Yes, Ana, I apologise, because actually, you are the only one who answered the question for yourself.
Alea, I do not think the panic is over, because you have winter tyres when the temperature is below 7 degrees. Where I live is often 2 degrees lower than Newcastle or Durham. There is no overall temperature for the North East.
Weardale, which is about ten to fifteen minutes drive, is the best area in the dales for skiing. The A68 is one of the first roads to be closed, and it is only five minutes drive away.
When you get winter tyres put on it usually takes up to two weeks to book the garage, because everyone who has them stored wants them on at the first sign of temperatures dropping.
Of course, you do not need to be told that, coming from further north.