The UK Health Security Agency has issued the first cold-health alert of the 2026/27 winter season, warning that plunging temperatures could put vulnerable people at risk in the North West and West Midlands.
The alert
A yellow cold-health alert has been issued for the North West and West Midlands regions, running from 9am on Thursday, November 12, until 12pm on Saturday, November 14. Other regions of England are currently unaffected, the agency said.
Under the Weather Health Alerting system run by UKHSA and the Met Office, yellow cold-health alerts may be issued during periods of cold which would be unlikely to impact most people but could impact those who are particularly vulnerable, including people aged 65 and over and anyone with heart or lung conditions.
How cold will it get
Arctic air is moving south across the country. Temperatures in the alert regions are forecast to fall to around -2C on Thursday and Friday nights, with the Met Office expecting about -2C in Stoke-on-Trent and Manchester, and around -1C in places such as Solihull and Hereford, with some spots dipping lower still. The Manchester Evening News reported temperatures in Greater Manchester could fall to -1C.
The result will be the season’s first widespread frost on Thursday and Friday mornings, spreading further south by Saturday. Wintry showers are also expected in northern Scotland, with soft hail possible on Shetland.
More alerts expected
Dr Anya Gopfert, consultant in public health at UKHSA, said: “This is the first cold-health alert of the winter, but we can expect more as we move further into the season.” Cold-health alerts run every year from November 1 to March 31. Officials urged people to check on older neighbours and to make sure heating, warm layers and pipes are sorted before Thursday. Some coverage described the alert as carrying a greater risk to life for vulnerable people, though the official UKHSA wording frames yellow alerts as unlikely to affect most people — the distinction matters, because the alert is aimed at health and social care services and at those most at risk, not at the general public.
