Only one in eight fully prepared for winter weather, Met Office finds

Only one in eight people say they are fully prepared for severe winter weather, according to new Met Office research, as a second storm in as many days sweeps across the UK this weekend.

Storm Boelo is bringing rain and strong winds to all parts of the UK on Saturday, after Storm Austen caused disruption in the south on Friday. An amber warning is in place for Scotland and parts of Northern Ireland and northern England, while Birmingham can expect a wet and blustery day as the rain spreads east across the country.

A preparedness gap

The Met Office survey found that only 13 per cent of people consider themselves fully prepared for severe winter weather. A further 32 per cent say they have made some preparations, 29 per cent have thought about preparing but not done anything yet, and 19 per cent have not thought about it at all.

Asked what they were most likely to do, people listed making sure they have essential supplies at home (41 per cent), putting away garden furniture before storms (36 per cent), checking forecasts more often (29 per cent) and getting their car ready for winter (28 per cent).

A summer that changed minds

The research suggests this summer, provisionally the hottest on record for the UK, has made people take warnings more seriously. More than a quarter (27 per cent) said the heat had made them take weather warnings and advice more seriously, and 57 per cent said forecasts and warnings had led them to do something differently during the hot weather, such as keeping curtains closed in the heat of the day or carrying more water.

Sleep was the biggest casualty of the heat, with 56 per cent of those affected saying they struggled to sleep.

Clocks go back

The clocks go back one hour at 2am on Sunday, as British Summer Time ends. The Met Office is urging people to use the change as a reminder to get ready for winter: checking forecasts and warnings regularly, making sure homes and vehicles are prepared, and looking out for vulnerable neighbours, friends and relatives.

With darker evenings arriving, drivers, cyclists and pedestrians are also being reminded to take extra care, as the first weeks after the clocks change often bring a rise in road accidents during the evening rush hour.

The week ahead

Sunday is expected to be drier and brighter in the south, though still windy, while the strongest winds and heaviest rain continue in the north. Unsettled weather is forecast to continue into next week, before higher pressure possibly brings calmer conditions later in the week.

The Met Office's WeatherReady pages include advice on preparing for winter, including ten things people can do now, such as checking that their home is ready for cold weather, keeping a torch and spare batteries at home, and knowing how to report a power cut by calling 105.