It’s Monday morning and there’s no snow yet - but it’s coming
EASTBOURNE was this morning waited with baited breath for the snowfall which has been predicted by weather forecasters to hit the region over the next few days.
At first light, there were freezing temperatures outside and along Eastbourne seafront some car windscreens had light dustings of snow, but the promised overnight snowfall had not materialised.
There was some overnight snowfall around Sussex. In Hastings, snow had fallen in Northiam and Bodiam, and also in parts of West and North Sussex.
In West Sussex, snow caused traffic chasos, with accidents causing delays around Midhurst. There was a five-car accident in Cocking, and the A272 between Petersfield and Midhurst was described as hazardous due to the snow.
In Midhurst, the A286 Bourne Way was closed because of an accident. There was queueing traffic in both directions between the Chichester Road junction in Midhurst and the Town Lane junction in Singleton.Elsewhere in Sussex, driving conditions on the A27 Arundel Road in Fontwell were described as hazardous, particularly around the Fontwell Park racecourse, along with the A29 Fontwell Avenue in Fontwell, and the A259 Worthing Road in Littlehampton, where traffic was stationary because of the snow.
Rail services to London on Southern were running smoothly this morning.
The Met Office has issued an amber snow warning for the south-east for today and tomorrow, warning that a band of sleet and snow is expected to move eastwards across the region during Monday morning and early afternoon.
This will clear from the west through the afternoon, but snowfalls of between two to five centimetres are predicted for today.
A similar warning for the entire east coast, including the south-east corner, has been issued for tomorrow with the Met Office warning of possible disruption to public transport. The very cold temperatures are then expected to continue throughout the week.
A number of supermarkets were stocking snow shovels over the weekend in preparation for the snowy onslaught.
Nationally, the Highways Agency has over 500 vehicle including gritters on standby. They said in a statement: “We have reviewed salt stock levels and taken action where needed to enhance our resilience and we have again established a reserve salt stock to help ensure that there is enough salt to deal with severe winter.
“Our roads will be treated whenever there is a risk of ice or snow. However, even when roads have been treated, drivers should still take care, especially on stretches where the local road layout or landscape means there could be a greater risk of ice forming.”
While the AA and RAC were urging drivers to keep an eye on the weather and traffic reports and be prepared before driving.
If you have woken up this morning to snow, then send us your pictures. Email them to dave.king@jpress.co.uk
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Weather for Eastbourne
Tuesday 21 May 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 10 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 5 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: North west
