Snow-watch

[Jimmy Mack]

We're all stopped in today... Nursery closed and Yorkshire roads not great. Mrs Jim quarantined by order.... don't want a 35 week pregnant with dodgy hip Mrs doing any gymnastics!

Pretty though.

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[RogerS]

We're all stopped in today... Nursery closed and Yorkshire roads not great......

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I dunno ? You soft Southern wussies ! :lol: Tha's dusting, lad.

Now this is real snow

 

[Jimmy Mack]

We're all stopped in today... Nursery closed and Yorkshire roads not great......

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I dunno ? You soft Southern wussies ! [emoji38] Tha's dusting, lad.

Now this is real snow

[emoji3]

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[RogerS]

:lol: :eusa-clap:

 

[Malc2098]

That what a pint of Old Thumper does for you!!! :lol:

 

[AndyP]

6-8 inches now and still falling with more expected. Spadeadam (2 miles away) even made the national news this morning. Not going anywhere soon.

Are you well stocked up, Roger?

Situation critical...down to my last two bottles of Spitfire Gold

Thought of you as I bought some Lancaster Bomber last week.

 

[RogerS]

Are you well stocked up, Roger?

Situation critical...down to my last two bottles of Spitfire Gold

Thought of you as I bought some Lancaster Bomber last week.

3 bottles of Bomber for £5.25 in the local Spar garage. :eusa-dance:

 

[9fingers]

Bob

 

[MJ80]

I think I have become one of those overseas type who laughs at the Britain in winter chaos stories on the news.
Over here it is bloody cold, the ice has ice and every time it seems to warm up it snows again, it's playing havoc with trying to get a day to fix the ridge tiles since the big storm at the start of the year. Still something magic about snow.

 

[RogerS]

I think I have become one of those overseas type who laughs at the Britain in winter chaos stories on the news.
Over here it is bloody cold, the ice has ice and every time it seems to warm up it snows again, it's playing havoc with trying to get a day to fix the ridge tiles since the big storm at the start of the year. Still something magic about snow.

On most occasions I would have to agree with you. We have the age old argument as to whether we invest in infrastructure and equipment for dealing with the relatively scarce occasions when we get snow.

However, on this occasion I have to disagree. The weather is unprecedented (at least for forty years or more). It is the first time that Scotland has had a Red warning (and only the second in the UK) since the colour scheme came into place. And let's face it, Scotland is not exactly unfamiliar with snow.

And now we have another red warning in the South West.

Have to confess that this snow has caught us unprepared...which given the general state of disarray that we're in is perhaps not surprising. But I'm going to make sure that I have the means to connect up the generator, petrol to feed it, camping gaz stoves and freezer full of frozen veg.

At the moment we aren't going anywhere soon and I'm not sure if we will get out next week I'm told that the road up to RAF Spadeadam is always kept open which means that the hotel (should) get supplies and so we could in extremis check in there fora few nights.

And I have no idea what the rest of the roads are like. The problem is compounded by my wife being severely coeliac and so all prepared meals are out of the question. So it's not simply a question of popping out to the Spar garage and hoovering up the shelves (assuming others haven't got there ahead of us).

 

[MJ80]

I've just seen this morning headlines and it looks really serious, especially with this other storm on the way. Hope you all stay safe and warm.

The lack of infrastructure isn't really surprising given how much has been mothballed over the years. The organisation here is really different. The Council has fleets of different sized snow ploughs and gritters, from the normal road ones, to pickups with ploughs and spreaders and little ones that do the paths. On main roads with hills there are salt bins where there is often trouble for wagons so they have a chance to get moving again. The council also subs out parts to local farmers to keep things clear in areas off the main road before the other gear arrives. Residents have to clear the pavement sections outside their house, I got a snowplough attachment for the mower to clear the track and farmyard, (that puts a smile om my face). Compulsory use of winter compound tyres make a world of difference and safety.
Last time we were caught out I was coming through the pass in the hills watching wagons get so far and then start sliding back down, quite hair raising. But a couple of hours later it was cleared, it is a really impressive service.

 

[Mike G]

 

[Pinch]

Lift off! :lol: Nice one Mike.

 

[Pinch]

All relatively quite here on the Western at the moment, but I think we're going to miss Storm Emma here in our part of Dorset. :|

Funny how all weather storms are female names... :lol:

Batten down the hatches Malc, Em is on her way matey!

 

[9fingers]

This is all we can manage so far
Bob

 

[Malc2098]

This is how much has fallen since 6 am this morning, but Mid-Devon had a red warning from 1 pm today.

 

[TrimTheKing]

Does that ruin the milk or when it thaws is it okay?

 

[RogerS]

You guys just aren't trying hard enough

 

[StevieB]

Does that ruin the milk or when it thaws is it okay?

Should be fine - we often freeze milk if we order too much - the kids go in cycles of devouring cereal like locusts and then not touching it for a week for some reason!

 

[StevieB]

You guys just aren't trying hard enough

I know you are not keen on your curernt location Roger, but the more I see of it the more I like it!

 

[AndyP]

Does that ruin the milk or when it thaws is it okay?

