A yellow cold health alert has been issued for Christmas Day in the South West of England, including Somerset, as temperatures are predicted to dip to near freezing. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warns that the cold snap could increase health risks, especially for vulnerable groups.
The alert takes effect from 6pm on Christmas Day and remains active until noon on December 27. The agency highlights that low temperatures may lead to a rise in healthcare usage and pose a greater risk to life for those most at risk from the cold.
Forecasters predict a chilly night on Christmas Eve with temperatures around 0 °C and a slight frost in rural locations. Despite the cold, the chance of a white Christmas remains very slim, with mainly dry and blustery conditions expected.
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The Met Office advises that Christmas Day will bring mostly dry weather with sunny spells in the east of the region. The far west could see cloudier skies and some rain or sleet showers, accompanied by a cold easterly wind and a maximum temperature of around 6 °C.
Looking ahead to Boxing Day and the weekend, conditions will stay cold and largely dry, with occasional frost overnight and variable cloud cover. Wind gusts are likely for a time, continuing the wintry feel.
Local temperatures demonstrate the chill: in Taunton it will feel like -5 °C despite temperatures dropping to freezing, and Minehead and Frome will experience similarly harsh wind chills, dipping as low as -5 °C by evening.
Met Office spokesman Oli Claydon noted that high pressure will keep the UK generally settled and dryer than recent days, with the strong easterly winds adding to the cold sensation on the south coast. He emphasized that while the weather will be crisp and bright in places, the likelihood of snowfall this Christmas is very low.
Residents in Somerset and across the South West are advised to take extra care during the cold spell, especially on Christmas Day, to protect their health and wellbeing.