Temperatures set to drop again overnight as ‘rise in deaths’ warning extended
Temperatures plummeted to minus 18.9C on Saturday morning in Altnaharra, the UK’s coldest January night in 15 years
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Your support makes all the difference.Temperatures are set to drop again overnight on Saturday and could hit minus 15C, the Met Office said.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has extended its cold weather health alert for all of England until Tuesday.
Amber alerts have been extended and will now run until January 14, meaning a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions, is likely, the agency said.
The cold spell is set to continue overnight after temperatures plummeted to minus 18.9C on Saturday morning in Altnaharra, which is in the most northern region of the Highlands and was the UK’s coldest January night in 15 years.
The average low in northern Scotland for this time of year is about 0.3C, while for England, overnight lows are about 1.5C to 1.6C.
Temperatures ranged between the far north and south of the UK during the day on Saturday, with maximums of 11.3C recorded on the Isles of Scilly and minus 9.3 in Altnaharra.
Zoe Hutin, Met Office meteorologist, said rural spots in Scotland could reach minus 15C on Saturday night, which is about 10C lower than the average for this time of year.
She said: “This is probably the last very, very cold night expected, we’ve got a trend towards something a little bit milder.”
The Met Office will also be keeping an eye out for any freezing fog overnight on Saturday, which could be in the east.
Sunday day will see an east/west divide with a maximum of 3C or 4C in the east, while the west could see between 7C and 8C or potentially 9C.
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It comes as a council warned that gritters were unable to get through a Peak District road because of 200 cars double parked on it.
Derbyshire County Council said its crews could not get past all the vehicles which blocked Rushup Edge and Man Nick on the road down to Edale.
The route is near Mam Tor, a popular beauty spot for hiking which offers views over the Edale Valley to Kinder Scout and the Derwent Moor.
In a post on X, the council urged motorists to move their cars and said a bus or fire engine would not be able to get past.
“We have issues with cars double parked on Rushup Edge and Man Nick on the road down to Edale,” the council said.
“Our gritters cannot get through with around 200 cars in the area. Please move your car if you are in the area. If we can’t get through neither would a bus or fire engine.”