UKHSA issues cold health alert as temperatures to plummet tonight - what it means

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a cold health alert which will come into force tonight.

The yellow alert, which comes as temperatures are set to plummet again this week, will be in place from 6pm on Monday to 9am on Sunday and covers the North East and the North West of England.

The alert warns that the forecasted weather is "likely to have minor impacts on health and social care services". Impacts may include "increased use of healthcare services by vulnerable people" and a "greater risk to life of vulnerable people", the UKHSA said.

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It comes as the UK continues to feel the impact of Storm Darragh, which swept across the UK over the weekend. Train services remain disrupted following the fourth named storm of the season with several lines closed due to fallen trees and debris. Tens of thousands of people are also still without electricity due to power cuts.

Winds are expected to gradually ease with noticeably less rainfall by Wednesday but temperatures will stay in the single figures, the Met Office has said. Meteorologist Liam Eslick said: "Storm Darragh has now moved its way off towards the south east, so things are going to start to settle down over the next couple of days. But it is still going to remain quite blustery, especially for south and south east of England, for the next day at least."

Much of the rest of the country further north will see calmer winds and plenty of sunshine due to an area of high pressure moving in, but will feel chilly with highs in the mid to low single figures. Any remaining winds will die down by Tuesday, with the exception of areas around the English Channel and southern coast.

Parts of the North West are forecast temperatures of just 1C by Tuesday morning, with temperatures remaining in single figures for the rest of the week.