News

Snow Chaos! - UPDATE

UPDATE - 23/1/13

More snow has fallen overnight leaving Longhope cut off from the rest of the world yet again. Overnight on Monday saw a few inches fall, closing some schools in the area, but at about 6.00pm yesterday (Tuesday) snow started falling very quickly, with the fast accumulation of snow. It continued on and off for most of the night, with something around 3 – 4 inches (7 – 10 cms in new money). The notorious Hopes Hill caused problems around 10.00pm with a jack-knifed lorry blocking the road, and other lorries unable to climb the hill despite the gritting of the hill. Schools were again shut, including the village primary school, Hope Brook, which managed to stay open on Tuesday. Once again The Forest has been one of the most badly affected parts in the area, owing to its hills. Light snow flurries are expected for today, but hopefully that is the end of the snow, but expect some severe overnight frosts for the next few nights where the snow remains. Hopefully a slow thaw will set in with warmer air reaching us by the weekend.

Pictures from 23/1/13

18/1/13

As predicted by the national weather forecasters several weeks ago, heavy snowfalls have seriously affected Longhope, the whole of Gloucestershire, and basically most of southern Britain. The country has ground to its usual standstill on the appearance of a few inches of the fluffy white stuff! The local papers are reporting that this is the worst snow in 30 years to hit the area, but if you scan back through the “News” pages of this website, you don’t have to go back many years to see this is untrue. Almost exactly three years ago we had identical problems (6/1/2010), but back then the snow followed a very prolonged spell of very cold weather going back into mid December. Do you remember?

Today the snow started to fall at about 5.00am this morning and several inches built up very quickly, also being blown around by a biting blustery wind. By around midday the snow had eased off, but around 4 – 5 inches had accumulated (10 – 13 cms). As usual all the local schools were closed, buses ceased running to the Forest, but the main A4136 road has remained open, thanks to the gritting lorries doing several runs along the route. Hopes Hill was blocked for a while by a broken down lorry. We sensed something major was impending late yesterday afternoon, as ALL the Longhope village roads were being gritted – not just the major routes, but even the estate roads, which is unheard of!

As usual, the locusts have stripped all the major supermarkets in the area by the panic buying of bread, milk and vegetables – well, most things really. We did hear that there was a shortage of carrots - not because everyone fancies a nice warm stew, oh no!! They are being bought so the kids can have a nose for their snowmen!!

More flurries of snow are expected over the next few days, but nothing major, but no thaw is likely very soon either though, with overnight frosts and day temperatures hovering around zero. There is the risk of more snow on Sunday night into Monday morning, so perhaps another day of chaos and children off school? Take care and be sure to check on any elderly neighbours you may have please.

Pictures from 18/1/13