Stay one step ahead of the weather this winter
The Met Office is working in partnership with the Department of Health and the Health Protection Agency to provide the Cold Weather Alerts that inform the Cold Weather Plan for England.
Each year there are around 25,100 ‘excess’ winter deaths in England but many of these are preventable. The Cold Weather Plan and associated alerts help to inform key responders and carers about the likelihood of cold weather, raise awareness with the public about the effects of cold weather, reduce avoidable winter mortality, and alleviate pressures on health and social care services during the winter months.
The Cold Weather Alert service operates in England from 1 November to 31 March. Met Office alerts are sent, by email, to key responding teams and are also featured on the Met Office website and via their Twitter feed.
The Met Office has produced a poster to prompt the public to take care and prepare for adverse weather in order to protect their health. You can order copies of the poster by emailing health@metoffice.gov.uk no later than Friday 23 November.
Met Office services in health forecasting help patients to better manage their conditions, allowing them to stay as independent as possible. For further information email health@metoffice.gov.uk
Figure for 2010/11 is provisional