Winter hit Huddersfield with a vengeance but there is now a glimmer of hope.
The heavy snowfalls in many areas caused problems on the roads, despite a massive gritting operation by Kirklees Council .
But the weekend is more likely to see showers of rain rather than sleet or snow and Huddersfield weatherman Paul Stevens suggested a week down the line we could see temperatures well into double figures.
Today's snow on Scapegoat Hill
They may get as high as 18°C, which is positively balmy when compared to the below-freezing temperatures of the past 24 hours.
Areas around Holmfirth and Outlane were badly hit with several inches of snow on the ground and drifts of up to 2 feet deep in the strong winds.
The A640 road over Buckstones had to be shut because of the conditions. Kirklees Council gritting crews were out at 5am this morning to make sure all the main routes through the town were kept clear and will repeat the operation on Saturday morning.
Mr Stevens said: “The snow started early on Friday in most areas and many of us saw quite a snowfall.
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“Up at Outlane there was six inches of lying snow and further up, the winds caused it to drift quite badly.
“Even down as low as Marsh there were a couple of centimetres of snow, although in the town centre it was mainly sleet.
“It was as we had predicted, probably at the top end of our expectations, but the worst of it was over by mid morning on Friday.
Snow at Brown Cow Bridge on M62
“The Bank Holiday weekend should be a little better but still colder than normal and with showers.
“Saturday will be less cold, perhaps rising to 10°C but that is still four degrees below average. There will be showers and sunny spells.
“Sunday is likely to see more in the way of rain and there will be quite a bit into Monday, which will again see sunshine and showers. It’s certainly not a great Bank Holiday forecast.
“But there are signs of a change on the way as we head through next week and there is a chance by the time we reach next weekend, things will have warmed up and we will get temperatures heading towards 18°C, which although not a heatwave is a sign that Spring is on the way.”
