The UK is in the grip of one of the coldest starts to December in more than 20 years

[giovonni]

i see :( my friends in the UK~ are also experiencing this stuff :smow:


Snow and ice causes disruption as cold spell continues

1 December 2010 http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50238000/jpg/_50238226_010760494-1.jpg
The early cold spell has taken everyone by surprise

Large parts of the UK have been brought to a standstill by the early freeze
Continue reading the main story

The UK is in the grip of one of the coldest starts to December in more than 20 years with snow and ice causing road, rail and airport chaos.

Temperatures plummeted to -16C (3F) in the Highlands and 4,000 schools across the UK were unable to open.

Edinburgh and Gatwick airports will be shut until at least Thursday, and there were rail cancellations and delays.

The Met Office has issued heavy snow warnings for much of the eastern side of Britain and some central areas.

Rail companies said they were working "flat out" to get as many trains running as possible.

The Forth Road Bridge was closed for the first time since it opened in 1964 but has now reopened.

Avalanche warning

In England, heavy snow warnings are in place for the North East, Yorkshire and Humber, East Midlands, East, and London and the South.

In Scotland the warnings apply to Grampian, Strathclyde, Central, Tayside and Fife, and South West, Lothian and Borders.

More than 250,000 Scottish children have had a day off - about 40% of all those of school age - many for the third consecutive day, with a third of councils closing all their schools.

Some local authorities have told parents that schools will remain closed for the rest of the week. In total, more than 1,500 of 2,722 schools were shut.

An avalanche warning has been issued in the Cairngorms, near Aviemore, where hundreds of skiers took to the slopes on Tuesday.

Police are advising people not to travel unless absolutely necessary - especially in the worst-hit areas of Scotland, Yorkshire, Derbyshire and south-east England.

Supt Chris Moon, of Surrey Police, said the county's conditions were the worst he had ever seen and were likely to deteriorate further.

He added: "I have put out several severe weather warnings in my career, but this one I really must stress."

Police in Kent have advised freight traffic not to enter the county unless absolutely necessary as gale force winds are forecast. Some roads in the west and north of the county are impassable due to snow and ice.

'People moving'

Thousands of rail commuters face severe disruption to their journeys in Scotland and northern England, particularly in the Sheffield area. London and the South East also suffered.

Southeastern trains, which runs out of London Victoria and Charing Cross, is operating an emergency timetable and services will finish early.

I had a text from the photographer who couldn't get through, the wedding car couldn't get through, so I decided: I can't wear my dress without ruining it so we'll postpone”

There are delays on the East Coast Main Line, with an hourly service between London and Edinburgh, and reduced services between London and both Leeds and Newcastle.

Passengers face delays of up to an hour on Eurostar services.

About one third of all rail services were suffering delays or cancellations at Wednesday lunchtime.

Ashwin Kumar, of rail watchdog Passenger Focus, called on train companies to do all they could to make life easier for their customers.

He said: "We need better information systems so that we can cope when disruption does happen."

The Association of Train Operating Companies said rail operators and Network Rail were "doing all they can to keep trains moving and get people to where they need to be".

One of the worst affected areas of England is South Yorkshire, where snowfall of up to 30cm (12in) has brought parts of the county to a standstill.

About 300 schools are shut, bus services have been suspended in Sheffield, Rotherham, and Doncaster, and there are delays and cancellations on train services between Sheffield and Leeds, as well as flights being halted at Robin Hood Airport in Doncaster.

Hospitals in South Yorkshire are asking patients not to attend unless it is urgent, and they have asked off-duty medical staff to make their way into work if possible.

Sheffield City Council has cancelled a full council meeting for the first time and the Halifax Courier newspaper has not made it out, also for the first time, because it is stuck at the printers in Sheffield.
Night journey

Overnight temperatures hit a low of -20C (-4F) in Altnaharra in the Highlands.
Snowy sheep, Ashford, Kent The early cold spell has taken everyone by surprise

BBC weather forecaster Tomasz Schafernaker said there was 1m (3ft) of snow across parts of north-east England.

More heavy snow was expected on Wednesday afternoon and evening across southern England from Hampshire to southern Essex and possibly into London.

There could be up to 30cm of snow in southern England by the end of Thursday. There will also be more snow showers in north-east England.

On Thursday night, temperatures of up to -25C (-13F) to -30C (-22F) in some parts of Scotland are forecast.

The disruption on Wednesday includes:

* Severe disruption for air passengers at Gatwick Airport where its runways are closed until 1000 GMT on Thursday. Edinburgh Airport is also closed until at least Thursday morning. Guernsey Airport, Robin Hood Airport in Doncaster and Durham Tees Valley Airport are also shut, while other airports are disrupted. Passengers are advised to check with their airline
* Hundreds of school closures in England, including nearly 1,000 full or partial closures in West, North and South Yorkshire, about 330 schools in Essex, about 550 in the South East and Surrey, more than 800 in the East Midlands and 195 across Tyneside, Wearside, County Durham and Northumberland. In Jersey, all the island's schools were closed
* The M8 motorway between Glasgow and Edinburgh is down to one lane in each direction
* In Kent the M20 is closed with long delays for London-bound traffic between J3, M26 and J1, M25, because of ice, snow and a jack-knifed lorry.
* In Derbyshire, one lane is closed on the M1 southbound, with delays between J29, A617 (Chesterfield) and J28, A38 (Alfreton), because of recovery work and a jack-knifed lorry
* In West Yorkshire, one lane is blocked on the M62 in both directions between J23, A640 (Huddersfield) and J26, M606 (Chain Bar), because of snow
* The Lincolnshire village of Binbrook has been effectively cut off since Monday. Local shops are beginning to run out of supplies

In Sheffield, bride-to-be Tracy Gell had to call off her big day because it turned out to be too much of a white wedding.

She told the BBC: "I had a text from the photographer who couldn't get through, the wedding car couldn't get through, so I decided: I can't wear my dress without ruining it so we'll postpone."

On Tuesday evening many drivers and rail passengers were stuck for hours as the weather worsened.

Tony Scott started his journey home from London to Tunbridge in Kent at 1730 GMT on Tuesday and had still not arrived home 10 hours later.

She told the BBC: "I had a text from the photographer who couldn't get through, the wedding car couldn't get through, so I decided: I can't wear my dress without ruining it so we'll postpone."

On Tuesday evening many drivers and rail passengers were stuck for hours as the weather worsened.

Tony Scott started his journey home from London to Tunbridge in Kent at 1730 GMT on Tuesday and had still not arrived home 10 hours later.

The AA had attended 11,300 breakdowns across the UK by 1500 GMT on Wednesday, with the busiest areas said to be London, especially the south of the capital, Yorkshire, Kent, north-east England and Aberdeen.

The motoring organisation said there had been a failure to deal with jams on motorways and major roads, and breakdown service Green Flag said local authorities had not spread enough grit on minor roads.

Halfords said an additional 16,600 sledges were being shipped in to meet increased demands.

bbc video and source page here;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11883714

a news related youtube video


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NM6TLk3pJE

[morguana]

i have to say though gio the kids and i love it, we have been playing in the snow having lots of fun......however am very aware how cold spells such as this impact on those who are vulnerable, so have started to clear some of the snow on our quiet little road (makes it easier for a couple of folk who are relient on their cars to get out and if it is still very icy by friday will pop around to some of the elderly folk around here to make sure that they are warm (can always lend out blankets etc) and have food, generally i pop to shops (or chemist for their meds) for them in times like this. so my fellow uk avalonians please please think about those living near that may need help and give it. if we cant look after those within our communities then what is the point?
go on show some love
m

[giovonni]

i have to say though gio the kids and i love it, we have been playing in the snow having lots of fun......however am very aware how cold spells such as this impact on those who are vulnerable, so have started to clear some of the snow on our quiet little road (makes it easier for a couple of folk who are relient on their cars to get out and if it is still very icy by friday will pop around to some of the elderly folk around here to make sure that they are warm (can always lend out blankets etc) and have food, generally i pop to shops (or chemist for their meds) for them in times like this. so my fellow uk avalonians please please think about those living near that may need help and give it. if we cant look after those within our communities then what is the point?
go on show some love
m

you have a pure and caring Heart :wub: and a wonderfully positive attitude ~ dear morguana :thumb:

[AtlasFactor]

This is also the coldest start to an Australian summer in my life. We are 8-10 degrees (C) below what an average day should be. Was also the coldest November / October (and with record rainfalls.)

[Ross]

This is also the coldest start to an Australian summer in my life. We are 8-10 degrees (C) below what an average day should be. Was also the coldest November / October (and with record rainfalls.)

Have to agree...Up here in Queensland we have had a few warm days, up to 30c, however we usually get some real stinkers through November.

Ross

[SPIRIT WOLF]

It took me 45 minutes to clear the ice and 5 inches of snow that covered the car in the drive this afternoon. I've not used the car since Monday so it sat outside under a blanket of snow LOL. Driving on icy roads can be tricky, its always prudent to watch for others as I did today. Travelling carefully at 20mph along to nearest store for needed supplies I was amazed at a white van hurtling along at over 40mph. If he needed to brake he would have simply slid along with no control. Some people! The mere actions of removing snow and ice for that amount of time left me exhausted, my arms were aching like hell and shaky for hours afterwards. LOL Getting old and cranky.

[Rocky_Shorz]

check out the US Jet Stream, I don't remember it ever covering the whole country...

jet stream (http://www.10news.com/wxmap/4290862/detail.html)

[jackovesk]

...So Much For The "GLOBAL WARMING SCAM"..!

[norman]

It took me 45 minutes to clear the ice and 5 inches of snow that covered the car in the drive this afternoon.



My car is half buried under snow and it's climbing up my front door. At the back it's no better. The iron gate is less than half visible. The last time I saw snow like this was when I was a lad in 1963, and it's only November!

If we don't have a rapid thaw after this lot I'll be stranded for a very long time.

[Taurean]

I'm not doing any more shovelling - that's it i'm going to play with my orbs.

[giovonni]

Here's an update on this story:

Gatwick Airport stays closed as fresh snow predicted;
More heavy snow warnings have been issued by the Met Office as the wintry weather continues to cause disruption to air, road and rail travel.

update with related stories and video here; http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50250000/jpg/_50250143_010764893-1.jpg
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-11883982

[giovonni]

Another update from the bbc~ Snowfall disrupts northern Europe's airports and roads

Story and videos; http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50243000/jpg/_50243667_010760890-1.jpg
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11885495

In pictures: Snow blankets Europe;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11887140

[Humble Janitor]

Aha, now I see where the Vermont weather has gone!

We're getting nothing but rain, rain, rain at mild temperatures and plenty of wind.

I would love to trade that for snow. It's unusual that there's no snow on the ground where I live.

[Lucrum]

Sure is cold these days, but it's kinda wierd for me to see all the problems the snow and cold gives people in countries that aren't really that far away from Norway.
We are at a steady -13C to -15C around my neck of the woods these days with clear weather. We have some snow, but not alot of it.
However, this has not been an ordinary november for us either. In fact, the ones used to cold november weather up north are experiencing temps on the plus side with wind and rain.

Oh by the way...scrap what I said in the first sentence. It's too early in the morning and I forgot that Norwegians have a habit of forgetting where we live. Trains and trams are at a standstill here as well and people go off the road like dominoes. It's the same every year, only now maybe a little bit earlier. LOL

[Seikou-Kishi]

Norwegians have a habit of forgetting where they live? Are you saying that Norway is the Global Old-People's Home?

Where I live, we have 2 feet of snow. It's nice to look at but that's where it ends lol

[kcw_one]

Interesting how severe winterness is experienced by diverse folk in diverse places. Up here in central Alberta Canada we've recently come out a somewhat sudden cold snap. Last week began with -28ish degrees celcius (-40ish with windchill factor) and ended with -2 celcius on the Friday. During the deep cold, everyone begrudged outdoors moments, but adjusted. Though we expect that here and are probably more prepared to handle it infrastructure-wise, what with lots of snowplows and an engine block heater in every auto. Still, -30 is still way colder than anyone is glad to endure, as well as being at the extreme lower range of temps we here commonly experience.

