UP TO ten centimetres of snow is set to fall across North East Lincolnshire this weekend – and residents are being warned to be prepared.
The Met Office has issued a severe weather warning for Saturday and Sunday, and North East Lincolnshire Council says it is fully prepared for the bitter conditions.
Bosses are warning people to take extra care when travelling, to ensure they have enough food to last through the treacherous weather and to check on neighbours.
Met Office spokeswoman Sarah Holland said the snow is likely to fall tomorrow afternoon and into the evening.
She said: "Once any snow and fog clears on Sunday it will be drier and brighter, however, it will be colder with temperatures struggling to get much above freezing.
"We have seen a very mild start to January, but temperatures are set to become colder over the next few days."
The reason for the cold weather is that an area of high pressure developed over Scandinavia, allowing cold air from the Baltic and Russia to move towards the UK. At the same time, milder air and Atlantic weather systems are trying to push in from the west.
Paul Gundersen, chief forecaster at the Met Office, said: "We can expect sleet and snow showers to affect eastern areas, but with a battle developing between the cold air in the east and mild air pushing in from the west, no one should be surprised to see sleet or snow over the weekend and next week."
Cllr Peter Wheatley, portfolio holder for Regeneration and Environment at North East Lincolnshire Council, said: "Our experienced staff are well prepared for this and will continue to monitor the situation in case the weather deteriorates. "We have plenty of salt in stock and our gritting team will be out if there is a risk of ice forming on the roads." Jason Longhurst, head of development, said: "We are well prepared for the winter weather that's forecast for this weekend. I would urge residents to take care if it does deteriorate and only travel if it is really necessary. Also, don't forget to check on any elderly and vulnerable neighbours to make sure they are OK."The threat of snow comes after months of heavy rainfall, which have caused havoc for farmers in the area.
Ray Mawer, who has been charting the weather in Laceby for the past 26 years, recorded 37in of rainfall during 2012 – compared to an annual average of 25 inches.
He said: "Normally we would get rain on about 130 days in the year but this year it rained on 167 days.
"Up until early April, when a hosepipe ban was called, we had 4in of rain in three months and it had rained on only 23 days. The next nine months of 2012 will be talked about for a long time, especially in farming circles."
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