Maureen Hughes is a retired newsagent who still lives above the shop by the Town Clock in Machynlleth. She remembers the snowstorms of 1982 and shares some of her diary entries and photo album.
"Of course, the children had a wonderful time, all that snow! No school! Anwen was 9, Dona was 8. (also Gwilym was two and a half but isn't in the pictures)"
Thursday 7 January Started snowing late evening
Friday 8 January Very bad day. Blizzard swept the country. Snow drifts unbelieveable - snow ploughs make no impression on it. Two lorries stuck across the road by the clock, cars abandoned, the lane piled high with snow.
Saturday 9 January Cold win causing more drifting. No papers delivered to us. Nothing moving on rail or road - helicopter landed on crossroads by the hospital to take a mother-to-be to the main hospital. Trains stuck in drifts.
Sunday 10 January No papers. Water frozen up.
Monday 11 January Shovelled snow. Papers arrived 2pm.
Tuesday 12 January Getting out and about a bit more - have to shovel paths to get around. Gradually got back to fairly normal. But very cold.
Anwen and Dona with the makings of a snowman in Pentrehedyn Street
Anwen and Dona at Machynlleth Football Club
Snowdrifts at Machynlleth Football Club - the fence is 8 feet high
Ice on the River Dyfi
Base of the Town Clock looking towards Penrallt Street
Looking towards the Roman steps
The lane leading from the archway
Anwen and Dona at Plas Machynlleth - only just taller than the snow!
have your say
Do you have stories about the big snow of 1982? Add your comments to this page or tell us about other memories of momentous events in Mid Wales.
