Coldest morning recorded in 20 years + ...with more snow on the way!

Wednesday 28 February 2018

The temperature at Guernsey Airport before dawn on Wednesday 28 February, 2018, was -3.7°C, which is the coldest temperature officially recorded in the island since 8 January 1997, when it fell to -4.5°C

Following an icy night, after 24 hours of intermittent snow fall, the temperature is not expected to rise above 1°C today with further snow fall expected after midnight as we enter Thursday 1 March.

The Guernsey Met Office said that snow fall is expected to be quite significant with potentially up to 8cm of snow fall. A red warning is the highest warning available and this is believed to be the first time it has been used since March 2013 when heavy snow fall brought Guernsey to a stand still for days. 

Snow Warning for Guernsey issued at 11:17am Wednesday 28th February 2018 pic.twitter.com/7ODfvKDhGi

— CI Weather Warnings (@Jersey_MetCI) February 28, 2018

Alderney has experienced a second day of snow fall already with the island's airport remaining closed. Guernsey Airport reopened at 10:00 with a few delays from the early part of the morning.

Alderney wins the prize for the snowiest island today with 15cm of level snow in places. Guernsey is a distant second with a maximum depth of 3cm. Sark - by an unofficial account - has even less than this. pic.twitter.com/fuJcUuj3I3

— Guernsey Met (@GuernseyMet) February 28, 2018

While roads seem clear at lunchtime on Wednesday 28 February, the advice remains to take extra caution, especially as we enter tonight and the temperature drops again.

All schools and College of Further Education sites are staying closed throughout today, and with snowfall forecast for Thursday 1 March a further announcement is expected to be made about whether any premises will reopen or all will remain closed for a third day.

In a statement released on the evening of Tuesday 27 February, Gus Paterson, the Chief Secretary to the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture, said a decision will, as always, be made based on the situation on the day: "We will review conditions again tomorrow (Wednesday) before confirming the situation for Thursday, although we are conscious that more snow is forecast for Thursday. Further announcements will be made in due course." 

Pictured above: Alderney Airport in the snow on Wednesday 28 February, image from Guernsey Airport Twitter feed