A cold weather health alert for Preston and Lancashire has been upgraded.
A yellow warning has now been moved to an amber warning as temperatures stay barely above freezing for a prolonged period.
The UK Health Security Agency and Mer Office have upgraded the warning as of Monday (8 January) lunchtime and it continues to run through until 12noon on Friday (12 January).
Read more: Preston day-by-day weather forecast as cold weather arrives to start 2024
Dr Peter Gregory, associate medical director at NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB), said: “Keeping warm, both indoors and outdoors, is important in winter as this can help prevent colds, flu and more serious health problems such as heart attacks, strokes, pneumonia and depression. The cold and damp weather, ice, snow and high winds can worsen any existing health problems, increase the risk of a fall, and make us more vulnerable to respiratory winter illnesses.”
At this stage there are no snow warnings for Preston but ice is expected as temperatures drop below freezing each night.
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