Level 3 cold weather alert issued for parts of England

NHS England issued a Level 3 cold weather action alert for parts of England, warning of a 90% probability of severe cold weather and icy conditions. The first Level 3 alert in the sequence was issued at 8:53am on Monday 16 January 2023, covering 9am on Monday 16 January to 9am on Friday 20 January in parts of England¹. It followed a Level 2 alert and readiness notice issued at 8:30am on Friday 13 January, which gave a 70% probability of severe cold weather, icy conditions and heavy snow between 6pm on Sunday 15 January and 9am on Thursday 19 January in parts of England².

The Level 3 alert was reissued as the cold spell continued. A notice issued at 9:05am on Wednesday 18 January gave a 90% probability of severe cold weather and icy conditions between 9am on Wednesday 18 January and 9am on Monday 23 January in parts of England³. A further notice issued at 9:09am on Friday 20 January gave a 90% probability between 9am on Friday 20 January and 9am on Wednesday 25 January across England⁴. A notice issued at 8:58am on Monday 23 January gave a 90% probability between 9am on Monday 23 January and 9am on Friday 27 January in parts of England⁵.

The wording of the alerts was consistent across the period. NHS England stated:

The sequence of alerts is set out below.

The alerts direct readers to the Met Office website for further weather detail³. NHS England also points to NHS guidance on staying well in winter³.

Why it matters for households

The alerts state that the weather could increase health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services³. The notices do not name which regions are covered beyond "parts of England" for most of the period, and "across England" for the 20 January notice⁴; the specific areas have not been reported in these notices. Households in the affected areas face a period of severe cold and ice, with the associated risks to health set out in our guide to staying well in cold weather, including which groups are most at risk. Practical preparation for cold and ice at home is covered in getting your home ready for cold weather and ice, and support available from local authorities during severe weather is set out in council help in severe weather. The wider subject is covered in the storms and snow section.

What happens next

The Level 3 alerts ran in sequence to 9am on Friday 27 January 2023⁵. On Saturday 28 January 2023, NHS England issued a Level 1 winter preparedness and action notice, issued at 11:55am, stating that temperatures and weather conditions were not expected to exceed cold weather alert threshold criteria in any region from midday on Saturday 28 January until further notice⁶.