UK urged to stock up on these items immediately as power cut warning imminent

Britain is plunging into its first cold spell of winter, with widespread snow expected. The has issued a series of snow warnings across the nation, advising people to stock up on several essential items before this week as the mercury is set to dip to a brutal -7C.

The north-west, Yorkshire, West Midlands and the east of England are all under , issued when thermometers are predicted to dip, causing higher risk to the vulnerable population. They are activated by the Met Office and the UKHSA and in place until November 23 at 6pm.

As snow is poised to hammer many towns and cities across the country, the forecaster has also warned of power cuts in some areas due to yellow warnings for snow. The said: "You could be without food, heat or light if you are cut off by snow and can't access services and amenities for a number of days. Act now and be prepared, by getting the essentials together that you could need."

READ MORE:

Full list of essential items

Households have been urged to ensure they have torches and batteries, candles and matches or lighters, and plenty of blankets and warm clothing. It added: "If your power goes out these simple steps can help you deal with the situation. Switch off all electrical appliances that shouldn't be left unattended, ready for when the power comes back on. Leave a light on, so you know when the power cut has been fixed.", reports .

"Check to see if your neighbours are safe and if they have a power cut too. If they have power, your trip switch may have activated. Wrap up. If it's cold, wrap up warm and close internal doors to keep the heat in. Portable heaters are a good alternative if heating systems are down." Call 105 for information, it's a free service for people in England, and Wales. Be prepared for weather warnings to change quickly. When a weather warning is issued, stay up to date with the weather in your area."

The upcoming week looks mixed with an unsettled start on Tuesday, featuring rain that could turn into snow, but clearing up later for some sunnier moments. Frosty starts are expected for both Wednesday and Thursday, yet it should remain mostly dry with just a scattering of wintry showers. On Monday, and is in place until 10am on Tuesday – covering areas in the East Midlands, Yorkshire, Wales and the north of England overnight.

Dan Suri, chief meteorologist at the Met Office and said: “An area of low pressure slides its way eastwards on Monday night. The associated frontal system, marking the boundary between cold air in the north and milder conditions to the south, will bring disruptive snow to some areas between Monday evening and Tuesday morning.

“This is likely to coincide with rush hour, leading to disruption to some transport routes across a central swathe of the UK on Tuesday morning. It will also be windy in the far south. Updates to the warnings throughout the week are likely, so it is important to stay up to date with the latest forecast”