Main roads in Bristol are set to be gritted amid 'very frosty and icy conditions' in the region. There have been reports of snow falling in parts of our city today (Thursday, March 31) while the Met Office predicts temperatures will plummet further in April.
In a tweet, Bristol City Council says all priority routes will be gritted and warned people to drive carefully. It comes as The Met Office has forecast 'wintry showers' for Bristol as parts of the north are already covered in snow - despite it being Spring.
The Met Office forecast for tomorrow (April 1) in the South West reads: "A cold and frosty start with sunny spells. A few isolated showers of rain, sleet and hill snow, some places in the west remaining dry for much of the day. Maximum temperature 10 °C." There will be further showers on Saturday and Sunday, with cloud and rain pushing south on Monday.
Also read: UK weather: When snow could fall in Bristol as Met Office forecasts 'wintry showers' for April
Icy conditions are expected to continue into next week where hill snow is likely in the south. Settled and dry conditions won't arrive until mid-April, despite reports Bristol could see a 28C degree heatwave.
As roads are being gritted we have rounded-up the latest advice on driving in icy conditions. Motorists are being advised to drive carefully, with the general rule being to only drive if you have to.
How to drive carefully in icy conditions:
Drive slowly and cautiously
It’s important that you never accelerate or decelerate dramatically, instead make sure you do so slowly and cautiously in order to prevent the car from losing grip of the road.
It’s also important to note that while you shouldn’t change your speed in a hurry, you will also need to drive slower than usual. Just because some road users may still be sticking to the speed limit, doesn’t mean you have to; it’s better to be safe than get somewhere quickly.
Know when to use brakes and gears to slow down
With snow and ice on the ground, any harsh braking runs the risk of causing the car to skid; if you are going to brake, ensure that the ball of your foot is firmly on the floor of the car, and you brake slowly and gently. If you feel as though the car is losing grip, you can decelerate by going down in gears.
Increase your following and stopping distances
Due to the risk of your car losing grip of the ground, you will want to increase your following and stopping distances by 10 times the normal amount. If you assume that you should allow 1m per mph of your speed, and you’re travelling at a slower than usual 15mph, that would be 150m stopping distance.
You should not only allow for your braking distance, but also allow room for those decreasing their speed using their gears and not their brakes, therefore not giving any indication to the car behind. Should you then find your car skidding, you should hopefully at this point have plenty of room to slow down and come to a stop without colliding with the vehicle in front.
Use momentum to keep your vehicle moving
It takes a lot of inertia to get a car moving on snow or ice, so if you can slow down enough to keep your car rolling forwards while heading towards traffic lights and open junctions without the need to stop, this would be preferable. But of course, remain safe; if visibility isn’t on your side, allow yourself plenty of space to stop.
Likewise, try to get momentum in your drive before you head up a hill, thus allowing this momentum to take you up and over the hill. Applying too much pressure on the accelerator while advancing a hill can lead to your wheels spinning.
Get the best stories about the things you love most curated by us and delivered to your inbox every day. Choose what you love here
