Met Office say get your 'woolly jumpers at the ready' as health warning given over ‘Arctic blast’
While this year's summer was rather mild in the UK, the autumn has at times been warmer than expected, but all that is about to change.
Winter is almost upon us and the weather is about to start acting like it as people have been warned by the Met Office to wrap up warm in anticipation of cold arctic air sweeping down across the nation.
The time has come to definitively break out the winter wardrobe as the Met Office declared: "Woolly jumpers at the ready! Temperatures are set to drop next week with wintry weather on the way."
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Those living in the north of Scotland have been issued with a severe weather warning for snow and ice tonight (17 November), while further warnings have been issued for Monday (18 November) evening and overnight across parts of the north of England and Wales.
They say that most of the snow will 'accumulate on higher ground', but there is a chance that some of it could settle elsewhere.
The Met Office has warned that there could be up to 10 centimetres of snow in some places depending on certain conditions, and that this could cause some travel disruption.
If the snow is around during rush hour then that would certainly be disruptive, but according to the Met Office the 'likelihood for that is still uncertain at this stage'.
Andy Page, the Met Office's chief meteorologist, said: “We have issued yellow warnings for snow and ice as cold weather moves in from the north.
"This brings snow showers and some ice to parts of Scotland on Sunday night, and then the potential for a spell of snow to lead to disruption to some transport routes across a central swathe of the UK on Tuesday morning.
"Gusty winds in the east also remain a potential hazard. Updates to the warnings for wintry hazards are likely so it is important to stay up to date with the latest forecast."
Along with the cold weather warnings is a health alert from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), which is in effect until Thursday (21 November).
The alert makes it clear of a 'greater risk to life of vulnerable people' and there will be an 'increased use of healthcare services by vulnerable people'.
At present, the warnings are predicting 'minor impacts on health and social care services', so as long as you wrap up warm and take precautions it shouldn't be too much of a bother.
It really is going to be time to break out the woolly jumpers and make the most of your winter wardrobe, and this is just what's going on in November before winter has truly arrived.
Joe Harker