Reading how -16 shut England down struck me as very interesting. It sort of demonstrates how our lives are intricately tied to the climate of our location on the planet. When conditions exceed what we are accustomed to, it tends to force us to quickly adapt our patterns. I do like how cold and snow makes us all slow down a little more and keep to the quiet of our warm homes. Even though I am often sad to say goodbye to the vitality of the green seasons, I do appreciate the stillness of a winters midnight. It is so quiet, with no leaves to rustle in the breeze.

[morguana]

Here in the uk we are sadly very I'll prepared for anything surprising such as lots of snow, the whole country grinds to a halt as they don't do sensible things like keeping roads clear and gritted. We spent a year in scotland and they seem to be much more organized, services were kept ticking along nicely and the snow plough was at work.
We have had a foot of snow fall over the night here in the south, ho hum more shoveling to do!
m

[morguana]

UK prepares for freezing weekend


Heavy snow has fallen across large parts of the UK, disrupting travel and closing thousands of schools.

South-east England has the worst snow it has seen for 18 years, causing all London buses to be pulled from service and the closure of Heathrow's runways.

The Met Office has issued an extreme weather warning for England, Wales and parts of eastern Scotland.

By late Monday, the South East could be under a foot (30cm) of snow and the North East under 20 inches (50cm).

Speaking at a press conference in Downing Street, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: "We are doing everything in our power to ensure services, road, rail and airports are open as quickly as possible, and we are continuing to monitor this throughout the day."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7864395.stm

m

[giovonni]

Winter wonderland grounds Europe's traffic

http://ak.imgfarm.com/images/ap/Germany_Weather_Snow.sff_FOS104_20101202055253.jpg
Cars are stuck as a wheel loader tries to get the snow off the road during a heavy snow storm near Neu Mukran on the island of Ruegen at the Baltic Sea, northern Germany, Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010. Large parts of Germany were hit by heavy snowfalls and icy winds.

BERLIN (AP) - Freezing temperatures and often blinding snowfall shuttered airports across Britain on Thursday, delayed flights across Europe and forced thousands of passengers in Germany to spend the night in trains.

In neighboring Poland, the cold claimed 10 more lives, bringing the overall number of deaths to 18, Polish police spokesman Mariusz Sokolowski said. He urged Poles to report any homeless or drunk people on the streets to officers in hopes of saving their lives.

Authorities in Berlin also kept subway stations, soup kitchens and heated buses open all night to provide shelter for the city's homeless.

Gatwick Airport, one of Britain's busiest, was closed for a second straight day, canceling another 600 flights as conditions continued to deteriorate. Edinburgh Airport and London's City Airport were also closed until late evening, according to the Eurocontrol central control agency's website.

The agency also reported significant delays at London Heathrow, Paris' Charles de Gaulle, Amsterdam's Schiphol, Berlin's Tegel and Duesseldorf airports.

In Geneva, the airport was able to reopen after removing 2,000 tractor-trailers full of snow from the airfield.

Travelers hoping to fare better by road or rail were equally stymied as snow continued to fall across the U.K. and most of Germany, leaving thousands of motorists stranded overnight in freezing temperatures.

Some 3,000 rail passengers were also stranded overnight and struggled to catch a few minutes' sleep in their trains, German railway operator Deutsche Bahn said.

Some 200 stranded passengers in Germany's Frankfurt hub spent the night in parked night trains after hotels filled up. Nothing was moving along many of the nation's high-speed train links, such as between Nuremberg and Leipzig in the south and east, or between Hamburg and the Danish capital Copenhagen in the north.

Southeastern Denmark was also badly hit, and heavy snow falls and icy winds severely hampered road and rail traffic across much of the country. The Danish army has been mobilized to help emergency vehicles, using tracked armored personnel carriers to help ambulances and other emergency vehicles cut their way through mounds of snow.

Heavy snowfall in Poland also disrupted the normal flow of planes and trains and created a treacherous situation on many of the country's already abysmal roads.

Thousands of Polish homes were left without electricity or heat as temperatures hovered around minus 10 Celsius (14 Fahrenheit). Several Romanian villages suffered a similar fate, while severe ice caused delays to traffic across the nation.

On many German roads, meanwhile, traffic was chaotic with hundreds of minor accidents due to heavy snowfall. Police in Berlin alone counted 121 accidents Thursday morning, spokesman Burkhardt Opitz said.

The heavy winter weather has claimed at least two lives in Germany, a 73-year-old in Lower Saxony who was struck by a train why trying to clear snow and an 18-year-old driver in Baden-Wuerttemberg, who lost control of his vehicle on an icy road and crashing head-on into a truck.

The cold has also taken a solid grip over Sweden, with the lowest temperatures overnight Thursday measuring minus 29.6 Celsius (85.28 Fahrenheit) in Lillhardal in the center of the country. In the Netherlands, a light dusting of snow also led to chaos and long traffic jams on the roads.

In southeastern Europe, meanwhile, Bosnian authorities declared a state of emergency and ordered evacuations after heavy rainfall caused severe flooding on the Drina river.

Schools closed, and half of the town has no electricity, city water is no longer drinkable. In nearby Gorazde, the federal army had to help evacuating people.

Source;
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20101202/D9JRQGJO2.html

---

[Sabrina]

http://geraldcelentechannel.blogspot.com/2010/09/gulf-stream-has-stopped-britain-heading.html

Oh dear..... Britain heading for mother of arctic winters......

[giovonni]

Hang in there my Friends :smow:

Snow brings further travel misery

Travellers are facing further misery as airports, roads and rail continue to be badly hit by snow in parts of the UK.

2 December 2010 Last updated at 15:26 ET

updates and videos here;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11894853

[Ahkenaten]

If the Thames flash-freezes you are in for trouble, for sure! "Little Ice Age Redux!"

[giovonni]

Europe's deadly cold snap maintains grip

December 2010 Last updated at 08:14 ET

updates and videos here; http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50283000/jpg/_50283507_010775146-1.jpg
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11907045

[sojorner]

Wasn't this predicted with the BP Oil spill? Wasn't it mentioned that the Gulf stream slowing down due to the BP Oil spill could cause an iceage for most of Europe?

I guess my thoughts are...is this weather man made?

(can't locate sources right now...not on my computer)

Soj

[Sabrina]

Wasn't this predicted with the BP Oil spill? Wasn't it mentioned that the Gulf stream slowing down due to the BP Oil spill could cause an iceage for most of Europe?

I guess my thoughts are...is this weather man made?

(can't locate sources right now...not on my computer)

Soj

Yes - info. on Gulf Stream here.

http://geraldcelentechannel.blogspot...n-heading.html


BBC Weather today said UK could have freezing conditions through to the New Year.

[irishspirit]

Author claims we're in the grip of a mini ice age

AFTER nearly two weeks of snow and sub zero temperatures rivaling those of Siberia, the old joke about global warming being a good thing has had a new lease of life. So what has happened to doom-laden predictions of the world heating up as glaciers melt? Mike Kelly reports.
A satellite image of the UK taken during last year's harsh winter

FIRST the good news. These bitter winters aren’t going to last forever. The bad news is that they will go on for the next 30 years as we have entered a mini ice age.

So says author Gavin Cooke in his book Frozen Britain. He began writing it in 2008 and it was published last year when experts were scratching their heads at the cause of the bitter winter of 2009/10 which brought England to a standstill. Some said it was a one-off event, with experts predicting snowfall becoming increasingly rare.

http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/north-east-news/2010/12/05/author-claims-we-re-in-the-grip-of-a-mini-ice-age-79310-27768699/

[Rocky_Shorz]

UK Snowstorm Traps Seven People In Pub For Eight Days


While Britain's recent snowstorms left businesses closed and travelers stranded, not all of the weather-related mishaps were quite so bleak. The BBC is reporting that a couple and five staff members enjoyed the ultimate lock-in when they were trapped inside one of Britain's highest pubs because of the heavy snow.

Though their cars were buried by snow drifts outside starting on Nov. 26, the confined group at North Yorkshire's Lion Inn at Blakey Ridge kept themselves busy by eating, drinking and playing games in a huge bar that normally serves up to 150 customers a night. The Inn, which stands 1,325 feet above sea level, also operates as a bed and breakfast, so the couple and staff were able to retire to its bedrooms, post-merriment.

story link (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/06/uk-snowstorm-traps-seven-_n_792574.html)

[irishspirit]

WEATHER: 35,000 DEATHS FEAR IN NEW ARCTIC BLIZZARDS
DEATH rates are set to soar “scandalously” this winter as a new Arctic blast batters Britain with temperatures on a par with Siberia.

Experts predict a dramatic increase in cold-related fatalities as we suffer the bitterest winter in a century, causing 12 deaths every hour.

WIN A LUXURY CRUISE FOR TWO WORTH £2,500!

Britons face spiralling energy bills while the death toll this winter could reach 35,000.

There are also fears some mail may not reach its destination by Christmas Day because of the freeze.

Forecasters said temperatures could plummet to record lows in the run-up to Christmas, putting tens of thousands of vulnerable people at risk.

Charities warned of pensioners suffering “Dickensian” conditions, resorting to riding on buses or huddling in shopping centres just to keep warm.

Millions of Britons are being forced to turn down their thermostats as gas and electricity prices spiral.

Jonathan Powell, senior forecaster with Positive Weather Solutions, said icy conditions were on the way back by the middle of next week after a brief weekend thaw. He said plummeting temperatures could even surpass the -27.2C (-17F) recorded in Braemar in 1982 – the coldest temperature in Britain.

Studies show a drop in temperature of just one degree is followed by 200 heart attacks. People aged between 75 and 84 and those with a history of heart disease appear to be most vulnerable.

Last year the number of deaths linked to the cold weather reached nearly 28,000 in four months, sparking claims that the UK has the highest winter death rate in northern Europe.


Read more: http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/216765/Weather-35-000-deaths-fear-in-new-Arctic-blizzardsWeather-35-000-deaths-fear-in-new-Arctic-blizzards#ixzz180c5ddns

[Fredkc]

Here yesterday, we had a break from our unusually cold weather.
Mid-80's (hi-20's C) outside. The Santa Ana winds blew, meaning we also had 30 mph winds (No smog).
Slept, last night, in short pants. Threw off the comforter, the sheets, and finally the dog. Too damned hot for all of them.

Wife's sister mailed us pictures of the record snow in Minneapolis (20 in. 50 cm in about 12 hrs), we mailed back beach pictures.

It's not that we're uncaring, but when 1/2 of southern california is ablaze, and people speak of us somehow 'deserving it'...
well, it does leave a mark ;)
Fred

Best of luck to you brits living along the coast.

[irishspirit]

Fred,

People who say anyone deserves that are not normal. It is crazy to make such a statement. I stand with you on that my friend.

With respect to what the Brits and Irish are feeling just now, there is something not right about it. But then again, looking at the weather in parts of the states, we got it easy.

[Fredkc]

Hey Irish;
I have a friend who lives up by Isle of Skye.
I remember him telling of a storm they had about 5 years ago up there. 100+mph onshore winds, too cold to snow. The winds pelted the coast with both freezing rain, and freezing waves.

I remember he describes what things looked like after the storm broke. The coast was literally covered by a thick coat of ice. Boats tossed up on the shore, frozen to the rocks.

With respect to what the Brits and Irish are feeling just now, there is something not right about it.
It seems the predictions concerning the absence of a Gulf Stream Current weren't idle, after all. IMO this seems to be affecting the entire northern hemisphere, the current weather in the US attesting. I know that here in California, and all along the west coast of US, we started getting January weather about November 1st. The current 'break' we're having is simply a normal one, when the winds shift.

What we have been seeing is, the normal wind patterns here have all shifted about 800 miles to the north. Which means that the normal air feeding storms headed onshore are pulling from much colder climes. Hence what the rest of the country is seeing.

I think we're in for a helluva winter.
Fred

[Ba-ba-Ra]

I posted this elsewhere, but applies here as well.

