THUNDERSNOW
◼ Rare phenomenon ‘wakes up Edinburgh’ at 4.40am ◼ ‘Weather-proof’ new bridge shut again ... by the weather ◼ And after snow, get set for deluge
IT was a deafening crack, loud enough to wake a city and prompt police to issue words of calm.
Amid fears there had been an explosion, Edinburgh residents were quickly reassured yesterday that they had simply been the victims of a rare weather phenomenon.
Thundersnow triggered the alert at around 4.40am, with a blast so frightening police received a series of calls.
It occurs during a thunderstorm in cold conditions when, instead of rain, the storm drops snow. Lightning strikes were also seen.
Forecasters describe thundersnow as ‘unusual’ because it can occur only during a few months of the year. The lightning associated with it usually appears brighter because l i ght is reflected off the snowflakes.
While it may have sounded terrifying for those in the midst of the storm, the
‘Convinced it was an explosion’
muffling effect of the snow means the sound would not have registered with those just three miles away.
Police Scotland control rooms, which received a number of calls about ‘explosions’ and strange noises, tweeted to say: ‘Please do not be alarmed, we are currently experiencing thunder and lightning.’
Saoirse Morton, 19, from the city’s Leith, was up late listening to music when she heard the clap of thunder.
She told The BBC: ‘I heard what I thought was an explosion so I started l ooking for a factory nearby that could have exploded.
‘I just sat for ten seconds in shock before checking on my pets. I was convinced something had exploded. I messaged some friends on Facebook and said something had exploded.
‘They said, “No, no, it’s thunder and lightning”, and started trying to convince me. I took some convincing.’ Similarly, Anne Ash, from
Edinburgh, said an ‘ extremely loud noise’ that sounded ‘ a bit like a sonic boom’ woke her up.
‘I leapt out of bed and ran to the window and saw it was snowing quite heavily,’ she said.
‘My husband said it was thunder and I was unsure so Googled it and I learned the term “thundersnow”. A little while later there was a second loud boom, which went for a bit longer.’
Meanwhile, the Queensferry Crossing was shut to traffic for nearly five hours due to falling ice. Traffic chiefs were forced to halt use of the £1.35billion bridge – for the second time this year – between 4.45am and 9am. The flagship SNP project opened in August 2017.
Critics expressed disbelief the bridge, which was supposed to remain open despite bad weather, had been forced to close again.
It came despite ice sensors being installed – with critics branding it a ‘national embarrassment’ and calling for action.
Scottish Labour transport spokesman Colin Smyth said: ‘The safety of bridge users must always come first, but the SNP Government’s excuse that the Queensferry Crossing keeps having to close due to the wrong kind of snow and ice has become a national embarrassment. This
is just the first flutter of snow this winter and the fear is bridge users may well have more closures to look forward to.’
Tory MSP Murdo Fraser said: ‘Yet again a lack of foresight by the Scottish Government has led to the Queensferry Crossing being closed due to ice, resulting in utter chaos for almost half of Scotland.’
He called for further measures to be taken urgently – such as fitting ‘heated cables’ on the bridge.
Mr Fraser said: ‘ All this should have been done before the crossing opened to the public.’
Diversions were put in place via the A985 Kincardine Bridge before the Queensferry Crossing reopened shortly after 9am. Chris Tracey, Bear Scotland’s south- east unit bridges manager, said: ‘The safety of bridge users comes first. ‘We therefore made the decision to temporarily close the Queensferry Crossing when we identified a risk of falling ice. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.’ Transport Scotland said it was working with the operating company to plan switching traffic between the Queensferry Crossing and Forth Road Bridge during adverse weather and if the bridge is forced to close in future.
This could not happen yesterday due to work on the older bridge.
But while there was misery for motorists, youngsters enjoyed the first substantial fall of snow.
Four-year-old Amelia McDonald and her brother Harris, three, took advantage of the conditions as they built a snowman in Guildie-haugh, Bathgate, West Lothian. The Met Office said Scotland is due to be unsettled in the days ahead with the East of the country enduring the most rain.
Forecasters said that with a yellow Met Office ‘be aware’ warning until 6am today, power supplies could be affected as more than two inches of rain could fall on higher ground. The West will enjoy better weather by the afternoon, with temperatures up to 8C.
Similarly, conditions will be brighter in the West tomorrow t hrough t o Wednesday with continued showers in the East.
Temperatures are expected to dip to -1C tomorrow with highs of no more than 8C in Scotland until Wednesday.