Snow

[TikindiDragon]

I heard that Gatwick airport was shut down for a few days.

 

Eh, United Kingdom. As I've said earlier in this thread, I've experienced landing at home in Riga during a severe snowstorm. In fact, I've never heard that the local airport has ever been shut down due to severe weather.

Nah, only breifly. Gatwick's my local one, so I pay attention to it They only shut down for one day this time. Heathrow on the other hand.... boy now that's a mess. One of the worlds busiest airports and they've had it totaly shut down? Not good.

 

Although - I've got to ask, what's with all the idiots *still* going to the airport even after they've spent the last two days saying on the news that it's closed? Obviously your plane isn't going anywhere, do you really want to be cold and uncomfortable in an overcrowded terminal waiting for a flight that's never going to leave?

 

Edited to add: Interesting. Just had the news on and Gatwick seems to be closed again. Apparently they had heavy snow over night. I'm not entirely sure about that - honestly I'm 10 mins down the road and we don't seem to have had *any* more snow. We even think I might be able to get the car out and work today.

Edited December 21, 2010 by TikindiDragon

[Kestra15]

It's now simply cold.

[Sheraxia]

Its pretty cold here in west yorkshire we have had temps of -10c and we still have snow around too

[Kestra15]

A light dusting. Enough to shut down THE ENTIRE WORLD!!!! according to the English.

[Catspwndogs29]

...We were supposed to get a blizzard.

But then it went around my town.

The towns next to us got around a foot or two of snow.

FUUUUUUUUUUU---

[DustyBelle]

I finally remembered my username so i can reply to posts. Frigid here on US southern east coast all of 66. Tomorrow will only be in the high 50's. I wish the temperature would drop and we'd get a white Christmas. That would be nice. It's been more then 20 years since we've had one. Edited December 22, 2010 by DustyBelle

[TikindiDragon]

A light dusting. Enough to shut down THE ENTIRE WORLD!!!! according to the English.

You do have to remember, Kestra, that the UK has seen almost *no* investment into cold-weather counter-measures in recent years. Places like Chicago and Moscow cope so well because they've spent an awfult lot of money on it. Places that don't get snow very often... cope about as well as we do.

 

Although it's good to see that the government is now asking it's scientists "Can we expect this most years now? Is it worth us putting a lot of investment into?"

[Icepelt]

It hardly snows where I live. It DOES but it doesn't accumulate when it does. Or it accumulates but it's not even an inch. Usually it just sleets. This year it's really warm, which makes me sad because I can't remember ever having a white Christmas.

[MysticTiger]

I'm surrounded by the Great Lakes. Lake effect is a jerk when it comes to Snow.

 

All you people who would like to see snow. Believe me: It's not worth it. Especally if that would be the first time you've been in snow. Driving is horrible. Not only can you not control your car, but you have to worry about everyone else who can't control their cars. Not to mention, it's so cold, you'll be frozen stiff as soon as you walk out the door. And the snow gets EVERYWHERE. You'll be freezing AND soaked head to toe in water. Not to mention, White snow turns to Black Snow only after a few hours by a road.

 

Snow is not your friend. It's not as magical and glamorous as Hollywood portrays it.

[Paper&Rock]

I live in SoCal, but we usually see snow at least once a year down here. Right now, it is pouring rain rather than snowing. I haven't seen it rain like this in years, and I'm so freaking happy. If the weather continues to be like this, I will definitely be seeing snow within the next couple months!

[Kestra15]

You do have to remember, Kestra, that the UK has seen almost *no* investment into cold-weather counter-measures in recent years. Places like Chicago and Moscow cope so well because they've spent an awfult lot of money on it. Places that don't get snow very often... cope about as well as we do.

 

Although it's good to see that the government is now asking it's scientists "Can we expect this most years now? Is it worth us putting a lot of investment into?"

But why are we so crap? For the last ten years, the news has been full of 'oh God, it's snowing! It never snows in the UK!' Every winter, without fail, everyone panics because we've had a couple of inches of snow - and yet no-one can drive in this weather, no public transport can handle it, all the airports shut down...

 

If this was Jamaica, yes, I'd understand. If we were on the Nile Delta and we recieved three inches of snow, I'd not be so surprised if everything went wrong. But the UK has *always* had weather like this. My grandfather talked about how the Avon used to freeze over when he was a teen - so that's only forty-five years ago. The Thames used to freeze over up to a century ago. The Yare has frozen for the first time in twenty-five years - but when you read the report over, you realise they mean it's the first time t's had a certain depth of ice across a certain percentage of the river. It *always* freezes at winter time.

 

In 2003 I remember our school in Dover being under six inches of snow. I remember cycling home from uni in Jan 2006 and in the fifteen minutes on the road my coat was covered by over an inch of snow - and I wasn't exactly cycling slowly. Last January the college I taught at was nearly shut down due to the whole two inches on the ground. my girlfriend has *always* had a white Xmas up North, to the point that she's had four winters where her village has been cut off by all but tractors and helicopters. And that's only in Derbyshire.

