Snow

[Ex- Member]

2 inches in Beaminster dorst DT8 and still snowing, yet no snow 6 miles down the road in Bridport DT6 just wet.

[Foxglove]

There's not much left of it now but this is what I woke up to on Monday morning here on the Wey Navigation in Surrey .

 

 

 

 

Duncan

[David Schweizer]

It's quite odd here in Wiltshire. The snow on the trees and roofs is thawing, but it is still snowing at the same time. There is about 6" on the ground at the moment.

 

Yesterday the Village was full of kids an parents playing snowballs and building Snowmen, but it has gone very quiet today.

[magpie patrick]

For three days in a row Val has been unable to make the short drive from Bath to Radstock: although it is only about ten miles there are two high spots at Odd Down and Peasedown St John. On Wednesday the roads had iced over and an accident blocked the way all day (and with only untreated narrow lanes round Val gave up), Yesterday nearly a foot of snow. Today looked dodgy so I tried to take her in my car as it has ABS and traction control, and is much more solid if you do hit something. Couldn't even get up the first hill to Odd Down. When she rang in the factory had closed for the day. It was as David described, thawing and snowing at the same time

 

And yet on Wednesday I got to Telford no trouble, and yesterday went to Birmingham by train with no real problems once I'd waded through the snow to Oldfield Park Station

[Nightwatch]

I sit here watching the news and seeing that the majirity of the country is under snow.

Not one flake here in Hampshire. I so wanted to take the sledge out.

 

Boo Hoo!

 

Martyn

[Graham and Jo]

I sit here watching the news and seeing that the majirity of the country is under snow.

Not one flake here in Hampshire. I so wanted to take the sledge out.

 

Boo Hoo!

 

Martyn

Move North slightly, we have another inch or so in Alton and it is still snowing. Cheers Graham

[Nightwatch]

The South Downs must be stopping the snow from coming south.

[stickleback]

Just starting to snow here again on the Surrey / Sussex borders. As yet, not settling! And I hoope it doesn't...

 

Stickleback

[DHutch]

Few photos ive snaped of the occation.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=1342...mp;id=274701078

[johnjo]

Few photos ive snaped of the occation.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=1342...mp;id=274701078

Looked at ya pics, what on earth is the stuff with the orange tops, [1% milk], so what's the other 99%?

[DHutch]

Looked at ya pics, what on earth is the stuff with the orange tops, [1% milk], so what's the other 99%?

Yeah i thought it was worth a photo. I think its just a case of poor forward thinking there.

- Dont know if you can see the comments, but apprently it is actaully the correct name for it, like "semi-skimed milk" (0.2%) or "full-fat milk" (3.5%)

[NB Alnwick]

Few photos ive snaped of the occation.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=1342...mp;id=274701078

 

Nic pics Dan - like the Landrover, just the job in this weather!

[sueb]

Is this bad weather a media hype? On Wednesday went from Reading to Cannock; Thursday Cannock to Reading via Bristol; today Reading to Hemel Hempstead and return. No snow on any of the roads. When we got to Hemel we were told that the road we had taken was impassable. It had a little slush on the road outside the wheel tracks but certainly not enough for us to reduce speed.

Sue

[David Schweizer]

Is this bad weather a media hype? On Wednesday went from Reading to Cannock; Thursday Cannock to Reading via Bristol; today Reading to Hemel Hempstead and return. No snow on any of the roads. When we got to Hemel we were told that the road we had taken was impassable. It had a little slush on the road outside the wheel tracks but certainly not enough for us to reduce speed.

Sue

There is a lot of Media hype going on, but the six inches of snow on my garden is not a Myth, and the Local Bus sliding all over the road, outside my house, this morning was not imagined.

 

I think it depends on where you are, we live quite high up, about six miles from Bath, and the roads are pretty dodgy all around the village. But my son who lives in the centre of Bath said that most of the roads there are just wet, and he has had no problems travelling to work in Bristol on the train.

Edited February 7, 2009 by David Schweizer

[NB Alnwick]

Is this bad weather a media hype? On Wednesday went from Reading to Cannock; Thursday Cannock to Reading via Bristol; today Reading to Hemel Hempstead and return. No snow on any of the roads. When we got to Hemel we were told that the road we had taken was impassable. It had a little slush on the road outside the wheel tracks but certainly not enough for us to reduce speed.

Sue

 

You probably chose a good time to travel - I have been stuck in the house today (and worrying if the fire is still warm enough to stop the boat from freezing) and from my window, here in Northamptonshire, I have watched cars, vans and lorries slithering about on the short hill that leads up to the village centre. There have been several crazy spins, a few collisions and many cars skidding off the road and getting stuck. There are still a few abandoned vehicles out there where people just gave up and walked.

[alan_fincher]

Quality snow sculpture at our marina.

 

The owners of the boat "Mrs Sippy" based this on their own dog.

 

We think it's rather good.

 

 

Despite Sue reporting no problems in Hemel Hempstead, we live just 5 miles from there, and the roads here are decidedly dodgy.

 

Roads you would normally expect to have been gritted in these conditions have not been, presumably because Hertfordshire is one of those counties reported as having almost no road salt left.

