Temperatures are set to plummet across the UK this week with the chance of some wintery showers and snow.
The cold conditions are being caused by an arctic maritime airmass, pushing across the UK from the north.
Current forecasts for Wrexham show that temperatures will drop to minus temperatures from mid-week.
Day time highs will be 4C, however towards the end of the week people can expect highs of just 2C and lows of -4C.
It is the first time in 11 months that the UK has seen below average temperatures, with provisional figures showing that autumn 2022 was the third warmest on record.
January to November has seen above average temperatures recorded, with the Met Office stating that December would need to be “near-record cold” to avoid this year being the UK’s warmest on record.
Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist, Rebekah Sherwin, said: “Temperatures will start to dip this week, with daytime temperatures struggling to get above freezing in many places from mid-week onwards.
“However, the cold air from the Arctic will also bring brighter conditions, with some dry, sunny spells in many areas, particularly away from the coast.
“Showers will turn more wintry as the week goes on with a risk of snow at times. A yellow National Severe Weather Warning for snow has been issued for Wednesday covering northern Scotland.
“We can expect to see some snow and wintry showers further south as the week progresses, particularly in coastal areas or over higher ground. There will be widespread frosts with temperatures falling to as low as -10°C overnight in isolated spots by the end of the week.”
A Level 3 Cold Weather Alert has been issued by the UK Health Security Agency covering all of England from Wednesday evening through to Monday 12th December.
Dr Agostinho Sousa, Consultant in Public Health Medicine at UKHSA, said: “Cold weather can have serious consequences for health, and older people and those with heart or lung conditions can be particularly at risk.
“If you have a pre-existing medical condition, you should heat your home to a temperature that is comfortable for you. In rooms you mostly use such as the living room or bedroom, try to heat them to at least 18°C if you can. Keep your bedroom windows closed at night. Wearing several layers of clothing will keep you warmer than one thicker layer.”
Although there are some uncertainties around how long this cold spell will last it is expected to stay cold into next week with temperatures remaining well below average for the time of year.
There is lots of advice on the Met Office website on how to prepare for cold weather. You can check the latest forecast on our website, by following us on Twitter and Facebook, as well as on our mobile app which is available for iPhone from the App store and for Android from the Google Play store. Keep track of current weather warnings on the weather warning page.
