Advanced Warning Of Snow and Deep Cold Arriving in the UK.

Originally posted by Britguy
reply to post by LittleBlackEagle

 

The Robins here are native and remain all year round. I take a large amount of food out with me on the weekend walks so they are always well fed. In fact, they are quite bold wee things and will often fly down and sit right in front of me chirping while I get the food out. I have even had them perched on my fingertips eating from my hand, which certainly keeps a grin on my face for the rest of the day.

That post actually had me saying "ahhhhh" outloud... Now me.. As a trained killer.. Does not appreciate being forced into sentimental old lady "ahhhhh" noises.. You made my list mate.. Well done..

When the revolution comes... After we have managed to get some grit on the roads.. I will be making a trip to see you........

Coz then you can help me hand feed a robin.. And then I will make a needlework tapestry out of the encounter..

Right after I have wiped my backside on the good stuff..

Seriously though.. That post really DID make me go ahhh..

I have become my nan lol

reply to post by jrmcleod


Thanks for the heads up

I think I remember reading another of your weather threads a while back

I will spread the word

S&F

reply to post by suzyspaghetti


Waaaaaaaay ahead of you there. Been homebrewing for 3 years or so.

reply to post by LittleBlackEagle


The American Robin is a different species to the Robins we have in Europe.

The Robin population in the UK is fairly static and usually stay in their home territories all year round, although migrant Robins from other colder parts of the EU show up in the UK during harsh winters.

My house has two or three overlapping Robin territories, they're there all year round conducting their business, maintaining their boundaries, eating and making little Robins.

As we all know harsh winters take a heavy toll on small bird populations so if you feel inclined put out a bird feeder or two and give the little fellas a helping hand, they'll need it.

European Robin:


American Robin:

Posted in response to suzyspaghetti

UK running out of grit

Definitely disagree - I think most local authorities learned their lesson from the caning they received 2 or 3 years ago. Most have probably over-compensated to the point where they have now have much more than they will need for an average winter.

all the schools will be closed

Oh, my word, YES. At the first sight of snow, Headteachers will be sending their little darlings home, blaming "Health and Safety" rules again. In fact, what they actually fear is a possible media and legal backlash if any of them should slip on the snow or ice.

The UK has a history of not being prepared for this kind of weather

I used to agree, but now I'm not so sure. We are certainly better forewarned of bad weather - it's what we CHOOSE to do when it arrives that I wonder about. Do we use it as an excuse not to go to work? Definitely, though for many that really isn't a choice, especially if their children have been sent home from school, and public transport is at a stand-still. Should we risk life and limb getting to work? No, I'm not sure we should do that, either.

To use the word "prepared" in its other sense ... I think that the UK (as individuals, organisations and authorities) is prepared to let bad weather get in the way of "business as usual" in a way that most other countries aren't.

reply to post by lacrimoniousfinale


I hope your right regarding the issue on 'grit' I would also like to think that a lesson has been learned from previous years bad weather, I guess I don't have much faith in the UK authorities and councils anymore.....

when I see it, Ill believe it.

I hope you're right jrmcleod, I love the snow and have missed it so far this year.

I can't wait to go out walking with my dogs in deep snow, they love it just as much as I do.

Just recently, i think it was early December? We had a brief cold snap that lasted about 2-3 days before the milder weather set in.

There was a very light dashing of snow around a few places in the South East, but mostly it was just a lot of frost. I think there was about probably less than a half a centimetre of snow one night where my parents live and a lot of frost.
My poor Mother left for work the next morning at 7:15am to head to work in Central London for 9am as usual and the trains were so badly messed up she finally made it into work at 1:15pm. Bearing in mind she lives in the Greater London area, not a long journey at all.

Most people would have given up and thought # it, and went home, but she persevered.

The fact that slightly below freezing temperatures with frost and a mildest dash of snow can cause that effect, tells me we will never be prepared for any heavier snow, regradless of lessons learned from previous years.

This whole country comes to a standstill when we have what we class as bad weather, but in other places it's considered normal. Considering we have such diverse weather, you would expect us to be prepared for any eventuality.

