Thursday 23 January 2014

Weather

We British are obsessed with the weather, but that is hardly surprising as it is so unpredictable.   We don't have set patterns like so many other parts of the world.   If the weathermen are to be believed, this is largely due to the positioning of the jet stream, which this year has chosen to swoop down South of the country (so far).

This week, so far, has been really Spring-like, warm hazy sun clearing mist, then the mist winning, then a reversal - all day; and not a breath of wind.   Friends P and D who live in the Lakes, only perhaps thirty five miles away (and less as the crow, or weather, flies) have had more or less continuous rain.

Now this morning we have a sharp wind blowing.   Five minutes ago it was raining slightly, now the sun is shining.

Unlike the States, where they are again experiencing extreme weather along that East Coast (they so often send it over here so please don't do it this time).  This morning's Times has a beautiful
Breughelesque picture of ten thousand competitors ice fishing on a frozen Lake Gull in Minnesota.   Schools and offices are shut and flights are cancelled as that East Coast faces its second big snowstorm of the year.   One wonders how thick the ice must be to support that number of people

I am reminded of a visit to China many years ago when the ice was a metre thick on the lake and cyclists and buses were taking a short cut across rather than going round.   Only once in my entire life can I remember the river in our village (the slow flowing Witham in Lincolnshire) freezing over so that us kids could play on it.   What excitement that caused.

If you live on that East coast - keep snug and warm - or get ice fishing - your choice.














 

22 comments:

Robin Mac said...

Oh how we always want what we don't have - we are enduring hot, sticky weather with no rain here. A little bit of your cooler weather would be lovely, but definitely not the snow storm from the States.

Barbara said...

Thanks for the warm thoughts, Pat!
We're facing another cold day here in the Shenandoah Valley. While the big snow totals are to the north, we've got about 5 inches left from the other day. With daytime temps. in the teens, we'll have it for a while. It isn't pleasant,I do hope it doesn't make it to your side of "the pond".

shadypinesqltr said...

Hi, Pat. Here in Michigan it's frigid and I'm hibernating but for the outdoor types there's plenty to do. An hour to the east, Frankenmuth (our little Bavaria) is hosting an Ice Sculpting festival. People come from all over the States/Canada to compete, chainsaws at the ready.
An hour to the north, there's TipUp Town out on the ice of Houghton Lake. It's not only an Ice fishing contest but they have a carnival, music and food - and a parking lot!
I'm content to watch the Australian Open on TV.

Linda Metcalf said...

On this past Monday it was 59 degrees...this morning it's 8 degrees with a -8 wind chill here in SE Kansas. I have a thought to getting some hyacinth bulbs today to brighten things up a bit!

MorningAJ said...

I remember the sea freezing when I was very young. (1963?) The same year that the snow lasted until my birthday in April. I bet the Witham froze that year. Though it would still have carried commercial boat traffic then - so maybe the movement was enough to keep it clear.

littlemancat said...

Thanks for the warm thoughts as we surely need them! It is 0 degrees [F] as I write this at 8:45am - too cold! We have to take a kettle of boiling water out to the birdbath every few hours as it freezes so quickly. The birds do appreciate it as they immediately come to drink and drink. We must go buy more seed,suet, and peanut butter today for them.
No ice fishing here on the East coast [near Philadelphia] that I know of, but we're pretty far from Minnesota in the mid West.:-)

Pondside said...

It's mild and spring-like here in the Pacific Northwest, and I like it that way. I've had my share of living in places with Winter Fest and Ice Fishing Derby Week........and I'd rather be warm.

George said...

No ice fishing for me! I'll choose snug and warm any day. Freezing days are the best days to prepare comforting, good food and settle in with a good book.

Heather said...

I'd pay someone to do my fishing for me and stay warm and snug! The air feels colder here today and the forecasters have been cagey about the weekend's weather so I stocked up for a mini siege while shopping today - just in case. There is nothing we can do about the weather so I shall just enjoy looking at the snowdrops and cyclamen and hope for the best.

Crafty Green Poet said...

a couple of years ago the canal in Edinburgh froze hard enough to walk on.

Doc said...

I am so glad I live in Oregon as we have very similar weather. It is all sunshine but cool perfect weather to get out and do a little garden work.

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

We are having some nice springlike weather on the far northwest coast of the US - and I love it. Yesterday I puttered around on the deck - pulled out old dead plants - discovered pansies coming up from seeds dropped last summer, some primroses starting to show and two pots full of big mats of leaves of the carnation plants - not really spring - but hints of it anyway.

I'm not a fan of the cold and when we lived in Wisconsin and Kansas it got mighty cold - I'll take the temperate climate any day.

Whenever they have the cold or stormy weather on the east coast we have nice weather here - so we can tell ahead of time what it will be like - so cold back there - pleasant here - and it reverses too - when they have exceptionally nice weather we will have chilly and rainy weather. Our weather forecasters think they have it right most days - but the surprise on them is that they don't really - so we often go by our own weather signs - Mackerel Sky means rain, ring around the moon means moisture soon, pink sky in the morning, sailors take warning - etc - and we are more often correct than they.

angryparsnip said...

Most of us desert dwellers are obsessed with weather. It can mean life or death here. Although I live in a "green" desert we need our winter rains in the valley and snow on our mountains. If we don't get them our summers will e devoured by fires. The summer monsoons are helpful but also bring way too much damage.
Must look up the Ice Fishing.

cheers, parsnip

Rachel Phillips said...

In the winter of 1962/63 the Norfolk Broads froze and cars were driven on them. East Anglia did not get the snow in that winter, it got the extreme low temperatures. The country was divided into two. The west got the snow, the east got the frost.

Cloudia said...

We are awed by Huge 50 foot waves at the moment!


Aloha

Hildred said...

I can hardly believe this precious jewel of a day we are having, set amidst fog and mist and dampness. The sun has been shining down upon us since eight o'clock and it is now midafternoon, - it has finally reached high enough in the sky to skim the tops of the mountains, - there is not a cloud and here we are, luxuriating in this wonderful 'present'. While I was out feeding the birds I found the first lenten roses in bud..... I hope you have an early spring, Pat, - you do take your chances being where you are, so vulnerable to the jet stream.

Lorrie said...

The sun shone here today, warm and bright, with temps up to 10C. So lovely. (I live on the same island as Pondside.)

Terry and Linda said...

We watch the weather also...and here we are terribly dry.

Linda
http://coloraadofarmlife.wordpress.com

Cro Magnon said...

The last time we had an 'Ice Rink' here was last year when my neighbour decided to empty his pool down our track, and chose one of the coldest days on which to do it. Some people are born idiot.

Cro Magnon said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
The Weaver of Grass said...

Isn't it interesting how we all join in when the topic under discussion is the weather. I think it is the favourite topic throughout the world, apart from places where it is always the same - and how boring that would be.
Thanks for the visit.

thousandflower said...

Our British Maritime climate here in the Pacific Northwest is just about like yours right now. This morning fog rolled in. Last night I could hear ships' horns in the channel most of the night due to the fog. Joel and Siri headed to town hoping for not too much fog. Compass and radar will get them there and keep them out of the way of the ferry.