Christmas Day cold health alert issued for 7 counties with ‘risk to life’ warning

Christmas Day cold health alert issued for 7 counties with ‘risk to life’ warning | Bristol Live

Need to know

The alert will be activated tomorrow evening as temperatures plummet

A frosty landscape at Ashton Court Estate in Bristol, one of the areas covered by the warning(Image: PA)

Everything you need to know as Christmas Day health alert issued for South West:

A yellow cold health alert has been issued for the South West of England starting on Christmas Day. This warning, coordinated by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office, is scheduled to run from 6pm on December 25 until midday on December 27.
The warning area covers the entire South West, meaning the counties of: Bristol, Somerset, Gloucestershire, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Wiltshire. A separate yellow warning for wind has been issued by the Met Office for Christmas day, covering Devon, Cornwall, parts of Somerset and most of Wales.
Officials have warned of a potential “risk to life” for vulnerable individuals during the period of the cold health alert. It highlights that plunging temperatures may lead to a significant increase in the use of healthcare services, particularly by the elderly and those with underlying health conditions.
On expansive high ground areas such as Dartmoor, the ‘feels like’ temperature is forecast to plummet as low as -10C. The ‘feels like’ temperature accounts for the wind chill factor, with the actual temperature still reaching sub-zero levels of -2C.
While the weather will be dangerously cold, a ‘white Christmas’ with widespread snow is considered highly unlikely. Forecasters indicate that while a stray wintry shower is possible on higher ground, high pressure will mostly bring dry, settled, but very chilly conditions across the region.
The health alert has been graded at a score of 7 out of a risk matrix assessing the potential impact, which is categorised as a ‘medium’ risk. It states that “forecast weather is likely to have minor impacts on health and social care services including increased use of healthcare services by vulnerable people and greater risk to life of vulnerable people”.
Local authorities are taking preventative measures, including deploying gritters on major travel routes. In anticipation of overnight frosts and freezing conditions, highways teams are preparing to treat primary roads to ensure safe travel for those visiting family during the festive break.
Members of the public within the warning zone are being urged to check on vulnerable neighbours and relatives to ensure they can keep their homes warm. Experts recommend maintaining indoor temperatures and suggest that those with heart or respiratory issues should avoid strenuous outdoor activity during the peak of the cold snap.