Another factor besides the absence of Gulf Current: As the Arctic summer temps warm (as they have by several degrees in the past few years) the mountains of ice begin to melt and these mountains of ice in the past have held the cold Arctic winter winds in the Arctic. Now that those mountains of ice have been reduced, the Winter Arctic winds can come down to us, which makes our winters colder. California has also been experiencing colder winters, however, colder in California is a far cry from what England is experiencing. I'm a native of New England, so I know what cold is. brrr - I send you all warm huggs.

Here is an article from NOAA which explains better and in more depth about relationship of cold winters in N. Hemisphere to arctic warming.

http://content.usatoday.com/communit...tic-melting-/1

[norman]

I think we're in for a helluva winter.



The weather forcasters here in UK are now telling us it's going to hit us again even harder at the end of this week. My reserve lifeline has taken a hit too. When I can't get out in the car I was hoping I could order a delivery of groceries from one of the major supermarkets. I did that once last winter. I've just heard on the radio news that 3 of them, and Royal Mail Parcel Force, are cancelling some of their delevery services until further notice due to a backlog and the impending 'weather', that is, they're not even taking orders. I wonder what they've been told that the rest of us are only supposed to guess at.

Here's a TIP! for anyone with a condensing Combi Boiler (gas). Mine, which is only 2 years old, stopped working last week and freaked me right out. After a panic, a neighbor gave me a number for a gas engineer. I called him and he was very busy ( of course ) but he advised me to pour a kettle of hot water on the external drain pipe from the condenser. I did that and water gushed out of the pipe into the drain ( it was frozen - because of the drip-drip nature of the moisture in that pipe ). I reset the boiler and fired it up. It's worked perfectly since.

[Ammit]

I actually live 1/2 mile from the southern coast in the UK, temps here are lower then normal and last week I was able to make a snowman and woman with my yougest son, but, we are lucky compared to the rest of the UK.
At this moment in time, we are lucky enough to have a wind chill of -5.5 and a temp of 0 degs c, lowest temp so far being about -9 so i am told.

Blessings

Ammit

[irishspirit]

[QUOTE=Fredkc;80231]Hey Irish;
I have a friend who lives up by Isle of Skye.
I remember him telling of a storm they had about 5 years ago up there. 100+mph onshore winds, too cold to snow. The winds pelted the coast with both freezing rain, and freezing waves.

I remember he describes what things looked like after the storm broke. The coast was literally covered by a thick coat of ice. Boats tossed up on the shore, frozen to the rocks.

Hi Fred,

My wife is from Broadford in the Isle of Sky.

I can remember my mother in law telling me about that storm. The place was a wreck. The thing about the Islands are simply that when they get it bad, they get it bad. When the winds are at their worst, the Island is not the place to be. It is impossible to even open your front Door without getting taken off your feet.

[irishspirit]

I actually live 1/2 mile from the southern coast in the UK, temps here are lower then normal and last week I was able to make a snowman and woman with my yougest son, but, we are lucky compared to the rest of the UK.
At this moment in time, we are lucky enough to have a wind chill of -5.5 and a temp of 0 degs c, lowest temp so far being about -9 so i am told.

Blessings

Ammit

The worst about this my friend, is that it is not over. I have been hearing reports that come Thursday and Friday opf this week, we are in for massive snow fall again.

[taliesin]

I am just wondering of we are still in a solar minimum? I know that there are sun spots etc but i tried to find the definition of a solar minimum and couldn't. This might be something to do with it. Though the idea that the Gulf Oil disaster has somehow diverted or weakened the gulfstream to the extent that it can't battle with the polar winds and just gets pushed aside resonates with me.

[Rocky_Shorz]

the weather was messed up before the oil disaster...

San Diego didn't have a summer this year, didn't break 80 once on the beach until this fall...

Viking and others had been keeping track of the strange weather back on Av1 and continued on in this forum...

earth updates-2010 (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?299-Earth-Updates-2010)

[Carmody]

my personal record is -57F. Standing outside at night, in the still and the quiet......listening to trees explode.

[Rocky_Shorz]

I used to live in Northern Minn and we used to look at Alaska in the Winter as a warm getaway...

I always liked sitting in the fish house listening to the thunderous Boom of 4 Feet of solid ice breaking across the lake...

Semi's used to take short cuts across the lake during heavy ice periods...

[giovonni]

Brace for it my Friends :doh:

Cold set to return to UK by Thursday

After the brief thaw temperatures will again plummet to below freezing by the end of the week, with further snowfall for many areas, but especially northern and western parts.

November saw the UK's most widespread snowfall since 1965, and December has continued to be exceptionally cold and snowy.

With only twelve days left to go, many will be hoping for a white Christmas, while others will be hoping for some respite from the difficulties the heavy snow has brought.

Video forecast here;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/hi/news/newsid_9282000/9282009.stm


Note~ please don't feel alone in all this....

Snow storm snarls Midwest: Is US facing another extreme winter?

http://www.csmonitor.com/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/images/1213-indiana-wintery-weather.jpg/9184201-1-eng-US/1213-Indiana-WINTERY-WEATHER.JPG_full_380.jpg
A man walks across the Colfax Avenue bridge during a snow- storm on Monday in South Bend, Ind.Marcus Marter/South Bend Tribune/AP

A giant snow storm wreaking havoc on the Midwest is sending blasts of frigid air plunging toward the Southeast. Sound familiar? The atmospheric dynamics are still somewhat of a mystery.

When Will the Cold Leave?
by Chris Dolce, Meteorologist
Story and temps here;
http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/news/articles/another-frigid-blast_2010-12-09

Meanwhile- here in the Seattle area the fronts > keep coming!!! :rain:

[Kikine]

Well, when you are used to have cold weather and lots of snow, there is no problem. If you have winter tires, driving is not that bad. And i think its great the energy of a snowstorm. The energy changes every time and people are actually more talking with each other than every other days of the year. A strange and beautiful feeling. It changes the mood of the people. But thats when you are used to that kind of weather. For places that are not used to this, i can understand it is not fun at all, there are more accidents, deaths etc. I guess it must be a different kind of energy also.
I hope you will have better weather soon:)

[giovonni]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8KDxVmuZlM&feature=sub

[Champion the Wonderhorse]

Not that I'm a gambling man but I thought I'd have a laugh (actually I was half serious as there is some information out there) and contacted Ladbrokes betting agency if I could place a bet on the Thames freezing over this winter. They refused to take the bet. Now I know they take bets on a white christmas. Do they know somethiong we don't?

[irishspirit]

Heavy snow causing disruption across Northern Ireland

The snow fall over Northern Ireland since Thursday has been the worst in 25 years according to meteorologists.

More than 700 schools have shut and flights have been affected at all three of Northern Ireland's airports.

Motorists are being warned of treacherous conditions and asked only to travel if absolutely necessary.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-12003757

[norman]

I've just heard David Sparks ( some sort of UK government spokesperson ) say, on BBC Radio 4, that local authorities have been on "alert" for bad weather and road conditions since the beginning of October.

As it's normally not likely to be bad weather at the beginning of October in the UK, I find that statement 'interesting'.

[giovonni]

Norman my Friend :clap2:
i'm so happy to see and hear your kicking about in the frozen UK !!!



17 December 2010 Last updated at 14:50 ET

Heavy snow and ice cause disruption across the UK http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/uk/10/weather/img/snow304.jpg

Heavy snow falls across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Several UK airports are closed and train services have been cancelled due to heavy snowfall in many areas.

Update and video here;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12015145

[jack]

We've got about a foot of snowfall altogether here since the thaw. Its quite beautiful to see. Such a dramatically different landscape to gasp in awe at for a while. Whats even more beautiful is the societal impact. Everyone has to slow down and take it easy, they talk more with each other, relate more and the general energy in the air reflects that, beautifuly.

[Ammit]

This is so true Jack, around here ( the southern coast) the weather is the biggest topic on most peoples lips, just wished they would listen to posible future events aswell. At this moment in time, 2354 uk time, it is minus 3 in my garden, no wind and about 2 inches of snow, here they panic for that as sadly they are unused to it, where I grew up, I remember minus 17 with snow blocking exits of the house. Diesal freezing and food stuff stored outside during power failiures, after all it was as cold as the freezer!!

I think we all, no mater how unused to these weather conditions as we may be, learn lessons in keeping warm and best foods to store as required by our needs, Lets be honest now, it could be the perfect time to train ourselves for future temperature drops that will not only concern our little island but concern all of man kind too.

Blessings

Ammit

[giovonni]

Thanks Jack and Ammit :yes4: it is good to hear your both taking this all in stride.
Today is the first i've seen the Sun (here in the Seattle area ) in over a month!

it has :rain: and :rain: and :rain: with only one heavy :smow: storm so far??

Even the natives :rant: say this is unusual weather this year!

[giovonni]

Coldest December since records began as temperatures plummet to minus 10C bringing travel chaos across Britain

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 6:31 PM on 17th December 2010

Story with great pics and videos here;
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1339149/Big-freeze-Coldest-December-100-years-brings-travel-chaos-holiday-rush-begins.html

[giovonni]

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/12/17/article-1339149-0C84ADD5000005DC-760_634x420.jpg
The choristers of Winchester Cathedral donned ice-skates to enjoy the artificial rink set up beside the cathedral

[Koyaanisqatsi]

Yup, this is from all the oil in the atlantic paralyzing the stream. They talked about it on "Conspiracy Theory" with jesse ventura and predicted it would cause icy conditions in europe, maybe its coming to fruition...

[Champion the Wonderhorse]

Here's an interesting article from Manchester Evening News December 2nd. I cant find any information on this WW2 German forecasting. But it is interesting this is a forecast without even considering the Gulf stream.

http://m.gmgrd.co.uk/res/148.$plit/C_71_article_1387888_image_list_image_list_item_0_image.jpg?02%2F12%2F2010%2008%3A45%3A31%3A783Amate ur weatherman predicts January could be the coldest since 1740 December 02, 2010

Amateur weatherman Harry Kershaw says this could be the coldest January for 270 years Britain should be prepared for more snow chaos according to a local forecaster who believes January could be the coldest in 270 years.
Amateur weatherman Harry Kershaw, 84, from Sale, correctly predicted that last winter would be similar to the 1979 Winter of Discontent.
Now he believes the coming January could be as bad as in 1740, when the Thames froze in London and daytime temperatures failed to rise above -9C.
He said: "Between August and October the weather seemed to be the same as 1986, which was followed by the coldest January since 1740.
"I believe the last three weeks of January and the first week of February next year could be the coldest we’ve had for 270 years."
Harry, who began forecasting as a merchant seaman, uses a system developed by the German army during the Second World War known as ‘similarity forecasting'.
He matches conditions with those of previous years and then predicts that future weather will follow a similar pattern – often with uncanny accuracy.
In early 2007, his predictions of a miserable summer were at odds with official forecasts, but he was right. He also warned of wet weather last year when the Met Office told us to prepare for a ‘barbecue summer’.
Harry says there have been similarities between August and November with the conditions before the bad winter of 1987, such as matches in the Atlantic weather maps.
The January of 1987 was the worst since 1740, when it was so cold that pigs were roasted at a fair on the frozen Thames.
Harry believes the current cold spell will last until about December 7, when the weather will start to get milder. He believes Christmas Day could be wet. He added: "I’m looking forward to seeing if I'm right. If my forecast is correct it should be looked at carefully."

[giovonni]

Enough already! :yield:

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50488000/jpg/_50488268_gareth_jones_heathrow5.jpg
Many people slept on the floor at Heathrow Airport overnight.

19 December 2010 Last updated at 13:30 ET

Snow disrupts flights, roads and trains across England

Heavy snow has caused misery for Christmas travellers across England, with passengers stranded at airports and drivers stuck on roads.

more here;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-12032073

[giovonni]

This is an extreme & extraordinary event....:smow:

20 December 2010 Last updated at 10:31 ET

Snow disrupts travel across northern Europe

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50505000/jpg/_50505145_010884233-1.jpg
The UK, France and Germany were badly hit, with forecasters warning of freezing weather all week

Thousands of flights and train services have been cancelled across Europe because of snow and ice, leaving many travellers stranded

Video and more here;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12038847

[irishspirit]

Northern Ireland temperatures could fall to -20C

Northern Ireland has had one of its coldest nights on record with temperatures falling to -17C in Katesbridge, County Down.

