By Laura Moulden
Conditions of ice and snow continue to sweep through the UK as freezing temperatures are set to persist over the coming days.
Another band of rain, sleet and snow spreading from the north-west on Monday (January 14th) has prompted the Met Office to release amber warnings for some eastern parts of the country.
The east Midlands and north-east areas are expected to be the worst affected, whilst the far south-east should also prepare for up to 5cm of snowfall on high ground.
Motorists in other areas of the country were also advised to take heed as The Highways Agency issued an Amber Alert valid until 9am Tuesday due to the increased risk of adverse driving conditions. Rain and sleet is most likely, but as temperatures drop to below freezing overnight, there will be a continued risk of developing ice.
Extreme low temperatures have raised concerns for certain members of society, with the Met Office saying, “there is a 90% probability of severe cold weather/icy conditions between 0900 on Sunday and 0900 on Friday in parts of England. This weather could increase the health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services.”
The icy blast has been caused by a sudden warming in the stratosphere. Sudden stratospheric warmings have led to notable cold spells in recent years, with weather experts admitting that they are unable to achieve the usual level of confidence in their predictions under such circumstances.