I'd drink it once thawed so long as it doesn't smell. We used to freeze carton milk, at -17 rather than just a few below though. Trust your nose.

 

[Mike G]

Does that ruin the milk or when it thaws is it okay?

It only ruins if the glass cracks and leaves little bits in the milk. Otherwise fine.

Fun little sciency aside.........milk freezes at about half a degree below water, and this difference is used as a detection method for finding out if milk has been watered down.

 

[Mark A]

Why is the bulk of snow clearance done by a small fleet which spends most of the year parked up in yards when there's an umpteen number of council vehicles available which are capable of pushing a snow plough after a few minor modifications (bin wagons, tractors, 7.5t flatbeds, 4wd pickups)? Seems obvious to utilise what they already have than let the country grind to a holt every time the weather turns wintery.

 

[9fingers]

Why is the bulk of snow clearance done by a small fleet which spends most of the year parked up in yards when there's an umpteen number of council vehicles available which are capable of pushing a snow plough after a few minor modifications (bin wagons, tractors, 7.5t flatbeds, 4wd pickups)? Seems obvious to utilise what they already have than let the country grind to a holt every time the weather turns wintery.

I'd imagine that for a country that get no more than a slack handful of these sorts bad weather days, it is just easier and more economic to only have special measures in place in areas that get more severely affected.

Here in the deep south we might get a dusting of snow once in five years say. In my working career of 34 years I can only remember being sent home from work due to weather on about 4 occasions and two of those were gales in 89 & 87 when I lost about 10% of my roof tiles and my parents and acre of greenhouses.

Bob

 

[Malc2098]

Oo er.

 

[TrimTheKing]

Is that you in the middle the Malc...?

Batten down those hatches lad!!

 

[Mike G]

Is that you in the middle the Malc...?.

:lol: Malcolm in the middle? :eusa-dance:

 

[TrimTheKing]

Wondered if anyone would pick that up. You must be younger than you look Mike... :eusa-whistle: :lol:

 

[Malc2098]

Is that you in the middle the Malc...?.

:lol: Malcolm in the middle? :eusa-dance:

:lol:

Thanks, Guys.

Battens hatched down. Blizzard just started.

 

[TrimTheKing]

Snow starting to melt (though I don't know how as it's -3 here) and winds getting up. Literally just looked out the window to see a Magpie getting thrown around the sky like a plastic bag blowing in the wind!!!!

 

[Jimmy Mack]

Yowzers!

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[Mike G]

........Battens hatched down.........

I don't know how to tell you this Malcolm but you may be doing that wrong.

 

[9fingers]

Snow starting to melt (though I don't know how as it's -3 here) and winds getting up. Literally just looked out the window to see a Magpie getting thrown around the sky like a plastic bag blowing in the wind!!!!

I can't think of a much better thing to happen to a magpie - horrid bully birds!

Bob

 

[Malc2098]

........Battens hatched down.........

I don't know how to tell you this Malcolm but you may be doing that wrong.

:lol:

Malcolm's in the middle!

Or perhaps the hatches and battens should be other way round!

 

[Mike G]

.......I can't think of a much better thing to happen to a magpie - horrid bully birds!

Bob

Specist! They're just trying to make a living, like the rest of us. Bet you wouldn't say that about a cheetah, or a pike.

 

[Malc2098]

Blizzard arrived bang on time!

 

[Woodster]

Finally got some snow here in Dorset, about 20mm at the moment but it’s still coming down. Few roads in my area seem to have been gritted, not even the dual carriageway.

 

[Rod]

We had about 10mm overnight but had to pick up one Granddaughter whose school closed at 12.
No problems with my 4wd and winter tyres. Now snowing heavily.

Woke up to find wall mounted gas boiler dripping clean water - boiler still functioning ok otherwise.
Sussed it might be the condensing outlet frozen as temps reached -5C.

Thawed it out with several applications of warm water and seems to have done the trick. As a stop gap I’ve I’ve stuffed some pipe lagging over it.
The boiler is 8yrs old and nothing like this has happened before. Will box it in properly later. Left message with plumber as the boiler should be checked out but I expect he’s been inundated with calls.

Our County Council works with the Highways Agency and share gritting routes, machines etc. Most vehicles are multifunctional. In rural areas farmers are paid a standby fee to clear the roads in their patches. They receive very detailed weather forecasts informing them of likely road surface temperatures so that gritting can be carried out before frosts occur.

Rod

 

[RogerS]

Snow starting to melt (though I don't know how as it's -3 here) and winds getting up. Literally just looked out the window to see a Magpie getting thrown around the sky like a plastic bag blowing in the wind!!!!

Are you sure it's snow melting and not a burst water pipe, Mark ?

 

[TrimTheKing]

Snow starting to melt (though I don't know how as it's -3 here) and winds getting up. Literally just looked out the window to see a Magpie getting thrown around the sky like a plastic bag blowing in the wind!!!!

Are you sure it's snow melting and not a burst water pipe, Mark ?

Unless it's burst underneath my entire garden and the surrounding fields then no...

Snow is just disappearing. Not melting, just disappearing.