

“It’s worth remembering that most outdoor slips, trips and falls in weather like this are of those who are of working age, accidents can happen to anyone. So if you’re heading out, wear lots of thin layers and shoes with a good, slip-resistant grip.

“If you’re staying indoors, have plenty of warm food and drinks to stay warm. Try to maintain indoor temperatures to at least 18C, particularly if you are not mobile, have long-term illness or are over 65, and check weather forecasts and plan your day around them.

“Also take some time to think about how the bad weather may affect your friends and family, particularly if they are older or very young or have pre-existing health conditions. These groups can be particularly vulnerable to the ill-effects of cold and it’s important we all do what we can to protect those around us.

“Although most of our advice on keeping warm and well in cold weather may seem like common sense, it’s important to remember that cold kills, even in places where the temperatures aren’t at their lowest.”