Hail and snow causing poor driving conditions in parts of Flintshire

Fresh snow is causing treacherous driving conditions this morning.
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The Met Office has a yellow weather alert for ice and snow which is in place until 12pm today. ‌

Traffic is slow on the A55 from Caerwys down to the A494 at Deeside, traffic cameras show snow on the carriageway around Halkyn and Dobshill.

A traffic report for the area states: “Slow traffic due to snow on A55 North Wales Expressway Eastbound between J31 A5151 (Caerwys) and J33 A5119 Northop Road (Northop).”

“Although snow isn’t settling in the live lanes, traffic is naturally slowing due to the current weather conditions.”

⚠️Poor driving conditions and slow moving traffic in the North-East of Wales.

Please drive to the conditions of the road.

Slow down ✋ and keep your distance↔️ pic.twitter.com/38368PnKjG

— Traffic Wales North & Mid (@TrafficWalesN) January 19, 2023

A growing list of schools are closed again in Flintshire today.

According to the council’s website, schools in Buckley, Holywell, Carmel and Whitford will be closed due to the conditions. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Elfed School posted on social media: “School is closed – unfortunately we have had to take a late decision to close. This follows worsening road conditions and staff shortages.”

Minor roads are reported to be hazardous in some parts of the county, a video posted on social media shows a double-decker bus struggling to get up Rhewl Hill earlier this morning.

Met Office Chief Meteorologist, Paul Gundersen, said; “Cold air is continuing to push across the UK from the north and many areas have seen some snow, wintry conditions, and overnight frosts.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“National Severe Weather Warnings have been issued across parts of western England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland with more warnings likely to be issued over the coming days.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The cold spell will come to an end later this week and through the weekend across western areas, where it will turn milder and windier with some rain at times. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

However, the cold air is likely to hang on for longer across eastern and south-eastern parts of the UK with sharp overnight frosts. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Motorists are also reminded to take extra care on the roads and to ensure their vehicle is properly equipped for winter driving.

Becky Guy, Road Safety Manager at Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said: ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​ ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​ ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​ ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“These wintry conditions can decrease visibility, increase stopping distances and the risk of skidding, which can all increase the risk of being involved in a crash.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​ ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​ ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​ ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“If you can, avoid driving in such weather, and if you are expected to drive for work, do ask your employer about whether it has a winter driving policy.” ‌ ‌ ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​ ‌

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“Things to check before you set off include that all of your lights are working and clean, your tyres are inflated correctly and have at least 3mm of tread, you have enough fuel or charge in the car for unforeseen events and a way of contacting someone in an emergency.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Finally, if in doubt and you are able to, postpone your trip until conditions improve.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​ ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​ ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Keeping safe in sleet, hail and snow ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​ ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​ ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

To help keep drivers safe, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has shared its top winter driving tips to help keep drivers and riders safe. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​ ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​ ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Before your journey ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​ ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​ ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

• Plan your journey, checking the traffic news and allowing extra time
• If it has been snowing, be sure to remove snow from the top of your car so that it does not slide down and obstruct your view when driving
• Check fuel or charge levels before you set off to allow for unexpected delays
• If you drive an automatic car, check the handbook to see if there’s a winter driving mode setting
• Assess whether your journey is essential, and speak to your employer about whether they have a winter driving policy

Driving on winter roads ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​ ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​ ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

• Pull off in second gear, going gently on the clutch to avoid wheel-spin
• Leave plenty of room between you and other road users, applying your brakes gradually and in good time
• When driving uphill, check the road is clear and try to avoid stopping part way up to prevent you from rolling backwards
• When driving downhill, keep it slow and use a low gear
• Remember that braking distance can increase up to double in wet weather and by 10 times in icy weather

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