Weather - popular questions
This page has been populated with frequently
asked questions and answers about what weather information we
access to make decisions about treating the borough's roads
for in severe winter conditions.
We hope we're able to answer your question
here, but if you need more help please call us on 0845 121 2979 or
email winter.service@rochdale.gov.uk.
How do we know when ice and snow is on the way?
We monitor the weather conditions 24 hours a day throughout the
highways winter service season. We receive data from our
weather stations within the borough and detailed forecasts from the
Met Office and make our gritting treatment decisions
based on the details provided. We may also
visually inspect the roads to verify the information we have from
the weather stations and Met Office.
How many weather stations does the council have and where are
they?
We have two weather stations - one in Middleton and the
other on Blackstone Edge. Both weather stations constantly
monitor the weather and road conditions. The information from these
and other nearby weather stations help us monitor the
conditions and react accordingly.
Why do we need two weather stations?
The borough of Rochdale covers the lower lying areas of
Middleton, Heywood and Rochdale centre, but also covers the higher
areas in the Pennines. Due to the varying geography across the
borough its climate and weather conditions can vary greatly. The
weather stations cover both extremes of the climatic zones
and the data they provide help us react to the varying
conditions across the borough.