Devon's snow wardens on standby
Devon County Council’s snow wardens have been put on standby for the coldest spell so far this winter.
Road surface temperatures are set to plummet below -5 C overnight tonight and are not expected to rise above freezing before 9am tomorrow. The County Council is advising people to take extreme care if travelling tomorrow morning, particularly on untreated roads.
Devon County Council gritters will be treating around 1,700 miles of the precautionary salting network across the county from 3pm this afternoon and again in the early hours.
From around midnight, wintry showers are expected to move in from the west, with the possibility of snow, particularly on higher ground. Sunny spells and wintry showers, with the risk of snow flurries, are expected to continue throughout Saturday.
Although Sunday is forecast to be drier, current indications are that temperatures may remain cold for the next ten days. Routes on the secondary salting network will be treated on Sunday morning from around 10am. Around 280 volunteer snow wardens in towns and parishes across the county have also been alerted that they may need to engage their self-help plans in their local communities to support the Council’s efforts in the coming days.
Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Highway Management, said: "This weekend's temperatures are expected to be the coldest we’ve had so far this winter, and road surface temperatures will drop below freezing across all areas of the county again this evening. Roads are still wet and there may be water run-off from fields, particularly on more minor roads, which could lead to icy patches. Remember that ice may even form on treated roads, so I would urge everyone to take extra care wherever they are travelling, particularly overnight.
“Our highways teams are prepared for the possibility of snow and ice and gritters will be out throughout the weekend and if it is followed by a prolonged cold spell, as the forecast is indicating, our snow wardens will be able to support on their priority routes. Every effort is always made to keep our highways as clear as possible to keep Devon moving.”
Motorists are reminded of the following advice:
• Avoid overnight travel unless absolutely essential as roads will always be more hazardous at night with less traffic and colder temperatures;
• Never assume a road has been salted. Remember that showers or rain will wash salt off roads leaving them prone to ice, and in extreme cold even salting will not stop ice from forming;
• Allow additional time for your journey and reduce your speed;
• Drive with care and according to the conditions;
• If you have vulnerable or elderly neighbours, think about how they could possibly be helped through the cold spell;
• Listen to local radio for updates on current weather conditions.
For more information and travel advice from Devon County Council visit: www.devon.gov.uk/winter_travel or for updates on Twitter follow @HughHOCC and @DevonAlert
