The Beast from the East....

[bionichamster]

It's not just 'Southern softies' who get hysterical about a wee bit of snow. I had the car radio on traffic alert yesterday on the way home and every traffic rpeport from Radio Scotland began with something along the lines of "due to the 'Beast from the East snow storm that is heading our way...."

The snow in Edinburgh, Fife and Southern Perthshire is so far pretty underwhelming given the levels of arm flapping and the hysterical reporting, probably a quarter inch of light flakes and powder. Due to the constant warnings about this apocalyptic snowmageddon I determined that I would heed the advice and will work from home tomorrow and maybe Thursday. If I survive the devastation wrought by a few more inches of snow then I will be back at work on Friday provided I can weave my way through the drifts without being hunted down mercilessly by hordes of crazed feral survivors determined to feast on human flesh, and I might pop into M&S on the way back and buy a nice cake.

FFS it's just a bit of fancy frozen water....

BH

[scotia]

I drove down from north of the antonine wall to Westmoreland this afternoon - a few flurries of snow - but no problems. I'll be continuing to Surrey tomorrow to see how the natives are coping.

[JMN2]

Is this "yellow snow" what I think it is? I was told never to drink yellow snow.

I'd like to be able to drive so I can get some food and panel pins, failing that I might have to take the bus to the town on Friday and spend my MKS voucher on posh food and beer... and have a few cask ales.

[PinkDalek]

Is this "yellow snow" what I think it is? I was told never to drink yellow snow.

I thought it was never eat but a gentle thwack:

viewtopic.php?p=120116#p120116

Would "St. Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast" be any more appetising?

[maximan]

.....and... it's here. Oh well. I had hoped to gloat for a bit. Never mind.

Waves of empathy in reverse

[UncleEbenezer]

Bright&sunny all day. Up the moors this afternoon, just the very occasional snowflake descending from a sunny sky. This evening, tiny hints of it at low levels: the pavement outside is white in parts, but my steps still show no sign of it.

The weathermen are promising some snow for tomorrow and thursday. Both evenings I'm supposed to be going out, but may cancel if serious disruption to the buses looks likely.

[AleisterCrowley]

.....and... it's here. Oh well. I had hoped to gloat for a bit. Never mind.

Looks like an AMBER alert for you tomorrow, if they haven't changed it.
Best 'work' from home then.. and batter down the hatchets, as drunk people say

[AleisterCrowley]

Some areas possibly RED, according to BBC (so that'll be the beetroot)

[Lootman]

Seems to me that the winter storm in early December was worse than this one, but it didn't get a name.

And what is it with all these school closures? I spent 13 years in the state school system in the 1960's and I can't recall my school ever closing for any reason let alone weather. And I would have remembered the joy of a day off.

Has everyone gone soft?

Of course I had it easy. My father used to walk 4 miles to and from school every day, no matter what the weather.

[UncleEbenezer]

Or something far...FAR worse <gulp>

Out-of-season strawberries?

[vrdiver]

Well, my sister's got it tough today - SIX FEET. INSIDE THE HOUSE!!!!

Pesky schools are closed.

[Alaric]

And what is it with all these school closures? I spent 13 years in the state school system in the 1960's and I can't recall my school ever closing for any reason let alone weather. And I would have remembered the joy of a day off.

That would have included the "big one" of 1962-63. Teachers are now likely to live further away from the schools they teach in, particularly in areas of high property values, so that's one difference. Risk aversion is greater of course, as is the acceptance of "where there's a blame, there's a claim" lawyers.

[scotia]

I had to dig the car out this morning at Tebay before proceeding to Surrey
The first 30 miles were slow but northward was at a standstill for many miles

[Rhyd6]

Friends have been with us from Oz. Had an email today to say they arrived home safely to 31degrees. They were really disappointed to have missed the beast from the East as they wanted to go sledging.

R6

[ten0rman]

And what is it with all these school closures? I spent 13 years in the state school system in the 1960's and I can't recall my school ever closing for any reason let alone weather. And I would have remembered the joy of a day off.



That would have included the "big one" of 1962-63. Teachers are now likely to live further away from the schools they teach in, particularly in areas of high property values, so that's one difference. Risk aversion is greater of course, as is the acceptance of "where there's a blame, there's a claim" lawyers.

I remember the '62-63 winter - I was a GPO linesman in a rural area (next one to the east of Last of the Summer Wine country) during that. Which, for me, puts the present lot into perspective. Back then we had 2 - 3 months of lying snow, roads that were in some instances getting on for six inches deep of hard packed snow & ice. This lot 'll be gone inside a week or so. Modern drivers don't know they're born!

ten0rman

[bungeejumper]

Oh goody, we've just got our very own red warning down here in the softy south west. "Risk to Life" this afternoon, all the way down the M5 corridor from Gloucester (nearly) to Plymouth (also nearly). As the Queen Mum might have said, we can look the Sarf East in the face now.

BJ

[Dod101]

I remember the '62-63 winter - I was a GPO linesman in a rural area (next one to the east of Last of the Summer Wine country) during that. Which, for me, puts the present lot into perspective. Back then we had 2 - 3 months of lying snow, roads that were in some instances getting on for six inches deep of hard packed snow & ice. This lot 'll be gone inside a week or so. Modern drivers don't know they're born!

I hope you are right, (that it will be gone within a week) It does not sound like that to me at the moment with the best part of a foot and a freezing cold strong wind (West Perthshire) The forecast is not good for the next ten days or so.

Dod

[vrdiver]

Indeed.

Even in 2010, I can't recall the wife ever having to push me and the car out of a slippery situation, yet she's had to do it twice in the past 2 days. SIberian snow eh?


Snorvey - an equal opportunities husband since Nineteen Oatcake.

#getyerarseoutthereandpush

Crikey! The temperature outside would be positively balmy compared to the chill inside if I tried to pull that trick!

VRD

[AleisterCrowley]

Forecast down here (Berks/south Bucks) is cold, snowy, and below 0C until Saturday -then 'warming' up to a sizzling max 6C-8C peak, with min above freezing, as we get into next week
Just as well, as I've got meetings in London and Reading Mon-Wed

[UncleEbenezer]

Oh goody, we've just got our very own red warning down here in the softy south west. "Risk to Life" this afternoon, all the way down the M5 corridor from Gloucester (nearly) to Plymouth (also nearly). As the Queen Mum might have said, we can look the Sarf East in the face now.

BJ

Either you exaggerate or it's receded since your post. Just amber here, even right up on the moors.

Haven't been out today, but sampled a bit of it yesterday late afternoon. Roads were treated and remained normal, and snow on grassy surfaces was fine despite the effects of kids tobogganning, but paths pavements were very slippery, making it hard work getting anywhere. Had to divert my path to do a steep downhill bit on grass rather than path. A gust of strong wind with driving snow had me pausing and averting my face.

I wonder if I still have the sandals that proved so good on slippery surfaces back when we had a couple of colder winters round about 2010? Couldn't wear them in normal conditions without getting blisters, but they were great on snow&ice, with a grip a thousand times better than slipping around in other shoes, including walking boots.