Are you snowed in?

[ellie]

We have heavy snow here on the south coast. Haven't seen anything like it in 30 years! My son had to abandon his car on the A3M last night and walk home after 4 hours going nowhere. He only had a t-shirt and thin coat so we walked towards him to make sure he was ok. I have to say it was quite beautiful and really surreal walking along with the snow falling. The trees were almost bowed down with the snow and it looked so pretty.
But conditions were apalling, we had cars being abandoned in our road outside our house as they couldn't get up the incline. There were quite a few people walking along the road, but everyone was really friendly and helpful. Not sure how we will get the car back though as the road is now closed.

I hate it when it turns slushy so we have that joy to come. At least I don't have to go into work today as the school is shut! Whoopee!

Hope everyone is ok.

[arkvilla]

We have snow but both schools are open so my boys are not happy!!

It's still snowing so not sure how deep it will get -I'd say we have about 3" so far

Sandra

[Links]

We have over a foot of snow here and the roads are terrible

[pbensur]

Ellie - why were people abandoning their cars? Is it because they aren't used to driving in it? I'm guessing that if you haven't seen anything like it in 30 years, then that's probably why! Hope you get the car back soon!

[ellie]

Patty, it takes about one inch of snow to bring the UK to an absolute standstill. We had about 10 inches in places, so as you can imagine that brought total chaos! <:widegrin
Ridiculous eh? But bearing in mind a few leaves on the rails brings our train system to a grinding halt I guess it is nothing unexpected.

Trouble is we have few vehicles to deal with it. The police who picked us up today and helped were in a large 4 x 4 but they said they only had about 4 such vehicles to deal with a huge area. Their BMW's, which are rear wheel drive, are useless in these conditions and had been kept at the station. so they were desperately short of vehicles, too. They have had to bring in the army.

Guess you are rolling around on the floor laughing, now, Patty! <:doglol

Most of our cars are not designed for snowy weather. My son was in his rather ancient small saloon car on a motorway which ground to a halt as people could not get their cars up the slip roads leading off the motorway. These are usually steeply inclined, and with no gritting, cars could just not get a grip and were sliding about and going nowhere. So he got as far as he could and after 4 hours decided to leave the car (together with hundreds of other people) and walk home.

Have just posted a new thread about how we got the car back - it was quite an adventure!

[pbensur]

Ah! I understand! Of course you wouldn't have vehicles that are equipped to handle those roads - that makes sense. Sounds like quite the fiasco!! Glad it all got taken care of in the end, Ellie!

[JAF]

One of Stuart's colleagues has just come back from his home in Austria and there despite having more snow than we have the trains were all running, transport was moving and snow ploughs were shifting the white stuff. Children were not expecting any extra days off due to snow. Of course, all the cars had winter tyres which make it easier to get traction on the roads.

[Steve]

I saw a report on the news when we had the last bad bout of snow at Christmas. Washington also had a heavy snowfall, much more than us and they were back in operation within 24 hours. According to the report it would cost millions for our country to have all of the equipment and resources available to enable all roads to be cleared, gritted etc. So as we only get this sort of weather once in a blue moon it is not worth the expense. I find it hard to accept, when I take my life in my hands having to make essentials journeys though, but have to agree. I mean lets face it some winters we hardly see any snow at all.

[pbensur]

That's exactly right - you can't justify the expense if you rarely see it. Our taxes are pretty high here to support the streets department - has to be that way and everybody drives SUVs or large front wheel drive vehicles. We're probably up to about 5 feet of it now, but life continues as usual - no delays, nothing closed etc. It's the way of life here - living right on the Great Lakes, we get what's called "Lake Effect Snow" and that's why it's particularly bad here, however, we do get the most gorgeous springs and summers and with living right on Lake Erie, we get the benefit of several miles of beautiful beaches. So, it's a trade off folks!!

[ellie]

Ah! I understand! Of course you wouldn't have vehicles that are equipped to handle those roads - that makes sense. Sounds like quite the fiasco!! Glad it all got taken care of in the end, Ellie!

You must think it is absolutely crazy, Patty. We do too! :<wink The last time this happened was 30 years ago and before that in 1963 (which sadly I remember!). The snow and ice stayed around for nearly 3 months then.
Mind you, we never thought about global warming and all that then, we just thought, ooh its a bit cold this winter and just got on with it!

Just like when we had a hot summer (which we seemed to do in my childhood, unless it is old age dimming my true memories) we didn't wonder why, we just enjoyed the sunshine.

I just hope the polar ice cap is getting a lot of snow too for the sake of the polar bears. :<wink

[ellie]

Well we finally managed to dig my husband's car out of our driveway - a distance of about 80 ft so it was hard going - well when I say 'we' I mean that I stood at the doorway from time to time to see if he and my son needed any help.......:<wink

We then made it to our local supermarket for some much needed supplies - bought the last loaf in the store, thank goodness.

My husband made it to work, too, so things are looking up, though temperatures are forecast to plummet again so roads will be treacherous tonight.

Hope everyone else is surviving.

[ellie]

Quick update! Having gone to work my husband spent nearly an hour trying to get his car BACK on our driveway! The compacted snow had turned to ice, so they had to get the spades out again. :(

Only 30% of his colleagues had turned up to work.

The A3 may be closed again as police are trying to remove the remains of the abandoned cars.

So its still thermal undies for the forseeable future.<:lol

[pbensur]

Hoping all you folks in England haven't seen anymore of the nasty white stuff. We've had the usual amount of snow over the last few weeks and then Thursday we were hit with another fast and furious winter storm. We got about 24 inches from Thursday to Friday. The bad thing is that now we're running out of space to put the snow!! The good thing is that it was above freezing today so the plowed roads are bare pavement already. Can't wait until Spring!!!

[JAF]

We now have snow in Scotland and here in the south have had a lot of heavy rain. I often walk into town along the canal and river bank but the rivers broke the banks early last week and just as it was all receding it happened again yesterday after more heavy rain. This morning as I drove to the station all I could see was fields under water - very pretty though with the birds, ducks and swans having exta swimming room but I will have to stick to the paved route into town this week.

One weather forecast is showing we could have snow in the south by Friday but I hope that proves incorrect.

[Steve]

Wow JAF, sounds pretty grim, hope the rain doesn't arrive and the water gets chance to subside. Stay Safe <:thumbup

[Steve]

Hoping all you folks in England haven't seen anymore of the nasty white stuff. We've had the usual amount of snow over the last few weeks and then Thursday we were hit with another fast and furious winter storm. We got about 24 inches from Thursday to Friday. The bad thing is that now we're running out of space to put the snow!! The good thing is that it was above freezing today so the plowed roads are bare pavement already. Can't wait until Spring!!!

I bet you can't wait for Spring!! <:rolleyes They have said we have had the coldest winter for 31 years, has it been the same for you Patty? I know you get quite a bit of snowfall every year but has this one been exceptional?

It can't be long now till we start to get milder temperatures surely?

[pbensur]

It's true that this has been the coldest winter in many places - my parents who spend January and February in Florida said that this was the coldest they can ever remember. I would have to say that for us though in Northern PA the temperatures have been about the same as always. Our snowfall has actually been lower overall this year than average. Hope we're not going to do a quick make-up now in March!! It does happen some years!

[Links]

We woke up today to the white stuff again, Harrogate North Yorks