Coldest October weather for 34 years

Oct 29 2008 by Dan Warburton, The Journal

WEATHER forecasters last night warned of snow for the North East in the coldest October for 34 years.

Much of the region woke up to bitter temperatures and frost yesterday as overnight temperatures fell below freezing.

During the day temperatures were as low as 4C, compared with the monthly average of 11C.

And it is thought they will drop to -2C tonight as the region experiences its coldest October since 1974.

Forecasters yesterday predicted snow was likely to fall across upland areas of Northumberland, stretching from Otterburn to south of Hexham, on Thursday morning.

There were some reports of a few flakes of snow in some parts of the county yesterday. But the cold snap is predicted to be short-lived and followed by a relatively mild winter.

Met Office forecaster Barry Grommet said: “Snow is likely to come down over the high moors of Northumberland and it is going to be very cold until Thursday.

“The last time snow came down at this time of the year was 2000, when 50% of the country was covered.”

Forecasters blame winds blowing from the North Pole. Gardeners are being warned to prepare for a continued spell of widespread frost.

Meanwhile, the Highways Agency said its fleet of gritters was on standby to keep major routes clear.

Spokeswoman Amelia Yeodal said: “Our advice to drivers is to plan your journey and be prepared before heading out on the roads.

“Check the weather forecasts and road conditions before leaving and if bad weather is expected, have warm clothing and an emergency pack in the car, which includes food and water, boots, de-icer, a torch and a shovel.”

In Gateshead, more than 400 staff equipped with more than 70 vehicles loaded with 11,000 tonnes of salt are gearing up to deal with the weather.

The council head of waste management and grounds services, Colin Huntington, said: “There are over 300 miles of key roads which our 14 dedicated road gritters cover.

“That alone is more than a trip from Gateshead to London every night that ice or snow is predicted.

“On top of that, we have 60 other vehicles which can be converted to snow ploughs or help in other ways to keep roads passable in other areas as necessary.

“We’ve also got ploughs for footpaths to keep the busy pedestrian areas of Gateshead clear.” Conditions will warm up by the end of the week, but there is unlikely to be a return to the sunny autumn skies of recent weeks.

Mr Grommet said: “After this cold snap, we return to temperatures that are likely to be much nearer average.

“On Thursday temperatures will return to something like 7C or 8C. We are likely to have quite a mild winter, but not as mild as last year. This is just a short cold spell.”