Amazing satellite view of the UK under snow
Dec 2nd, 2010, 09:00 AM
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Dec 2nd, 2010, 09:21 AM
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This is the difference between areas used to snow and ares that are not. This is 6 inches of snow based on the report - and it has closed the airports.
Granted that a place with usualy mild winter doesn;t hae the snow removal equipment to deal with this - but in NYC 6 inches would probably delay flights for a couple of hours while the runways were plowed. (All of our trash collection trucks are oversize heavy duty Mercedes vehicles and snow plow blades fit onto the front - and they can plow through more than 2 feet of snow withuot slowing down.)
However, many places in the US that don;t regularly get snow are the same. Was in Cincy once - andlanded in 4 inches the whole city hd come to a stop - since they don;t hae enough plows, enough sanders/spreaders, and the locals don;t have a clue how to drive in it. (I had to exlpain to one client why there is a first gear in automatic cars - to be used when you need more traction on slipery/icy roads - at low speeds.)
It sure look pretty though. (We've had a weirdly warm winter so far - only a couple days of sesonal weather - including last night - whwn the low was in the high 20s in the suburbs.)
Granted that a place with usualy mild winter doesn;t hae the snow removal equipment to deal with this - but in NYC 6 inches would probably delay flights for a couple of hours while the runways were plowed. (All of our trash collection trucks are oversize heavy duty Mercedes vehicles and snow plow blades fit onto the front - and they can plow through more than 2 feet of snow withuot slowing down.)
However, many places in the US that don;t regularly get snow are the same. Was in Cincy once - andlanded in 4 inches the whole city hd come to a stop - since they don;t hae enough plows, enough sanders/spreaders, and the locals don;t have a clue how to drive in it. (I had to exlpain to one client why there is a first gear in automatic cars - to be used when you need more traction on slipery/icy roads - at low speeds.)
It sure look pretty though. (We've had a weirdly warm winter so far - only a couple days of sesonal weather - including last night - whwn the low was in the high 20s in the suburbs.)
Dec 2nd, 2010, 09:33 AM
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> This is 6 inches of snow based on the report - and it has closed the airports.<
If only we'd had only 6 inches of snow. Maybe in the South East but Scotland have many feet of snow since this cold spell started.
If only we'd had only 6 inches of snow. Maybe in the South East but Scotland have many feet of snow since this cold spell started.
Dec 2nd, 2010, 09:38 AM
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Actually some places have had about 2 ft of snow...the North East of England and eastern Scotland it's quite crazy.
If we had the amount to snow clearing equipment required to deal with this, in the way that NYC does, then it would stand idle, sometimes for years at a time....a very hard expense to justify...and I'm sure that everyone would complain about that too.
It's also really early...quite spooky really...
Ist gear in the snow?!? Higher gears and lower revs the better for traction surely....However you're talking about automatics, so maybe I'm getting this wrong?
If we had the amount to snow clearing equipment required to deal with this, in the way that NYC does, then it would stand idle, sometimes for years at a time....a very hard expense to justify...and I'm sure that everyone would complain about that too.
It's also really early...quite spooky really...
Ist gear in the snow?!? Higher gears and lower revs the better for traction surely....However you're talking about automatics, so maybe I'm getting this wrong?
Dec 2nd, 2010, 09:42 AM
#6
it's been snowing here in cornwall again today - there were some great shots on telly of someone snowboarding down the beach!
and there were reports of both Germany and Sweden coming to a standstill, so perhaps they don't do it quite so well as we think they do - or perhaps we're not quite so bad.
and there were reports of both Germany and Sweden coming to a standstill, so perhaps they don't do it quite so well as we think they do - or perhaps we're not quite so bad.
Dec 2nd, 2010, 09:57 AM
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No - it doens't stand idle. It's the same trucks that collect garbage/trash the rest of the year. They just suspend trash collection until the snow is moved. And the Sanitation workers do a 24 hour shift followed by 12 on and 12 off - if the snow is bad enough. The only way to clean up a city of this size.
But it doesn;t stop Manhattan since the subways - and power lines - are all underground - and never stop running (except when Mike Quill was the head of the Transit Workers Union).
And the city sponsers snow events in the park - besides the usual ice skating and people doing there own skiing - the city has sleds for kids to borrow on Cenral Park hills, hot chocolate stands snow man contests etc. You just need to learn to go with the flow.
And 2 feet will close out airports - it generally takes the best part of a day to clean them off. Then there are dealys because the passengers are backed up, planes ar en the wrong place and crew may not have hours open to fly when/where needed.
the one time I really had a problem was when it snowed 28" over 2 days and I couldn;t get my car out of the garage - which was blocked by a snow mountain put there by the plows.
But it doesn;t stop Manhattan since the subways - and power lines - are all underground - and never stop running (except when Mike Quill was the head of the Transit Workers Union).
And the city sponsers snow events in the park - besides the usual ice skating and people doing there own skiing - the city has sleds for kids to borrow on Cenral Park hills, hot chocolate stands snow man contests etc. You just need to learn to go with the flow.
And 2 feet will close out airports - it generally takes the best part of a day to clean them off. Then there are dealys because the passengers are backed up, planes ar en the wrong place and crew may not have hours open to fly when/where needed.
the one time I really had a problem was when it snowed 28" over 2 days and I couldn;t get my car out of the garage - which was blocked by a snow mountain put there by the plows.
