Posted: Sun 20th Jan 2013

Sunday Snow Updates

Wrexham.com for people living in or visiting the Wrexham area
This article is old - Published: Sunday, Jan 20th, 2013

Welcome to our ongoing coverage of the snowfall around the Wrexham area.

Town Centre SnowCam:

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Zoomed SnowCam: (Updates 5mins!)

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Get Involved: Email us info & pictures to [email protected], or use this webform or if you are on twitter get in touch via @wrexham or visit our Facebook page.


We will be doing live updates tomorrow – Monday – including school closures and transport links as we did on Friday, so check Wrexham.com from the morning onwards if interested!

6:30am – Looking for updates for Monday? Check our new page out for Monday by clicking here!

 

1am The latest radar image for our area is below, and we have been looking at several weather data sources to form this update. All point to snow due to continue until around 3am, however temperatures are going as low as -3C overnight and for the 8-9am rush hour will still be around -1C presenting dangerous icy conditions. There is a possibility of fog adding to the problems in the morning.

It is likely there will be light snow on and off throughout the morning tomorrow, with it finally easing in the early afternoon. Temperatures however will not break freezing, and head lower into Monday evening with some predicting a possible -5C ! Looking ahead further its going to be a very very cold week!
1ammondayradar

12:50am We have noticed that with the Council’s midnight update saying all schools are open they have removed the ability to read the specific messages placed by schools giving instructions and guidance for pupils and parents in the morning! Generally speaking they were: Check the council site, check school sites, await text messages where the system is used and the like.

12:40am Claire Dodd has been on the bypass and says “A483 getting bad no sign of any grit on that road tonight”. We are prepping a radar image and forecast for overnight and the morning for our next update.

12:20am Thanks to JB who has supplied three updates with pictures, the latest below of a previously clear side road , Chester Road and now both are covered! He says “Snow is much thicker than forecast. As people have stayed in, the main roads are now starting to become covered with snow, on top of the ice. Be aware if you are going to travel up or downhill in the morning. Leave early and drive safely.” The second picture is a zoom of a secondary snap showing current snowfall intensity.
garden-village-snow-sunday-midnight
snowfall

12:10am As of just after midnight the Council have updated their website in big pink letters to say “ALL SCHOOLS IN WREXHAM COUNTY BOROUGH ARE OPEN“. We will be updating from early on to see if that is still the case throughout the morning! We have heard from some in the last few hours saying their schools wont be…

11:40pm To balance the comment from quarter past, Charlotte has said “Give the gritters a break people! They can’t be everywhere at once and we know how fast this snow settles. Just as cars are sliding on the road, the gritter lorry will be doing the same. Why not just take the most sensible advice and NOT go driving around unless absolutely necessary? They’ve been past here so they are out, just give them time! They aren’t magic and Wrexham (including all these back roads that people also expect to be cleared) is a pretty big place!”

11:30pm The official council page for school statuses (here) currently states 41 schools are due to open tomorrow and zero are closed tomorrow however read further than the headline numbers and names as often the information will say its dependant on certain factors, or there will be an early morning decision to be made!

11:14pm Alison from Cefn has been in touch to say “Still snowing heavily, no sign of any council gritters, side roads a nightmare and main roads not much better. Residents taking to clearing the roads themselves – with ice warnings for the region overnight, the council should be out gritting but as usual – nothing”.

11:05pm Si on Twitter has posted this picture of The Cross in Holt this evening, earlier this evening he tweeted us saying “Cautious 20mph down Croeshowell Hill but car started going sideways! WCC where’s the grit/rocksalt? Scary at 20mph!”
the-cross-holt

10:49 As the snow keeps falling around town we have some more detail on  a lighter note – we have heard from one of the now famous Brynteg / Moss Valley BathSledgers! The anonymous sledger told us they picked Moss valley opposite the golf course on the banks as their chosen run. We are also told its a two man bob sled, not a sledge!

“Some lad said he brought it from his house so fancied a two man bob sled once the path was clear. Went back next day and the bath had gone! Probably his mum asked for it back when she realised it was missing when she went to run it!”

He has not yet decided if he is looking to enter the Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia.

