Over the last week, snow and ice have ruled supreme in the UK. The news has been filled with snowy wastelands and amber weather warnings. Yet Crewe was a different story!
It seems to have a slightly different micro-climate which is always warmer than the rest of the local area. In the first day where we were forecast 8+ hours of heavy snow and freezing rain – we had barely 0.5cm of snow. By 9 am, it was raining and the little there was had melted. The neighbour’s car below shows the maximum amount of snow we had in Crewe.
Day 2 saw significantly more snow – nearly an entire inch of snow! This was about as good as it got as the freezing temperatures combined with the rain resulted in roads and pavements covered in ice. The allotment at this point was completely waterlogged and flooded. The water table was still rising and I was curious as to what would happen if the temperature remained below freezing. Multiple trips down to the allotment with hot water were required to try and keep the chicken’s water defrosted! It was amazing to see how thick the ice inside the water bowls got in just a few hours!
Day 3 and temperatures continued well below freezing, reaching -6 degrees overnight, and barely much above -2 degrees in the day. The massive lake (which used to be our plot) had frozen over – I was tempted to run home and get my skates but I decided that the ice wouldn’t be thick enough for actual skating.
By Day 4, the temperature was hovering around freezing and the ice was beginning to melt around the edges. I checked the shed and discovered one part of the veranda was slightly raised. Upon closer inspection, I found the water underneath it had frozen completely solid. I’m hoping that when the ice unfreezes the veranda will go back to its usual place!
The only downside of the temperatures warming will be the inevitable further flooding of the plot. The water table is already at, or slightly above, ground level and there is a considerable amount of ice still to unfreeze. I suspect we won’t be able to walk on our plot for a couple of weeks until it drains. Our new plot neighbour has built a spectacular drainage system which has helped dry out his plot but I suspect the current water level may provide some significant challenges.
The site is so pretty in the snow and ice but as it melts, it leaves the site looking even more brown and desolate.
The Good Life Crewe 
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