Police warning ahead of Devon cold snap

WRAP up and stay warm is  the advice  as cold conditions  are forecast this week.

Weather watchers say  temperatures are likely to  plummet below zero  overnight for the remainder  of the week.

Heavy frost is also likely,  prompting warnings from  police to be extra cautious  when venturing onto the  roads.

The Met Office in Exeter  said daytime temperatures  are expected to be around  4C, but it will feel much colder in the icy winds.

Despite the cold snap, Devon is due to  do better than  other parts of the country.

A Met Office spokesman  said: “If you are going to be  anywhere this week then the  best place is the South  West.

“Conditions will be better  than most other parts of the  country; among the worst  hit places will be the South  East.”

He said that snow showers  which gripped Exeter and  brought chaos to Devon last  month are  unlikely to be repeated in the days ahead.

“Devon and the South  West will be more settled  than other regions,” he  said.

“Temperatures will be in  single figures compared  with last week which were  in double figures.

“We expect them to drop  to about  four or five degrees  during the daytime.

“Local readings will be a  lot better than other parts of  the country like the South  East. It will be a lot colder  there.

“Widespread overnight  frost will arrive in the Exeter area throughout this  week with temperatures  dropping to minus one or  two degrees.”

There is a low risk of sleet  as the week progresses. “Tomorrow we will be chasing  the clouds much the same as  yesterday and we must expect south-westerly winds.”

He said the fall in temperatures is coming from  the north west with all of the  UK suffering the cold snap.  He said: “The good news is  that it will remain mainly  dry.

 “It will certainly not be as  cold as the severe weather  we suffered in January.”

During last month’s cold  snap, much of Exeter and  large swathes of Devon were  hit by blizzards described as  the worst in more than 30  years.

The weather affected  bus  services  and refuse collections were put on hold  across  the county because of  icy roads.

Drivers became stranded  as blizzards brought chaos to  Haldon Hill and Telegraph  Hill, near Exeter.

The Met Office later came  under fire after failing to  predict the heavy snow.

A police spokeswoman  said: “We urge people to take  extra care on the roads, especially early mornings.”