Brits braced for 12 inches of hazard snow as Baltic situations proceed to batter UK
Most of the Midlands, Wales, and parts of northern England are covered by an amber warning for snow and ice as experts warn of treacherous conditions on the roads
Britain could be blanketed with up to 12 inches of snow as Baltic conditions continue to batter the UK.
Events across the country have been cancelled whilst experts warned of treacherous conditions on roads and the risk of increased deaths for the vulnerable and elderly.
Most of the Midlands, Wales, and parts of northern England are covered by an amber warning for snow and ice until midday Sunday.
And a separate snow alert is in place across northern England including Leeds, Sheffield and the Lake District until midnight going into Monday.
Weather forecasters say up to 30cm of the white stuff could fall in the warning areas, with 3 to 7cm in other spots.
Horse racing at Sandown Park in Surrey was abandoned on Saturday, with the racecourse saying the weather meant there “would not be sufficient time for the ground to become raceable”.
In a statement posted on social media, the racecourse added: “Following this morning’s inspection, sadly racing today has been abandoned due to frozen ground.”
The Met Office has warned motorists of Freezing rain – a dangerous phenomenon that sees droplets instantly turn to ice as they hit the ground, causing dangerous driving conditions.
Delays on the roads are also likely, with possible closures in some parts of the country which could leave some stranded.
National Rail is advising people to check their “whole journey” before setting off.
UK Health Security Agency cold weather health alerts for all of England remain in place ahead of a week of low temperatures.
The agency issued amber health alerts on Thursday until January 8, meaning a rise in deaths due to the weather is likely.
Dr Agustinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at UKHSA, said: “The forecasted temperatures can have a serious impact on the health of some people, including those aged 65 and over and those with pre-existing health conditions.”
Caroline Abrahams, director of Age UK, urged the elderly to take particular care.
She said: “Older people [must] do everything they can to stay warm, even if that means risking spending more on their heating than they feel they can afford.
“The energy companies are under an obligation to help if you are struggling, and there may be support available from your local council, too.”
Councils across London and southern England have activated emergency measures, including providing additional accommodation to help people sleeping rough stay safe in the cold snap.
Dan Stroud, meteorologist at the Met Office, said conditions should become warmer by the end of the weekend before the cold weather strikes again early next week.
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.
