An amber health alert is in place across the health and social care sector as temperatures drop below zero. More than 100 flood warnings remain days after Storm Henk's deluge. Meanwhile, some snow is expected in parts of the UK.
Tuesday 9 January 2024 12:08, UK
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Before we go, here's a quick reminder of what the weather is looking like for the rest of the day and tomorrow:
A few wintry showers are possible, mainly in the North East and South West of England, according to the Met Office.
The forecaster said it will feel cold, especially in brisk winds across the South, but will remain dry with sunny spells for most.
The clear weather will lead to widespread frost overnight, becoming "severe" in places.
Wednesday
Tomorrow will likely remain mostly dry, with sunshine in the South.
In northern areas, it will be more cloudy with light rain and drizzle, turning wintry over high ground.
Temperatures are expected to remain below average.
Don't forget, you can check the forecast in your local area below...
Some people in Jersey have woken up this morning to a sprinkling of snow.
These pictures shared on X by La Foley show the island as a "winter wonderland".
An ice alert is in place across the region, with the Jersey Met Office warning further sleet and snow showers are possible throughout the day.
Flooding is causing problems for thousands of people across the country.
As we have been reporting, more than 100 flood warnings are in place this morning.
In Wallingford, Oxfordshire, a flooded car park has left several vehicles in deep water...
At least 2,000 properties are flooded as a result of Storm Henk, the environment minister has said.
Making a statement in the Commons yesterday, Robbie Moore defended the government's approach to flooding, saying it started planning "as soon as the Met Office forecast indicated an unsettled period of weather over Christmas and the new year".
"The Environment Agency started planning and preparing in the week before Christmas," he told MPs, adding the government has invested 拢6bn to "better protect 600,000 properties from flooding" since 2010.
Shadow environment secretary Steve Reed criticised the government's long-term record, saying one in six homes are at risk of flooding.
"Homeowners must be horrified that their government has done little more than stare out of the window and watch the rain come down," he said.
More than 200 flood warnings and alerts are in place across England this morning.
Most have been issued in the South and the Midlands, particularly through Reading, Slough, Oxford, Salisbury and further north in Cheltenham and Peterborough.
A drone captured footage of Dunham Toll Bridge across the River Trent, which has been swamped by floodwater.
A car can also be seen submerged after attempting to cross the bridge.
With amber cold-health alerts in place until Friday, here's a look at the weather forecast for the next few days.
Today
A few wintry showers are possible today, mainly in the North East and South West of England, according to the Met Office.
The forecaster said it will feel cold, especially in brisk winds across the South, but will remain dry with sunny spells for most.
Tonight
The clear weather will lead to widespread frost overnight, becoming "severe" in places.
Winds will remain breezy in the South, while light coastal showers will scatter a cloudier northeastern England.
Wednesday
Tomorrow will likely remain mostly dry, with sunshine in the South.
In northern areas, it will be more cloudy with light rain and drizzle, turning wintry over high ground.
Temperatures are expected to remain below average.
Rest of the week
Thursday through to Saturday will be cloudier, with conditions becoming slightly milder.
But by Saturday, northerly winds will bring in lower temperatures once again, as well as the risk of wintry showers.
Next week
Next week should see another seven days of classic British wintertime.
The Met Office expects cloud with drizzle for central and southern areas, with sunny spells and wintry scattered showers predicted further north and along the coast.
There is a very small risk of a period of snow across some southern areas, it said.
While it was a couple of weeks late for a white Christmas, some areas of the UK enjoyed their first dusting of winter snow yesterday.
We've rounded up a few of our favourite pictures below.
The whole of England will be affected by health alerts issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) until Friday.
The warnings, both yellow and amber, are aimed primarily at the health service, but amber includes the potential for the whole population to be at risk.
Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at UKHSA, said it would be important to check in on the wellbeing of those most vulnerable to the cold...
"Cold weather can increase the risks of heart attacks, strokes, and chest infections, so it can have a serious impact on health, particularly for older people and those with pre-existing health conditions."
He continued: "If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over the age of 65 it is important to try and heat the rooms where you spend most of your time, such as your living room or bedroom, in the coming days."
The Cold-Health Alert system (CHA) was introduced last June by UKHSA and the Met Office, with the health system being the primary target of its warnings.
The warnings range from yellow to red: from risks to vulnerable people to a significant risk to life for the general population.
CHA was developed in the wake of record high temperatures in 2022 in an attempt to pre-empt the impact of weather events before they cause illness or death.
Under the CHA system, the alerts are defined as follows:
Yellow
Issued during periods of heat/cold which would be unlikely to impact most people but could impact those who are particularly vulnerable.
Amber
Weather impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service and may begin to cause some health impacts across the wider population, not just the most vulnerable. A more significant coordinated response may be required.
Red
Significant risk to life for even the healthy population; severe impacts would be expected across all sectors with a coordinated response essential.
Temperatures dropped below zero in some parts of the country overnight.
Birmingham experienced conditions as low as -1C, with 0C recording in Glasgow and 1C in London.
Train services warned customers to be careful when using their services due to icy conditions but there were no reports of major disruptions to services.
The Met Office said yesterday's snow flurries would affect parts of England's south in the early hours of this morning.
Will there be snow?
Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said that not much of the snow appeared to have settled, with some areas seeing a "dusting of maybe one centimetre or two".
He said today would be drier with limited snowfall, apart from some wintry showers in Cornwall.
"We're not expecting much in the way of further snowfall on Tuesday. In actual fact, it will be much sunnier," Mr Morgan said last night.
A blast of cold air coming down from the north would mostly affect Scotland, said Mr Morgan, likely bringing more cold conditions over the weekend with some snow showers.
More than 100 flood warnings remain in place after Storm Henk and days of torrential rain last week.
The Environment Agency issued 125 alerts for expected flooding in England.
Most of the warnings are in the South and the Midlands, particularly through Reading, Slough, Oxford, Salisbury and further north in Cheltenham and Peterborough.
A flood warning was also in place on the River Thames southwest of London in Wraysbury, with the Environment Agency warning property and roads were expected to experience flooding around Friary Road, the Embankment, Ousley Road and Riverside areas.