10:10pm Louise Hopwood has sent us this picture saying it is of cars that have been abandoned on roads in cars Tanyfron. Richard G has also mentioned ‘Carers couldn’t get up new road summerhill’ and saw people sliding down as it wasn’t gritted.
cars-abondoned

9:10pm Reports of more snowfall from around the area are coming in, and JB who sent us an update from Garden Village earlier has sent another. He says “Garden village , Chester road snow is coming down and sticking on the side roads, plus the main Chester road is freezing a little in places so there is ice.”  We have animated his earlier picture from 5pm and tonights from 9pm to show a comparison. This situation appears to be common around the area with the changing conditions:
garden-village-snow-sunday-animation

9pm The snow radar view for the rest of this evening is below, and there is a Yellow Weather Warning out for the area until midnight for snow and ice.
sunday-snow-radar-evening

8:30pm Mark Waters from the Peoples Republic of Rhos says “snow really heavy , avoid side streets”. Comments are mirrored around the area, ‘Roads in Penycae /Pant hill bad’, ‘Heavy snow here in Pentre Broughton’ and Louise Williams saying ‘Still snowing heavy in bwlchgwyn! Roads covered over again!’, and Jenny from Coedpoeth just emailed to say ‘Side roads are bad and it’s still snowing heavy’.

8:25pm The number of schools set to be open tomorrow is currently at 35, however most are saying that a decision will be made in the morning. Jack Carden tweeted us to say ‘Castell Alun is closed tomorrow’ – however it seems this announcement is internally on the Moodle for the school rather than public.

8:20pm Snowfall is moving in from the east and due to get heavier into the evening as winds pick up and temperatures drop.

7:48pm Marcin Mager sent the below picture in a few minutes ago, saying “Real winter at Pont Yr Afon in Penycae. Heavy snow now…large flurries are coming down”.  Ally Owen has also just said there is still snow coming down in Ruabon.
penycae-sunday-evening

7:20pm Quick update from the town – no more snow has fallen as of yet! We expect some light snowfall coming from the east on and off throughout the evening. It appears the snow has stayed south, and therefore southern areas of Wrexham are currently at risk of snow compared to northern points as it moves across.

A further six schools (28 in total) have now declared they will reopen tomorrow, many looking to reassess around 7-8am tomorrow morning.  We will be carrying live updates as and when we know.

We have had road pictures and pavement pictures sent in all showing snow and ice regardless of any further snowfall so stay safe! This is Eagles Meadow by the waterfall:
eagles-meadow-steps

6:35pm Arriva Wales have released their latest bus status information:

  • Brymbo 12 only operating to Pentre broughton.
  • Brymbo 13 operating via lodge rd and terminating at the plantation.
  • Minera 11A normal route but terminating at the five crosses.
  • Penycae services going as far as Rhos.
  • Queens park 37 Normal route.
  • Chester 1 normal route.
  • Summerhill services normal route.

22 schools are now down to reopen tomorrow, but again most will be revisiting the decision first thing in the morning. The update posted by St Josephs is interesting as it gives insight to current bus company thinking and Council advice that is not public – italics/bolding by us:

Bus Companies will naturally be taking extra care on Monday morning, and that this may lead to some altered arrival and collection times. Wrexham County Borough Council advises…..” the route taken by certain vehicles may vary from normal. In the interests of safety, you are advised to make sure that pupils are at their pick-up point at least 10 minutes earlier than usual.” MESSAGE RE BUS ROUTES: At present, George Edwards’ Coaches have advised that they are not planning to run in Gwynfryn and Bwlchgwyn, and so pupils need, where possible, to pick up their bus in Coedpoeth, please. We will pass on any further messages about specific routes to you if/as soon as we receive them, but please be patient and understand if/where your child does not use school transport, but we have needed to send a message out relating to school transport. It is hoped that the combination of regular and effective gritting, and the ongoing flow of commuter traffic during the earlier part of the morning, will mean that all will be well for safe travel for all. All pupils, whether passengers or pedestrians, are urged to take extra care on their journey. Where practicable, pupils will need to carry their school shoes in their school bag, and change into these when they enter the building, for their comfort and safety.

