Cold health alert updated for the South East

Published by West Sussex Emergency Management on Friday 2nd January at 10:40

The current amber cold health alert has been extended until 10AM on 09/01/2026 across the South East. The amber alert has a matrix score of 12. This means: Forecast weather is likely to cause significant impacts across health and social care services, including:

• 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)

You can see all the weather health alerts currently in place across England on the UKHSA data dashboard.

View more detail on the warning at theCold-Health Alert Map site.

Cold weather can affect your health. The people most likely to be affected are the elderly, the very young, and people with pre-existing medical conditions.

If you know or look after someone that may be susceptible to the effects of this cold weather period please help make sure that they stay warm and well, and if possible check in advance that they are prepared for this cold spell.

• Stay tuned in to weather forecasts
• Check room temperatures and maintain it at 18C or warmer
• Keep warm and active and if you have to go out dress warmly and wear non slip shoes.
• If you are concerned about your own health or welfare or that of others please alert the emergency services.

For more information

• Met Office Cold-Health Alert Map
• NHS Keep Warm Keep Well leaflet
• WSCC Dealing with extreme weather
• WSCC Preparing for emergencies
• WSCC Report a road and footway issue