Gritters on standby as communities face being 'cut off' by snow

Gritting teams are preparing to take to the roads as parts of Leicestershire face being "cut off' amid snowfall and plummeting temperatures. The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for north Leicestershire, indicating snow and ice are likely.

The warning comes into force this evening (Monday, November 18) until tomorrow morning (Tuesday, November 19). Leicestershire County Council has said that a fleet of 23 gritters stands prepared to treat approximately 1,300 miles of roads, as forecasters warn that some areas could see snowfall of up to 10cm.

Rural communities could become cut off, while in the worst-hit areas, there could be power cuts and issues with mobile phone coverage, according to forecasters. The council's gritting teams will focus on major roads, including A-routes, heavily used B-routes and roads linking towns and larger villages. Teams will also cover routes serving bus stations, train stations and fire and ambulance stations.

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Forecasters say the wintry weather will begin around 5pm today (November 18) when temperatures drop to 4C but feel more like 2C. The most severe conditions are expected overnight when 'feels like' temperatures plunge to -4C in the early hours of Tuesday.

The challenging weather is set to continue into Tuesday morning with temperatures hovering around 1-2C but feeling much colder at -3C to -4C. Strong northerly winds of up to 11mph will add to the bitter conditions.

Leicestershire County Council said crews would monitor conditions throughout the night. It confirmed teams were ready to respond to changing weather conditions.

Councillor Ozzy O'Shea, cabinet member for highways, said: "Our gritters are kitted out with the latest hi-tech temperature tracking equipment and that helps to ensure our roads can be treated as fast and effectively as possible."

He added that snow wardens and local farmers were also ready to support if required.

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