Big Freeze for Britain

I know this isn't the survivalism that is most commonly discussed but Britain is going to experiance temperatures below freezing and wind chills. Anywya I thought I'd post this here and let you know in advance that if gloves, a scarf and a wooly hat are missing from your kit then its time to buy some new ones.

You should also be keeping in touch with your parents if they are quite old, just in case.

Any comments? Someone even mentioned a prophecy about Ace Age apocalypse too.

Weather forecasters are predicting chaos on the roads as Britain returns to work next week, with warnings of ice, sleet, and freezing temperatures.

Piers Corbyn, from long-range forecasters WeatherAction, said: "The winds from Siberia are going to make it extremely cold - like the conditions we experienced in January 1987 where it was -12C (10.4F) in the south.

"The average temperature for January as a whole will be close to freezing - 0.8C (33.4F) at best."

He added that temperatures could plummet to -17C (1.4F) in the Midlands.

The Highways Agency seem in agreement, having put hundreds of gritting vehicles on standby across the country.

But Stephen Davenport, senior meteorologist at MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: "Apocalyptic predictions verging on prophecies of a new Ice Age need to be put into perspective.

"There is no doubt at all that it will feel bitterly cold, especially on Thursday and particularly in the eastern half of Britain.

"Strong, raw winds from the east will bring a significant wind-chill and showers of sleet and snow. In the middle of winter such conditions are hardly unknown though, and in fact could be far, far worse. Indeed, some people in the western half of the country might be left wondering what all the fuss is about.

"By the weekend this brief freeze will have disappeared, as milder and occasionally wet and windy weather blasts in from the west.

"That will put winter on hold again for most areas until at least the middle of next week, although snow is possible for a time in the North on Sunday and Monday."

- Press Association, 2007. Big freeze forecast set to him britain. Yahoo! News (U.K), [internet]. December 31st
[available at: uk.news.yahoo.com...]

Hmm, i don't know where they get this info from. Ive seen several weather forcasts and we are expecting snow over the next 36 hours but it is due to move northwards quickly turning to rain by the weekend. It will then turn milder with an unsettled outlook for the rest of January. temperatures over the next couple of days around 0-3 degrees celcius. Back to you in the studio

I live in the midlands and dont fancy feeling -17!:

See Met Office Website for accurate weather reports.

[edit on 2-1-2008 by fiftyfifty]

reply to post by amanbuthimself


It might be that fact that i'm Finnish, but what is the problem? -17 and icy winds... we lived with that for a month öast winter, no big deal. Wait until it drops to -35C then it's cold

Originally posted by northwolf
reply to post by amanbuthimself

 

It might be that fact that i'm Finnish, but what is the problem? -17 and icy winds... we lived with that for a month öast winter, no big deal. Wait until it drops to -35C then it's cold

Damn that's cold!

The problem with the UK is if it snows for more than 10 minutes, the whole country grinds to a halt and people start dying. We just aren't prepared (no reason why we shouldn't be) and the fact that the weather is one of the top things that Brits talk about, so when it snows and gets a bit slippery everyones talking about it lol.

and i cert wouldnt trust anything Piers Corbyn has to say.......

A carrot is more reliable than he is !!

snoopyuk

Not too bad really, no snow for me though....

Shame really, I love snow.

From what i have heard... Its the end of Jan and early Febuary that we have to worry about,

Theres talk of a major freeze coming then,

What we are getting over the next 24 hours is going to be quick but real cold,

I think major things to remember is,

1, Make sure you have tinned food in, In case you cant get out,

2, Do not leave for a drive without having extra blankets in the boot and a charged mobile in case of a breakdown, Fill a flask up with hot water also,

3, Keep your house pipes warm, and again make sure there is extra water ect in case of pipes bursting,

Good advice.

Also, remember to close windows, and make sure you contact someobody if you are travelling anywhere remote...

But yep, blankets, gloves, scarves, hats, hot water bottles, flasks of tea and a torch, aswell as spare, dry clothes. etc.

Remember thick baggy clothes may keep you warm for a while, but several layers of thin clothes underneath the thick clothes will retain body heat.

Remember to stay in contact with elderly loved ones too... they are more vulnerbale to cold weather...


[edit on 2-1-2008 by mr-lizard]

Thanks for the replies. Currently it is Thursday and I'm in the midlands but I haven't noticed this big freeze yet. Perhaps we'll be feeling it tonight?

