Lightning storms, snow and ice are on the way this week as amber cold weather warning is issued and people with serious health conditions are told to stay indoors
Britain is braced for a brutal winter walloping as a -10C polar plunge hits this week. The UK Health Security Agency issued an amber cold weather warning for the Midlands and the North last night as a sub-zero shocker gears up to pummel the nation.
Bitter Arctic blasts will make Brits shiver even more as weather boffs urged folk to prepare for lightning storms, snow and ice. NHS chiefs fear the first cold snap of the year will see hospitals overrun as admissions spike.
The alert is in place until Friday and covers the East Midlands, West Midlands, North East, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber.
The Met Office also issued its own slew of snow and ice warnings as Britain’s big freeze beds in.
Parts of the North and Scotland could see up to 20cm of snow, deputy chief forecaster Tom Crabtree said.
He added: “Temperatures could get down to minus 10C, with a significant wind chill from the strong northerly wind making things feel even colder.”
Forecaster Dan Holley said the UK will face “much colder conditions than of late” and “wintry hazards”.
Some snow showers could combine with thunderstorms to form dreaded ‘thundersnow’.
The bone-chiller marks a sharp turn after an exceptionally mild November, with temperatures 3-6C above average.
People with serious health conditions should stay indoors as the mercury plummets, experts warned.
Ruth Goss, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: “Cold temperatures can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
“It’s especially important that people living with heart conditions are well prepared for the cold snap this winter by wrapping up warm.”
The tumbling temperatures could also play havoc with travel, with transport bosses urging caution on roads.
The RAC’s Alice Simpson said: “Fallen leaves on the road can become very hazardous in icy conditions as they create an extra layer between tyres on the road surface, increasing the likelihood of skidding.”
Conditions will perk up from Friday with more dry spells and milder temperatures, weather boffs said.
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