That Deaded White Stuff
#1

Those of you who have experience of life in England will also already know this but we've had snow falling for the past day or so, at least in the southwest, which isn't usually the case (the eastern half of the country normally gets it worse than we do).

Those of you who with experience of life in England will already know how Britain slides to a complete halt the moment it happens. We don't get Siberian permafrost, scandanavian frozen lakes, or US Blizzards here, so we just don't know how to cope. In fact, we've had about an inch or so (the tv news is getting quite excited at having something to report and warn us about).

I live on a hill, on a busy street, and now the slush formed by passing vehicles has started to freeze again as the evening draws near, cars are struggling to climb the hill. There's a long line of them sitting in the grey-brown mess, spaced out to prevent the sort of shunts and accidents that british drivers have no fear of in the dry.

As I walked warily down the slippery compressed snow on the pavement, a chap was escorting his young daughter home clearly after having enjoyed some winter fun on the slopes of Lawns Wood meadow. She dragged her father to a halt and pointed with innocent curiosity. "Why is that car slipping, Daddy?" She asked.

"Because it's slippery, Love" He responded.

There you go. proof that Britain has no understanding of snow.
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#2

Thats funny :lol: :lol:

Deutschmark
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#3

Poor girl... Her glowing future as an Automotive Design Engineer snuffed out in a sentence and downgraded to joining the Sharon's and Tracey's on the supermarket tills.
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#4

That is an interesting contrast with Michigan. We are in our second mild winter in a row. It is not unusual for us to have a foot of accumulation and 20 or more degrees below freezing - especially night and morning commute. To date this season we have only had what we consider is just a "dusting of snow" and a lot of days above freezing. It seems that global climate change is generally good for Michigan and not so good for many others around the world. ;dd
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#5

Looking out the window the snow is back. Fine wet snow mind you, the bulk of the snowfall is in the southeast today.

The thing with Britain is that we get snow when cold air hits moist air, so unless winds from the arctic or the continent are heading our way (the prevailing wind is off the Atlantic thus milder in tone), it doesn't happen. Recently the jetstream has been wavering southward of its average course so the as happened just over the past few days, the necessary cold air is getting across Britain.

Sometimes we do get serious winters of course 1948 and 1961 come to mind. But these are exceptional and linked to global variances. We often forget that Britain is on the same latitude as Labrador, so the blessings of an oceanic climate benefit us considerably.
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#6

Snow? I live in Norway but am in Brussels on business right now; the bloody stuff followed me, I tell you! about 5 - 6 cm (10 in some places) this morning - more than at home!
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#7

dinosaurJR Wrote:Snow?...the bloody stuff followed me, I tell you!

That makes a vacation to be a futile thing. :lol:
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#8

Hi Gentlemen,

right now we have more than 10cm or around 4 inches (give or take a centimeter) and its still snowing - and it was raining as well. Confusedhock:
We used to have cold winters too - 30 years ago, but not nowadays. These days it just means traffic chaos. :roll:
Right now (alright, a few minutes ago) I'm standing at my window, a hot mug of coffee in my hands and I truly love the view! Smile

Wish you all a very nice day and drive carefully - with or without snow! 8)

Jambo :wink:
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#9

Last night I took a moment to look out the back of the house in one of my reflective and philosophical moods (Maybe I was just a bit bored). Under street lights Swindon takes on an orange hue, especially with snow on the ground. Everything was still, unnaturally quiet. Even at this time in the early hours you expect to hear something going on. Perhaps the crescendo of a speeding motorbike. Youths competing for shouting rights..Giggles and guffaws of revellers making their unsteady way home. The woosh of cars passing anonymously by.

There was nothing. Just a wintery scene, a still life portrait of Swindon by lamplight. Then I saw the fox down in the yard. He's a regular visitor. I don't know where he hides in daylight but I imagine he's one of the foxes living in the wooded hillsides of the nearby park. That crafty little beggar managed to prowl around my home once or twice this last summer. I see you. He sees me too, looking down at him from my window, and decides to make himself scarce, carrying away his brown paper bag of Kentucky Fried leftovers. Motion vanishes with him and Swindon is frozen still once more.
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#10

Hello caldrail,

very well written! Big Grin
Truly philosophical and imaginable! 8)

Have a nice day!

Jambo :wink:
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