 

We decided to abandon the route we would normally take to the boat, and go round a longer way that was much clearer. The son of the marina owner reported that his father had been unable to get over either of the canal bridges that lead to the marina, and that he had had to come to his assistance. The road around the marina is a virtual skid-pan.

 

Our short trip was the worst driving conditions I've encountered in many years.

 

None of this is media hype, and if it really is going down to minus 5 tonight, with all this water and slush on the roads, I fear the emergency services will have a busy day tomorrow.

Edited February 7, 2009 by alan_fincher

[LEO]

Despite Sue reporting no problems in Hemel Hempstead, we live just 5 miles from there, and the roads here are decidedly dodgy.

 

Roads you would normally expect to have been gritted in these conditions have not been, presumably because Hertfordshire is one of those counties reported as having almost no road salt left.

 

We decided to abandon the route we would normally take to the boat, and go round a longer way that was much clearer. The son of the marina owner reported that his father had been unable to get over either of the canal bridges that lead to the marina, and that he had had to come to his assistance. The road around the marina is a virtual skid-pan.

 

Our short trip was the worst driving conditions I've encountered in many years.

 

None of this is media hype, and if it really is going down to minus 5 tonight, with all this water and slush on the roads, I fear the emergency services will have a busy day tomorrow.

 

Hi Alan,

 

I agree with your comments - basically it's the height above sea level and a few miles can make all the difference. Yesterday I travelled from Chesham to Cowroast - lots of snow and ice all the way. Later went from Chesham to High Wycombe - snow all the way until you drop down into High Wycombe.

 

The 'Tring' Gap also tends to funnel cold wind causing problems, and travelling up the escarpment of the Chilterns causes air to become colder as one reaches the ridge.

 

This effect is also noticeable as spring approaches I found London and the suburbs flowered about 3 weeks before Chesham and I live on a ridge above the Town Centre I find that shrubs etc come into bloom about a week later than those closer to the Town Centre.

 

The height above sea level can be gauged as to from where in the Chilterns you can see Canary Wharf Tower - have seen it from a house in Dunsmore and from Hastoe, September is the best time to view it. Both these villages are a short way from Cowroast, which is about the same height above sea level as the top of the dome of St. Pauls Cathedral.

 

All good fun - I always describe the Chilterns as the 'Thinking Man's Cotwolds'.

 

Leo

Edited February 7, 2009 by LEO

[alan_fincher]

All understood,

 

Although at home, less than three miles from the boat, we sit on a ridge high up on the Chilterns, and very much above canal height, (I know from my amateur radio days it's about 165 metres above sea level here).

 

We also notice that things come into leaf or flower a lot later than in the valley, but none-the-less when I recorded minus 11 at Cow Roast a few weeks ago, it was "only" minus 8 up here.

 

I've not ventured out yet to see how bad things are today, but as it was already down to minus 3 by bed time at home last night, I'm guessing driving will be "interesting".

[Bullfrog]

Quality snow sculpture at our marina.

 

The owners of the boat "Mrs Sippy" based this on their own dog.

 

We think it's rather good.

 

 

Alan are you sure that mrs Sippy didn't just spray him with a hose-pipe and leave him out in the -11 ?

[ChrisPy]

I agree with your comments - basically it's the height above sea level and a few miles can make all the difference.

in the winter in central Turkey we allowed 1 degree C for every 100metres.

[Catrin]

I've always been interested in nature and the changing seasons - it's one of the reasons I love the canals. At the end of last year I began to take photos of our marina whenever I remember to take a camera down to the marina. They are not intended to be of any photographic merit, just my own record of the passing seasons - I might edit them together eventually to show the seasons changing through the year. Each time I take the same 4 photos - two from the front of our boat, and two from the rear deck - all in the same direction across the marina.

 

I thought I'd post a few of these, just to show what it's been like recently.

Front deck towards left 2nd Feb:

Front deck towards right 2nd Feb:

Rear deck left:

Rear deck right:

 

And a couple of others:

Chalice in the snow:

Along the marina 6th Feb:

Cheers

Cath

[MoominPapa]

Bill Fen Marina about noon yesterday. I had to heat the key with a blowlamp to unfreeze the padlock and get into the boat. Inside, the teapot was frozen to the draining-board. The ice on the marina was 2cm thick.

 

Despite dire warnings, it's relatively warm here now, lying snow is melting and the sun is bright.

 

MP.

 

Edited February 8, 2009 by MoominPapa

[tillergirl]

We travelled from Scunthorpe to Ormskirk yesterday visiting Edge Hill Uni taking us just over 2 hours. Motorway most of the way and it was pretty spectacular going over the Pennines.............the roads were clear but looked like a black ribbon cutting through a white landscape. Highways Agency were out constantly gritting the roads from around 4pm on the return trip. Hats off to these guys for keeping the roads open. Mind you its pretty scarey being pelted by grit at 70mph!

We're also forecast -5 tonight, neither of our ponds have been clear of ice all day and can't see the koi now because the ice is so thick.

Edited February 8, 2009 by tillergirl

[kienik]

Tillergirl

 

you are absolutely right about hte motorway passing over the penines, i love to go "over the top" when the snow falls over huddersfield etc. all that said i do get a shiver down my spine when i see the roadsign next to the motorway saying "Saddleworth" (just to think what went on there all those years ago??

 

Nik

[denboy]

chucking it down here now