Forecast weather is expected to have significant impacts across health and social care services, including:

• a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions. We may also see impacts on younger age groups
• a likely increase in demand for health services
• temperatures inside places like hospitals, care homes, and clinics dropping below the levels recommended for assessing health risks
• challenges keeping indoor temperatures at the recommended 18°C leading to more risk to vulnerable people
• staffing issues due to external factors (such as travel delays)
• other sectors starting to observe impacts (such as transport and energy)

A deep area of low pressure will move across the south of the UK during Thursday and into Friday bringing a mixture of rain, snow and strong winds. A spell of heavy snow is likely to develop over higher ground in south Wales later on Thursday before rain turns to snow more widely over parts of England and Wales during Thursday night. In some areas, 5-10 cm of snow may settle with the potential for up to 20 cm in some locations, especially over higher ground. Strong winds may lead to some drifting of snow. Rain and snow will then clear eastwards during Friday. This system has been named by Meteo France as the strongest winds associated with Storm Goretti are most likely over northern France. For further details see https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/uk-warnings Tags: Snow/Ice https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/uk-warnings

Information on update: Warning area expanded to include more parts of Wales and northern England, start time also brought forward. Rain, associated with Storm Goretti, will spread northeastwards across the warning area through Thursday afternoon and evening, transitioning to snow fairly widely overnight and into Friday. Snow initially will begin to accumulate across hills in Wales and then increasingly to lower levels overnight. Whilst not all areas may see accumulating snow, accumulations of 5-10 cm are likely quite widely, with scope for 15-25 cm in places, especially on some hills above 200 metres elevation. There is a chance of 30 cm accumulating over high ground in Wales and/or the Peak District. There is some uncertainty over the exact track of Storm Goretti, which will influence the locations most likely to see disruptive snow. Amounts of snow will also depend quite heavily on both elevation and the intensity of precipitation, and as this becomes somewhat lighter into Friday this will lead to an awkward mix of rain, sleet and snow, gradually clearing away to the east. Therefore there is likely to be a lot of variation, even over relatively short distances. The low pressure system has been named by Meteo France, as the strongest winds associated with Storm Goretti are most likely over northern France. For further details see https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/uk-warnings Tags: Snow/Ice https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/uk-warnings