Devon County Council is urging all highway users to take extra care this weekend, with severe overnight frosts and widespread ice expected on the region’s roads, footpaths and cycleways.
he Met Office has issued weather warnings for ice and snow from 6pm this evening through to 10am Saturday morning and ice from 3pm Sunday to midday Monday.
Road surface temperatures across Devon are expected to fall as low as -8.4° in some parts of the county, creating a significant risk of icy patches on both treated and untreated routes.
Hard frosts are likely throughout the weekend, and ice may form wherever wintry showers fall on cold surfaces.
Devon County Council’s gritter crews have been carrying out multiple treatments across the county’s primary salting network and will continue to salt priority routes through the evenings and into the early hours. This will include treating some of the busiest cycle paths in Exeter.
Drivers should never assume a road has been salted, and in very low temperatures, even treated roads may still develop ice.
The persistent freeze follows earlier heavy showers in parts of the South West, meaning some standing water may freeze, increasing the chance of black ice.
Highway users are advised to follow essential winter‑driving guidance:
- Allow extra time for your journey and check the latest forecast before travelling.
- Reduce speed and increase stopping distances on all road types.
- Do not assume roads are ice‑free, even if they look clear or form part of the gritting network.
- Be particularly cautious on rural, untreated and high‑level routes, where freezing temperatures and snow showers are more likely.
- Watch for icy pavements and cycle paths, with a heightened risk of slips and falls.
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