As Rye News publishes overnight Thursday/Friday March 1/2 uncertainty looms over the coming weekend’s weather, March 3/4, which sees the end of the year’s first festival, Rye Bay Scallop Week.
Temperatures are expected to rise (but possibly not above freezing because of wind chill) now the weather forecasters’ Spring has officially started on March 1. But snow is still in the air – and the snow on the ground may not melt
The past week has seen schools closed, train services cancelled, and various events postponed. “Hamlet” at Rye’s Creative Centre was cancelled on Wednesday and Thursday nights, a Film Club programme has been put off to a later date, garden waste collections have been cancelled, and other deliveries/collections may be late or put off.
But, despite many trains being cancelled, railway officials did turn up at the Town Hall on Tuesday to talk about long term timetable changes.
The cold wind though did seem to put off visitors to the Continental Market on Strand Quay last weekend at the start of Scallop Week. And the same wind has been sending waste bins flying as they await being emptied.
But local musicians were not put off put off as they accompanied much scallop eating around the town last weekend.
And the snow and the town looked charming as landmarks took on a whole new look as the snow fell, streets were made safe, and any available slope picked up its quota of sledges and toboggans.
But, as the snow swept in across the North Sea and (later in the week) from the South, other areas seemed much worse off than Rye – though early flowers suffered and ice created a few problems for some bird life.
Whether the weather will warm up enough to take the chill off the scallops remains to be seen, but any outdoor events (such as the traditional scallop race) may be challenging.
Photos: main picture BBC, others Rye News team
Image Credits: Rye News library .