Met Office warning for ice, as snow could fall on higher ground
It comes as the Environment Agency is warning the two counties will be in drought next year - unless we have a wet Winter.
Snow could fall in remote parts of Dartmoor and Exmoor later, as the cold snap continues.
A Met Office yellow weather warning for snow and ice has been issued from midday today until just before midnight on Thursday for parts of Devon and Cornwall.
It comes as the Environment Agency is warning the two counties will be in drought next year - unless we have a wet Winter.
Councillor Dan Thomas is in charge of Devon's roads and says they have plenty of salt in store, adding: "Weather conditions are being constantly monitored and gritting teams are ready to be called into action when needed. However, preparations started months ago. Gritting depots across the county are topped up with almost 24,000 tonnes of salt for the start of the season."
This week the UK Health Security Agency and Met Office also issued a Yellow Cold-Health Alert for the South West, which is due to be in place until Saturday.
The Cabinet Member for Highways added: "Gritting lorries have been serviced and maintained, and five of the 37 frontline gritters have been replaced with newer models to help improve reliability and reduce maintenance costs.
"All of these newer gritters feature touchscreen controls to enable drivers to adjust salt spreading rates and the position of their plough attachments without leaving their cab, which improves safety. “Gritting the roads is a really important part of our highways operations. If the gritters are out, they’re out for a reason, and they’re often out in the early hours of the morning and in treacherous conditions to keep roads on the gritting network as safe as possible for everyone who uses them.
“If you happen to be out when they are, please give way to them and please park considerately to allow the gritters to get around your towns and villages. If we can all do our bit so they’re not delayed while treating the roads that will be a great help.”
What has the Environment Agency said about next year?
The environmental regulator has released its Drought Prospects Report, examining the wet weather needed through the winter to ensure the country’s current low water levels recover by spring 2026. Three scenarios have been created, each looking at the impact in March on the southwest counties if 100%, 80% or 60% of expected rainfall happens.
A spokesperson said: "Right now, Devon and Cornwall are in 'normal’ status. If 100% of expected rainfall happens, that will continue. However, if 80% of rainfall occurs, that will change to prolonged dry weather status. Should only 60% of rainfall, both counties will be in drought. There is only a 2% to 6% chance of that situation occurring.
"Drought is only over when water levels are fully replenished, and England has seen below average rainfall for eight out of ten months so far this year. This means that flooding in drought is possible, including flash floods as dry soils struggle to soak up intense downpours.
"The Met Office has indicated a higher-than-usual likelihood of dry conditions over three months from November to January. This could cause drought conditions to worsen, leading to hosepipe bans, significant pressures on the environment and a risk to crop yields."
The Environment Agency is urging the public to continue to play their part and use water wisely through winter, in anticipation of another drought year. Director of Water at the Environment Agency, Helen Wakeham, said: “There will be a drought next year, unless we get sustained rainfall through the winter.
“The severity of that drought will depend both on the weather and the actions we take over winter following this very dry year.
“The public have been brilliant in using a little less water this summer and following the restrictions in some parts of the country. I would urge people to continue to be as efficient as possible with their water use this winter - even if it is raining outside. Our wildlife, our rivers and our public water supplies depend on it.”
Water Minister Emma Hardy added: “I welcome the recent rainfall but the prolonged dry weather throughout this year continues to pose risks to public water supplies, farming, and the environment. We continue to work with the National Drought Group and water companies to maintain supplies for communities across the country.
“Climate change means we will face more frequent, severe droughts and flooding in the years ahead. That’s why this government is taking decisive action to secure our long-term water resilience, which includes building nine new reservoirs and investing in new pipes to reduce leakage.”
Will Lang, Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office, said: "While it's not possible to definitively forecast weather for the next three months, the chances of a dry period are higher than normal.
“A more average three-month period for rainfall is still the most likely scenario. It's important to note that rainfall patterns in England can be variable, so while some may see more rainfall, others will see less, possibly giving limited relief from long-standing dry conditions."