ROAD gritting and snow clearance teams are on standby to deal with the first onslaught of wintry weather as forecasters warn that temperatures are likely to plunge over the weekend.

Much colder weather is expected tomorrow, (Friday, October 26) followed by temperatures plummeting to little above freezing this weekend as schools break up for the half-term holiday.

MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, predicted that temperatures, which have been well above average in most places for late October, could fall as low as 3C (37F).

Durham County Council is starting the winter season with a stockpile of 45,000 tonnes of rock salt.

John Reed, head of technical services, said: “We are confident that we have made all of the preparations that we are able to for the winter weather.

“This figure had previously been 25,000 tonnes, but was increased in 2009 following a severe winter.

“In the event that freezing conditions are expected, our fleet of 65 gritting vehicles, ten of which have been renewed this year, will be dispatched to salt the affected road networks either in full or in part depending on the predicted conditions.”

North Yorkshire County Council has more than 50,000 tonnes of salt and its barns are full in readiness for winter.

The council has a £7.1m budget for road gritting and treats more than half of the county’s 5,600 miles of road, which makes it the largest treated network of any county in England.

The county has also this year expanded its winter maintenance volunteer scheme across North Yorkshire.

It offers parish councils, town councils and other community groups the opportunity, with county council support, to add to the work to keep roads clear during severe weather when the fleet has to focus on the most urgent routes.

County Councillor Gareth Dadd, North Yorkshire’s executive member for highways, said: “North Yorkshire’s highways network is vast and keeping the network open and on the move throughout the worst of the winter weather is a complex and expensive operation.

“Nevertheless, winter maintenance is a top priority for the county council and once again we are well prepared for snow and icy conditions.”