The Met Office has warned that temperatures could fall as low as -20C celsius in parts of NI, southern Scotland and northern England tonight.

Hundreds of schools are closed and the freezing conditions are again making road travel hazardous.

The weather is continuing to make conditions difficult for travellers.

Translink is reporting major disruption to all its services. Passengers can also expect delays at the airports.

The Ambulance Service has suspended transport for non-emergency patients

John McPoland said the decision to suspend transport for non-emergency patients had been made because of the "continuing bad weather".

He said the situation was reviewed on a daily basis.

"These would be people travelling to outpatient appointments in the major hospitals and clinics," he added.

"People with appointments for fracture reviews and things such as that, but we will continue to prioritise those patients who need renal services or cancer services.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-12044845

¤=[Post Update]=¤

This is getting scary. I am 30 years of age, my father is 64. Neither he nor I have experienced anything like this in our life. I have used £170 in gas within 2 weeks. Our normal usage is like £10 every 8 to 10 days.

[irishspirit]

Bitter summer freeze bites eastern states as summer gives way to snow and cold

THONGS and board shorts gave way to beanies and scarves yesterday as summer gave way to a wintry blast of snow and icy temperatures in the country's southeast.

While the bitter freeze in Europe continues, Victoria and NSW have had a cold snap of their own, with off-season ski slopes transformed into winter wonderlands.

About 30cm of snow fell at Perisher in NSW yesterday, while Victoria's Mount Hotham received a 10cm dusting on Sunday.

http://www.news.com.au/travel/news/bitter-summer-freeze-bites-eastern-states-as-summer-gives-way-to-snow-and-cold/story-e6frfq80-1225974173962

This is a joke. They are normally like 30c for this time of year. It is Summer down under after all. I think the Global Warming peoples bluff has been called.

[Alloya]

I love the snow to play in but i live in a caravan , i wake in the morning to ice on the inside of my windows and i have to kick the front door to get out for work. All fun and games. Heaven on earth for me would be central heating..lol... Keep warm people .

[Champion the Wonderhorse]

It really makes me angry when people have to pay so much for heating. This is a basic human need. Do you realise we were better off in stone age times. Wrap yourself in animal skin and sit round a fire. And yet here we are in the second millenium where people cannot afford to keep warm! A great tribute to our advance in civilization.
If the wheather continues like this your average heating bill could be £800+. How can pensioners/un-employed afford this or people in work for that matter. I bet the gas and electricity board bureacrats are wringing their hands with glee.
I wish people would wake up and see what a rip off system we have.
I'm packing up to live with the Eskimoes, sorry I mean Inuits.

[giovonni]

:argue:

There's a mini ice age coming, says man who beats weather experts
December 21, 2010 - 4:41PM

Piers Corbyn not only predicted the current weather, but he believes things are going to get much worse, says Boris Johnson, London's mayor

http://images.smh.com.au/2010/12/22/2105779/snow420-420x0.jpg
Footprints remain after people walked on the snow-covered beach at Weston-Super-Mare, England.

The man who repeatedly beats the Met Office at its own game

Well, folks, it's tea-time on Sunday and for anyone involved in keeping people moving it has been a hell of a weekend. Thousands have had their journeys wrecked, tens of thousands have been delayed getting away for Christmas; and for those Londoners who feel aggrieved by the performance of any part of our transport services, I can only say that we are doing our level best.

Almost the entire Tube system was running on Sunday and we would have done even better if it had not been for a suicide on the Northern Line, and the temporary stoppage that these tragedies entail. Of London's 700 bus services, only 50 were on diversion, mainly in the hillier areas. On Saturday, we managed to keep the West End plentifully supplied with customers, and retailers reported excellent takings on what is one of the busiest shopping days of the year.
Advertisement: Story continues below

We have kept the Transport for London road network open throughout all this. We have about 90,000 tons of grit in stock, and the gritters were out all night to deal with this morning's rush. And yet we have to face the reality of the position across the country.

It is no use my saying that London Underground and bus networks are performing relatively well - touch wood - when Heathrow, our major international airport, is still effectively closed two days after the last heavy snowfall; when substantial parts of our national rail network are still struggling; when there are abandoned cars to be seen on hard shoulders all over the country; and when yet more snow is expected today, especially in the north.

In a few brief hours, we are told, the snowy superfortresses will be above us again, bomb bays bulging with blizzard. It may be that in the next hours and days we have to step up our de-icing, our gritting and our shovelling. So let me seize this brief gap in the aerial bombardment to pose a question that is bugging me. Why did the Met Office forecast a "mild winter"?

Do you remember? They said it would be mild and damp, and between one degree and one and a half degrees warmer than average. Well, I am now 46 and that means I have seen more winters than most people on this planet, and I can tell you that this one is a corker.

Never mind the record low attained in Northern Ireland this weekend. I can't remember a time when so much snow has lain so thickly on the ground, and we haven't even reached Christmas. And this is the third tough winter in a row. Is it really true that no one saw this coming?

Actually, they did. Allow me to introduce readers to Piers Corbyn, meteorologist and brother of my old chum, bearded leftie MP Jeremy. Piers Corbyn works in an undistinguished office in Borough High Street. He has no telescope or supercomputer. Armed only with a laptop, huge quantities of publicly available data and a first-class degree in astrophysics, he gets it right again and again.

Back in November, when the Met Office was still doing its "mild winter" schtick, Corbyn said it would be the coldest for 100 years. Indeed, it was back in May that he first predicted a snowy December, and he put his own money on a white Christmas about a month before the Met Office made any such forecast. He said that the Met Office would be wrong about last year's mythical "barbecue summer", and he was vindicated. He was closer to the truth about last winter, too.

He seems to get it right about 85 per cent of the time and serious business people - notably in farming - are starting to invest in his forecasts. In the eyes of many punters, he puts the taxpayer-funded Met Office to shame. How on earth does he do it? He studies the Sun.

He looks at the flow of particles from the Sun, and how they interact with the upper atmosphere, especially air currents such as the jet stream, and he looks at how the Moon and other factors influence those streaming particles.

He takes a snapshot of what the Sun is doing at any given moment, and then he looks back at the record to see when it last did something similar. Then he checks what the weather was like on Earth at the time - and he makes a prophecy.

I have not a clue whether his methods are sound or not. But when so many of his forecasts seem to come true, and when he seems to be so consistently ahead of the Met Office, I feel I want to know more. Piers Corbyn believes that the last three winters could be the harbinger of a mini ice age that could be upon us by 2035, and that it could start to be colder than at any time in the last 200 years. He goes on to speculate that a genuine ice age might then settle in, since an ice age is now cyclically overdue.

Is he barmy? Of course he may be just a fluke-artist. It may be just luck that he has apparently predicted recent weather patterns more accurately than government-sponsored scientists. Nothing he says, to my mind, disproves the view of the overwhelming majority of scientists, that our species is putting so much extra CO? into the atmosphere that we must expect global warming.

The question is whether anthropogenic global warming is the exclusive or dominant fact that determines our climate, or whether Corbyn is also right to insist on the role of the Sun. Is it possible that everything we do is dwarfed by the moods of the star that gives life to the world? The Sun is incomparably vaster and more powerful than any work of man. We are forged from a few clods of solar dust. The Sun powers every plant and form of life, and one day the Sun will turn into a red giant and engulf us all. Then it will burn out. Then it will get very nippy indeed.

Source;
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/weather/theres-a-mini-ice-age-coming-says-man-who-beats-weather-experts-20101221-1945a.html

[Champion the Wonderhorse]

I wonder if this is the 'Similarity Forcasting' method

¤=[Post Update]=¤

Anyone fancy ice skating across the Thames next month?

[giovonni]

:doh:

UK offers troops, EU seeks answers for snow chaos :rant:


Dec 21, 6:17 PM (ET)

By GREGORY KATZ and SHAWN POGATCHNIK

LONDON (AP) - The snow was melting off London's streets, but Heathrow Airport told infuriated passengers it won't restore full service until Thursday - five days after a five-inch snowfall turned hundreds of thousands of holiday plans into a nightmare of canceled flights and painful nights sleeping on terminal floors.

Travelers' anger boiled over into politics as Britain's prime minister offered to put troops on snow-clearing duty and Europe's top transport official threatened tougher regulation of airports unable to cope with wintry weather.

"It's pathetic - you would think this is a Third World country," said 29-year-old Janice Phillips, who was trying to get back to Minneapolis. She sat next to her sleeping boyfriend, his head propped against a backpack, his mouth ajar. "All they've been talking about was this snow forecast. You would think the government could do a better job."

"It's not even snowing!" said 19-year-old Candie Sparks, who was trying to get back to Santa Fe, New Mexico. "It's crazy."

Days after a driving snowfall that ended Saturday after dumping five inches in an hour, the terminals at Heathrow were clogged Tuesday with passengers desperately looking at computer screens to see if they would be able to get to their destinations. So many people were sprawled on the floor that it was difficult to walk.

Some wore Santa hats decorated with vulgar signs making fun of their most un-merry Christmas.

Transportation experts said that after many years without heavy snowfall, underinvestment has left Heathrow and dozens of other airports across Britain and Ireland without enough equipment or personnel to cope with big storms.

"They have concluded they don't need snow clearance equipment, so we don't have the capability when bad weather comes in," aviation consultant Chris Yates said.

He said airport operators in Helsinki, Stockholm and other snowy climes have the equipment and manpower to clear runways within 30 minutes and to remove ice and snow from aircraft stands quickly, while Heathrow lags far behind.

This was evident in the days after Saturday's snowstorm, when airports in Frankfurt, Prague, Amsterdam and other major cities in mainland Europe bounced back more quickly than Heathrow, where the ice quickly hardened, making removal more difficult.

London's Gatwick was hit by less snow and recovered faster than the larger Heathrow. Its runway reopened and flights were operating Tuesday night.

European Union transportation commissioner Siim Kallas threatened tougher regulation if performance does not improve. "Better preparedness, in line with what is done in Northern Europe is not an optional extra, it must be planned for and with the necessary investment," he said.

Prime Minister David Cameron said his government had offered military assistance to the company that operates Heathrow, BAA Ltd., which thanked him but said it didn't need the help.

Still, even as the second of Heathrow's two runways reopened late Tuesday, officials said they needed "breathing space" to clear remaining snow, restart equipment and move planes and crews back into place. As a result, the airport would only operate about one-third of its normal flight schedule until 6 a.m. on Thursday.

Eurostar, the high-speed train that connects to mainland Europe through the Channel Tunnel, also could not cope, advising passengers throughout the day to cancel and stay home.

Outside London's Eurostar terminal, the line of travelers waiting for trains snaked several hundred yards (meters) down the street from the station.

Inside, puffy-eyed passengers shuffled across the cold concourse, watching anxiously as the line periodically spurted forward. One older man played Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" on his harmonica; the crowd livened up when he switched to the Swedish rock band Europe's heavy metal anthem "The Final Countdown."

By evening, Eurostar said it expected to operate a nearly normal schedule on Wednesday but said passengers who had missed previous trains would still not be able to travel.

Eurostar trains have been running with speed restrictions in both England and France as a precaution because of the snow.

Rail expert Christian Wolmar said Eurostar was being cautious after holiday-season breakdowns last year caused by powdery snow sucked into the engines of speeding trains. The entire Eurostar service was halted for three days when trains got stuck in the Channel Tunnel.

Wolmar said the real problem was bad management.

"Eurostar ought to be ashamed of themselves," he said. "It would seem possible to put on extra trains, but they can't get the crews or they can't get the trains in place .... It's inexplicable."

The icy road conditions also forced many major businesses in the UK to stop taking online orders for pre-Christmas delivery.

Weather experts warned of more extreme weather ahead.

The usual prevailing stream of warm, wet Gulf air is getting blocked and diverted midway across the Atlantic, they said - allowing cold fronts from the Arctic and Eastern Europe to mount a rare prolonged invasion of Western Europe.

When those cold fronts pass over the relatively warm North Sea and Irish Sea, they turn into snow factories of rare power.

Many experts say global warming can lead, counterintuitively, to more powerful winter storms because of higher volumes of moisture in the air.

