Snow in Wakefield: Amber cold health alert issued in Wakefield with temperatures to drop to -9C tonight

An amber cold health alert has been issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for Yorkshire and The Humber, that is in place until Friday, January 9.

Within Wakefield, temperatures will drop to -9C tonight (January 5), with a “mixture of some rain, sleet and snow” expected tomorrow (January 6).

Later in the week, and the district can expect more snow.

The Met Office’s outlook for Wednesday, January 7 to Friday, January 9, reads: “Dry, windy but sunny Wednesday, with coastal showers. Rain, sleet and snow Wednesday night, clearing to sunny spells and light winds Thursday. Increasingly windy, with a risk of snow Friday.”

The forecast weather is said to cause “significant impacts” across health and social care services, including an increase in demand for health services and temperatures inside places like hospitals, care homes, and clinics dropping below the levels recommended for assessing health risks.

Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at UKHSA, said: “As the colder weather sets in it is vital to check in on friends, family and neighbours that are most vulnerable.

“The forecast temperatures can have a serious impact on the health of some people, leading to increased risk of heart attacks, strokes and chest infections, particularly for individuals over the age of 65 and those with pre-existing health conditions.”