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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Exams going ahead as freeze eases | Exams going ahead as freeze eases |
| (8 minutes later) | |
| Exams for tens of thousands of pupils across Wales are going ahead after examining bodies ruled out postponing them because of the poor weather. | Exams for tens of thousands of pupils across Wales are going ahead after examining bodies ruled out postponing them because of the poor weather. |
| Severe weather warnings issued in Wales were stepped down after milder air brought a mix of rain, sleet and snow. | Severe weather warnings issued in Wales were stepped down after milder air brought a mix of rain, sleet and snow. |
| Around 160 schools have announced full or partial closures, although those holding external exams are opening to the affected GCSE and A-level pupils. | Around 160 schools have announced full or partial closures, although those holding external exams are opening to the affected GCSE and A-level pupils. |
| Students who cannot get to their exams will have to sit them in the summer. | Students who cannot get to their exams will have to sit them in the summer. |
| The number of school closures is a fraction of the total on days last week, when over 1,000 schools closed. | The number of school closures is a fraction of the total on days last week, when over 1,000 schools closed. |
| FREEZING WINTERS | |
| Derek Brockway, BBC Wales weather forecaster | |
| The big freeze of 2010 has loosened its grip slightly with a slow thaw of lying snow but we are not out of the woods yet. | |
| More snow is expected on Tuesday afternoon, overnight and into Wednesday. | |
| Some heavy falls are likely too with drifting in strong winds. | |
| At the moment it looks like mid and south Wales will bear the brunt of it. | |
| But north Wales is also likely to see some snow on Wednesday. | |
| It looks like it will become less cold at the end of the week with some rain on Friday and Saturday. | |
| However, it is possible the cold weather could return later in the month. | |
| Derek's blog looks at heavy snowfall in previous years | |
| There were closures - and some partial closures - across the country, with worst affected counties on Monday including Blaenau Gwent, Denbighshire, Merthyr, Powys and Rhondda Cynon Taf. | |
| A Welsh Assembly Government spokesperson said: "We recognise the stress and upset that the adverse weather can cause for candidates who have been preparing hard for this week's exams. | A Welsh Assembly Government spokesperson said: "We recognise the stress and upset that the adverse weather can cause for candidates who have been preparing hard for this week's exams. |
| "Examinations across Wales do not involve one but four awarding bodies. | "Examinations across Wales do not involve one but four awarding bodies. |
| "During the current period of severe weather, the department for children, education and lifelong learning has been working with its fellow regulators in Northern Ireland and England and with the qualification awarding bodies to ensure that the response across Wales, England and Northern Ireland is consistent. | "During the current period of severe weather, the department for children, education and lifelong learning has been working with its fellow regulators in Northern Ireland and England and with the qualification awarding bodies to ensure that the response across Wales, England and Northern Ireland is consistent. |
| "Deferring examinations might result in them being re-scheduled at a time when equally inclement weather occurs. | "Deferring examinations might result in them being re-scheduled at a time when equally inclement weather occurs. |
| School closures in Wales on Monday | |
| "It would also be unfair on all those students throughout the whole of Wales who have worked hard to prepare in the expectation of sitting examinations next week where there is no reason for their examinations not to go ahead." | "It would also be unfair on all those students throughout the whole of Wales who have worked hard to prepare in the expectation of sitting examinations next week where there is no reason for their examinations not to go ahead." |
| Serenity and a snowman in Newport | Serenity and a snowman in Newport |
| Alternative venues could be used to sit examinations through agreement between examination centres and the awarding bodies, the spokesperson added. | Alternative venues could be used to sit examinations through agreement between examination centres and the awarding bodies, the spokesperson added. |
| In Merthyr Tydfil, exams for students who attend Afon Taf High School, Bishop Hedley High School, Cyfarthfa High School and Penydre High School are taking place at a temporary examination centre in Merthyr Tydfil College in the town centre. | In Merthyr Tydfil, exams for students who attend Afon Taf High School, Bishop Hedley High School, Cyfarthfa High School and Penydre High School are taking place at a temporary examination centre in Merthyr Tydfil College in the town centre. |
| Despite the milder conditions, forecasters said on Sunday 2-5cm of snow could fall overnight with up to 10cm on higher grounds. | Despite the milder conditions, forecasters said on Sunday 2-5cm of snow could fall overnight with up to 10cm on higher grounds. |
| Some local authorities were expecting to run out of gritting salt over the weekend and are now concentrating on treating essential main roads. | Some local authorities were expecting to run out of gritting salt over the weekend and are now concentrating on treating essential main roads. |
| Pembrokeshire, which said it only had a few days of grit left, is awaiting delivery of emergency supplies of salt from a depot in Cheshire which has diverted a planned delivery to Germany to hard-pressed local authorities in the UK. | Pembrokeshire, which said it only had a few days of grit left, is awaiting delivery of emergency supplies of salt from a depot in Cheshire which has diverted a planned delivery to Germany to hard-pressed local authorities in the UK. |
| A snow woman outside Abergwili Primary School, Carmarthenshire | A snow woman outside Abergwili Primary School, Carmarthenshire |
| Transport minister Ieuan Wyn Jones told BBC Radio Wales: "There is sufficient grit for our own purposes [to keep trunk roads clear] but we do recognise there are a number of local authorities that are under severe pressure. | Transport minister Ieuan Wyn Jones told BBC Radio Wales: "There is sufficient grit for our own purposes [to keep trunk roads clear] but we do recognise there are a number of local authorities that are under severe pressure. |
| "What we are trying to do is make sure there is an equitable distribution of grit, making sure that those authorities which need it will be able to get some of that," he added. "Where there are particular difficulties we can make available our gritting lorries to those local authorities who are in the worst position." | "What we are trying to do is make sure there is an equitable distribution of grit, making sure that those authorities which need it will be able to get some of that," he added. "Where there are particular difficulties we can make available our gritting lorries to those local authorities who are in the worst position." |
| A number of First Bus services in Carmarthenshire, Swansea and Cardiff were still being affected by icy side roads. | A number of First Bus services in Carmarthenshire, Swansea and Cardiff were still being affected by icy side roads. |
| Arriva Trains Wales and First Great Western reported all services were running as normal. | Arriva Trains Wales and First Great Western reported all services were running as normal. |
| BBC weather forecaster Behnaz Akhgar said there was still widespread ice across Wales, following sleet or snow showers overnight falling on frozen roads, with Powys and north Wales particularly affected. | BBC weather forecaster Behnaz Akhgar said there was still widespread ice across Wales, following sleet or snow showers overnight falling on frozen roads, with Powys and north Wales particularly affected. |
| It is expected to stay cloudy with snow showers easing and brighter conditions in the south west. | It is expected to stay cloudy with snow showers easing and brighter conditions in the south west. |
| Rain spreading from the west on Tuesday is expected to turn to sleet and snow as it moves inland. | Rain spreading from the west on Tuesday is expected to turn to sleet and snow as it moves inland. |