I remember reading that global warming would lead to melting polar ice, which would change the salinity in the oceans enough to change the atlantic currents, and could cause brutal winters in europe (not as much warm water coming up from africa)

but yeah, this is not evidence of that

Thank god for that...the impending snow I mean. I knew it would change at some point and had a feeling it might be a bad one. The year doesn't feel right if we haven't had a decent winter snowfall and got snowed in at least once. I'm well stocked up on all the things I need and I will be giggling about Britguys scratchy bum paper for a long time...

It's been so mild here, it's just not right. I read online the that it was 14 degrees on the summit of Cairngorm two days ago...*during the night!!* We generally don't get August daytime temperature like that.

And oh god...thundersnow...I love it! Please make sure you're all stocked up folks, and do car prep too...it's really really important. Check all the techy stuff and fill the boot with what you might need...blankets, a tupperware of snacks, torches, shovel, you know the drill. Don't leave it till the last minute.

FEMA was tweeting yesterday about having emergency plans for extreme and cold weather here in the US. No crystal ball but maybe they know something?

One thing I would like to add for our friends in the UK is to watch out for strong winds associated with this front. By their selves powerful winds can be a problem but mix them with arctic cold snaps and it can really drive the temps down.

Stay safe and have PLENTY of extra water with your emergency supplies. Be sure and pre-check in with your elderly neighbors and help them during if needed.

I don't remember 2010 or 2009 being that bad and I live in the pennines where we used to get a fair bit of snow.

I remember getting snow from November through to February/March. It was common to get school off for all the snow. In recent years you see a sprinkling in Janaury and that's about it.

Can't remember anything but a light dusting in recent years, hyped up by the london media who can't handle mild weather

selfishly, i'm hoping for tons of snow, because i've almost forgot what it looks like!

I love the snow it makes everything seem more magical, I really hope it snows soon, we only had like 3 inches here in Scotland very disappointing.

Originally posted by caitlinfae
It's been so mild here, it's just not right. I read online the that it was 14 degrees on the summit of Cairngorm two days ago...*during the night!!* We generally don't get August daytime temperature like that.

That sounds about 'right'. I've been looking on the Winter Highland website more or less daily this winter, and the temperatures have been ridiculously high the last few days, around 10 quite often. There was snow cover across the Cairngorm range, it's now mostly gone (in terms of a practical looking winter mountain day), unless you're after some very icy skiing or a rather hairy Ice climb.

While there isn't much chance of one right now, the Scottish Avalanche Information Service does some good info and pictures as well. This one, for the North Cairngorms (well, their blog) currently shows some pictures around the Cairngorm Plateau, and it really has a lot of bare patches.

If it does get really cold and snowy, I'll have very mixed feelings, on the one hand I love snowy mountain days, on the other I'm about to do nearly 3 weeks of kayaking/canoeing.

No No No i will be moving around that time 160 miles away to where they get more snow than here! the lorry moving the furniture etc etc i don't want to hear this! any way i don't think any one can predict 2 weeks ahead what the weather is going to be like! its touch and and go with a weeks forcast, sometimes it shifts to somewhere else, stop frightinening me!

Since we got caught out in 2009/10 when the government failed to grit any roads and got slated for it. This is all we seem to here now, The old oh its gonna be a bad month. They said it was going to be -15 in december and its been the mildest december i can remember!. Having said that my "Super furry underpants" are ready for action at a moments notice

On a good note... Severely cold weather kills alot of germs and bacteria!

reply to post by jrmcleod

Some of you may remember seeing this NASA image of the entire UK covered in snow...something quite unusual.

HA!

NASA never took that photo it was ma buddy Scot from the University of Dundee, Scotland.

Sorry minor point but I have a story behind it of my friend sending me a e-mail with the photo attached telling me to look out for it in the next days news, its kind of been a running joke now because the guy never shuts up about it.

He would never forgive me if I let you away with claiming NASA took is precious photo….

Originally posted by Meldionne1
On a good note... Severely cold weather kills alot of germs and bacteria!

Very true. Maybe the lack of cold frosty weather is why many people have fallen ill the last month with various illnesses

Adverse weather - nature's way of telling the planet's workaholics to have an unscheduled break from the grindstone.