"The 1960s was a 5- to 10-year period of extreme weather, hot and cold. We could well be going into such a period and my advice would be prepare for it," said Sir David King, former chief scientific adviser to the British government, who is now director of the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment at Oxford University.

"The risk to our economy is significant if this happens and we're not prepared."

In Ireland, intense, sustained snow has snarled traffic and shut down the country's major airport north of Dublin. Dublin Airport officials said the intensifying snowfall meant they couldn't keep runways free of ice.

Problems also persisted in Germany, where Frankfurt airport, continental Europe's second-largest hub, saw 550 cancellations out of a total of about 1,300 flights Tuesday because of bad weather conditions.

Source;
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20101221/D9K8JAUG0.html

here's a link to an excellent video on all this stuff on ~ gulf stream - changing weather patterns > mini ice age ...
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/gulf-stream-next-ice-age/

[irishspirit]

Folk's,

I am not loosing it when I say this, but this morning, on my way to work at 5:45 am, I could see the cold in the sky. It was like those little "stars2 that you get after a blow to the head. I had to ask my pal was I seeing things, when he was able to open hios mouth, he did say he was seeing the same thing. It was like little crystals floating in front of ye. God it is cold here. I know for some, it would not be so cold, but we are not used to -20.

[Gone002]

tell me about friggin - 16 bro

[Ahkenaten]

I wonder what is going on with the Gulf Stream conveyor belt? Has it stalled? Is this why it is so cold in England and Northern Europe?

[Gone002]

don't forget Ireland we are having very cold weather

could the oil spill in the gulf have helped to cause this

[Champion the Wonderhorse]

Hi Ahkenhaten, celt. Maybe this will answer your question.

BRITAIN AND EUROPE ARE HEADING INTO A WINTER UNLIKE ANY SEEN IN OUR LIFE TIMES. THIS IS BECAUSE THE GULF STREAM IS GONE.

THE GULF OF MEXICO BP OIL SPILL KILLED THE GULF LOOP WHICH IS THE DRIVING FORCE OF THE GULF STREAM. IN THE PAST IT HAS BROUGHT WARM WATER AND AIR OVER TO THE COAST OF IRELAND AND THE UK, WHICH IS THE MAIN REASON WE DONT ALREADY SUFFER WINTERS ON A PAR WITH N.CANADA AND RUSSIA.

WELL, THE GULF STREAM IS GONE - AND WE ARE HEADING INTO A WINTER THAT THIS COUNTRY SIMPLY CANNOT COPE WITH.

WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN A HORRENDOUS START TO THE UK WINTER WITH MORE SET TO FOLLOW NEXT WEEK, WITH FORECASTERS SAYING ITS GOING TO BE HERE TIL XMAS (THATS AS FAR AS THEY FORECAST FOLKS! THIS IS HERE FOR THE LONG HAUL)


K_P-kUrTuj8
Dr Bill Deagle and Tim Alexander discuss this on the Nutrimedical Report for 9th Dec 2010.

[Champion the Wonderhorse]

What annoys me is this information has been known since June. The government has had all this time to prepare. Our wheather forecasters have know about this. And Heathrow airport is still closed. Pathetic!

[giovonni]

It is very interesting to me and others here in hearing others personal experiences with all this :yes4:

please note, i do understand and sympathize ~ in that my posting these reports is quite redundant for those suffering in Britain and elsewhere - during ( and under) these adverse weather conditions. But for others like myself the comparisons to (our) local and national changing weather conditions - helps draw a broader image (scope) of this quickening global weather phenomena.



23 December 2010 Last updated at 10:46 ET

Ice and snow hit Christmas getaway in Western Europe

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50556000/jpg/_50556534_jex_908988_de27-1.jpg

Thick ice and snow have caused further travel disruption in Western Europe, as transport networks struggle to cope with the busy Christmas period.

video update and story here;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12066894

[giovonni]

24 December 2010 Last updated at 12:35 ET

Snow paralyses transport in parts of Western Europe


http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50576000/jpg/_50576807_010900289-1.jpg

Thousands of travellers have had their Christmas plans disrupted by further snowfalls across Western Europe.

video and story here;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12073501

[irishspirit]

You know wde still have snow on the ground that has turned to really bad ice, but thankfully, we are to go to 5c next week.

[Champion the Wonderhorse]

Yes and our brilliant British wheather forecasters are now predicting rain for next week.
Interestingly enough Harry Kershaw with his similarity forecasting predicted a wet christmas. It will be interesting to see how January turns out.

[Seikou-Kishi]

Even on a forum like this, those of us in the UK are fixating ourselves with the weather... good to show we can flick the v to stereotypes... anyone for tea? XD

[giovonni]

i'm with you all with that my Friends :tea:
Perhaps a brief moment for some gloating ~ towards your cousins over here :(

Last year this time the East Coast got hit by several (huge) snowstorms,:smow:

Could this year (possibly) repeat itself ?

*********************************

Major winter storm barrels up East Coast http://d.yimg.com/a/p/rids/20101225/i/r3733731892.jpg?x=400&y=255&q=85&sig=28Mo54FPb75AN6Aoszx._Q--

By KRISTIN M. HALL, Associated Press Kristin M. Hall, Associated Press – Sun Dec 26, 12:59 am ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A winter storm that brought a rare white Christmas to parts of the South was barreling up the East Coast early Sunday, with forecasters predicting 6 to 10 inches of snow for Washington and blizzard conditions for New York City and New England.

Airlines canceled hundreds of Sunday flights in the Northeast corridor, with more likely to come as the storm intensifies.

Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina declared states of emergency early Sunday or Saturday night. As North Carolina road crews tried to clear snowy and icy highways, Mid-Atlantic officials spent Christmas Day preparing for up to a foot of snow, plunging temperatures and high winds.

"Our concern is tomorrow it's going to get significantly colder," Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell told The Weather Channel on Saturday evening. "Winds with gusts up to 45 miles per hour will cause blowing snow and that's going to cause the worst of it ... and we're urging extreme caution in travel. Try to get home early and if you don't have to travel don't go."

Continental Airlines canceled 250 Sunday departures from Newark Liberty International Airport outside New York City. United Airlines announced late Saturday that it had canceled dozens of Sunday departures from Newark, Philadelphia, New York's LaGuardia and JFK, Boston and other airports. AirTran also canceled flights, as did Southwest Airlines, mostly in or out of Washington Dulles, Baltimore and Newark.

Southwest spokesman Brad Hawkins said most of the cancellations were for the afternoon, and that flights in New York and Boston would also likely to be affected. More decisions will be made Sunday morning.

Most carriers were waiving fees for one-time changes in affected areas and urging passengers to make changes through their websites.

The monster storm is the result of a low pressure system that will intensify off the North Carolina coast on Sunday morning and strengthen into a major storm as it moves northeast, according to the National Weather Service.

A blizzard warning was issued for New York City for Sunday and Monday, with a forecast of 11 to 16 inches of snow and strong winds that will reduce visibility to near zero at times. As much as 18 inches could fall on the New Jersey shore with wind gusts over 40 mph. A blizzard warning was also in effect for Rhode Island and most of eastern Massachusetts including Boston, with forecasters predicting 15 to 20 inches of snow from noon Sunday to 6 p.m. Monday. A blizzard warning is issued when snow is accompanied by sustained winds or gusts over 35 mph.

Early Sunday, winter storm warnings covered northern Georgia, the Carolinas, Washington, Delaware, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and the eastern sections of Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York. Winter weather advisories were in effect for eastern Tennessee and Kentucky, West Virginia and northwest Virginia.

The system gave the Carolinas its first white Christmas in decades. Columbia, S.C., had its first significant Christmas snow since weather records were first kept in 1887.

In Asheville, N.C., the Weather Service said about an inch of snow was falling an hour Saturday. As much as 10 inches could fall by Sunday morning, which would break the previous Christmas Day record of 5.4 inches set in 1969.

North Carolina Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton declared a state of emergency Saturday.

The North Carolina Highway Patrol said Saturday evening that most of the roads in and around Asheville were either covered or partially covered with snow and ice. Emergency management spokeswoman Julia Jarema said troopers in the two dozen westernmost counties answered 350 calls in 18 hours Saturday. Most were wrecks.

Lance Cpl. Bill Rhyne, the Upstate spokesman for the South Carolina Highway Patrol, said late Saturday that snow was starting to cover roads but that there were fewer accidents than there would be on a normal night.

"Everybody's at home," he said. "It's Christmas. They're heeding the warnings and staying off the roads."

In Nashville, some travelers who expected a smooth trip on Christmas got a rude surprise.

"We were hoping this was going to be a good day to travel," said Heather Bansmer, 36, of Bellingham, Wash.

She and her husband, Shawn Breeding, 40, had planned to return home on separate flights after a visit to Breeding's family in Bowling Green, Ky. But Breeding's flight through Atlanta got canceled.

The couple was planning to spend much of Christmas Day in separate airports.

"A white Christmas is not so welcome," Breeding said, as the couple stood in the lobby of the Nashville airport with their luggage in a cart.

In Pensacola, Fla., Jena Passut faced a quandary. The 36-year-old magazine writer drove with her husband and two kids from Fairfax, Va., to visit relatives. On Saturday afternoon she worried about how to get back home amid the snow.

"Should we leave on Christmas night? My kids are normally good travelers, but if it's going to take us twice as long, it's going to be hell," she said. "I like a white Christmas as much as anyone, but I don't want to drive in it."

In Washington, transportation department spokeswoman Karyn LeBlanc said a few crews would be pre-treating roads Saturday night if necessary. About 200 pieces of equipment will be deployed Sunday in anticipation of snow.

To the north, Delaware and Philadelphia braced for up to a foot of snow predicted to fall from Sunday into Monday and authorities urged people to avoid traveling if possible.

Hundreds of flights, many through Atlanta, had already been canceled Saturday. Only a few hundred people milled about the cavernous terminals at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, many of them recent arrivals from international flights. Passengers were notified Friday when flights were pre-emptively canceled, so most didn't bother to show up. Many chairs were empty, restaurants too.

Some couldn't help but chuckle that the flights were nixed long before the first raindrop or snowflake had fallen. Wet snow didn't begin falling in Atlanta until late Saturday afternoon.

"They canceled hundreds of flights and there hasn't even been a drop of rain," said Stephanie Palmer, who was killing time with her friend Ibrahima Soumano as he awaited a flight to Mali. "This doesn't make sense."

Southern cities saw varying amounts of snow, depending on whether they were in the storm's path.

The Nashville area had an inch or so of snow Christmas eve. There was also snow in northern Alabama.

By Saturday morning, 4 to 5 inches of snow had fallen over several hours in Bowling Green, Ky., according to the Weather Service. Louisville had about an inch.

The Air Transport Association was expecting 44.3 million people on U.S. flights between Dec. 16 and Jan. 5 — up 3 percent over the same period a year ago but still below pre-recession travel volume. The average ticket price was $421, up by 5 percent.

The AAA predicted overall holiday travel to rise about 3 percent this year, with more than 92 million people planning to go more than 50 miles by Jan. 2. More than 90 percent said they would be driving.

Source;
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101226/ap_on_bi_ge/us_holiday_travel

[jack]

Yes and our brilliant British wheather forecasters are now predicting rain for next week.
Interestingly enough Harry Kershaw with his similarity forecasting predicted a wet christmas. It will be interesting to see how January turns out.


He's predicting that it will be the coldest January in 270 years. The guys got a pretty good track record. (270 years ago from December 1739 to early March 1740 the River thames in the UK froze over)

[greybeard]

In Inverness Highlands of Scotland, the thaw is on and its raining but it sure has been cold.
A nice holiday lying on the beach in the sun with a warm sea to swim in would be much appreciated.
Mind you Inverness in the Spring, Summer and Autumn is a beautiful place to be.

Think the Gulf Stream has slowed down so we may be heading for a mini Ice Age.

Chris

[giovonni]

:yo:
Thanks Folks for the updates and comments ~
here is more on this side of the pond from your BBC

26 December 2010 Last updated at 18:16 ET

Eastern United States hit by winter storm

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50584000/jpg/_50584027_010906350-1.jpg
Great Bridge Locks Park in Chesapeake, Virginia, was one of the postcard scenes

video and story here;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12080925

:photo: here;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12081267

[MorningSong]

Yep, my mom in the NC Piedmont-Triad area told me they got 8 inches of snow from Saturday to Sunday with winds blowing 25-30 mph. A Blizzard!

