Easter Bank Holiday Weather in Flintshire – Will It Snow?

With the Easter bank holiday weekend looming the Spring like weather we have enjoyed over the last few days looks set to change in parts of North Wales.

Temperatures will be pretty much like today on Good Friday though light rain is forecast later in the day, a few bright spells are possible, but in general a lot of cloud. Expect a high of 9º and a low of 4º in Deeside.

It’ll be cloudy on Saturday with patchy rain and drizzle, then turning drier overnight, temperatures will reach a high of 7º and a low of 1º.

Sunday will be mainly dry and bright with sunny intervals and only the odd isolated shower, there’s s chance of some rain and sleet spreading from the south on Sunday night. Expect a high of 8º and a low of 2º

The Met Office has issued a yellow alert for snow in Wales on Easter Monday and although that alert does include Flintshire their map shows Deeside avoiding snow – though we may see some sleet in the morning. Temperatures will reach a high of 6º and a low of 4º.

If you’re travelling further afield its worth taking note of the warning from the Met Office – they say:

‘As a weather system moves in from the south and comes up against cold air over the UK, there is the chance that rain could turn to heavy snow in places. Several cm of snow are possible, especially over hills, with drifting in strong winds. There is also the possibility of a few cm of wet snow gathering at lower levels. At present the extent and amounts of any snow are very uncertain, and it is quite possible that snow might not be too disruptive.’

Off to the mountains?

If you are setting off to the mountains this Easter – MountainSafe is encouraging walkers to check weather forecasts which are aimed specifically at walkers.

More often than not, the weather on the mountains is completely different to the weather in the lowlands.

On average, the temperature drops about 1-3 ˚C for each 300m that is climbed, therefore, whilst it’s 7 ˚C in Llanberis, it can be -3 ˚C on the top of Snowdon.

Carwyn ap Myrddin, the National Park Warden on Snowdon said,

“We want everyone who comes here to enjoy the experience of walking in the mountains of Snowdonia. Therefore it’s essential to check weather forecasts which are specifically aimed at walkers, in order to decide if the weather is suitable for hill-walking and to pack the right gear for the forecasted conditions. Specifically:

• Snow – very often snow remains on the mountains until the end of April, and when there’s snow on the footpaths, you will need the correct equipment, including an ice axe and crampons.

• Wind speed – you’ll need to check wind speed in advance as walking in high winds (or gusting wind) is very difficult and can be incredibly tiring.

• Rain – Even if the weather looks favourable, you need a coat, waterproof trousers, and good walking shoes. Wet clothes will very quickly make you much colder and rain can make paths very slippery underfoot.

• Sun – strong sun leads to sunburn and dehydration, so you’ll need sunscreen, a sun hat and plenty of water.

In order to try and reduce the number of callouts made to Mountain Rescue Teams in North Wales over the Easter holiday, I would encourage people to make their good day in the mountains better by following the  MountainSafe and Adventure Smart Wales’ advice, so that all those venturing into the mountains of Snowdonia over the holiday period will remember their day for the all the right reasons.”

For more detailed advice on safety in the mountains, visit www.mountainsafe.co.uk and www.AdventureSmartWales.com