Severe weather
Information and advice about how to keep safe and on the move during periods of severe weather in the Lancaster district.
- Follow Lancaster City Council on Twitter for local information and updates and use the links below for county-wide information and reports.
- Follow Lancashire County Council on Twitter for live updates on gritting, school closures and county-wide winter services.
- View our severe weather plan (PDF)
Gritting
Gritting in Lancashire is the responsibility of Lancashire County Council, except for on motorways and trunk roads, where it is the responsibility of Highways England.
For further information see Lancashire County Council's Winter in Lancashire information pages.
Transport and travel news updates
- BBC Radio Lancashire provides regular weather and travel updates for the region
Severe weather forecasts
- Check for severe weather warnings in the north west at the Met Office severe weather warning page
School closures
- School education in Lancashire is provided by Lancashire County Council. For details of any school closures due to severe weather, visit their unavoidable school closures page.
Clearing snow and ice
If you clear snow and ice yourself, be careful - don’t make pathways more dangerous by causing them to refreeze. But don’t be put off clearing paths because you’re afraid someone will get injured.
You can buy grit for your paths and driveways from B&Q, Wickes, Homebase and builders' merchants.
Health and wellbeing
During winter more people get ill or are injured than at other times of the year. The NHS has produced some top tips on keeping fit and healthy, including advice on beating the flu:
Winter brings with it long and dark nights, the perfect feeding ground for burglars. Make sure you've taken steps to protect yourself and your property:
United Utilities have published advice on how to prevent pipes from freezing in winter conditions:
Flooding
It's not just snow and ice that we have to worry about during the winter. An increased likelihood of rain and high winds bring with them the potential to cause flooding. Check out our flooding advice page for more information on how you should prepare.
Last updated: 11 February 2020