Big Freeze: Britain Braced For Blizzards

People in London were seen to pass out from the heat wave in 1979 when the temp. hit 73 degree f.

I'd agree with that, mostly.

England rarely gets what I'd consider as severe weather - having experienced what I think would objectively be considered severe but not extreme perhaps elsewhere.

But, when there's an inch or two of snow, or a stiff breeze or a downpour or a rare scorcher I don't throw up my hands in despair and run around like it's the end of the world, filling my car with everything from gloves through to arctic survival suit a portable water purifier and life raft to Andy McNabb and food rations for 3 months - just to pop to Tesco for some milk and a loaf.

Ok, so I'm exaggerating somewhat to make a point, but you understand what I mean, right? That's really all I was trying to say.

I predict that in about 9-1/2 months headlines will read:
• Delivery room shortage across Britain
• Population downturn reversed
• Pension system will be secure after all, number of payers to increase in twenty years

and my favorite is
• Keeping warm through friction causes Pregnancy

Hopefully, that population upturn will affect Scotland. It is there they advertise for people to immigrant to the land of the loch.

I'm from southern England, and during the 70's and early 80's I remember being snowed in (6 feet or more) and unable to go to school for a few days for at least 6 of those winters.
Nowadays, it's an extreme rarity if we get 2 inches, and if we do, it rarely lasts more than a day.

They do seem to over-sensationalize the weather these days.

As for HOT weather, anyone remember that heatwave in England a few summers back? I was in London, it was so hot it was almost frightening, I remember I was forced to retreat to the car and switch on the aircon, which was no use whatsoever...just stiflingly hot.

I consider anything that needs a coat severe weather, I'm such a wuss when it comes to cold. We had snow here today, at least an inch and a half.

That's snowdrifts Eddy, a straight 6 foot snowfall would be catastrophic. Probably only 6 -10 inches of actual snowfall. I heard about drifts of 15ft in North, you could lose a bus in that!

They do seem to over-sensationalize the weather these days.

I remember, 2003 wasn't it? It was pretty horrible on the tube some days but otherwise I can't say I minded that much. The effect on the very young, very old and infirm was severe, especially in France which had it even worse.

Exactly Dong. The problems occur when you get strong winds and snow together.

I used to live in rural Aberdeenshire for a few years in the 90's. We had huge snowdrifts most winters and were well prepared for it. I've seen 5 - 6 foot drifts round my house and still I managed to get to work. It used to make me laugh when I moved to South East England a few years later and 1 inch of snow would cause chaos. I remember once in Cambridge being the only person in the office right up until 11am because of a light dusting of snow.

You are correct. Over dramatisation and lack of preparation plays a part. I also think a little inclement weather is a perfect excuse for the terminally lazy.

Oy! I had the misfortune of being stuck in London for 5 days during that summer! It's the ONLY time I have been in the UK and it wasn't cold, overcast, and drizzling.

In 2004 I looked out the windows of my piso attico (5th floor) in the l'eixample of Barçelona and noticed light snow flurries. Originally being from the Intermountain West of the USA my first thought was, "Ah, how pleasant. Snow." Then I remembered that it rarely, as in practically never, snows in BCN. For two weeks we trudged through mucky dog-blast ridden sludge and piles of snow. Barçelona does not have any snow-removal equipment. Ibiza actually had snow-covered beaches and icicicles hanging from palm trees. Odd, indeed.

Last August there were traffic jams all over Buenos Aires not because people do not know how to drive during inclement weather (actually, there's a big question whether or not porteños know how to drive at all). The traffic jams were caused by people stopping in the middle of the autopistas and downtown avenues, getting out of their autos, and staring up in amazement. Snow in Buenos Aires? This is the sub-tropics! They say ("they" being the professional weather guys) it snowed once before about 70 years ago.

My favorite city for over-blown weather predictions is Austin, Texas. When it rains the streets turn slimey from the ubiquitous fungus that covers everything. It's like driving on roads covered in snot. (Pretty, no?) Then everyone whispers "I hear it's going to snow," with the same reverance as if they were awaiting a nuclear exchange.

However, I believe we should all bow our heads and pray for the folks in the prairie and flat-land states in the USA where tornados wipe out entire communities within minutes. That's extreme weather.

The mid and southern great plains of the US are geographically favored to undergo the most violently changeable weather on earth. There's a good reason its called "tornado alley."

Not that I actually said 'snowfall', but nevermind, one gets used to being misinterpreted in this forum.

Yes indeed, snowdrifts, though I really did not think that it was that important to state so. Ho-hum.



It was hot enough for me and my Carribbean friend to go out on a desperate mission to find an air-con unit, without any success...totally sold out in London town. I prefer it to be extra cold, rather than extra hot...at least one can find shelter from the cold (i.e lots of clothes, triple duvets...etc).

Well, the general discussion was about snowfall, not especially drifts so I think it was a reasonable (mis)interpretation and thus a reasonable 'clarification'. No matter, it wasn't important.

It was certainly hot! But I've been far hotter places so I guess it's relative. The city is not fun at close to 40 degrees though and London isn't well equipped to handle such temperatures.

Personally, I prefer hot weather to cold weather - plenty of people freeze to death here in winter, but relatively few die from heat exposure. And I find it much easier to cope with hot weather (low to mid 30s C) than cold weather - put on the A/C, dress down a little, drink more water, wear a hat.

But it would be different if I was from, say, Delhi. That's real heat.

Yeh me too (hotter places). Guadeloupe every year to see my partners family, visits to deserts and tropics, also a stint in the arctic circle 8 years ago (!)....and many summers in London. But that summer in particular, there was one day, when I can honestly say that I'd never experienced a more oppressive heat. My mate Sean, who had come from Kingston Jamaica 2 years prev., found it very hard to deal with....a Carib boy! That's saying something.

London is very low lying, probably has something to do with it.