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Batten down the hatches!
Gritters stand primed and ready at Olive Grove Depot for any icy spells that may hit the roads of Sheffield
SHEFFIELD has been warned to ‘batten down the hatches’ with heavy snow predicted to hit the city in the biggest freeze of the winter so far.
Forecasters say around 5cm of persistent snow will fall across the city tomorrow - and Sheffield Council is geared up in preparation.
A fleet of gritters has been salting the streets for days as temperatures plummet - reaching as low as -6C last night - and are ready to work throughout Saturday.
And there is 18,000 tonnes of grit in stock - enough for around 36 days - with around 100 snow wardens on standby to clear pathways and roads.
The snow is not expected to be as extreme as last winter’s blizzards, which caused chaos up and down the country.
But Wayne Southall, the council’s emergency services manager, advised people not to travel on Saturday unless essential and take precautions if they do.
He said: “If people can just batten down the hatches for a day or so it will all pass through.
“The forecasts are very clear that the snow is going to be a problem this weekend, we will do our best by making sure the roads are treated.”
Meteo Group is now predicting ‘persistent’ snow through Saturday afternoon and night that will leave around 5cm of the white stuff on the ground.
Forecaster Julian Mays said: “We’re not talking about flurries, we are talking about quite persistent snow that is going to last until probably just after midnight in the Sheffield area.”
A few showers of snow are expected before the weekend and temperatures are set to stay at freezing on Sunday with an icy start to Monday.
Gritters were out again last night as the council prepared for the predicted snow.
Mr Southall added: “We are geared up. We’ve got salt down on the roads and were laying more last night.
“They will be out doing a full grit and road temperatures are predicted to be about -4 to -6C, we’ll be doing another grit on Friday night.
“At the moment I’m not expecting to do anything in the day but Saturday is looking like we might need them.”
Mr Southall advised people to take warm clothing on journeys and make sure cars have enough fuel before setting out.
n Send your snow pictures and stories to news@thestar.co.uk
Gritting by numbers:
n 30 - council gritters
n 59 - per cent of Sheffield’s roads which are treated
n 18,000 - tonnes of grit in stock
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Weather for Sheffield
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: East
Comments
There are 28 comments to this article
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Los Blancos Galactico Rossoneri Mancunian
Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 07:35 PMComment removed by moderator
serendipity
Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 10:45 AM#26: That just about sums this country up - a murderous foreigner is allowed to stay here on condition that he leeches off the taxpayers.
Woodseats Sammy
Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 08:58 AMOff topic but cannot comment on original story (Gleadless Valley murder trial). Am perplexed: can this be right? Maruf had claimed asylum in the UK in 2010, and was allowed to stay only on condition he didn’t work - a rule he flouted by taking a job at the Elif kebab shop on Ecclesall Road.
Woodseats Sammy
Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 08:53 AMComment 21: Spot on. Witnessed exactly that on West Street last night. Arrogant, thoughtless driving.
steelerblade
Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 03:00 AMWhat makes me laugh about this is they are worried about temperatures of around -4 and -6 but I live in a place where it has been around -12 for the past 2 months and in the summer it is around 50. If its too cold there is worries over a BIG FREEZE and if its too hot, people are worried about a water shortage. One thing to say to this. Britain is soft and unprepared for anything
steelerblade
Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 02:13 AMoh dear, its going to snow, all business's will close, all people won't be able to drive and Britain will officially grind to a halt.
MalMonroe
Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 12:05 AMWhat is ridiculous is that some people are now spelling ridiculous wrong. (rediculous - is wrong!!) And some are using the word 'there' when they mean 'their'. As for the snow, well, we have to have some I suppose. Otherwise we won't have had any winter. And that would NEVER do.
Los Blancos Galactico Rossoneri Mancunian
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 10:25 PMCalling all cabbies PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't be a cab driver if you can't stop properly and safely to pick up and drop off passengers! I saw 2 cabbie b*stard stop on tram tracks picking up or drop off passengers and yes there was a tram behind! Trams cannot overcome obstructions that are blocking there route! Perhaps a few ticket officers should get down to West Street and slap fines on cabbies stopping on tram tracks!
OneDavidHirst
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 07:42 PM@ 9 & 16, Interesting and humerous points you raise. However, if it's useless dead weight I'm after, then a couple of fat useless has-beens such as James Beattie and David Weir woud be more appropriate don't you think? However I have no use for dead weight in the back, had a 3 Series but upgraded. I find they're a little too proletarian for my liking. All joking aside, the lads that drive the gritters do a fantastic job. I know someone who works for the council and apparently there's only 8 of them that cover ALL of Sheffield. That's 8 lads (or lasses) out driving all night gritting the roads so we can get about. I think they do a great job (and I never usually say anything good about the council). The idiots that cry about a bit of snow and not being able to get off their poxy little side roads should think about that before they complain. And as I've said before PLEASE PLEASE stay off the road if you're too cr4p or too scared to drive in it.
serendipity
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 06:47 PMIt's good to see all the gritters on standby. Unfortunately, it looks as though all the drivers have been made redundant as part of the Council's cost cutting measures.
Ukip
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 06:12 PMAre there any global warming believers out there. If so watch out for snow drifts. Remember snow means global warming, if you are stupid enough to believe that or you have watched too much of "Day after tomorrow". The cold on the continent could move across us and we could have even more severe weather than last year. Can I have a tax rebate for the C02 scam I have paid into the last 10 years. The winter of 1947 didn't start until February.
Zap
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 03:31 PMlooking forward to it - hopefully it'll tip it down and stick :)
Wessex spanner monkey
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 02:13 PMPost #9 Dingle Dickie, talking of big fat beery washed up ex-footballers, did you see Kevin Pressman on Late Kick-off earlier this week? (He was waddling around the Bradford City changing room helping out their kit man). If you got him and David Hirst together you'd break the axle. Serious.
conradpoons
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 02:04 PMTypical of the Star to use a nautical term in a land locked city. I'm surprised to tree hugger has mentioned global warming etc
kayte
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 01:43 PMAfter last years 3 feet of white stuff piled half way up my front door (and falling into the house when the door was opened) I think I might just about be able to cope with the less than three inches predicted!
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