Snowy weather news from the UK

[Ruby Red]

So we have yet even more snow, every time it happens the country goes to pieces - trains stop running, airports close, people get stuck in their cars, schools shut because teachers can't get in. Here is a link about the weather here - it's quite deadly because we are so ill-equiped to deal with it [some years we don't get any snow at all, other times we get snow which clears in 4-5 days and that's it]. We are really being hit hard at the moment.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ches-snow.html

If it snows where you are, how do you guys deal with it? Or is it the same story for you too?

[Dragon]

snow is such a broad term. The snow where I am is dry, crisp and very fluffy. As you go towards the ocean the snow is wet and heavy. Our snow is easy to shovel and sticks around for 5 months so we just get use to it.

We deal with it by having 2 sets of tires for our cars and over 50% of the people here drive 4x4's or all wheel drive. There are also hundreds of snowplows, graders, and various forms of snow removal equipment to keep our society going. Also Alberta is quite flat which helps too. The roads are designed for snow removal in mind.

The cold on the other hand has many coping mechanisms... toques..long underwear... parkas..... bailey's...

[Doreen]

Wow, that was alot of snow news.... all on one page of a newspaper?

Here in NJ, when we are expecting a snowstorm, they talk alot about it on the news and have little break ins throughout the day of the television to make sure you really get the message, LOL.

I think more than 50% people here drive either 4 wheel or all wheel drive vehicles. We have 2 of them here.

There are still crazy drivers out there that insist on going for joy rides when it snows and think they know it all and have accidents. That is what makes me fearful of driving out in the snow. I also couldn't stop at a stop sign once and went down into a ditch, back when I was pregnant, many moons ago.... that scared me. We get mostly the wet mushy kind of snow here being near the coastline. So it is heavy to shovel or use the snowblower. But the last snow we had was light and fluffy, so I was just able to push it with a pusher type shovel off the sides of the walkways and driveway. DH usually does it, but he was really sick that day and taking prescription cough medicine that kept him sleeping the whole day and night.

I sure hope this next one is light and fluffy too!

[AussieGirl]

Wow, thats a big write up Stephanie. Hope you and the puppers stay nice and snug, they sure will miss going on their walkies.

[Doreen]

Our snowstorm only gave us about an inch.... although they are saying we will be getting more heavy blowing snow later this afternoon, but still not accumulating to much.

[purplelori]

Here in Portland we often don't get snow at all--although last year we had about a week in December and again in January where schools were closed, couldn't get to work, etc--very similar to you Stephanie. (Global Warming?) The big joke is whenever they are predicting snow, the news channels send some poor slob (probably the new guy!) out to the normally hardest hit places to stand out in the weather and report on it. It gets especially funny when they are wrong, and there isn't any snow! 'Here's Bob with the weather'Bob) 'Well Steve, we haven't seen any snow here yet, but if you remember 3 years ago we had 3 inches in this same spot' . It's so ridiculous. Last week with no warning at all it started snowing heavily at about 2:30 pm, and by 5pm there was at least 3 inches on the ground. The commute was vicious. People got stuck on buses, and buses never arrived, the whole bit. So I really understand your situation. Stay inside and warm as much as possible--maybe spend the time knitting your pooches sweaters!

[Ruby Red]

Originally Posted by Dragon

snow is such a broad term. The snow where I am is dry, crisp and very fluffy. As you go towards the ocean the snow is wet and heavy. Our snow is easy to shovel and sticks around for 5 months so we just get use to it.

We deal with it by having 2 sets of tires for our cars and over 50% of the people here drive 4x4's or all wheel drive. There are also hundreds of snowplows, graders, and various forms of snow removal equipment to keep our society going. Also Alberta is quite flat which helps too. The roads are designed for snow removal in mind.

The cold on the other hand has many coping mechanisms... toques..long underwear... parkas..... bailey's...

LOL at baileys....!

The snow we get here is light and fluffy to start with – in fact, it’s gorgeous when it first falls, all the youngsters go out in it, play in it, make snowmen etc,. But then what happens is this, during the day the snow starts to melt as the temperature rises above freezing, the snow also gets compacted on the roads by cars driving over it and on the pavements with people walking on it. Overnight the temperature drops again and everything freezes – so the next day you have an ice skating rink on the roads and pavements. Even worse though, are the ‘black ice’ patches – this is where the snow on the pavement or road melts leaving little pools of water which then refreeze overnight – the next day it’s transparent so you can’t see it at all but it is soooooo slippery. In the past 3 days I have fallen down about 4 times, and got some really nice bruises on my arms and legs. I had to take the car out yesterday and I skidded a couple of times, it’s absolutely lethal.

As for snow ploughs and blowers, I think they are used in the more rural areas of the UK but I have never seen any around London or the major cities here. Our only ‘defence’ is the grit lorries. These come out and cover the roads with crude salt – the theory being that salt lowers the freezing point of water. However this is only effective if the grit lorries can get the salt down before the snow falls [half the time we are caught out so that doesn’t happen] plus it relies on the temperature not falling below around -5 which of course it has been doing at the moment, making gritting pretty pointless really.

Here is a picture of one of the roads in my area – look at the road – can you see it’s mushy snow and ice– this will refreeze overnight and be deadly to drive on tomorrow.

[Ruby Red]

Originally Posted by purplelori

Here in Portland we often don't get snow at all--although last year we had about a week in December and again in January where schools were closed, couldn't get to work, etc--very similar to you Stephanie. (Global Warming?) The big joke is whenever they are predicting snow, the news channels send some poor slob (probably the new guy!) out to the normally hardest hit places to stand out in the weather and report on it. It gets especially funny when they are wrong, and there isn't any snow! 'Here's Bob with the weather'Bob) 'Well Steve, we haven't seen any snow here yet, but if you remember 3 years ago we had 3 inches in this same spot' . It's so ridiculous. Last week with no warning at all it started snowing heavily at about 2:30 pm, and by 5pm there was at least 3 inches on the ground. The commute was vicious. People got stuck on buses, and buses never arrived, the whole bit. So I really understand your situation. Stay inside and warm as much as possible--maybe spend the time knitting your pooches sweaters!

That’s exactly what happens here Lori, so it’s really interesting to read that it happens where you are too. We are ALWAYS being told over here that other countries cope with it so much better than us.......

LOL, Lori, me? follow a knit pattern? If I started knitting now I might just about be able to knit myself something resembling a scarf in time for next winter..................anything else, no chance!

[Ruby Red]

Originally Posted by AussieGirl

Wow, thats a big write up Stephanie. Hope you and the puppers stay nice and snug, they sure will miss going on their walkies.

LOL Gizelle, nothing stops me going out – I have 3 dogs that live within 1 mile of my house and the owners still expect me to walk them, so Graham and I just put our boots on and go – the dogs here don’t seem bothered about the snow, they are just glad to be out I think!

[Ruby Red]

Originally Posted by Doreen

Our snowstorm only gave us about an inch.... although they are saying we will be getting more heavy blowing snow later this afternoon, but still not accumulating to much.

What’s going on out your way then Doreen? Had any more of it?