Never snowed like that there when I was a child....

[irishspirit]

State of Emergency in Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Delaware Due to Blizzard

The states of Massachusetts, New Jersey, Delaware declared states of emergencies on Sunday, Dec. 26, amid heavy snow and severe weather conditions that brought transportation and state operations to a freeze.

The National Weather Service (NWS) warned on Sunday night that the blizzard that has plagued the Northeast United States the day after Christmas would continue into Monday and bring an intense chill and snowfall into Monday morning.

“Low pressure off the Delaware Coast will intensify into a powerful Noreaster tonight as it passes near Nantucket Monday morning,” the NWS announced in a 8:35 p.m. EST release on Sunday.

The storm will bring blizzard conditions from New Hampshire through Massachusetts to Rhode Island and Connecticut, the NWS said, adding that the blizzard should subside slightly Monday morning, but “strong winds will continue, especially along the coast.”

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/48100/

[irishspirit]

Raw Footage of snow fall in NJ


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VitXR8WBw40


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbEkbHGYXBU

[Rocky_Shorz]

The Piggy Flu is back in England?


460 flu victims fighting for life as experts admit 24 deaths from swine strain may be only a fraction of the true number...

The number of people in intensive care with confirmed or suspected flu in England has risen to 460 - more than double what it was a week ago.

Statistics released by the Department of Health (DoH) on December 15 showed 182 people were receiving intensive treatment for flu.

As of today, there were 460 patients receiving the same level of care.

Of the 460 patients currently receiving intensive care for flu, 366 were aged between 16 and 64.

There were 51 patients aged 65 and over, and 26 under five; another 17 were aged between five and 15.

It comes as medical experts admit the 24 lives claimed by the swine strain could be a fraction of the true death toll...

full article (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1341300/460-flu-victims-fighting-life-experts-admit-24-deaths-swine-strain-fraction-true-number.html)

[Rocky_Shorz]

I was in one of the hot spots when h1n1 broke out and nurses said a majority of the problems relating to those coming in was dehydration...

Here is a link on how to take care of someone in your home with the flu...

full article... (http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=100589)


Taking Care of a Sick Person in Your Home

April 25, 2009 18:30 EDT
This document provides interim guidance and will be updated as needed.
Swine influenza A virus infection (swine flu) can cause a wide range of symptoms, including fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu. People with swine flu also can have vomiting and diarrhea. Like seasonal flu, swine flu in humans can vary in severity from mild to severe.Severe disease with pneumonia, respiratory failure and even death is possible with swine flu infection. Certain groups might be more likely to develop a severe illness from swine flu infection, such as persons with chronic medical conditions. Sometimes bacterial infections may occur at the same time as or after infection with influenza viruses and lead to pneumonias, ear infections, or sinus infections.

The following information can help you provide safer care at home for sick persons during a flu pandemic...



When to Seek Emergency Medical Care
Get medical care right away if the sick person at home:

* has difficulty breathing or chest pain
* has purple or blue discoloration of the lips
* is vomiting and unable to keep liquids down
* has signs of dehydration such as dizziness when standing, absence of urination, or in infants, a lack of tears when they cry
* has seizures (for example, uncontrolled convulsions)
* is less responsive than normal or becomes confused

[giovonni]

Well at least someone had a good Day :photo:

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:cjM8N3xCMjQBcM:http://i320.photobucket.com/albums/nn343/Marukay/wrong2.jpg&t=1

27 December 2010 Last updated at 10:09 ET

Postponed Boxing Day hunts affected by freezing weather

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50587000/jpg/_50587744_50587743.jpg
The hounds were exercised and paraded near Hagley Hall, near Bromsgrove

Hunt supporters across the country have taken part in what is traditionally the biggest date in the hunting diary.

The Boxing Day hunt was postponed as hunting does not take place on Sundays. The freezing weather saw some hunts cancelled or a parade held instead.

Hounds chased an artificial scent as fox hunting was outlawed in 2005.

The Countryside Alliance want the law repealed, saying it is unclear. However, the League Against Cruel Sports say many MPs want to keep it.

The coalition government said it would hold a free vote on the repeal of the act - but that is not expected to happen before 2012.

Around 300 hunts around the country went out with some of the biggest including the Beaufort Hunt and the Quorn Hunt.


http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50588000/jpg/_50588579_50588578.jpg
People gathered to see the hounds in Gloucestershire after the hunt was cancelled due to the weather


Frank Houghton-Brown, joint master of the Tynedale Hunt, said the winter conditions had been a hindrance but supporters had nonetheless braved the weather.

"It's very treacherous underfoot; it's been snowing and we're expecting quite a bit more too but we'll ride down into the village and meet like we have done for a couple of hundred years," he said.

"There should be a lot of people watching who have all come down to see us, so that will be great, and depending on how much snow we get we'll try to go trail hunting afterwards but it may not be fit to do that.

"People turn out and love it so we keep going."
Hunting law 'hoo-ha'

Tracy Castle at the Heythrop Hunt in Chipping Norton said: "It's a really important day for us and we see the local community really showing their support.

"We've got people from all walks of life here and they come from far afield to see the hunt meet and I think that's very typical."

Jill Grieve, from the Countryside Alliance, said the decision to continue the ban, despite Prime Minister David Cameron's personal commitment to ending it, was understandable because of other matters facing the country owing to the deficit.

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50589000/jpg/_50589909_50589908.jpg
Hunt supporters say people come from far afield to watch hunts take place


Ms Grieve added that ministers needed to at least make clear what was legal and what was not under the existing act.

She added: "The hunting act is so bad that they thought it had been banned but it is so unclear.

"The people going out on horseback and the people who are involved, who think they are acting within the law, are under fear of finding themselves locked up in a police cell and are under threat of prosecution every time they go to work."

The League Against Cruel Sports said the law was a good one - it just needed hunts to follow it correctly.

Louise Robertson from the group said: "If hunts are thriving so well under the act, and they're getting so many supporters and are hunting legally within the confines of the law, then why is there such a big hoo-ha about repealing this act?"

Ms Robertson added that she did not know how many hunts had been affected by the weather, but the snow and freezing temperatures were "on the side of the fox".

Source;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12083355

[giovonni]

UK :mmph: NY ~ there seems to be a lot of extreme weather out there! :faint2:

Flights resume at NY airport following blizzard

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20101227/capt.fcae8f9027df4459a35113b27524c6de-fcae8f9027df4459a35113b27524c6de-0.jpg?x=213&y=146&xc=1&yc=1&wc=408&hc=280&q=85&sig=.TAUnKtOgNRC.j_kedMFyQ--
Air travelers wait in line to find out the status of their flights at John F. Kennedy International Airport

By DEEPTI HAJELA and SAMANTHA HENRY, Associated Press Deepti Hajela And Samantha Henry, Associated Press – 2 mins ago

NEW YORK – Planes began landing again Monday at one of the nation's busiest airports after a blizzard clobbered the Northeast with more than 2 feet of snow and closed the New York metropolitan area's three airports, stranding thousands of travelers trying to get home after the holidays.

A Royal Jordanian flight was the first to arrive at John F. Kennedy International Airport, shortly before 7 p.m., said Steve Coleman, of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airports. Flights were expected to begin arriving at Newark and LaGuardia airports later in the evening.

Vikki Walker, 24, and her boyfriend Kevin Berryman, 26, were among those in line at a security checkpoint at LaGuardia. They had been in New York for Christmas and were trying to get home to Halifax. They originally planned to fly out of Newark on Monday morning and said they had been rebooked four times before getting seats on the flight out of LaGuardia.

"It feels incredible. Hopefully it will work out, though," Walker said. "I don't want to get my hopes too high."

The storm walloped the Northeast on Sunday, stymieing most means of transportation. Flights were grounded. Buses sputtered to a halt in snow drifts. Trains stopped in their tracks. Taxi drivers abandoned their cabs in the middle of New York's snow-clogged streets. Even the New York City subway system — usually dependable during a snowstorm — broke down in spots, trapping riders for hours.

Snowfall totals included a foot in Tidewater, Va., and Philadelphia, 29 inches in parts of northern New Jersey, 2 feet north of New York City, and more than 18 inches in Boston.

Cold, hungry and tired passengers spent the night in airports, train stations and bus depots. Some were given cots and blankets. Others used their luggage as pillows, curled into chairs, or made beds by spreading towels on the floor or overturning the plastic bins used for sending items through airport security.

Some airline passengers could be stuck for days. Many planes are booked solid because of the busy holiday season, and airlines are operating fewer flights because of the economic downturn.

As bad as the storm was, it could have been worse if it had been an ordinary work day. Children are home from school all week on Christmas vacation, and lots of people had taken off from work.

Many youngsters went out and frolicked in the snow, some of them using the sleds they got for Christmas.

Many side streets in New York City remained unplowed well into the day, and pedestrians stumbled over drifts and trudged through knee-deep snow in some places. Numerous people simply gave up trying to use the sidewalks, instead walking down the middle of partially plowed streets. Some New Yorkers complained that snowplow crews were neglecting neighborhoods in the outer boroughs in favor of Manhattan.

A testy Mayor Michael Bloomberg defended the city's cleanup effort, saying the furious pace of the snowfall — 2 to 3 inches per hour — required crews to plow streets repeatedly to keep them open. And abandoned cars slowed the process further because plows could not get through, he said.

"It's being handled by the best professionals in the business," Bloomberg said, urging people not to get upset. "It's a snowstorm, and it really is inconvenient for a lot of people."

At the Manchester Boston Regional Airport outside Manchester, N.H., 25-year-old Alicia Kinney slept overnight on benches in the baggage claim area before moving to the food court for a soda in the morning.

"I'm trying to stay positive," she said.

The blizzard had a ripple effect on air travel, stranding thousands of people at airports around the country.

"I know the Northeast was hit by snow. I get it. But still, this is Monday and I still haven't gotten a flight yet," said Sam Rogers, who had planned to fly back to New York on Sunday after visiting his brother in Charlotte, N.C., for the holiday. He was supposed to be back Monday at the mortgage company where he works, but no one was answering the phone at his office. "I guess they took a snow day, too."

In New York, many passengers tired of waiting around couldn't have left even if they wanted to. Taxis were hard to find, and many airport shuttles and trains were also a lost cause.

"There's literally no way to leave," said Jason Cochran of New York City, stuck at Kennedy.

Yoann Uzan of France, on a first-ever trip to New York City with his girlfriend, said their airline had promised to put passengers up at hotels overnight. "But we waited for the shuttle buses to take us there, and then the buses couldn't get through because of the weather, so we were stuck here," he said.

Passengers stuck at New York City's main bus terminal — where all service was canceled — tried to get some shuteye as they awaited word on when buses might start rolling again.

"It's really, really cold here," said 12-year-old Terry Huang. "The luggage was really hard to sleep on. It was hard and lumpy."

Two passenger buses headed back to New York City from the Atlantic City, N.J., casinos became stuck on New Jersey's Garden State Parkway. State troopers, worried about diabetics aboard, brought water and food as emergency workers worked to free the vehicles.

In Virginia, the National Guard had to rescue three people trapped in a car for more than four hours in the Eastern Shore area.

Not even professional hockey players could beat the frozen conditions. The Toronto Maple Leafs, after defeating the New Jersey Devils 4-1 in Newark, N.J., got stuck in traffic for four hours on their way to the team hotel. It was supposed to be a 20-minute ride. Center Tyler Bozak tweeted in one middle-of-the-night dispatch: "Roads closed in new jersey stuck on the bussss. Brutaallll!!"

Christopher Mullen was among the New York City subway riders stranded for several hours aboard a cold train Monday. "I just huddled with my girlfriend. We just tried to stay close," he said.

The train was stopped by snow drifts on the tracks and ice on the electrified third rail. It took hours to rescue the passengers because crews first tried to push the train, and when that didn't work, a snow-covered diesel locomotive had to be dug out of a railyard and brought in to move it.