6pm We placed the predicted radar for this time online earlier, and below is the current view with some snow stopping and some turning to sleet. It seems with the dropping temperatures this is going to change back to snow this evening. Nick Hughes has also mentioned perils of snow – “kids throwing snowballs at cars from behind wall on Chester road Acton, by oak drive, not just snow in the balls either.”
6pm-sunday-actual

5:02pm JB has emailed us the below picture of Garden Village / Chester Road right now – giving an on the stop weather update as well: “Currently not snowing, roads very clear.” JB also says he will give further updates tonight and tomorrow morning – which we will put online ASAP!
garden-village-snow-sunday

5pm Snow has stopped falling for a little while now. The current live radar update shows rain, snow and sleet all due for Wrexham at the moment. We are on the cusp of the bad weather , so fingers crossed it stays south of us! Temperatures are still very low, and therefore roads are slippery with ice so stay safe out there!  Sixteen schools are now saying they will reopen in the morning, with nearly all saying that is subject to change tomorrow morning. As we did on Friday we will be providing updates as and when we know more.

Alys Griffiths sent us this beautiful picture of Erddig

Alys Griffiths sent us this beautiful picture of Erddig

acton-park-lake

This picture of a very frozen Acton Park lake was taken by Claire Howells

4:10pm Yale College have been in touch to say they are opening tomorrow and exams are ‘definitely going ahead’, however they said they will ‘review’ the decision by 7am.  “Both Grove Park and Bersham Road campuses have been cleared and we expect to be open Monday 21st Jan. The Estates team will be out again early tomorrow morning to ensure the College is safe for student and staff.” Students are already questioning the decision , with one pointing out his bus leaves before 7am.

4pm  Radar view of the snow situation at six o’clock tonight, deep red means thicker snow. The snow band is slowly moving north westwards, and there is lots still to come over night.
bad-snow-sunday-radar-6pm

3:30pm Sam Evans has sent some pictures in, saying Tan y fron could be 4×4 only shortly. He adds ‘The Cric Hill, Tan y Fron is just passable at the moment. Just seen taxi turning around though.”
cric-hill-sunday

3pm Snow still falling thicker and constantly. Some schools are starting to update their status for tomorrow already: St Mary’s Aided, Brymbo. Bryn Alyn High School, Gwersyllt. Johnstown Junior School. Johnstown Junior School.Penycae Community Primary and Ysgol Maes y Mynydd, Rhos have all stated they are all intending to reopen tomorrow.

Two pictures we want to bring you , one fun , one of conditions out there!

spider-park-footy

Snowmen playing football this afternoon in the spiderpark! Bekky Kopczyk and family made the snowmen and sent the picture !

Callum Edwards sent us this view of Ruabon this afternoon.

Callum Edwards sent us this view of Ruabon this afternoon.

2:40pm If you missed our update about a bath being used in the Moss as a sledge and almost running people over – we had it confirmed that it did happen! Not only that we have been sent a couple of pictures of the bath pre-run, and after. We are not convinced that the two baths match – which begs the question , where in Brynteg are all the sledgebaths coming from?!

The bath before setting off - cool runnings Brynteg style.

The bath apparently before setting off – cool runnings Brynteg style.

moss-bath-sledge

The final resting place in Moss Valley – taken today.

2:15pm We estimate about another 1-2 inches have falled in town, with more higher up. Main roads remain clear, however side roads will be like Friday evening / Saturday morning as and when the snow freezes hard overnight.

2pm: Snow is ongoing this afternoon in town, thicker than this morning. We have been told Chesterwards its been turning to sleet / rain.

Arriva Buses are saying ‘normal sunday service’ aside from Brymbo where Station Rd is causing problems. This information was however last updated prior to the latest snowfall.

The snow is now coming from the south east rather than the north west over the last few days and is likely to continue throughout the day. Previously the mountains have taken the brunt of the snow, whereas Wrexham has no such protection today.

By our calculations the snow will continue on and off throughout the day and this evening through the night. The Met Office predicts that temperatures will stay below zero until around midday tomorrow.

sundayweather

We took this picture of St Giles as of 11:30am:
view-of-parish-church

 

Yesterday you probably saw Marie Gibson’s pictures of kids from New Broughton creating a snow fort – she has sent us this latest picture of the finished article this morning saying ‘ woe betide any intruders’ ! :
new-broughton-fort

Yesterdays updates can be found here, and Friday’s live updates here.

Get Involved: Email us info & pictures to [email protected], or use thiswebform or if you are on twitter get in touch via @wrexham or visit ourFacebook page.



Spotted something? Got a story? Email [email protected]



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