Thursday : Light Snow Sprinkles On Town + Forecast

Overnight there has been a dusting of snow however we are back from looking around town and no where is it more than just a very thin layer.

Its likely tomorrow will be pretty severe in terms of snowfall with around 6 inches being predicted.

As of midday Thursday the current weather forecasts are of icy conditions with occasional sleet to carry on throughout today with the bad weather coming through overnight – and light snow starting around 3-4pm. By 6pm visibility is predicted to be ‘very poor’ so be aware if travelling around that time. The inital flurry of snow in the early evening is not the major snowfall that is predicted.

As always we will be updating throughout Friday and the weekend and would encourage you to email, tweet or use our contact form to let us know of conditions near you so we can share the information with everyone!

Winter Driving Tips
The fire service have issued the following guidence and tips for wintery driving:

Make sure the windscreen, back and side windows are thoroughly de-iced on the outside and clear on the inside before setting off. Don’t simply clear a ‘porthole’ to look through.

• Lower your speed in poor visibility and poor driving conditions. It’s better to drive slowly and smoothly to avoid braking sharply.
• Use the highest gear possible to avoid wheel spin, without increasing your speed.
• Select 2nd gear when pulling away, easing your foot off the clutch gently to avoid wheel spin.
• Brake gently to avoid locking the wheels. Get into a low gear earlier than normal and allow the speed of the vehicle to fall gradually.
• Maintain at least a 10 second gap between you and the vehicle in front. It takes 10 times further to stop in icy conditions than on a dry road.
• Use headlights whenever visibility is reduced – for example, early morning, at dusk, when it’s raining or in any gloomy conditions.
• Don’t dazzle others with your main beam.
• When driving downhill, choose second or third gear to prevent skidding.
• Take corners very slowly and steer gently and steadily, rather than with jerky movements, to avoid skidding.
• Never brake if the vehicle skids. Instead, ease off the accelerator and steer slightly into the direction of the skid until you gain control.
• If you do get stuck, straighten the steering and clear the snow from the wheels to give the tyres some grip. Once on the move again, try not to stop until you reach firmer ground.
• If your vehicle breaks down, pull off the road as far as possible and switch on the hazard warning lights.

Pic: Sent to us by Nige Harper of a field at the top of Queensway.