Message #35172

[Psalm 51:17]

Snow makes unseasonal return to Britain as temperatures dip

Snow falls in parts of the south-west and north of England, Wales and Scotland as UK braces for more wind and rain
5/15/13

A blast of wet and chilly weather left some hilly areas of the UK cloaked in snow as well as spring blossom on Wednesday.

Up to 5cm (2ins) of snow fluttered down on upland areas in the south-west and north of England, Wales and Scotland.

Though it fell thickly in a few spots, the snow did not last long and while the UK is set to be battered by more wind and showers over the next few days, no more sledging weather is on the horizon.

Among areas affected was the hamlet of Anchor, close to the border between Shropshire and Wales.

Landlord Mike Steedman, who has run the Anchor Inn for the past 17 years, said he could not remember snow falling in the area during May.

The 65-year-old licensee, whose pub is almost 400 metres above sea level, said: "It settled to about two inches. It was wet and heavy snow but it's all gone now and it's quite warm outside in the sunshine."

Snow also fell in parts of Dartmoor and Exmoor in the west country, the highest areas of the Pennines and hills in north Wales and Scotland.

Less picturesque was the hammering some areas received from winds of up to 65mph. Devon and Cornwall police reported slates flying off roofs and trees falling and blocking roads.

The Environment Agency issued flood warnings – meaning flooding is expected and action should be taken – for the villages of Melverley and Maesbrook in Shropshire. A clean-up in the village of Minera near Wrexham was under way after mud swept down the hillside and was dumped on a road.

While not the norm, snow is by no means unheard of in May – indeed, there has been snow in the UK this month in each of the last three years, according to the Met Office.

The snowiest May in the past century was probably 1979, when 342 weather observation sites reported snow on 2 May. The cold spell lasted through the whole of the first week of that month.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/may/15/snow-britain-temperatures