Sheffield’s gritters on standby as city braced for possible ‘Beast from the East’

The city council said they will continue to monitor both national and local weather forecasts closely if the situation changes but at the same time public are advised to limit their movement.

The Met Office yesterday issued a yellow weather warning of snow and ice for South Yorkshire over the weekend, meaning drivers risk becoming stranded and power cuts are possible.

Councillor Mark Jones, Cabinet Member for Environment, Streetscene and Climate Change said: "Whilst there is currently a Met Office yellow weather warning in place for snow and ice over the weekend, we will continue to monitor both the national & local weather forecasts closely in case this changes.

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"We have plenty of grit in our salt dome, and our gritter drivers remain on call 24/7 ready to respond when needed.

We advise everyone to travel only if it’s essential, taking care to drive according to the road conditions."

He said if the snow hits, members of the public are advised to leave the car at home as much as possible and only travel when absolutely necessary, even if the roads are clear.

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"That way we can all start to look forward to a better summer when hopefully we can all meet up with loved ones and put the terrible last twelve months behind us.”

More information on priority gritting routes can be obtained on their website, www.sheffield.gov.uk/winter.

If the local grit bin is empty, people can contact the council on 01142734567 or at https://twitter.com/sccstreetsahead for a refill.

It has been reported that potential repeat of 'Beast from the East' may rip through Sheffield in the coming week as cold air from Scandinavia is expected to push across the whole of the UK.

The Met Office added its six to 30-day forecast currently points to the likelihood of cold conditions continuing into mid-February.

The 'Beast from the East' is a phrase used to describe cold and wintry conditions in the UK as a result of a polar continental air mass.

It has been the reason behind past snowy weather and blizzards in the UK, including the particularly cold winter months of February and March in 2018.

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