Some nice tips as well.

I'm going to get some breakfast and gloves from my cornershop shortly

I really can't believe that northwolf has been around in those temperatures (but I know he/she will have). We need to aclimatise to -17 before -36

for a hole 24hours wow?

hardly the ice age part II


[edit on 3-1-2008 by BRITWARRIOR]

Originally posted by BRITWARRIOR
for a hole 24hours wow?

hardly the ice age part II


[edit on 3-1-2008 by BRITWARRIOR]

Ha! Wait until Feb, last Feb we had 3 consecutive days of snow and Ice! Thousands of homes without power, motorway pileups, old people ending up in hospital, shops selling out fo bread and beans... it makes me laugh. This country is useless when it comes to weather.

It's either dangerously cold (around freezing point), dangerously hot (38 degrees), dangerously wet (a couple of days of rain and Noahs ark comes out), dangerously dry (We run out of water when we have a good summer), dangerously windy (caravans blown over and tin rooves come off) or dangerously normal (People think its safe and end up drowning, burning or driving into something hard)

Ahhhh the british weather I LOVE IT!

Have a pint or quarter and slip under a cozy blanket with your
lover LOL

It has been cold here in Missouri this week as well wind chills in the single digits
9 degrees Fahrenheit which if I did the math right is around -12 or -13 degrees Celsius cold enough for me for now but not as cold as it has been in the past

Thank goodness we supplement our heat with a wood burner I have had that thing going round the clock and the furnace only kicked on while I was sleeping

Well Bundle up and hunker down mates...


Respectfully
GEO

Originally posted by amanbuthimself


You should also be keeping in touch with your parents if they are quite old, just in case.

Any comments? Someone even mentioned a prophecy about Ace Age apocalypse too.

What a nice thing to point out. A star for you. It's very sad the amount of old folk on their own . I love the snow when I'm wrapped up warm and inside in front of a fire but most elderly are afraid to switch anything on because of the bills these days.As for a coming ice age, I wouldn't be surprised.I'm in Fife and it's very cold and windy at the minute. Not much snow so far but we've had that hail/snow that looks like wee diamonds with a cone at one end. Can't remember what it's called.

Just had to add - as I posted the above message it turned to a blizzard outside. Great big fluffy flakes but none lying so far. The sky's turned very dark though so this could go on for hours.

Originally posted by northwolf

It might be that fact that i'm Finnish, but what is the problem? -17 and icy winds... we lived with that for a month öast winter, no big deal. Wait until it drops to -35C then it's cold

Its probably because your country is used to the temperatures, and are prepared. In the UK we are not very well prepared when it comes to weather, be it freezing or really hot, it always causes problems with travel, people etc.

Anyway I do hope it snows one day in London, maybe end of the month?

Because I love snow every now and again.



[edit on 3-1-2008 by _Phoenix_]

Originally posted by wigit
Just had to add - as I posted the above message it turned to a blizzard outside. Great big fluffy flakes but none lying so far. The sky's turned very dark though so this could go on for hours.

The sky's getting very dark and heavy here too, no snow yet though but it looks like it should start anytime in the next hour or so.

Originally posted by amanbuthimself
Thanks for the replies. Currently it is Thursday and I'm in the midlands but I haven't noticed this big freeze yet. Perhaps we'll be feeling it tonight?

Nah, it'll be turning warmer tonight .... we may see a handful of snowflakes for a time. Then rain tomorrow.

Looks pretty snowy for the Highlands over the next few days though - could well set up a decent base for skiers etc

Piers Corbyn is predicting a prolonged cold spell - during which temps may drop to -17c (last year, the coldest temp recorded anywhere in the UK was -13c) starting about the 9th or 10th of January and lasting into February. At present, computer model output suggests that such a scenario is about as likely as a heatwave with temps in the mid 20s ...... But we'll see ..... I do think we'll see more snow and colder temps overall than we did last winter.

reply to post by Essan


ahhh good ol` Piers Corbyn , i find it strange that he charges for his forecasts !!! lol..

snooyuk

5pm and still not so much as a flake in my neck of the woods. Although my cuz has text me, he's a train driver, and says that the railway yard at Motherwell is coupling huge snow ploughs onto diesel locomotives, presumably to run around the network tonight to keep the lines clear.

They're enormous, these ploughs ... probably the first time they've been used in years.

Just nipped out for a bite to eat and found it to be colder than last night.

Note to self: buy new hat.