Dec 2nd, 2010, 10:03 AM
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I'm glad that a city with regular bad snow such as NYC copes so well. This is an unusual event here and to replace all the rubbish lorries with ones that can double up as snow ploughs would be a great expense, as would putting all our power lines underground.
We could run around for sponsorship for snow events, but like as not it'll be gone by next week and not appear again for year.
Go with the flow? Folks are skiing from Arthur's seat in Edinburgh and my partner encountered a neighbour skiing down our street a few days ago. I drove 400 miles from England to Scotland yesterday...a little scary at times, but made it in one piece.
And it's just so beautiful!
We could run around for sponsorship for snow events, but like as not it'll be gone by next week and not appear again for year.
Go with the flow? Folks are skiing from Arthur's seat in Edinburgh and my partner encountered a neighbour skiing down our street a few days ago. I drove 400 miles from England to Scotland yesterday...a little scary at times, but made it in one piece.
And it's just so beautiful!
Dec 2nd, 2010, 10:04 AM
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Great picture, but it's not totally true!
There's no snow here in the South Cotswolds! That's toward the bottom of the picture to the right of centre, under a swathe of white cloud - yes, but it's not snow! There was the merest sprinkling on Tuesday night, less than half a centimetre, but that's pretty much gone now. It just looks like there's been a hard frost.
While I feel much sympathy for those whose lives are being severely disrupted, I also feel a tiny bit cheated. I'm one of those people who love snow, but then I've never experienced it in sufficient quantity in this country to get fed up with it.
There's no snow here in the South Cotswolds! That's toward the bottom of the picture to the right of centre, under a swathe of white cloud - yes, but it's not snow! There was the merest sprinkling on Tuesday night, less than half a centimetre, but that's pretty much gone now. It just looks like there's been a hard frost.
While I feel much sympathy for those whose lives are being severely disrupted, I also feel a tiny bit cheated. I'm one of those people who love snow, but then I've never experienced it in sufficient quantity in this country to get fed up with it.
Dec 2nd, 2010, 10:29 AM
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Dec 2nd, 2010, 10:58 AM
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This sounds exactly like a thread at this same time last year. We proceeded with our trip where the snowfall was reportedly "the worst of all time" and still managed to have a great time. I had never driven on the other side of the road and car before, we had a rental with no AWD or even all weather tires and it snowed every single day, yet somehow we drove from Edinburgh-Pitlochry-Newtonmore-Oban-Stirling-Jedburgh-York-London with nary a problem. Had to call on the locals twice to help push us off icy parking spots, but other than that, one of my best holidays ever.
Moral to the story? Don't let the Debby Downers talk you out of going. The cold only makes the Scotch and ale taste all that much better.
Moral to the story? Don't let the Debby Downers talk you out of going. The cold only makes the Scotch and ale taste all that much better.
Dec 2nd, 2010, 11:19 AM
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They had a helicopter fly over the south-east and make a sort of vaguely arty film for Channel 4 news, showing the snow at various landmarks - it was beautiful.
There was also a report on some village in the north where they were putting up dozens of stranded people (mainly lorry drivers) in the town hall, with locals lending sleeping bags and duvets and providing food and tea - it was quite heartwarming.
We have had relatively little snow here in the non-coastal bits of East Anglia, and the trains (until this evening) have all been running on time. But it is bitterly cold - worse than last year in that respect, even though there is less snow.
There was also a report on some village in the north where they were putting up dozens of stranded people (mainly lorry drivers) in the town hall, with locals lending sleeping bags and duvets and providing food and tea - it was quite heartwarming.
We have had relatively little snow here in the non-coastal bits of East Anglia, and the trains (until this evening) have all been running on time. But it is bitterly cold - worse than last year in that respect, even though there is less snow.
Dec 2nd, 2010, 12:22 PM
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What an amazing picture!
Living in the US South, I understand how even a minor amount of snow by some's estimation can completely grind things to a halt! (We are also not awesome enough to have underground transport and power lines, since we get about a foot of snow a decade.) Hope you all are staying safe and warm and enjoying it while it lasts.
Living in the US South, I understand how even a minor amount of snow by some's estimation can completely grind things to a halt! (We are also not awesome enough to have underground transport and power lines, since we get about a foot of snow a decade.) Hope you all are staying safe and warm and enjoying it while it lasts.
Dec 2nd, 2010, 12:59 PM
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>Stilldontknow, I'm very disappointed that the picture doesn't show you outside and waving to us!<
Some people have suggested I can actually be seen from space but this wicked calumny is in the hands of my solicitors.
Some people have suggested I can actually be seen from space but this wicked calumny is in the hands of my solicitors.
Dec 2nd, 2010, 05:58 PM
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For those unfamiliar with driving or parking on ice or packed snow - and who will probably have trouble getting salt when needed - kitty litter makes a great substitute. (I lways carry about 20 lbs in the trunk of my car.
Helps the wheels get purchase and as long as drive properly, in first gear and starting VERY slowly - you should have no problems.
Helps the wheels get purchase and as long as drive properly, in first gear and starting VERY slowly - you should have no problems.
