Forecast

Mostly cloudy today with a few snow showers, especially during the morning. Very cold with RSTs struggling to rise much above zero. The continued risk of a few light snow flurries overnight with a few clear spells at times. RSTs below zero with ice. A few light snow flurries into tomorrow morning too. Slight additional snow accumulations through the period, with around a centimetre or two possible.

 

Highways Update

All Priority 1and 2 routes have been treated. Gritters will patrol and treat /plough as necessary throughout the morning and will be reviewed at lunch time following receipt of the main forecast.

Additional  resources have been deployed to deal with problem areas .

 

Road Conditions including Roads Closed

The following roads are reported as closed

 

• B6278  Eggleston to Stanhope at Shaftwellhead
• B6278 Stanhope to Edmundbyers at Crawleyside.
• Unc Intake Bank, Frosterley
• C21 Rookhope to Allenheads
• B6277 Harwood to County Boundary
• B6276 Middleton-in-Teesdale to County Boundary closed at Lunedale
• B6295 Cowshill to Allenheads
• C16 Crawleyside to Castleside
• Unc 16.2 Rookhope to Blanchland
• C77 & C78 Rookhope to Westgate & Ireshopeburn

 

Some exposed high level Pennine roads are only passable with care.

 

Salt Bins

Gangs will continue to replenish salt bins countywide to tomorrow.

 

Streetscene

 

Clean and Green Update
Clean and Green staff continue to clear priority 1 and 2 footpaths.  Kabotas with ploughs and spreaders are clearing main shopping areas, areas around emergency services buildings and at cemeteries. Staff also assisting refuse and recycling by clearing hard to access areas and pulling bins to suitable collection points.

Refuse and Recycling Update
Waste is being collected today across all areas. With the heavy snow fall it is likely however that there will be some disruption for properties on higher ground  and areas where it is harder to access such as the Dales, Consett and Blackhills.   We will endeavour to collect where we can and continue to monitor weather conditions, reporting back any missed areas this afternoon.

Building & Facilities Maintenance

Last night’s temperatures have not made yesterday’s conditions significantly worse and overnight the gritters have ensured that all the main roads are clear.  Maintenance staff working in Durham Housing Maintenance and Public Buildings have generally only the occasional drift and of course the side and estate roads to contend with in terms of getting to premises.  Overnight our call out teams attended 12 call outs none of which were weather related.

 

There are 84 school closures posted on the DCC website which is almost 30% of all schools in County Durham.  There are less school closures than at this time yesterday however we anticipate this figure rising as the day unfolds.  There is one outstanding building / heating issue from yesterday and hopefully the part will be delivered today and the repair completed.  We will of course be contacting schools that are closed to offer whatever assistance we can to help them re-open as soon as possible.

 

Those staff unable to undertake their normal duties due to the prevailing weather are being redirected to work alongside Streetscene and Highways staff to clear Priority 2 car parks and footpaths.

 

Clearly some of the works that took place yesterday to clear and grit school grounds and the lack of further significant snowfall overnight have improved the school closure position.

 

We have not been informed of any public building closures as a result of the snow and all our Civic and Admin buildings are operating as normal.

 

We are anticipating a ‘normal’ day but you can never tell.