Unexpected Heavy Snow Causes Major Problems Overnight
There were firm expectations of snow to return to the area yesterday evening as a weather band moved across from the West however the snow that hit was more serious than expected.
After initial flurries in the early evening a major snowfall event of over 3 inches in the space of two hours took place from around 7pm onwards. This snowfall was predicted to be rain however due to lower temperatures it fell as snow. By 1:30am temperatures rose, and light rain helped start melt the snow. (Pic above of St Giles link road as of about 10pm by @wxmmoz)
Drivers were pulling over on the A483 Wrexham bypass as all lanes were covered in snow. On Gresford Hill later in the evening members of the public were organising cars trying to help those most able to drive up it to take priority. Due to a jackknifed lorry there were even worse tailbacks with traffic at a full standstill, with one person reporting ‘groups of people out walking between cars’. Another reported that they had been stationary for over an hour and a half. There were similar reports from the A541 Mold Road, where twelve cars were stuck in snow.
Police were called to the incident on the A483 however due to conditions were not able to attend. One person told us “We rang 101 and the police said ‘they are doing there best’ but did not show.”
There were reports of abandoned cars throughout the area on local roads and major routes such as the A483, A55 and M56, and we have spotted several parked up on side roads.
GHA Coaches stopped their services as the roads were ‘too dangerous’, and roads in and around town became impassable inside an hour. Arriva buses said in the early evening “Due to worsening weather conditions, all Wrexham services are being stopped for the evening”. Trains though appeared to be running fine.
Kathryn Davis said “Avoid Croeshowell hill on Llay Road. Cars unable to get up it and sliding down!”, advice that was mirrored in and around the Wrexham area.
Lights were reportedly flickering in New Broughton, Coedpoeth with a full power cut in Bwlchgwyn. Erbistock also lost power just after midnight.
‘JB’ from Garden Village said at 8:35pm “Garden village has just come under a fairly hefty blizzard, snowflakes the size of 50ps. Visibility is fairly good and the main road(Chester Road) although covering up rapidly are fairly clear of traffic. Side streets and pavements especially are very icy and hazardous.”
He also sent this picture in of the conditions on Chester Road by Garden Village shops:
This video was sent in of the situation in Hightown:
Tweets to our @wrexham twitter account from people around Wrexham, latest at the bottom:
https://twitter.com/Josephnewnes/status/294909247421034496
@wrexham cars unable to get up Chester road lol
— AJ (@AidyJay) January 25, 2013
https://twitter.com/david_baker94/status/294908717667860480
https://twitter.com/Josephnewnes/status/294908245708005378
https://twitter.com/LisaJG_/status/294915035900301312
@wrexham just drove home from work down the a483 30mph tops can't see the road markings
— Ben Davies (@BennyD_23) January 25, 2013
https://twitter.com/love2spooj/status/294915053893861377
https://twitter.com/rupertleslie/status/294920801864536064
https://twitter.com/Siannywrexham87/status/294929274949992448
https://twitter.com/Scotttt_05/status/294928037185728512
https://twitter.com/claireclh/status/294927824534528000
@wrexham just come down from minera. Women stuck coming up coedpoath hill, traffic backing up. Take care :-)
— Kirsten Seward (@o0oKacio0o) January 25, 2013
@wrexham A5 Fron to Llan main road, horrendous! Bypass is a death trap too #becareful #slowdown pic.twitter.com/cu15mAuR
— Natalie Astle (@natalieastle) January 25, 2013
@wrexham just been down #A55 near broughton and heading up the hill towards dobshill wagons cars stuck in snow road more or less blocked
— emma-louise williams (@freshstartmum) January 25, 2013
@wrexham Snow no falling at a great rate I estimate at least 10cm has fallen already in Brynteg …and there's more to come?
— PeterClutton (@PeterClutton) January 25, 2013
@wrexham Just had to walk to Penycae from Johnstown. cars everywhere, stryt las is a dumping ground for cars!!
— nick bell (@jn13ell) January 25, 2013
@wrexham two cars are blocking the road going up to the new estate in brymbo. Cars can't get past at all x
— Samantha Ashurst (@sammywilliams19) January 25, 2013
@wrexham A483 Nantwich turn off is terrible. Lorries blocking the lanes.
— Siân Phnx-Griffiths (@sugarrain) January 25, 2013
https://twitter.com/anyagardner/status/294942637021097984
https://twitter.com/lynseyedwards/status/294945124780232704
@wrexham 8ins deep in Rhos, this was measured in my back garden 30mins ago :-( pic.twitter.com/DveSo2p5
— Sian Ellis (@Sian_Rouibah1) January 25, 2013
@wrexham flickering in brymbo (new estate) to reckon a power is on the cards here at some point 8cm in 5hours do far !! Worse than last week
— jane wrench (@Janeywrench) January 25, 2013
https://twitter.com/mallman69/status/294959534148042753
https://twitter.com/AnakinNIP/status/294962232406724609
@wrexham we were stuck for almost an hour and a half on the A483 waiting for the Gary Gritters to dig a lorry out #funtimes
— Keiran Purcell (@kp_182) January 26, 2013
@wrexham rain started in Wrexham….that'll clear the snow, flooding in low lying areas this weekend?
— Bradley Evans (@Bradleyevanslfc) January 26, 2013
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