How to keep yourself warm and stay safe during cold weather and snow as Met office issue weather warning

• Temperatures are dropping across the UK with many regions waking up to frosty conditions.
• The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for snow and ice across the UK.
• The UKHSA has issued an amber cold weather alert across England.

The first few days of 2025 are starting off with a cold snap, as parts of the country woke up on Thursday morning (January 2) to frosty conditions after temperatures plunged overnight.

The unusably cold temperatures come after heavy rain and flooding caused widespread disruption on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

A yellow weather warning for ice is currently in place across northern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, with the Met Office issuing a yellow warning for snow across most of England this weekend.

Whilst the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued an amber cold weather warning across England, which could have significant impact on health and social care services. People are being urged to check on family, friends and neighbours who are vulnerable and are more susceptible to the cold.

Deputy Chief Forecaster for the Met Office Dan Holley said: “At this stage there is a fair amount of uncertainty over exactly which areas will see disruptive snow, with parts of Wales, northern England and the Midlands most likely to see some impacts. Here we could see 5cm or more in quite a few areas, and perhaps as much as 20-30cm over high ground, including Wales and the Pennines. Coupled with strengthening winds this could lead to drifting, making travelling conditions difficult over higher-level routes in particular.”

Holley continued: “We’ve currently issued a Yellow warning for snow covering a large part of England, Wales and southern Scotland to cater for possible disruption over the weekend, but it’s quite likely this will be refined over the coming days as confidence in the forecast increases. So it’s worth keeping up to date with the latest warnings.”

How to stay safe in the cold weather?

With the cold weather expected to extend into the weekend, it’s important to keep ourselves warm as this can help prevent against winter illnesses such as cold and flu.

It’s especially vital for older people, as when we age our bodies find it harder to realise when we get cold and it takes longer to heat up. In older people exposure to the cold has an increased risk for heart attacks, strokes, pneumonia, arthritis pain and accidents in the home.

How can you stay warm in cold weather?

When outside wear layers to stay warm, wearing many thin layers as opposed to one warm layer will actually help keep you warmer as each layer will trap heat. Also be aware of frosty or icy surfaces and make sure you wear non-slip shoes to help prevent slips and falls.

When inside your house, the Met Office advises that you should keep it warm and maintain the temperature to at least 18C during the day and night and not to sleep with your bedroom window open as breathing in cold air can increase the risk of chest infections.

Eat regularly, with one hot meal a day and drink hot drinks. Try to stay active even when indoors, this can be as simple as walking around your home or getting up to get something from the kitchen.

Check in on vulnerable friends, family and neighbours who may be more susceptible to the cold, if you are concerned about your health or the health of someone else contact emergency services.

You can find out more about staying safe during cold and wintery weather at NHS.UK.