Getting around cities in the Northeast was an adventure. In one Brooklyn neighborhood, cars drove the wrong way up a one-way street because it was the only plowed thoroughfare in the area. In Philadelphia, pedestrians dodged chunks of ice blown off skyscrapers.

New York taxi driver Shafqat Hayat spent the night in his cab on 33rd Street in Manhattan, unable to move his vehicle down the unplowed road. "I've seen a lot of snow before, but on the roads, I've never seen so many cars stuck in 22 years," he said.



http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/a/a5/aa50e00ac148e0ba941eadfe08d4bf8c.jpeg
more photos here;
http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/East-Coast-winter-storm/ss/events/us/120210eastsnow#photoViewer=/ydownload_getty/20101227/photos_net_web_ts/1293470180

Source;
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_winter_weather;_ylt=Asgj448svNlio1VjNDkmxTis0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTJpM2cyZ2IyBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAxMjI4L3V zX3dpbnRlcl93ZWF0aGVyBGNwb3MDMQRwb3MDMwRzZWMDeW5fdG9wX3N0b3J5BHNsawNmdWxsbmJzcHN0b3I-

[giovonni]

First the UK then the US ~ i see OZ has also been having their share of extreme weather this past month ~ first snow in Southeast now floods up in Brisbane

28 December 2010 Last updated at 03:20 ET

Australians evacuate flood-hit Queensland towns http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50593000/gif/_50593821_australia_floods_1210.gif

Flooding in north-eastern Australia has forced residents to evacuate towns and closed down more than 300 roads.

video and story here;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12084735

and here;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12035944

[Ammit]

I am not too sure if my family was affected by the piggy flu or if it was just a harsh normal flu. Dehydration was very hard to cope with and I think I am now on the mend.
I just could not drink enough to alleviate the dehydration, seemed as soon as fluids went in then they all came back out again. The headaches were a nightmare which I put down to high temperature and dehydration.

Glad to say that besides a bit of coughing, we are all getting better.

Blessings

Ammit

[irishspirit]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkzNmWlCig8&feature=player_embedded#!

¤=[Post Update]=¤

if you get the message video not available in your country, use this link. http://tube-tunnel.com/ copy and paste teh youtube address into it and it unlocks it.

[giovonni]

The Long Way Home...
Looks like New York is having all the weather (fun) this week :(
http://d.yimg.com/a/p/rids/20101227/i/r3943182267.jpg?x=400&y=299&q=85&sig=I5lugzw0IiPFCJYiIQKKpg--

Nearly 10,000 flights canceled since holiday blizzard began
By the CNN Wire Staff
December 28, 2010 7:34 p.m. EST
story and pictures here;
http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/12/28/airlines.weather/index.html

NY's Dumbest; NYC sanitation workers destroy a Ford Explorer (note lots of cussing) :sorry:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt_r-jO3lKE

[jcocks]

First the UK then the US ~ i see OZ has also been having their share of extreme weather this past month ~ first snow in Southeast now floods up in Brisbane

28 December 2010 Last updated at 03:20 ET

Australians evacuate flood-hit Queensland towns http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50593000/gif/_50593821_australia_floods_1210.gif

Flooding in north-eastern Australia has forced residents to evacuate towns and closed down more than 300 roads.

video and story here;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12084735

and here;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12035944

You forgot to mention that here in Western Australia, We've had the worst flooding in living memory up north, in a town called Carnarvon. That, and we had an earthquake down south (only very small - 2.5 - but it's exceptional in that I can't ever remember an earthquake hitting there before).....

I'm starting to think that the idea of a mini ice-age may not be too far-fetched.....

[giovonni]

My apologies jcocks :doh:

Must not forget the Left Coast ~ OZ is a big place :bump:

The City of Lights ~ Perth :fans:

[giovonni]

this not good for an area that is struggling in recovering from a long drought...

28 December 2010 Last updated at 21:39 ET

Flood chaos forces mass evacuations in Australia
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12087870

[Bright Garlick]

I suspect this cold snap is the result of a prolonged solar minimum. You don't have to agree with this idea but all the evidence seems to be pointing in this direction. I reckon that once solar cycle 24 shifts it's gradient towards rising consistantly, then the prolonged cold/wet will subside. You can find more details on this and the potential mini ice age here :

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2010/12/27/piers-corbyn-goes-global-cooling/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piers_Corbyn
http://www.solarcycle24.com/sunspots.htm
http://wattsupwiththat.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/gw-sunspot-predictions11.jpg
http://www.weatheraction.com/resource/data/wact1/docs/BI1003MAR30dFullDetailIssue24Feb.pdf
http://otherworldyencounters.wordpress.com/2010/03/22/2011-the-doors-of-opportunity-part-2/ (my take on where we're heading) .

Thanks for a very informative post. I hope the sheep in the photo thawed out !! :rockon:

[Ross]

I am a believer that the Science of weather has everything to do with the sun and its behaviour. We also cannot rule out hightened effects from earthbound hands...and, I'm sick of the rain...here in the Sunshine state.

[giovonni]

this is good ~ you gotta see this video from the bbc :lol:

Polar bears get the better of spy cameras
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12070732


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnkjkgdXw9Q

[irishspirit]

I am lead to believe that we are to enter into yet another cold snap within the next week or so. Doom aND GLOOM TO CONTINUE ON THE WEATHER FRONT i AM AFRAID.

[giovonni]

Heard about this yesterday ~ an effect due to the recent extreme cold weather...

29 December 2010 Last updated at 13:14 ET

Leaders 'let down' as 36,000 struggle in water crisis
Northern Ireland's deputy first minister has said he feels "absolutely let down" by NI Water's handling of a crisis in water supplies.

videos and story here;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-12088872[COLOR="red"]

Also a water problem in Wales
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-12088330

*********************************

Heavy snow grips northern China
It is not just in Europe and North America that snow has been causing travel chaos. Days of continuous snowfall have hit northwestern and eastern China, causing roadblocks and delays.
video and story here;
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/8228676/Heavy-snow-grips-northern-China.html

[Seikou-Kishi]

This is the second year in a row that the UK has had a bad winter... one more and it'll be Ragnarök lol XD

[Champion the Wonderhorse]

I am lead to believe that we are to enter into yet another cold snap within the next week or so. Doom aND GLOOM TO CONTINUE ON THE WEATHER FRONT i AM AFRAID.


Yes, that is what I expect as well. At the moment it is 6c.
So I am enjoying the break in the wheather.
Never thought I'd be so happy to see a temperature like that.

[giovonni]

WEATHER :rant:

Stay Home!

VIDEO: Blizzard Causes 100 Car Pileup in North Dakota...
http://www.valleynewslive.com/Global/story.asp?S=13756689


Rare hurricane-strength winds batter L.A. area; more snow and ice on way
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/12/rare-hurricane-strength-winds-batter-la-area-more-snow-and-ice-on-way.html


NOW IT'S SNOWING -- IN PHOENIX... :faint2:
http://www.azcentral.com/community/scottsdale/articles/2010/12/30/20101230phoenix-area-residents-report-snow-falling-valley.html

[giovonni]

30 December 2010 Last updated at 22:58

Australia PM Julia Gillard praises flood-hit Queensland

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50621000/jpg/_50621182_010919567-1.jpg
Recovery work following the floods is expected to cost billions of dollars

video and story here;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12097280

[giovonni]

1 January 2011 Last updated at 06:58 ET

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50631000/jpg/_50631975_floodaerial.jpg

Australia's Queensland faces 'biblical' flood
A senior official has described the flooding in Queensland, Australia, as a disaster of "biblical proportions".

Video and story here;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12102126

Also

31 December 2010 Last updated at 01:20 ET

Philippine floods kill two and displace thousands
Heavy rains and flooding in the Philippines have killed two people and displaced many thousands more.

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50621000/jpg/_50621498_010919941-1.jpg
Almost a week of heavy rains have flooded towns in the east of the Philippines
Story;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12097617

[giovonni]

While the weather has lesson a bit (with less intensity) :hand: in Britain

UK weatherforecast
http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/10209


The weather in OZ and Asia/Pacific region has worsened! :rain:

2 January 2011 Last updated at 08:14 ET

Australia floods: New storm forecast for Queensland
A severe thunderstorm threatening flash floods has been forecast for the already badly inundated Australian state of Queensland.

Video & story;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12105078

[giovonni]

It sure does seem like the Earth is shedding its tears lately :sad:


3 January 2011 Last updated at 10:36 ET


Flooding in Australia's Queensland 'to last weeks'

Devastating flood waters across the Australian state of Queensland may not recede for weeks, the state's Premier Anna Bligh has warned.

Video update and story here;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12107131

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50645000/jpg/_50645309_jex_914301_de27-1.jpg

[Bright Garlick]

Yes sadly you guys have coped a few months more than us folks down south. I think many will head to Tassie for a sunshine holiday this year ! ;)

[giovonni]

Current weather forecast for UK;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/10209

*********************************

Latest from OZ

4 January 2011 Last updated at 05:32 ET

Queensland floods: Rockhampton braces for flood peak http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50650000/jpg/_50650500_010935363-1.jpg

Video and story update:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12109717

[giovonni]

UK weather forecast;
Map & Video;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/10209


*********************************

5 January 2011 Last updated at 21:09 ET

Flood-hit Queensland braced for fresh storms
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50681000/jpg/_50681649_010946215-1.jpg
Floodwaters have peaked in Rockhampton but more rain is already filling the Fitzroy river

Video story update;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12124805

Why is Queensland flooded?

BBC weatherwise video;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/hi/news/newsid_9340000/9340513.stm



*********************************

5 January 2011 Last updated at 03:22 ET

Mass evacuations as China's south battles 'big freeze'
By Martin Patience BBC News, Beijing

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50667000/jpg/_50667536_010940516-1.jpg

Freezing temperatures in south-western China have forced the evacuation of 58,000 people from their homes, according to the Chinese authorities.

Ice and snow have closed roads, leaving thousands of motorists stranded.

Officials said the roofs of more than 1,000 homes in five provinces have collapsed because of the bad weather.

Those living in mountainous areas have been hardest hit - with tens of thousands being evacuated.

The authorities say that snow and ice across the region has damaged almost 300,000 acres of crops - with losses of nearly $200m (£129m).

Across south-western China, highways and other transport networks continue to be affected by the cold weather.

In Guizhou province icy conditions have closed roads, leaving thousands of motorists stranded.

Forecasts say that the freezing conditions are set to last until Friday.


Source;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12117729

[giovonni]

6 January 2011 Last updated at 12:45 ET

Forecasters warn of more snow in Wales but clearing
Snow and sub-zero temperatures are expected to make a short-lived return to Wales overnight.

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50687000/jpg/_50687835_salt4.jpg
South Dock workers at Newport spent two days unloading 12,000 tonnes of salt from north Africa

Video/Story;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-12125573

UK forecast;
Video/Map
http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/10209


also ~

Cold snap forces closure of Delhi schools
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-12125207

[5thElement]

Thank you Giovonni for keeping us up to date! Is there any way that you or a Mod (and thank you Mods for all that you do) could move these posts over to the Earth Changes thread? I think this is important information to have in the "record" over there.

A very Happy 2011 to All :)

5th

[slipknotted]

could it have anything to do with the oil spill ??

[giovonni]

Thank you Giovonni for keeping us up to date! Is there any way that you or a Mod (and thank you Mods for all that you do) could move these posts over to the Earth Changes thread? I think this is important information to have in the "record" over there.

A very Happy 2011 to All :)

5th

Greetings my Friend,
It has been a while since we last communicated, and i thank you for your comments in regards to these posted stories. it was not my intent to make this an ongoing thread nor to compete with other threads in regards to the constantly changing weather patterns that abound our planet lately. It would be difficult at this juncture to fill your request adequately and fittingly. i will continue to post here while this story continues to unfold and effects the (many) Avalon members residing in the UK and Europe. The addition of other global weather news, is an added bonus ~ if it coincides with the weather event being reported.

As you can see ~ i have moved out to your Great Northwest, your neck of the woods ~ and i love it here :love: Happy New Year!!

