Wintry scenes
We know it’s winter when the sun makes an appearance at 10.15am, lighting up snow-covered fields, trees and hedgerows and making the chores that much more enjoyable. Well, provided the wind stays gentle. We had about 5cm of snow overnight, while the temperature dropped to -8C.
I didn’t think it was too bad—in fact, I enjoyed working outside this morning even before the sun appeared—but it was all too much for the council. No ploughs or gritters appeared until late morning, the school bus driver wasn’t prepared to push through (with some justification given the tyres on the bus), and many of the area’s schools closed for the day.
The boys were more than happy to stay home with me today, but I think it’s daft that much of the region shuts down for relatively mild snowfalls and temperatures that aren’t that cold. The Other Half made her way to work, experiencing no problems as we have snow and mud tyres on the Land Rover. Tractors aside, few cars attempted the roads past the croft today and just as well—all of them were struggling as they were all fitted with low-profile tyres that had almost no grip. Has no one heard of winter tyres? (And I’m not even talking snow tyres like our Defender has.)
Hmmm I don’t have snow tyres on my (very ordinary ) car…but in my childhood we DID uniformly get “winter” tyres on my Dad’s car…but then I think tyre tech. has improved so my ” ordinary” tyres are probably miles better that the ” winter” tyes of the 1970’s
I am OK to drive in most conditions even in my non 4 x4 car ( ex racing driver here, so able to cope with most slippery conditions! ) ….but most folk seem not now to be able to…
FWIW …I was taught how to drive in wintery conditions by my Pa….and I STILL carry a winter kit in my boot, with a folding shovel, a blanket and food etc..so I can get out of minor trouble…or cope if I DO get stuck
I *do* think we all get very complacent though…we are NOT used to bad snow down south, so have become unused to coping with it …..
unlike you up North…where a few inches of snow is normal
Good Luck!
dipped to -8 here last night, -4 to -8 in 30 minutes!
snow tyres make a vast difference, not only to moving forward but also stopping
we have them on the forester and they are narrower than the summer wheels too which helps
I have seen quattro audi’s stuck in our area, due low profile tyres,
Seems silly to have a 4wd car then shod it in the equivalent to “ballet shoes”!
the toyota has AT tyres, although the compound of tyres is not softer like the snow tyres, the chunky tread helps in snow a lot
My Dad used to buckle leather straps onto the tyres of our cars in winter in the 50’s and 60’s. I think they had some sort of studs on them. There would be 4 (I think) per tyre and they threaded through the spokes of the wheels. I haven’t seen anything like them for years. (I often wonder if I imagined them….)
Those are gorgeous photos. That amount of snow can be enough to close schools in semi-tropical Washington, DC but here in New England, where it usually falls by the foot, it’s called a dusting. Luckily, that’s all we have right now. Last winter, we had 122″, which my handy converter tells me is 315cm. I guess that’s 3.1meters?
I hope all stay safe on the roads!
Lovely photos – our school stayed open anyway but our school transport is a landrover so I guess that helps.
I’m needing to replace two tyres on the audi and will be looking at winter tyres for that. I hardly drive anyway though, but knowing my luck it will be a wintry day when I need to go out.
We’ve lost track of what “heavy snow” actually means. As a child growing up in the North Pennines (Weardale) it simply didn’t register as heavy snow until it was over the top of our wellies. We preferred it mid-thigh. Yet a scant dusting over the Peak District this week was called heavy snow. I hooted with derision. Apart from hardy types like you we’ve turned into wusses!!
And for a feel of what cold is like try the weather forecast for Winnipeg this week!
There was a big panic hereabouts last night as the schools and council believed there was going to be a huge snowstorm this morning. We had several phone calls about what we were to do, and were asked to phone the bus driver at 7am to alert him to the conditions.
Of course, when I went out at 6.15am all I could hear was “drip, drip, drip”. Yes, the air temperature was above 0C and the existing snow cover was melting.
We had some flurries of snow around 9am, but have had nothing since 10am.
And when a courier driver stopped here about 15 minutes ago, he said “Where’s your blizzard? I was told I probably wouldn’t get through.”
I’m waiting for January/February, that’s when we’ll find out if it really is a cold winter. And by that I mean -15C or less and several feet of snow.
The latest weather forecast is the storm has been delayed and it’s due this afternoon or evening/night. Certainly the temperature is starting to fall here and the barometer is heading toward ’stormy’.
Hmmm J had a day off school today as his school was closed – I wasn’t expecting that at all as the roads were slushy at 6am and there was just wet snow falling – it all stopped at around 10am.
Well, here in Finland the use of winter tyres mandatory from December to the end of February.
They are allowed from November to the end of March.
I use Nokian tyres:
http://www.nokiantyres.com/tyre?id=10360787&group=1.01&name=Nokian+Hakkapeliitta+5
On forest roads we sometimes use snow chains.
Oh, very lovely. It always looks lovely when you’re inside looking out
But after standing in icy slush for four hours it rather loses its attraction.
Lucky you for the snow, we’ve had rain since September. Every morning there is another three inches in the goats feed dishes. It’s been like that for months. The good news is, I now have waterfront property; the bad news is, I’m getting bitchy for all the extra work and hardship this much rain brings! I’ve had to get out and hand dig trenches to keep the turkeys, chickens, the dog house, and our house from flooding. (Hence my lack of posts lately!). I’d rather have snow!!