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Dave Thomas

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UK weather: Brace yourself for plunging temperatures this weekend

Written by on 18/01/2020

Freezing weather is expected across the UK this weekend, with temperatures predicted to fall as low as -6C (21.2F).

Public Health England (PHE) have warned people to prepare for the sub-zero temperatures and look out for those most at risk.

Emergency shelters will be opened across London, in a bid to help homeless people escape the freezing overnight weather.

While Saturday and Sunday should remain dry and bright with maximum temperatures of around 6 to 8C, the cold weather will draw in as night approaches.

Sky weather presenter Isobel Lang says: “On Saturday night as skies clear we will see a more widespread sharp frost with temperatures falling as low as minus 6 or 7C in the countryside.

“Some patchy fog is likely too. Shetland and the coastal fringes of East Anglia and Kent may just see a shower or two.

“Sunday will be sunny but chilly, with freshening south westerly winds bringing cloud in across western Ireland and Scotland later.”

Beyond the weekend “the emphasis is on mostly dry conditions although it will turn cloudier with some rather murky, foggy mornings. Frost will become more limited. There will be some patchy rain around especially in the northwest”.

A cold weather alert was issued by Public Health England (PHE) from 6pm on Sunday to 6pm on Tuesday.

Dr Owen Landeg, principal environmental public health scientist at PHE, said: “Below 18 degrees, changes to the body mean that the risk of strokes, heart attacks and chest infections increase so heating homes to this temperature is particularly important to stay well.”

The plunging temperatures come after Storm Brendan caused road, rail and flight chaos across parts of the UK last weekend, with gales of up to 80mph.

The cold weather is in sharp contrast with last month, when record temperatures were recorded in the Highlands.

A temperature of 18.7C (65.66F) was recorded at Achfary in Sutherland on December 28.

Earlier this month it was confirmed that the past decade was the warmest on record. Data also showed the last five years were the warmest since records began in 1850.

(c) Sky News 2020: UK weather: Brace yourself for plunging temperatures this weekend