Snow predicted in Leicestershire as temperatures plummet
Temperatures plummeted to 1C this afternoon and an eerie fog descended over the county.
More than a dozen gritters were out in the county last night, defrosting roads for the first time since New Years Day.
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Fog in Leicestershire
And with weather experts predicting snow for the weekend, it seems the chill is here to stay for the coming days with gritters poised to go out again tonight.
The Met Office has predicted "light snow" for Sunday, and said: "Tonight it will be cloudy through the evening and night with a band of light showery rain in eastern parts for a time. Misty with light winds and a minimum temperature -1C.
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"A few snow showers on Sunday in cold winds. Further sleet or snow possible at times on Monday."
A spokesman for Leicestershire County Council, which has 17 gritters and 80 drivers, said grit barns were stoked with 11,000 tons of grit ready to tackle the roads.
"We will be keeping a close eye on our stocks throughout the winter so we will be able to order more in good time if we get really bad weather," he added.
"There are also more than 50 snow wardens based in communities across the county who will grit paths and over 50 farmers who, during deep snow, will fit ploughs to their tractors to clear roads.
"If heavy snowfall makes driving difficult, a team of 40 volunteer 4x4 drivers will be on hand to deliver hot meals and shopping to the elderly, and help carers and health visitors to reach their patients."
Comments
by TheRutlandFox
Thursday, January 17 2013, 9:41AM
“What most people don't realise is that the UK economy model and the way our goods and foods arrive at our homes these days is based on just in time as well as the way we work miles form our homes, relying on the road network and motorways remaining open, even airports for some exotic foods.
Shut that down for a short period and everything falls over. No fuel, no milk, no bread
Ask Kirby and West where their milk comes from today. No longer produced and processed and bottled locally in Leicester but miles away in the Cotswolds. Whereas in past winters say the 80's, we were self contained for essentials locally in the UK but not any more.
Even fuel is just in time with very little on site storage at the remaining petrol stations and supermarkets meaning any tanker delivery's being disrupted and we run out of fuel. We cant even rely on a rare coal fire now that would keep you going regardless of electric supply going down. The met office are just starting to realise that this could be the winter of all winters maybe even 1947 and it starts tomorrow.
many other forecast models are now showing that sudden stratospheric warming is for real and there is nothing we can do as it is all controlled by sun activity, not manmade.
You read it here first
http://tinyurl.com/awpn3f7 ... ?a=513&c=5
And us volunteer 4x4 owners as the LM pointed out will keep the elderly and vulnerable in contact with their carers provided the snow isnt up to the telegraph poles and we still have access to fuel”
by mam35
Thursday, January 10 2013, 10:19PM
“oldhenry..media reporting is important..especially for those with elderly or disabled relatives who live alone, they can then check on them beforehand, make sure they are prepared, enough food in, enough money on their electric/gas meters (if they have one) for their heating etc etc...temperatures can drop very quickly, we've had mildish weather recently but by saturday evening its going to be feeling more like -5 at least”
by Neil0123
Thursday, January 10 2013, 8:20PM
“Snow is forecast? Remember last winter, it snowed mid-February. All the buses stopped running as no-one had bothered to grit the roads!”
by Ciaranfagan
Thursday, January 10 2013, 5:34PM
“Hee hee, the first paragraph of the story reads like the opening of a scary Victorian novel.
(Ciaran the crime reporter)”
by Ciaranfagan
Thursday, January 10 2013, 5:31PM
“Hee hee, the first paragraph reads like the opening of a gothic novel.
(Ciaran the crime reporter)”
by oldhenry
Thursday, January 10 2013, 5:08PM
“Don't panic! It is called winter and temperatures actually drop to freezing point and have done so for millenia without the media reporting it. How did weather happen before media came along? I cannot imagine , except that country folk can tell it is winter by the ice on thier ponds and a distinct nip on going out to feed the chickens.
Of course town dewellers with their central heating do not know what season it is and they buy anything our of season in the shops 'cos it's been flown in from Africa. So stuff the seasons , crank up the heating.”