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Weather : past adverse weather in Birmingham

When we lived in Court Lane, I had the front bedroom and when the east wind blew, you could really feel it even though the windows were closed, Dad, and remember he knew everything, always said that there was nothing between us and Russia. Unusually for Devon we are seeing snow and most of the courses that we have running tomorrow have been cancelled, Combe Martin cut off, no transport between Plymouth and Barnstaple, even from Bideford 4 miles away, we have questions of accessibility, so much for spring, it is fine wet snow coming from the South East minus 4 at 1630hrs and a cutting wind. But cheer up it will soon be Summer.....do not mention the holiday makers.
Bob
 
Had a look at the weather in the south west and I've been to Ilfracombe a hundred times but never seen snow there ... only a bit but it's there and snowing. Their web cam looks good on full screen setting https://ilfracombewebcam.co.uk/
Bought a 4x4 8 years ago after being snowed in in Cornwall, never snowed since. Had a few cars after but decided to change to a normal front wheel drive 6 months ago, whoops what a mistake to make as snowed in again and having to walk everywhere as our wonderful Cornwall Council state that insufficient residents to make gritting worthwhile. Council prefer to spend money on ridiculous
road improvements that no one wants or need.
 
But cheer up it will soon be Summer.....do not mention the holiday makers.
Bob
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I have heard people moaning because this weather has hit us on the first of Spring. I look at that positively, Bob. Better now than at the start of January-February. I think we have got through the worst of the winter, with the lighter nights, and warmer days, just around the corner.

Eddie
 
It is only the meteorological folks first day of spring, which they have quietly not mentioned as far as I can see. ;)
 
It is only the meteorological folks first day of spring, which they have quietly not mentioned as far as I can see. ;)
My wife's birthday is 21 March and she has always celebrated it as the first day of spring, suffice to say I have upset her by telling her the date has changed, if I can get back in, I can explain it was meteorological, thanks
Bob
 
The other big problem affecting parts of the SW is the high winds. The sea wall at Dawlish is damaged again it appears - no trains again - and some coastal places in Devon and Cornwall are experiencing flooding and coastal road damage.
 
Norfolk Brummie has got it absolutely correct. "The Beast From The East"....for the love of mike. When we lived in Ohio in the late 1970's we suffered - and I mean suffered - two very severe storms, one of which laid down over 30" of snow in 24 hours. It's easy for us to say, "Oh, the Americans are prepared for that kind of thing!", but how do you 'prepare' for that kind of weather, which even over there doesn't happen all that often? Just about everything came to a standstill, and only essential services continued to function as best they could until the roads could be ploughed. Personally I hate snow, but this time, even worse, is the continuous high wind and the chill-factor. Normally our wind patterns are from the SW and mild, but this one is direct from the slopes of the Urals by the feel of it. Horrible.

Anyone who remembers the Big Freeze of 1962-63 will recall that although there was disruption most things carried on as best they could, there was no panic media-reaction, and after a couple of weeks the weather didn't even make the news most nights. And in those distant days we had no central-heating and an outside loo, as well.....

G
 
A few years ago the South East had a lot of snow and my son was returning from Colchester where he was working at the time. He became stranded on the motorway together with many other people. He wasn't too badly off as he had all his site clobber in the back so was able to keep fairly warm. He was more worried about the young families in the same predicament and could hear babies crying through the night.
 
Yes Big Gee the winter of 1962-63, I did my paper round through that winter and didn't miss a morning or night round throughout, and went to school every day, it never closed, no fuss. Their just wimps these days.
 
Had loads and loads of snow here on the Kent coast. Still thick on the ground and now snowing again. Wind chill factor has been down to minus 11, last few days a tad better, only minus 5 - 7. But kids are still tobogganing on the slopes down to the beach, so the bitter wind chill hasn't put em off. Seeng lots of sledges propped up against houses. These are being used to pull children around and shopping.

Walking the dog today was treacherous - there's a thick ice skin on top of deep snow now. Has a great crackling crunch when you walk on it ! Wondering if the sea will freeze this year. It's done so in the not too instant past.

The biggest downside ? Making sure when you're out and about to cover face before your eyeballs freeze in their sockets ! Hey ho, roll on Spring. Viv.
 
