Warning of more arctic conditions
Saturday 7th February 2009, 11:30AM GMT.
Temperatures in Shropshire are set to fall to -7C tonight as weather experts warned residents to brace themselves for more arctic conditions.
The county is set for a series of hard frosts over the coming nights with day-time temperatures due to rise to about 2C (36F), Shropshire Star weatherman John Warner said.
It comes following a week of heavy snow which has left parts of the region paralysed with Shropshire’s worst snowfall in years causing havoc on the roads.
Shropshire County Council and Telford & Wrekin Council have joined forces to try to conserve stocks of salt but motorists were still warned to take extra care when travelling.
Officials today apologised to Shropshire drivers for the problems they are facing.
Councillor Miles Hosken, Telford & Wrekin cabinet member for the environment, said: “Gritters in both council areas have been working to capacity all week and levels of salt are in place to last into next week.
Prolonged
“This is a prolonged spell of very cold weather and snow and I would urge everyone to be very careful when travelling or walking.”
John Everall, the county council’s cabinet member for environment and sustainability, said: “We apologise for any disruption these changes may cause, officers are working hard to ensure that all main routes will continue to be treated throughout the salt shortage.”
Tomorrow is expected to see snow showers return to the UK, mainly affecting the north of the country.
Mr Warner today warned: “There is some more snow coming in tomorrow but I think on low ground it will probably turn to sleet and rain in the afternoon.
“On Monday it’s snow showers and certainly the cold weather doesn’t look like finishing and is going to go on well into next week.”
Meanwhile, as the worst UK’s week of travel disruption for more than 18 years persisted, Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon reportedly called on Britons to “stop whingeing” and queried why more drivers have not acquired snow chains for their cars.
Thousands of Welsh rugby supporters hoping to travel to Scotland for tomorrow’s Six Nations clash also saw their plans thrown into disarray after heavy snow grounded flights at Bristol airport.
Yesterday 200 motorists were helped to safety after being stranded overnight when snow fell a foot deep in Devon.
By Russell Roberts
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I’m wincing as I’m reading this.
“Arctic conditions” … “left parts of the region paralysed” … “havoc on the roads”.
Please could you tone it down a bit? You’re a local NEWSpaper, not a sensationalist red-top tabloid!
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THERE’S DRIVER’S AND THERE’S DRIVER’S MOST CAN’T
THEIR TO YOUNG TO REMEMBER PROPER WINTER SNOW’S
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Agree with #1, this is sensationalism jornalism. This is England NOT Canada or Alaska!
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the snow didnt leave parts of the region paralysed, buses were still running, taxis were running, trains were running, everything seemed to be working, people were working, some kids were going to school.
The only people who werent working were the ones who didnt have child care, or didnt want to go to work.the conditions werent like artic conditions, has anyone from the shropshire star been to the south or north poles.
I havent been there but I sure know that those 2 places are a lot colder than shropshire during those 2 days of snow!
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How come your article says temperature’s as low as -7? Your own weather forecast pages don’t seem to agree!
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Oh calm down!Couldn’t agree more with MR J. I drove from Shropsire to Kent on Monday night andthen back on Tuesday.The motorways – all the way down were fine,clear and free from snow and ice.Food and goods gets through to the shops & people got to work.Life has hardly stopped contrary to what the media would have us believe!
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stand by overnight monday and early tuesday for the mother of all snow blizzards accompanied by possible storm force winds.rain on south coast monday evening turning to snow m4 northwards. now hear this, you have been warned!. good time to stock up with provisions on monday
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Telford & Wrekin Council listen up! Last Thursday’s media response to the snow was pathetic, particularly where schools were concerned! Waking to the poor weather conditions parents need to make a decision and turn to local radio (Shropshire as advised by the Council) or the internet for advice. First of all, forget the internet, not a mention on there, it could have been middle of summer for all we knew! The radio. On the news broadcasts agencies linked to road and travel, advise us not to travel unless our journey is urgent … so, we won’t travel then? Schools. One by one, schools close, parents are sitting at home thinking ‘well the school next door to ours has closed and officials are saying avoid the roads, so surely ours will be closed … had better make child care arrangements’. Low and behold, yours is the one school that does not close, whilst the rest have? In the meantime, confused parents make arrangments not to take kids to school only to find it is open after all, obviously flying in the face of all advice on the radio? The next day, we find that children who have travelled in to school, all get a ‘Gold Star’ while other who didn’t don’t?! What is the award of a Gold Star based upon, not observing the radio advice; putting lives at risk by clogging up the roads when there is a very clear lack of salt, or keeping attendance figures for the school up? Come on Telford & Wrekin, tomorrow you will have an opportunity to put things right and give sound advice. Can this so called ‘Excellent Authority’ manage to do this?
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I assume that with the latest totally over the top weather warings – winter storm & blizzards TRANSLATES TO 2 INCHES OF SNOW OVER 12 HOURS – the council and the inadequates we who run schools will be planning another duvet day tomorrow.
I trust that anyone who FAILS to attend work, particularly when that means closing schools, will be disciplined (final written warning) and will also lose a days pay for every day they fail to attend.
No excuse T&W – show us you can succeed not just perpetuate your appalling record of failure so far!!
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Oh dear Public Sector Enemy, we do appear to have a bit of chip on our shoulder don’t we?
I trust that your second paragraph also applies to those working in your beloved private sector.
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do the loony left and harey greens still think we are in global warming ?
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Those of us hoping for a bit of snow are sorely miffed by these wishful headlines!
It snowed for a bit on Sunday here in Oswestry but scarcely enough to cover a wayward earthworm let alone block the path of a double decker bus!
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In these days of doom and gloom, Please as John Warner for his views on the rest of the year , we may have some thing good to look forward to.
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Sorry I ment “Ask” please amend for me
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Yes Toryboy I do still beleive in climate change (For interest I have disagreed with recent discussions re incinerators) How anyone could dispute that our climate is changing at a fast pace is beyond me. 95% of the scientific commuinity agree that climate change is a real issue. Thankfully Toryboy’s views dont count !
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