Parts of Yorkshire Dales cut off by heavy snow

More snow is expected

Author: May NormanPublished 10th Mar 2023

Communities in the Yorkshire Dales have been left cut off following heavy snow.

Drifting overnight caused many problems for those in rural areas.

The Met Office issued an amber weather warning yesterday and that is still in place until 12pm today (Friday, 10 March).

We caught up with Lisa Bowerman, the owner of Stump Cross Caverns in Pateley Bridge.

She said: "We've not seen the snow like this for years. We know the guys have been out clearing the roads but we can't actually see the road. We can see where the road is supposed to be. There are 4ft drifts and the wind chill is absolutely freezing. We're actually snowed in for the first time in years."

Some roads in North Yorkshire are impassable because of the snow.

Police and other emergency services are urging people to avoid traveling by car across the Yorkshire Dales.

Many drivers have got stuck and are currently stranded.

Met Office meteorologist Jonathan Vautrey said the storm, which has been named by the French weather service, is bringing rain and snow to the UK:

"Storm Larisa, which Meteo France have named, is the same low pressure system that is bringing us the bands of rain,"

"But essentially, we're on the northern side of the low pressure system and it's the southern side of that low pressure system that is going to be bringing particularly strong winds to parts of France.

"So that did originate out in the Atlantic and then it tracked its way eastward towards us, and the weather fronts that are swirling around that low pressure system have then been pushing into the cold air that has been in places across the UK and allowing that rain to start falling as snow across several areas."

National Highways issued a "severe weather alert" for snow, where motorists have been warned not to drive unless their journey is essential.

Our reporter Kathy Green has been in Harrogate:

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