Greater Manchester has been gripped by a cold snap this week, with bitingly-cold temperatures, slippery ice and plenty of snow.
The white stuff has caused significant disruption throughout the region since it first appeared on Sunday (January 5). Transport has been particularly affected by the wintery weather.
Several roads were closed due to snowfall in recent days, including the infamous A57 Snake Pass, while the A555 Manchester Relief Road has remained shut following floods at New Year.
Rail and Metrolink users have faced significant delays; the snow and ice caused havoc on various lines, impacting commuters with many forced to make alternative arrangements.
Meanwhile Manchester Airport had to close its runways on four separate days following snowfall, with operations suspended as maintenance teams worked to clear the snow from the airfield. The temporary closures had a knock-on effect on flight schedules, causing delays and in some cases cancellations.
A snow plough clears a road in Oldham
(Image: Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)
Many schools have closed their doors this week, too, while councils in certain areas have had to postpone bin collections due to the weather.
The snow has certainly impacted daily life for Mancunians this week and more often than not it’s been a stressful experience for many.
Yet there is something special about the snow we get here in the UK, although it’s the reason why it causes so much trouble when it comes to clearing it up.
We’re prone to having ‘wet snow’ which occurs when temperatures are closer to freezing point. It means snow is wetter and more likely to become slush and ice. That’s why it becomes so slippery on paths and roads, even when some of it has been cleared.
In colder countries where the temperature is lower than -2C, the snow is drier and more powdery, so it can be cleared more easily. This type of snow it better for skiing and snowboarding – but there’s something wet snow is far superior for, as Kathryn Chalk, an operational meteorologist at the Met Office, explains.
Heavy snow in Oldham, January 5
(Image: Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)
She said: “The size and composition of a snowflake depend on how many ice crystals group together and this will be determined by air temperatures. Snowflakes that fall through dry, cool air will be small, powdery snowflakes that don’t stick together. This ‘dry’ snow is ideal for snow sports but is more likely to drift in windy weather.
“When the temperature is slightly warmer than 0 °C, the snowflakes will melt around the edges and stick together to become big, heavy flakes. This creates ‘wet’ snow which sticks together easily and is good for making snowmen.”
So while we can’t go skiing on our snow, or brush it away easily, we can get crafty and make a snowman, sculpture, and a snowball (or several). Amid all the chaos we’ve had this week, that’s something to put a smile on your face.
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