Why Southampton has escaped the snow as Basingstoke suffers (From This is Hampshire)

Why Southampton has escaped the snow as Basingstoke suffers

1:49pm Wednesday 23rd December 2009 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(2)

IT was only a matter of miles, but in terms of the weather it seemed to make all the difference.

From Winchester northwards, Hampshire was brought to a near total standstill by snow and ice.

But just a short drive down the M3, Southampton, Eastleigh and the New Forest mainly escaped the winter chaos.

Weather experts said there was a small difference in temperatures and conditions on Monday night, which ultimately determined which areas received a covering of the white stuff.

Forecaster John Hammond said: “It was primarily because we had this area of rain and snow moving up from the south and just at the southern side it was slightly less cold. “That was coupled with air coming in from the south and off the Channel, which was not that cold.

“In the northern part of Hampshire the air was coming off the land from a north easterly direction. It was very finely balanced and there was not a very big temperature difference, but it was enough to make the difference between rain and snow.”

Many people were left stranded on Monday evening as up to six inches (15cm) of snow fell in a matter of hours in northern parts of Hampshire.

More than 2,000 cars were abandoned and emergency shelters set up in Basingstoke to cope with the number of motorists who had left their cars at the roadside.

Coastguards were even called inland to help other emergency services as the 999 calls began to flood in. The Southampton based rescue team used their 4x4 vehicle to assist at a number of road traffic incidents.

They were also called out to assist medics with a woman in the first stages of labour and to another individual who had suffered a heart attack.

Hampshire County Council gritting lorries worked continuously throughout the night while extra police patrols were on duty.

Ambulance services were stretched with bosses registering a level four status, just one below a major emergency.