How to Cope in Severe Weather

Sadly, as climate change affects our weather patterns, severe weather is becoming more and more frequent. Here, we have tried to share advice for coping with the most common severe weather in Yateley. The Met Office has a guide for severe weather advice and what they mean by very low to high impact ratings: https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/guides/severe-weather-advice

Hot Weather

The main risks during extreme hot weather are dehydration, overheating, and heat exhaustion and heatstroke. People most at risk are those who are:

• Older (especially over 75)
• Living on their own
• Living with long term and/or serious illnesses
• Medicines that make them more vulnerable to hot weather
• Other vulnerable groups include babies and young children, those with alcohol or drug addictions, and those living with forms of dementia

Coping in Hot Weather

• Keep out of the heat and keep your living space as cool as possible
• Stay out of the sun between 11:00 and 15:00
• Wear a hat and use sunscreen when outside
• Drink cool drinks and avoid alcohol and caffeine
• Close windows and blinds/curtains during the day
• Use a fan

For more information in coping with hot weather and what to do, please see the dedicated NHS page:

https://www.nhs.uk/Live-well/seasonal-health/heatwave-how-to-cope-in-hot-weather

Read about the Met Office’s Heat-health Alert service:

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/seasonal-advice/heat-health-alert-service

Snow and Ice

The main risks during cold weather are slips, trips, and falls and becoming too cold. The risk of falling means many vulnerable people do not go out and so becoming low on food and other supplies. People most at risk are:

• Over 65s
• Babies and children under 5
• People who cannot afford to keep the heating on and/or with long-term health conditions
• People with disabilities and/or mental health conditions
• Pregnant women

Coping in Cold Weather

• Only go out if you need to
• Check on elderly or vulnerable friends, family, and neighbours
• Check the weather forecast before you go out
• Help keep pavements clear by using the grit bin on your road

Flu and pneumococcal vaccines are available for some high risk groups. More information is available on the NHS website:

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/seasonal-health/keep-warm-keep-well

Ways to save energy and help for people on a low income:

https://www.gov.uk/improve-energy-efficiency

https://www.gov.uk/browse/benefits/low-income

Storms and High Winds

Strong winds can damage buildings and infrastructure such as overhead power cables and heavy rain can cause flooding. The Met Office will issue a severe weather warning if storms and/or high winds are forecast, which can be found https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/uk-warnings.

Coping with Storms

• Only go out if absolutely necessary
• Avoid travel
• Do not leave anything outside that could blow away- bring things inside or tie them down
• Prepare for power cuts and have emergency supplies to hand, such as torches, tinned food, charged power bank to recharge mobile phones etc.
• If your property is at risk of flood, be prepared. More information available on the Environment Agency’s website https://www.gov.uk/browse/environment-countryside/flooding-extreme-weather
• Check on elderly or vulnerable friends, family, and neighbours
• Report issues with roads, such as flooding or trees blocking the highway on Hampshire County Council’s website https://www.hants.gov.uk/transport/highways/report-a-problem

Flooding

Hampshire County Council has produced a Community Toolkit document which details the different sources of flooding, who can provide advice, roles and responsibilities of different organisations, and how communities and residents can reduce their risk of flooding. The Toolkit will be updated regularly so we are just providing a link here, rather than reproducing the document.