[giovonni]

UK Weather Forecast;
Video & Maps
http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/10209

***********

BBC Local and World Weather News;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/hi/news

[5thElement]

Greetings my Friend,
It has been a while since we last communicated, and i thank you for your comments in regards to these posted stories. it was not my intent to make this an ongoing thread nor to compete with other threads in regards to the constantly changing weather patterns that abound our planet lately. It would be difficult at this juncture to fill your request adequately and fittingly. i will continue to post here while this story continues to unfold and effects the (many) Avalon members residing in the UK and Europe. The addition of other global weather news, is an added bonus ~ if it coincides with the weather event being reported.

As you can see ~ i have moved out to your Great Northwest, your neck of the woods ~ and i love it here :love: Happy New Year!!

So happy that you can share in the beauty of our part of the world! Welcome:love:

[Seikou-Kishi]

The North West of where though? XD

[5thElement]

The North West of where though? XD

Pacific Northwest USA

[NinjaPhil]

well it chucked snow down like crazy in Leeds again today... I admit that I did have a good play in the snow during my lunch break!

[giovonni]

UK weather update
video forecast map;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/10209


Risk of ice across Scotland's roads
9 January 2011 Last updated at 10:44

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50721000/jpg/_50721594_snowonroad304.jpg
Snow and ice have caused problems on lesser routes and side roads

Drivers have been warned of widespread ice forming on roads in the evening and overnight across the whole of Scotland.
Story here;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-12145452

[giovonni]

Weather seems to be getting (milder) back to normal over there :thumb:

UK weather forecast
Video & Maps
http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/10209

Australia floods: 72 missing and at least eight dead
10 January 2011 Last updated at 17:20 ET
Officials in the Australian state of Queensland say at least 72 people are missing after flash floods which have already claimed eight lives.

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50739000/jpg/_50739996_jex_921069_de27-1.jpg
The latest flash floods in Queensland are some of the most violent so far-
Video & News Update;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12149921

More BBC weather News;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/hi/news

[giovonni]

UK weather forecast
http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/10209



Australia floods: Brisbane braces for surge

1 January 2011 Last updated at 13:49 ET

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50741000/jpg/_50741505_50741504.jpg
Footage shot by David Jutsum in Toowoomba shows cars being swept away

Thousands of people have been urged to leave parts of Australia's third largest city, Brisbane, which is facing its worst flooding in decades.

Video/News Update;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12158608

More on this global rash of rain & flooding at BBC weather news;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/hi/news

[giovonni]

Below~ Piers Corbyn of http://www.weatheraction.com discusses the significance and interrelationship between the Gulf and Jet Streams.

Please note for the eagle eyed, although the Gulf Stream seems bolder in 2010 - it also seems to me - to be further south - anyway these images were added without Piers' say so, for illustrative purposes.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkGrmrpbaCE


Below~ Piers Corbyn of http://www.weatheraction.com provides a remarkable correlation between eclipses and Queensland flooding. He also touches on the methodology WeatherAction uses in forecasting: Lunar behaviour and Solar Flares.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOKT7r58mCg

[StephenW11UK]

Not impossible that Piers Corbyn's evidence here for the 19-year cyclic occurrence of very heavy rains over the planet fits within the cyclic understanding of time that is basic to Mayan thinking and that most out-of-the-box thinkers take very seriously.

Unrelated perhaps: In contrast to the early winter freeze-up in London our recent weather in London has been mild, today's temprature being 12 degrees Celsius.

[giovonni]

UK weather forecast;
Video/Map update;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/10209
Also ~

La Niña causes widespread disruption
La Niña is having a disruptive impact on the eastern coast of Australia and parts of South East Asia.
video & story;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/hi/news/newsid_9359000/9359913.stm

More BBC global weather news here;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/hi/news/default.stm

[giovonni]

Flood alerts for UK after heavy rainfall

13 January 2011 Last updated at 10:34 ET

Communities in south-west England and south Wales have been warned to brace themselves for flooding as heavy rain on Thursday will persist into Friday.

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50777000/jpg/_50777509_flooding.jpg
Up to 60mm of rain could fall in Wales and south-west England on Thursday

Story update & map;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12178283

[giovonni]

:rain:
UK weekend ~weather forecast
video/map
http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/10209



Also this from Queensland

OMG! As if the flooding wasn't enough -snakes crocodiles and sharks!!! :faint2:

http://media2.myfoxorlando.com//photo/2011/01/14/011411australia-flooding_20110114105407_320_240.JPG

Sharks spotted swimming through flood-hit streets of Australian town


Story here;
http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/news/offbeat/011411-sharks-swimming-flood-hit-streets-ncx
and here;
http://www.qt.com.au/story/2011/01/14/ipswich-bull-sharks-spotted-flood-affected-streets/

[giovonni]

Wales -flood warnings in Conwy valley, Tenby as rain continues

15 January 2011 Last updated at 11:18 ET

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50809000/gif/_50809172__50786499_vlcsnap-2863455-1.gif

The Environment Agency is urging households across Wales to remain vigilant against flooding as heavy rain falls again over the weekend.

Wales Flood Warning Story;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-12196836

See UK updated weather forecast;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/10209

[giovonni]

UK weather forecast
video/map
http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/10209

note ~ you all think you got rain?

Here's a recent satellite view of the upper Northwest area

OMG ! It has been :rain::rain::rain::rain: for days :Cry:

http://www.goes.noaa.gov/GIFS/WCI8.JPG

[giovonni]

After the flooding...

Peter Gibbs explains why this week's high pressure won't repeat December's cold spell.

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50854000/jpg/_50854934_peter_gibbs.jpg
Video here;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/hi/news/newsid_9365000/9365860.stm


UK weather forecast
Video/Map
http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/10209

Extra! Extra!

Pakistan: Strong earthquake hits south-west

18 January 2011 Last updated at 17:50 ET
A strong earthquake measuring 7.2 has hit south-western Pakistan, in a desert area bordering Iran and Afghanistan, the US Geological Survey says.

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50854000/gif/_50854611_pak_dalband_1301.cmp.gif
story here;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-12222081

[giovonni]

Greetings my Friends,

i am glad too see you all over there are finally seeing the Sun again!



UK Weather Forecast
http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/10209

[giovonni]

For my friends across the pond...
More flip/floping weather... But...this is more like it though :cool:

http://images.mirror.co.uk/upl/m4/apr2011/9/0/image-1-for-otter-than-cairo-gallery-72877276.jpg
Holiday makers and day trippers flock to the beach at Bournemouth on Good Friday


UK to be hotter than Cairo as temperature soars to 27C and millions plan bank holiday getaway

SWELTERING Britain will be hotter than Cairo today as temperatures soar above 27C.

This month’s temperatures have been 3C higher than normal.

On Wednesday it was 26.5C at Heathrow, making it the warmest April day at the airport since 1949 – much hotter than many places ­holidaymakers were jetting off to.

Temperatures are expected to be even higher today, especially in London and the South East – but could still fall short of the all-time April record of 29.4C set at Camden, North London, in 1949. The Egyptian capital Cairo is expected to be more than a degree cooler at 26C.

For those that could get away, the weekend started yesterday as temperatures reached a glorious 25C and sunseekers headed for the beach.

http://images.mirror.co.uk/upl/m4/apr2011/0/6/image-5-for-otter-than-cairo-gallery-847110196.jpg
These girls wasted no time cooling down as the heat


In Bournemouth, Dorset, more than 100,000 people were on the seven miles of sand and all 3,000 deckchairs were hired out by mid-morning.

Tourist bosses were predicting a bumper weekend with nearly all 16,000 hotel rooms full and traders estimating that 90,000 ice creams will be sold each day of the bank holiday in the kiosks on the sea front.

Billy and Sarah Bristow from ­Ringwood, Hants, hit the beach early with sons Sam, 10, Jack eight, and daughter Maisy, three.

Gardener Billy, 44, said: “This is the first time in a few years that the banks have done something good – and that is by being on holiday. The weather is superb so we decided to make the most of it and come to the beach because the kids love it.

“The sea is a bit nippy but the sand is great and there are all the amenities here that you need.”

It was the same story up and down the country as sunlovers came out in force. In Cambridge, tourists and locals took to the water to enjoy a traditional punt on the River Cam.

http://images.mirror.co.uk/upl/m4/apr2011/8/0/image-4-for-otter-than-cairo-gallery-157192998.jpg
These otters at the Blue Reef Aquarium in Southsea were treated to specially-made iced lollies

Baking Asian small-clawed otters at the Blue Reef Aquarium in Southsea, Hampshire, cooled off with an ice lolly from their keepers.

And in Blackpool dozens of families soaked up the sun at the beach under the famous tower.

But on Sandhaven beach in South Shields sun-seekers were ­disappointed as smog descended on the beach blocking out the light.

And the poor air warning issued by Defra remains in place, with the smog in the South East expected to linger until tomorrow.

http://images.mirror.co.uk/upl/m4/apr2011/1/5/image-3-for-otter-than-cairo-gallery-391474597.jpg
St. Paul's Cathedral is seen among the skyline through the smog in central London

Wherever you are weather experts advise enjoying the sun while you can – because thunderstorms lie on the horizon and rain is expected.

Met Office forecaster Steven Keates said: “Today will be very warm and sunny across much of England and eastern Wales – it will be a dry and sunny day for most, but there’ll be an increased risk of scattered thundery showers across everywhere.

“This is because we have an unstable air flow meaning air can rise and condense to large clouds.

“Crudely – what goes up must come down – which is why thunderstorms are a ­possibility.

“Sunday is going to be a mixed day – the further north and west you go the greater the chance of cloud and showers, while the further south east you go the more dry, sunny and warm it will be.”

And while the south east should manage to remain dry and sunny until Monday, with temperatures staying around 20-21C, Mr Keates predicted “cloudy and damp” weather from Tuesday onwards, with temperatures set to drop more than 10C from its peak to between 14 and 15C.

With revellers busy making plans for next Friday’s royal wedding, Mr Keates wouldn’t make any weather promises. “It will probably be cloudy and quite a bit cooler than what we have had this week,” he said.

“We still aren’t completely sure if it’s going to be a dry day or not.”

This weekend the combination of good weather and a long holiday means that a big getaway is planned and that means misery for some.

http://images.mirror.co.uk/upl/m4/apr2011/1/1/image-2-for-otter-than-cairo-gallery-543410542.jpg
Springer spaniel pup Tilly among the bluebells at Swan Wood, in Stock, Essex

Around 12 million people are expected to add three days’ leave to the two four-day weekends in a row to enjoy 11 days off work.

Two million Britons are expected to go abroad.

Another 10 million will take ­holidays at home – and some can expect very long journeys.

Motorists have been warned to expect congestion, although sections of the M1 closed by a fire have re-opened. Roadworks on several motorways have been suspended, but restrictions remain on some parts of the M1 and M25.

Train passengers will suffer disruption to services on the West Coast Main Line and the Great Western Line as well as on services to and from London’s Liverpool Street Station.

For those in cars or on beaches the ambulance service is urging taking precautions during hot weather.

Wearing sunscreen, drinking responsibly, allowing extra time for journeys and taking prescription medication on travels will all help ensure you’ll remember the holiday for the right reasons.

And the RSPCA has reminded pet owners about the danger of leaving animals in cars, conservatories or caravans.

Sun, sea and sand can often end in sex and a new report warns that some will end up with a more permanent reminder of the hot weather than just a suntan.

A surge of unwanted pregnancies and sexual diseases could hit as more couples have unprotected sex, a shock report claims.

The study revealed that 25% of women having unprotected sex will fail to take the morning-after pill soon enough.

The survey, by The Co-operative Pharmacy, found those in their 20s and 30s were most likely to be careless with one in four failing to use any protection, blaming it on drink and drugs.

“Weekend partying with drink often results in women purchasing the morning-after pill because they have not used contraception,” said Mandeep Mudhar, of The Co-operative Pharmacy.

Tragically, the body of a swimmer, feared to have dived into the River Thames in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, to cool off was last night found by police.

Source;
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2011/04/23/uk-to-be-hotter-than-cairo-as-temperature-soars-to-27c-and-millions-plan-bank-holiday-getaway-115875-23080395/