Brighton and Hove and the surrounding area has had its first snow this winter – and the Met Office has warned of cold weather all week.
The official forecaster issued a snow warning for today (Sunday 11 December) and tomorrow and urged drivers to take particular care during the rush hour in the morning.
One person was rescued after a six-car crash in Saddlescombe, near the Devil’s Dyke, this afternoon.
A bus appeared to be stuck at the top of Valley Drive, Brighton, with a number of other cars and vans in difficulty on hilly and icy roads.
And trains were delayed as some had trouble with their power. They rely on electricity being conducted through the third rail. Train operator Southern said that passengers faced disruption.
Travel disruption is expected to worsen during the rush hour tomorrow as “yellow warnings” of ice, fog and snow were in place for much of the country.
The Met Office issued the alerts with temperatures expected to stay well below freezing overnight and to combine with wintry showers to create icy conditions.
Met Office meteorologist Rachel Ayers said: “It will continue to be a very cold day, with maximum temperatures of 1C to 4C and, as we head into the evening, we see persistent rain, sleet or snow in the far south east of England, which is what we have a yellow warning out for from 6pm on Sunday.
“We could see 2cm to 5cm (of snow), perhaps up to 10cm in some places, with Kent and Sussex most affected, with areas most exposed such as the North and South Downs and higher ground going to see the more significant accumulations.
“There will be ice forming, particularly near to the coast where there is rain and sleet, and freezing temperatures which could cause some travel disruption to start Monday with that valid until 9am.”
Ms Ayers said that although cold temperatures, freezing fog and wintry showers were expected through the week, cloud cover could prevent some of the more extreme temperatures experienced in recent days.
She added that there was a possibility of slightly milder conditions arriving next weekend but it was too early to be certain.
The AA advised motorists to adjust their driving to the freezing conditions. Sean Sidley, AA patrol of the year, said: “On a frosty morning, hazards like black ice can prove lethal if you don’t adjust your speed and driving style in colder weather.
“Always leave plenty of space behind other vehicles as stopping distances can be 10 times longer on icy roads.
“Allow extra time, as there may be delays to your normal routes, and make sure you pack winter essentials in the car such as warm, waterproof layers, a shovel, a torch, fully charged mobile phone and a flask of hot drink.
“Take heed of warning lights in your vehicle and make sure you check it regularly if you drive less in the winter.
“Flat batteries are one of the top breakdowns we attend in cold weather and can be avoided by regular car maintenance.”
The recent cold snap has led to the triggering of the £25 cold weather payment to people on the lowest incomes in hundreds of affected postcode districts in England and Wales.
The government payments are given to eligible households in areas where the average temperature has been recorded, or forecast to be, 0C or below for seven consecutive days.
The local angle on this story is that we had the forecast blizzard on Sunday afternoon, with quite a bit of snow laying on higher ground. This is likely to freeze overnight.
I can tell you that the road up to Devil’s Dyke was and is treacherous. I turned back, as that seemed the safer option.
There is chaos on many roads this afternoon with a lot of accidents, and bus services have been cancelled across the city.
From what I could see, most roads don’t appear to have been gritted, despite the forecast we’ve known about for two days or more.
Not even the main roads have been gritted. The council has some serious questions to answer. It’s another example of council failure.