Yorkshire warned to prepare for winter blast...

YORKSHIRE was spared a predicted whiteout yesterday but forecasters have warned the region to brace itself for the worst of the coming winter weather.

Despite another freezing day yesterday, most areas were spared the worst of the weather, which was restricted mainly to Yorkshire's north-east coast.

But as gale force Arctic winds were expected to blow in off the North Sea and temperatures plunged as low as minus 6C last night, the Met Office has warned the entire region to prepare itself for heavy snow over the weekend and early next week as the whitest November in 17 years tightens its grip.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Met Office forecaster Helen Chivers said: "Despite the weather yesterday I would urge people in Yorkshire not to let their guard down and to brace themselves because the worst of the weather is on its way. The wind was keeping a lot of the snow showers offshore yesterday but that will change on Saturday and they will be back across the whole of Yorkshire.

"I would expect up to six inches of snow in the North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales on Saturday and Sunday and about two inches in the Yorkshire Wolds.

"The wind at the start of next week is going to be a real factor with a gale force easterly wind bringing a lot of snow right across the region."

In preparation, council gritting teams were again working through the night to clear snowy roads and battle the wintry conditions.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A spokesman for East Riding Council, so far hit by some of the worst snowfall, said: "Road surface temperatures could be as low as minus 6C with snow showers moving in from the east until 2am. Further snow showers are possible from 6am on Saturday onwards.

"The winter maintenance team will watch the weather carefully when making decisions around the correct times and locations for treatment."

The council says it also plans to grit pedestrian walkways across 16 towns and villages overnight.

Despite much of the predicted four inches of snow not settling yesterday, the freezing conditions still caused problems across the region.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In North Yorkshire, 14 primary and secondary schools, mainly located around the North York Moors, were closed for the day.

Several schools were also closed in the East Riding after three inches of snow fell overnight.

Severe weather warnings for widespread icy roads and heavy snow across the North East, Yorkshire and Humber, East Midlands, the East and south-west England as well as parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales were also in place throughout the day.

Motorists battled treacherous conditions amid warnings of black ice, with drivers particularly struggling on the roads in Bridlington, one of the worst hit areas of the region.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Insp Mark Hughes, of Humberside Police, said: "We had problems with HGVs getting stuck on inclines. We managed to get one out on the A166 and then three miles up the road towards Scarborough he got stuck again."

It is feared weekend sporting fixtures will also be at risk from the Arctic conditions, after racing at Newcastle today became one of the first of the casualties.

Bad weather could also hit today's FA Cup second round matches.

Bar worker Hamish Bell at the Tan Hill Inn, in the Yorkshire Dales, Britain's highest pub where New Year's Eve revellers were snowed in for three days at the start of this year, said: "I remember what it was like back in 1993 with huge drifts of snow around the pub and a lot of the major roads closed.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"We haven't had anything like that yet, so far there has just been a light dusting but looking to the east from the pub you can see it is a lot worse."

The unusual weather has been caused by high pressure over Greenland and low pressure in the Baltics, forcing cold winds from the north-east across Europe.

Blizzard of calls for breakdowns

The AA said it was called out to 12,000 breakdowns by 4.30pm yesterday and was expecting the figure to rise to more than 16,000 by the end of the day.

The motoring group described it as a "very busy day" across the UK with calls coming in at 1,220 every hour ahead of rush-hour.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Wales and the North-East were said to be the busiest for breakdowns.

AA patrolman of the year Paul Leather added: "Although there was less snow last night, black ice has been causing problems, as it's almost impossible to spot and things go wrong very quickly on it.

"Keep your speed down and, where possible, stick to the main roads that have been gritted."