The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a yellow cold-health alert for Greater Manchester. The alert starts at 9am tomorrow (Thursday 12 November), and runs until noon on Saturday 14 November. Temperatures are expected to fall as low as -2°C across the UK this week.
The coldest conditions will arrive on Thursday night into Friday morning. The alert covers the whole of the North West and the West Midlands. Other regions of England are not currently included.
It is the first cold-health alert of the 2026/27 winter. The alerting season runs from 1 November to 31 March.
What a yellow alert means
UKHSA issues these alerts with the Met Office under the Weather Health Alerting system. A yellow alert means the cold is unlikely to affect most people but could affect those who are particularly vulnerable. UKHSA expects minor impacts on health and social care services, with more vulnerable people using healthcare.
The agency names the groups most at risk:
- people aged 65 and over
- people with pre-existing health conditions, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases
- other vulnerable groups, such as people sleeping rough
How to prepare before Thursday morning
UKHSA advises you to keep your home adequately heated and dress appropriately when you go out. If you have an older relative, a neighbour with a health condition or anyone else who might struggle in the cold, check in on them before the alert begins and again over the coldest night.
It is also worth planning ahead if you or someone close to you relies on regular medication or healthcare appointments. Demand on services may rise while the alert is in force.
The cold spell should be short. Milder air is forecast to move in from the Atlantic over the weekend, although the alert stays in place until midday on Saturday. You can read the full announcement on the GOV.UK website.
