Thirteen years on, the events of one of the Isle of Man’s most severe snowstorms are still remembered by many across the island.

In late March, 2013, the island was brought to a standstill by what forecasters described as the worst snowfall in 50 years, with drifts reaching up to 10ft in some areas.

According to the Isle of Man Meteorological Office, it was the heaviest snowfall recorded since 1963.

More than 700 homes were left without electricity as power lines were battered by strong winds and heavy snow, with around 85 properties still cut off in the days that followed.

The Manx Electricity Authority (MEA) said its teams worked around the clock in ‘horrendous conditions’ to restore supplies, receiving around 3,000 calls for assistance.

The then MEA chief executive Phil King described it as ‘a one in 50 year snow event with high winds – the worst possible conditions for overhead lines,’ adding that the situation had been ‘very extreme’.

Across the island, roads became impassable, with more than a dozen routes closed including the Mountain Road, Ballamodha and the Switchback Road.

Schools were shut, and emergency services were stretched as they worked alongside the Department of Infrastructure to reach vulnerable residents.

In some cases, people were left stranded in their homes, with five rescues carried out over the weekend as snowdrifts blocked access.

Supplies were gradually restored to affected areas including Kirk Michael, Peel, and parts of the west coast, which bore the brunt of the storm.

The impact on the island’s farming community was particularly severe.

Thousands of sheep and cattle were believed to have been trapped in deep snow, with farmers describing the situation as ‘catastrophic’.

St John’s farmer John Kennaugh warned the effects would be felt ‘for a long time to come’, while Dalby farmer Walter Bridson said the conditions had been ‘very upsetting’, with only a fraction of his flock recovered in the immediate aftermath.

Health Minister at the time, David Anderson, himself a farmer, said it was ‘all hands to the pump’, praising the community effort as volunteers joined coordinated searches to locate livestock and assist those in remote areas.

The Manx National Farmers’ Union worked alongside the Department of Agriculture to support those affected, while a dedicated fallen stock collection service was deployed as the scale of losses became clear.

Despite the devastation, the storm also highlighted the island’s strong sense of community, with neighbours helping one another and emergency teams working tirelessly in difficult conditions.

The scale of the event was such that the Manx Independent at the time devoted its front and back pages to the rescue efforts, moving sport from its traditional position to reflect the significance of the crisis.

Do you remember the snow of March 2013? How did it impact you?

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