Yellow weather warning for snow and ice in Devon as gritters head out

As gritters begin heading out for the first time this winter, the Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for snow and ice that includes much of North Devon and Torridge.

The warning is in place from 12noon tomorrow (Wednesday) until midnight Thursday, with the Met Office saying wintry showers may feed southwards during this period with the potential for some disruption.

The current forecast is suggesting overnight lows of three or four degrees, but given North Devon’s hilly terrain, it is entirely possible there may be some disruption on higher ground, especially in and around Exmoor.

Devon County Council’s gritting teams were called on Sunday (November 16) for the first time this season.

With road surface temperature close to, or just below zero, gritters were out on high ground routes on Dartmoor and Exmoor from 8pm.

The council said following heavy rain from Storm Claudia, there is a risk of standing water and run-off which could lead to icy patches.

Above: Councillor Dan Thomas with Devon Highways staff. Credit: DCC

The council said lorries have been serviced and maintained, and five of its 37 frontline gritters have been replaced with newer models to help improve reliability and reduce maintenance costs.

It has asked drivers to play their part to help gritter drivers over the coming months – simply by driving and parking considerately.

Councillor Dan Thomas, cabinet member for highways, said: “If the gritters are out, they’re out for a reason and they’re often out in the early hours of the morning and in treacherous conditions to keep roads on the gritting network as safe as possible for everyone who uses them.

“If you happen to be out when they are, please give way to them and please park considerately to allow the gritters to get around your towns and villages. If we can all do our bit so they’re not delayed while treating the roads that will be a great help.”

Last winter, around 8,000 tonnes of salt were spread on Devon’s roads – which is around 1,800 tonnes more than the year before, but below the average winter figure of 13,000 tonnes.

As part of the council’s winter self-help scheme to support communities that are off the gritting network, there are around 325 volunteer snow wardens across the county who are on standby to treat their priority routes during prolonged spells of severe weather.

You can find out more about Devon’s snow warden scheme on the county council’s communities webpages or contact parish council representatives who can liaise with their local neighbourhood highway officer.

More than 3,500 grit bins are also located across Devon to provide supplies of salt to be used on the public highway. Empty grit bins can be reported via the council’s ‘Report It’ web pages.