 

So it's not like England has never experienced this weather before. I'm just wondering why, a decade down the line with ten straight winters that keep seem to break records one after the other, everyone still seems so surprised. We're on the same latitudes as Canada, Estonia, Poland, Germany...all of which can have bitter, minus twenty and below winters with feet upon feet of snow. Yes, there's the Gulf Stream, but that doesn't assure us a warm winter - coz we're also close to a very cold Continent and well within reach of Arctic weather systems. This isn't the Tropics. So why do we get caught so off-guard when we have just a dusting?

[Kaynight]

It's being snowing here in some high mountain regions in Australia and it's SUMMER it should be up to the 30's and 40's not snowing

[TikindiDragon]

I don't think any of the general population has been that surprised by it. Most people have been all "here we go again". We've come to expect it. Thing is the weather forecasters never both to *say* "oh we're in for a run of hard winters" so no company (or the government) ever wants to spend any real money trying to cold-proof themselves or the country.

 

I started saying to folks in September that this was coming agian. If anyone had really look around them I'm sure they'd have realised the same thing. But that's not the kind of prediction people in power will accept - and by the time they get predictions they *will* accept it's far too late to try and change it. And then they forget again.

[Diamondeyes]

Here, Texas is being bipolar as usual. It's 80-something now, it's gonna be like 20-something tonight. :c I wish it'd pick a temp and go with it. Whiiine.

^ this!

 

YAY! someone else agreeing with me on how Texas weather is bipolar! Yeah no snow Crystal

[solaflar3]

You do have to remember, Kestra, that the UK has seen almost *no* investment into cold-weather counter-measures in recent years. Places like Chicago and Moscow cope so well because they've spent an awfult lot of money on it. Places that don't get snow very often... cope about as well as we do.

 

Although it's good to see that the government is now asking it's scientists "Can we expect this most years now? Is it worth us putting a lot of investment into?"

Part of me wants to say 'two cold winters in a row does not a lasting change make'...

 

But I do think it would be prudent for the government to look at the situation. I also think that we, as citizens, should take more action too. Simple things like buying decent boots suitable for the snow and ice make a huge difference. When I go into town and when I am working in more urban areas I am always surprised to see woman walking, well slipping around in high heeled boots, and men in soaking wet trainers, all the time moaning about the snow and ice. Mind you I see it in the village where I live too and you would think that up here in the Pennines people would have more sense. We always have far more snow and ice than the towns and cities.

 

@ Kestra

So it's not like England has never experienced this weather before. I'm just wondering why, a decade down the line with ten straight winters that keep seem to break records one after the other, everyone still seems so surprised. We're on the same latitudes as Canada, Estonia, Poland, Germany...all of which can have bitter, minus twenty and below winters with feet upon feet of snow. Yes, there's the Gulf Stream, but that doesn't assure us a warm winter - coz we're also close to a very cold Continent and well within reach of Arctic weather systems. This isn't the Tropics. So why do we get caught so off-guard when we have just a dusting?

 

We haven't had bad winters in recent years though. Last winter was but before that we'd hardly had any snow. LIke I said certain parts of the country do get it bad year after year - the Highlands, the Pennines etc - but the country as a whole hasn't had it bad for years. We've been lucky and have been lured into that false sense of security really.

 

Whilst we are on the same latitude as Canada, Estonia, Poland and Germany (and I do believe that southern parts of Siberia too), that Gulf Stream, when running as expected, makes a huge difference to us. When the Gulf Stream goes to visit Greenland as it has, we get it bad. We can't predict for that.

 

If people bought suitable clothing, boots and learned how to drive in the snow - perhaps putting off those unessential journeys, we might cope better. I'd like to see more snow ploughs being put on the fronts of trains as they are in other countries too. A big problem is freight of course; lorries have snarled up our motorways which has caused huge problems. Perhaps encouragement ought to be given to use the railways more.

 

As for rocksalt; I had to laugh the other week when a neighbouring council stated they had plenty of rocksalt having bought 25,000 tons. Now it seems that rocksalt supplies are being rationed as supplies are already running out and we haven't even got to our coldest months yet.

[Kaini]

I think we might have a white Christmas here ^^ Snow is in the forecast!! x3

[lightbird]

I think I read that there's promised to be freezing rain on Christmas eve here - that means that on the following day everything will be coated in an inch-thick layer of ice and walking/driving will be uber-risky. D:

[XLaurentX]

Never seen snow. It doesn't snow here

[lola92]

[MURDERcomplexx]

It's actually snowing here! =o A white christmas in the south! lmao

[chuhulil]

First white Christmas in a long time here. Too bad we didn't have any family over.

[crazyloser13]

We had a nice warm Christmas, this year. Just the way I like it (:

[Misha]

In New England we're expecting a blizzard starting tomorrow late and into Monday a.m. With heavy coastal flooding (the high tide is during the height of the storm unfortunately) and winds will be pushing 50 to 60 mph along the coast with white out conditions. And, of course, I live in a coastal town. No work for sure but also a good chance no power either. Argh!!

[yuumei]

Luckily and Thankfully, we haven't had snow this year where I live in Texas. Last year, the power was off for two or three days because of the snow. >.<

[Catspwndogs29]

We're going to get a foot of snow today. c: So happy