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Monday 14 January 2013

A light dusting of snow

When I went to bed last night the weather forecasters were predicting snow for the area where I live ... and for once they got it right. When I got up I expected to see snow pretty well covering everything ... but the reality is that so far all we have had is a light dusting on snow, and what had fallen on the roads and pavements has already melted.

Listening to the forecast yesterday I expected to find the usual 25mm/1-inch to 50mm/2-inches of snow that manages to bring London to a halt, but apparently this has not yet arrived. It may come later today ... or it may not. Time will tell.

It looks to me as if I will not need to get wrapped up in my cold-weather gear to clear the path (which is just as well as my cold has not got any better and I do not relish getting cold) and I know that we have enough fresh food to last until at least Wednesday.

So what can I do to fill my time today?

Well with a bit of luck I might actually manage to stage a small wargame. I have all the stuff I got ready to use yesterday sitting waiting to be returned to store ... so I might as well use it before I put it away.

12 comments:

  1. A light dusting? You should see it up here, we've got a white out!

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  2. Jim Duncan,

    In London anything more than a light dusting of snow causes chaos ... mainly because Londoners (and most of the population that lives in the South East of England) just do not have enough experience of dealing with it to be able to cope. Luckily I no longer have to go to work and can sit indoors keeping warm ... and watching the 'fun'.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  3. Vladdd309,

    As your profile states that you are from Aberdeen, I am not surprised that you have a white out up there at the moment.

    Mind you I suspect that you know how to cope with snow (and I don't mean the piddling little falls we get in London!) and are probably laughing your thermal socks off when you see the antics of us southerners trying to carry on as normal.

    Luckily my wife and I bought cold weather clothing before we went on our pre-Christmas cruise, and it kept us warm and able to function normally even in the minus 13 degrees Centigrade that had when we were walking about in Norway and the blizzard in Copenhagen. If we have to go out in the cold, we will be warm … and laughing at the idiots who will be trying to walk about in jeans, trainers, and thin coats.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  4. Edinburgh must be more like London than Aberdeen in a normal winter.

    Snow in this part of the world is rarely more than half an inch thick and when it does come it causes no end of traffic chaos.

    We have been waiting for some real snow to turn up to test out the City Councils plans to deal with it after the longstanding chaos of three years ago. Probably our One in a Hundred Years snowfall so maybe we'll have tro wait another 97. :)

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  5. Snow here causes chaos, not only from inexperience, but due to the fact that there is not a single piece of snow removal equipment within 300 mile radius of this location. About once a decade we get a bit that sticks briefly (measured in hours) and many years we get only a few frosts a year, depending on the gods of whimsy. I've done the course having lived in Europe and northern USA, but prefer live in frost-free areas. The white messy stuff is fine for a few hours, but it palls quickly. As invaders of Russia/Soviet Union found out, winter is not your friend!

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  6. The Soviets thought winter was their friend-even promoted him to General.

    I need to move, the high temperature yesterday
    was -13 degrees.

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  7. Jim Duncan,

    I suspect that you are right about Edinburgh being more like London than Aberdeen!

    I remember that a couple of years ago Boris refused to allow the London bus network to run during the morning rush-hour because a sudden downfall of snow had hit London. His argument was that further heavy snow was due to fall during the day, and that although he could get people to work, he could not guarantee that he could get them home. He was heavily criticised at the time ... but he made the right decision. I made it into work that day in my 4x4 ... but other vehicles could not cope with the conditions and we ended up being shut for three days.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  8. CoastConFan,

    It sounds like winter is not too arduous a season for you ... but I suspect that you 'pay' for it during the summer!

    All the best,

    Bob

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  9. SAROE,

    I suspect that the Soviets were just better prepared for the cold than the Axis forces were. It was the mud that seemed to cause everyone a lot of problems.

    Perhaps their should have been a Colonel Mud?

    All the best,

    Bob

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  10. Hi Bob:

    I can't help but chuckle here on the frozen prairie of Cannuckistan, where an inch of snow is nothing out of the ordinary, but it's all relative. The British families who get posted here to British Army Training Unit Suffield experience a rude shock their first winter here, especially if they are Fijian or African.
    I hope you get over your cold fast and use the time for gaming.
    Cheers,
    MIke

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  11. Mad Padre (Mike),

    The dusting was gone by lunchtime, but just after lunch we had a couple more snow showers ... and there are likely to be a few more overnight.

    The problem is that the UK is just not geared up to cope with heavy snow and cold weather, whereas other parts of Europe do have the right equipment - and attitude - and can cope with several feet of snow.

    I am not surprised that British visitors to the Suffield area find your snowfall a bit of a surprise, especially if they are from some of the warmer Commonwealth countries. During our recent pre-Christmas cruise some of the Indian crew were amazed when they saw snow for the first time.

    I did manage to fight a battle today ... and if the poor weather persists I may even manage another one or two during the course of the next few days.

    All the best,

    Bob

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