By Mark Davison
THE severe wintry weather eased its grip a little in East Surrey late this morning.
The sun has broken through the snow clouds and at Reigate Grammar School, the temperature has reached the dizzy heights of 1C.
However, an icy wind from the north-east is still blowing at up to 26mph causing a significant wind chill and making it feel more like -6C.
In Charlwood, where the overnight temperature fell to -2.6C, there have been gusts of wind up to 38mph this morning, with the temperature close to freezing point in the last hour.
The biting wind has gusted to 40mph at Kenley Aerodrome, near Caterham on the Hill, where late morning it was -1C.
Lower Kingswood villager, Judy Parfitt, who lives in Mogador Road, 600ft above sea level on the North Downs, described the conditions of the last few hours.
"There's been an absolutely vicious, cutting wind that blows right through you," she said.
"Luckily, we have only had a light covering of snow, unlike south of Crawley. If we had had a lot more snow it would have drifted badly and blocked roads."
She said there were signs of some snow blowing off the fields at Reigate Hill, causing small snowdrifts alongside the A217.
Country lanes in Chelsham, Farleigh and Fickleshole, near Warlingham, have been equally affected by blowing snow.
THE severe wintry weather eased its grip a little in East Surrey late this morning.
The sun has broken through the snow clouds and at Reigate Grammar School, the temperature has reached the dizzy heights of 1C.
However, an icy wind from the north-east is still blowing at up to 26mph causing a significant wind chill and making it feel more like -6C.
In Charlwood, where the overnight temperature fell to -2.6C, there have been gusts of wind up to 38mph this morning, with the temperature close to freezing point in the last hour.
The biting wind has gusted to 40mph at Kenley Aerodrome, near Caterham on the Hill, where late morning it was -1C.
Lower Kingswood villager, Judy Parfitt, who lives in Mogador Road, 600ft above sea level on the North Downs, described the conditions of the last few hours.
"There's been an absolutely vicious, cutting wind that blows right through you," she said.
"Luckily, we have only had a light covering of snow, unlike south of Crawley. If we had had a lot more snow it would have drifted badly and blocked roads."
She said there were signs of some snow blowing off the fields at Reigate Hill, causing small snowdrifts alongside the A217.
Country lanes in Chelsham, Farleigh and Fickleshole, near Warlingham, have been equally affected by blowing snow.