12 hours Ago By The Telegraph
Credit: @DominicKing_DM/X Cheltenham Festival was hit by a flurry of snow on Wednesday morning as the festival entered its second day. Temperatures plummeted to 1C overnight, bringing snowfall to Cheltenham and the wider Gloucestershire area as spectators travelled to the racecourse for Style Wednesday. The Met Office said that there will be sunny intervals and a chance of heavy and wintry showers in the afternoon as the snow melts away.
It last snowed at Cheltenham in 2013, when temperatures plunged to -11C and organisers had to cover the racecourse in 45 acres of plastic sheets. In replying to a video posted on X by a user showing snowfall in Cheltenham , the Met Office said: “Don’t be surprised if you see some wet snow in some of the showers today. A temporary slight covering is possible on the grass and cars, as seen recently here in Cheltenham.
” Concerns have now been raised about disruption to the event after snow coated the town’s racecourse overnight, while a yellow weather warning for ice has also been issued for parts of northern England on Thursday. Jon Pullin, clerk of the course, told ITV Racing: “We were forecast wintry showers and I suppose you could say this is a wintry shower, but it should in the next hour turn more sleety and then disappear. “If the forecast is correct, there are no concerns that it should clear fairly quickly within the next two or three hours.
” Pullin said frost covers had been used overnight, adding: “They are in the process of taking them off now. “It was very precautionary [on Tuesday night], as we were forecast a slight frost. It did dip down briefly to a minus two temperature, so we took some precautions on the take-offs and landings, just to make sure we’d be comfortable this morning.
“That did its job and they are taking them off now. “Today, daytime temperature should be around seven degrees, potentially another little bit of frost tonight, but Thursday to Friday is looking quite cold again now, so we’ll see where we go, but it should be dry from here on in.” Racegoers took to social media to express their shock at the unusual conditions.
In a video showing rooftops covered in snow from his window, Stephen Power, a racing blogger, said: “This is mental. What are the conditions going to be like now? Dress warm.” Another user wrote on X: “I certainly didn’t have that one on my 2025 Cheltenham Festival Race card.
” The latest blow to the festival comes as Cheltenham attempts to bring in crowds by introducing meal deals and expanding drinking zones at the festival amid declining attendance rates. Five stalls are offering meal deals ranging from £10 to £15 across the 360-acre site in Gloucestershire, with a sandwich, crisps, snack and drink option available for £10 at two cafés, while at a food court overlooking the paddock a burger or hot dog, as well as a side and soft drink, costs £15. Without a meal deal, the same items would cost £19.
Attendance at the festival last year was 229,999, down from 240,603 in 2023 and 280,627 in 2022. Temperatures in the area are expected to drop to below freezing by the weekend for the end of what is often called “fool’s spring” – referring to a period of warm weather quickly followed by a cold snap, which often occurs in March or April. Oli Claydon, a spokesman for the Met Office, said: “Some showers came through with lower overnight temperatures last night, meaning it comes through as snow.
“We’re expecting to see the same sort of regime over the next few days with showers continuing in the North East and Scotland. “There’s also a front that moves through on Friday that could bring snow over widespread areas of Scotland, and we might see some wintry showers over the highest parts of Ireland.” Snow fell on Birmingham this morning and the Met Office forecasts suggest areas of Cumbria and Yorkshire may also see light snow and hail before midday.
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