Had loads and loads of snow here on the Kent coast. Still thick on the ground and now snowing again. Wind chill factor has been down to minus 11, last few days a tad better, only minus 5 - 7. But kids are still tobogganing on the slopes down to the beach, so the bitter wind chill hasn't put em off. Seeng lots of sledges propped up against houses. These are being used to pull children around and shopping.

Walking the dog today was treacherous - there's a thick ice skin on top of deep snow now. Has a great crackling crunch when you walk on it ! Wondering if the sea will freeze this year. It's done so in the not too instant past.

The biggest downside ? Making sure when you're out and about to cover face before your eyeballs freeze in their sockets ! Hey ho, roll on Spring. Viv.
Eyeballs freezing in their sockets....and on that cheery thought.........
 
That's what it feels like Bob.

Just checked our local forecast and the snow that's coming down is called "ice pellets" Is that the type of snow referred to earlier ? Never heard of it before. Viv.
 
I'm with you there, Kat. Enough is enough. It's supposed to be getting a bit milder over the weekend....touch wood.

I was thinking - I started work on 7 January 1963 in the middle of The Big Freeze, in the Chemistry Dept of Birmingham University. It wasn't snowing as I set out from home to catch two buses, but snow was piled up in drifts and where it had been ploughed, and it was bitter cold. The No 5 bus only just got up Witton Road hill towards Six Ways Aston - I remember that well. When I got to my new job there was no cotton-wooling, no sympathy expressed for making a long journey in rotten conditions, no 'induction', nothing; I was shown where I was to work, introduced to the two technicians I was to work with, and basically told to do what they told me. At least the labs were warm!

G
 
You've reminded me of a visit to a Guiness-owned factory who made left-angled (?) torches for the military. It was some sort of plastics extrusion factory. I went on a visit there (which I think was in Witton) as part of my training in the 1970s.

Terrible snow, struggled from road to road, bus to bus, wet through, finally arriving to discover everyone there before me, no excuses, let's get on with things. Was soaked through with cold wet feet and not so much as a cup of tea. This was real industry - and an eye opener for a soft office worker like me. What Midlanders are made of. But we were presented with a military green torch after the visit. Nice, but pity it didn't give off any heat for the journey home (or make a cup of hot tea!) . Viv.
 
I'm with you there, Kat. Enough is enough. It's supposed to be getting a bit milder over the weekend....touch wood.

I was thinking - I started work on 7 January 1963 in the middle of The Big Freeze, in the Chemistry Dept of Birmingham University. It wasn't snowing as I set out from home to catch two buses, but snow was piled up in drifts and where it had been ploughed, and it was bitter cold. The No 5 bus only just got up Witton Road hill towards Six Ways Aston - I remember that well. When I got to my new job there was no cotton-wooling, no sympathy expressed for making a long journey in rotten conditions, no 'induction', nothing; I was shown where I was to work, introduced to the two technicians I was to work with, and basically told to do what they told me. At least the labs were warm!

G

hi G i remember the big freeze of 63 with fondness....mind you i was only 9 and a bit at the time...our mom just couldnt get me in :D

lyn
 
Nice reading people's memories. I used to catch 4 buses a day to work. It's like a job in itself. People in cars used to think you were mad when you turned up to work wrapped up with a golf umbrella, but it's what was necessary to keep warm and dry. Oh it's not that bad is what I heard over and over, but how did they know what it would be like on the way home!!!!

I usually stick up for the public transport commuter if I hear that kind of thing said now I'm a car driver!!!!!

We have cancelled our trip to Madrid tomorrow. We have dogs to get into kennels and we couldn't get the car out this am. It was only a short city break. Loads of flights have been cancelled from bham and in Madrid the live cam showed snow on the palm trees!!

Without going into too much detail, it wasn't worth the risk. I also have a head cold.

We are safe, that's the main thing.
 
Temperature sat 1700hrs a balmy 3degrees, been raining on and off since dawn, wet cold rain still coming from the south/southeast, tomorrow heavy rain overnight and up to 6degrees some snow still lying on high ground, but fast disappearing, but no train Exeter to Barnstaple. Trust all of you in the Midlands , Eddie in exposed Norfolk and any one else in the snow belt, including those living at altitude in the US of A are safe, well and warm. I also know that some northern hemisphere sun places can also be cold and wet at this time of year. A few years ago, the orange harvest was ruined by frost as well as a friend's holiday in the sun in Florida. They had to join the queue at Wal-Mart to buy jumpers etc.....of course I sympathise!!!
Bob
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