Heavy snow and ice bring travel chaos across UK

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by nikimcbee

Rock salt!

I could be wrong but as far as my understanding goes, rock salt ceases to work at temperatures below -5 or -8 degrees

[jumpy]

Here in the midlands there's no snow at all. A few weeks back we had maybe 2-5 inches of snow... it was a nice walk down the river path ...but the next day it was all melted.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for snowfall like the rest of the uk seems to be getting. The landrover will love it
So far all we've got is cold and a bit of icy frost. The low temps have not been good for the car battery, requiring a booster start every few days and my screen wash keeps freezing in the pipes, but no proper snow

I don't think this is 'freak weather' when I was a kid there was always lots of snow in winter and power cuts because of the lines falling over etc. We have just forgotten how to get on with it in winter.

[nikimcbee]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

I could be wrong but as far as my understanding goes, rock salt ceases to work at temperatures below -5 or -8 degrees

It does have an optimum effectiveness temp, which is around >20 deg F. My house and the street corner had no ice on it. Gahd, I love it when I'm right. Plus a lady came out and thanked me for doing something about it. It's just maddening when the city won't do anything about it. But this only happens, once, maybe twice a year though.

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by Oberon

Well, that and this strange device that some people called a ship. Sure, it's not fast...

Fast? Well that all depends what kind of ship you build and what your definition of 'fast' is...

[Gerald]

Thousands of people face further disruption to their Christmas travel plans as cold weather continues to grip much of the country. BA cancelled all short-haul flights out of Heathrow while Eurostar passengers in London queued around the block.BAA has apologised for spoiling so many people's Christmases but Transport Secretary Philip Hammond said aviation was a "safety-first business".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12034317



Note: Update record, 20 December 2010 Last updated at 22:39 GMT

[Gerald]

It seems that you can upgrade your home, with a sauna,

[Gerald]

UK snow update, (Only U.K)

Heavy snow and ice has continued to cause disruption to many parts of the UK after arctic conditions returned. Crosby on the Irish Sea coast near Liverpool recorded a low of -16.5C (2F) on Monday evening, having not risen above -8C (18F) during Monday daytime.Northern Ireland recorded its coldest night overnight Sunday with a low of minus 18C (-0.4F) at Castlesderg in County Tyrone. The previous record of minus 17.5C (0.5F) was set on 1 January 1979 at Magherally in County Down.The lowest UK temperature overnight was -18.7C (-2F) in Pershore, Hereford and Worcester.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/hi/news



Note: Page last updated at 07:27 GMT, Tuesday, 21 December 2010

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by nikimcbee

It does have an optimum effectiveness temp, which is around >20 deg F. My house and the street corner had no ice on it. Gahd, I love it when I'm right. Plus a lady came out and thanked me for doing something about it. It's just maddening when the city won't do anything about it. But this only happens, once, maybe twice a year though.

You deserve a gold star

[Bilge_Rat]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

I could be wrong but as far as my understanding goes, rock salt ceases to work at temperatures below -5 or -8 degrees

Depends for what, in mild temperatures it will speed up melting and make it easier to scrape off the ice. However, even at -20 celsius, it will still melt through the ice and give you increased traction. I use it on my driveway during the winter.

[Gerald]

BBC Stephen Evans: "The effect of the great European freeze is now being felt in airports from New York to Hong Kong"

The EU has heavily criticised European airports for failing to deal with recent freezing weather, which has left thousands of travellers stranded.Around 1,000 flights were cancelled across the continent on Tuesday. European transport commissioner Siim Kallas urged airports to "get serious" about planning, and labelled them a "weak link" in the infrastructure.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12051038


Note: 21 December 2010 Last updated at 21:37 GMT

[bookworm_020]

Would you believe that we had snow here in Australia a few days ago? A cold day, but things are starting to revert to normal, 30 to 45+ degrees Celsius. Will think of you as I go on Holidays from Christmas onwards for 5 weeks, with a cold drink in my hand, cricket on the TV (go Aussies!) and think Australia has the right weather for Christmas!

[Gerald]

It sounds pretty unusual this time of year, but good that it was temporarily

[Gerald]

London (CNN) -- Airline and rail operators were making progress Wednesday clearing a backlog of passengers stranded after heavy snow across Europe threw travel plans into chaos.London's Heathrow Airport, one of the worst-affected hubs, opened its second runway Tuesday evening, easing overcrowding in the airport's terminals where thousands of passengers had faced days of delays.

"We had a good start this morning. Both runways are opened and taxis are waiting in their stands," a spokesman for the airport operator BAA said.

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/1...ex.html?hpt=T2



Note: December 22, 2010 Updated 1002 GMT

[Oberon]

Cumbria got a 3.6 rattle last night too. Nothing felt down here, but I am rather a distance from it.

[Gerald]

In other words, good news, where I live normally, it was minus 20 at night and 80 cm of snow which is pretty much this early in winter,