The alert comes ahead of the Met Office's yellow warnings for snow and rain in parts of England and Wales, which will come into effect on Wednesday. The cold snap has also led forecasters to issue fresh warnings for ice and snow, after temperatures dipped as low as -7.2C (19F) in the Highlands overnight on Monday. Although earlier warnings for snow and ice expired on Tuesday morning, the Met Office warned commuters to remain vigilant due to the risk of black ice and slippery conditions.

Regions affected by the UKHSA's yellow cold health alert include the East Midlands, the East of England, the North East, North West, West Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber, and the South West. The alert will be in place from 18:00 on Tuesday until 18:00 on Friday, the UKHSA said. The agency warns that the weather is likely to have "minor impacts on health and social care services, including increased use of healthcare services and a greater risk to life of vulnerable people". A yellow weather warning for snow across most of Wales and parts of western England will come into effect at 16:00 on Wednesday and will be in place until 06:00 on Thursday. A separate yellow warning for rain will be in place for much of the south of England from 06:00 on Wednesday until Thursday at 08:00. (BBC)