The weather outside is frightful...

We continue today to be affected by the snow showers. This morning I battled the weather to get to school. I listened carefully to Radio Devon and had a few chats with some of the other teachers, but finally decided to give the journey a go. I managed to drive out of my road, only to skid into the pavement in the next road. After three attempts to pull away again, I was Okehampton bound. The roads had been gritted well overnight and the sky was blue! I was beginning to wonder what all the fuss was about. Well, when approaching Whiddon Down a light flurry of snow started falling, but then got heavier and heavier! I turned off the A30 heading for Okehampton and could barely see the car in front of me. The snow had settled on the roads incredibly quickly and it was difficult to see where the road ended and the pavements began. It took 25 minutes to get from Whiddon Down to the school (normally 7 minutes). There were cars facing all directions and a lorry that had skidded. My wheels were locking every time I pressed the brake. I eventually got into the school car park and swerved my way into a space. The freak snow shower quickly passed and this was what was left...



The difficult decision was made to send all students home and many staff did the same due to the unpredictable nature of these snow showers. As for me, my journey home was possibly more eventful than the one there! The snow I'd travelled through on the way in was quickly being thawed by the glorious sunshine. However, the snow started again when I got to the 50mph speed limit along the A30. By the time I'd got to the A380 at Haldon Hill, it was heavier than it had been in the morning. Cars were queued for a couple of miles trying to slide their way down the hill towards Exeter. Fortunately I was going the other way. I turned off the dual carriageway onto the Teignmouth road which was thick with snow. I dropped down to 5mph. A car coming the other way had it's hazard lights on and stopped me, saying several cars had skidded into each other further down the road and it was impassable. I did a 3-point turn (of sorts!) and headed back the way I came. I found an alternative route and finally arrived in Teignmouth where the sky was blue and the sun shining - yet 3 miles down the road there were dark skies, snow and traffic chaos!

To keep yourself up to date with the weather for the rest of this week, use the following links...

BBC Weather 5 day forecast for Okehampton
SW England Severe Weather Warnings

Let us hear your stories of the snow by adding a comment to this post! If you have any pictures of our wintry weather, please email them to me (both students and staff) and I'll add them to the blog.

Here's our first contribution. Mrs Clayton's wonderful snowman...someone has been busy!
Here's our next contribution. Thank you Mr Palmer!

And another one...Ms Murray-Jude this time!

Thanks to Emma Siddall (Year 12) for these pictures of the snow in Sheepwash!