Weather

[Drisgirl]

Its news to me.I am sitting with boots,leggings.jersey fleece scarf.heating on full blast and I am still freezing.It is impossible to go outside because you would freeze solid.What is causing this - we have a fresh running river flowing through our town and its frozen solid.I have looked at the weahter reports but I cant find whats causing this.East of Scotland BTW - how is everyone else?

[Drisgirl]

BTW we are used to extreme weather conditions and are resiliant but this is beyond anything I have experienced.I know its winter:)

[CT]

Seriously?! Although it was cold this evening I went and played some tennis under floodlights. Frozen solid. Are you living much above sea level?

[gary baldy]

Blame the Russians (and pity them - its -30 in Moscow).
Our cold weather is coming straight off the Urals. I think this is usually counteracted by a warm front from the west but that hasnt materialised.
I think the weather has finally broken in the east so we can hope it warms up a bit.

[Drisgirl]

A bit but not much.I seriously can take the cold but this is like Siberia not Scotland - no joke.I dont remember it being this cold before.I just feel for the old people who will be frightened to leave their heating on all night.Poor souls.I'm just going to bed like this minus the boots!!!

[Drisgirl]

Hope so Gary - thanks for that I knew there had to be something unusual going on.Hope the old biddies see it through because we are not used to this.The Russians maybe have accustomised themselves although that temperature is mega severe.

[jno]

the government did warn that there was a possibility - 65% chance, I think it was - of an extremely bitter winter; and people have been poohpoohing them for it (I think there was a thread in News somewhere). And there has been - but not in Britain. In central/east Europe it's been very cold indeed - tragedies in Germany and Poland where roofs have collapsed under snow and killed many people. By contrast, it's been chilly but not bitter here - in the south, only a handful of days where it's gone below freezing. Don't know what the temperature is round your way DrisGirl, but it's always cold in winter in Scotland, isn't it? Is it much worse than other winters?

[Drisgirl]

We always anticipate bitter cold winters - we are accustomed to it.I live just from the Glenshee Ski Centre.

This I can assure you is baltic.For a Scottish Person to moan about the cold weather and to also see a fresh free flowing river frozen is unheard of - we are made of hard stuff!!Its much worse.Off to hap myself up in bed with a hot water bottle.

I know it doesnt seem much if youre not experiencing it but what about the poor homeless and people who have no money.They wont survive.

[wendilla]

Hello drisgirl I used to live in scotland many years ago and have experienced many snow storms and been blocked in but no never so cold as this.Even when the icicles were hanging from the roofs for days .Everything grinds to a halt down here when there is snow but we scots are tough and could weather it well.And we didnt have cantral heating.But as you say it is worse in other places and loss of lives.

[wendilla]

sorry that should be central heating

[Supernick]

Didn't the met office correct themselves a few days ago, and say that we weren't copping the fallout from Siberia, but our cold weather was coming down from Scandinavia? Not that I care where it comes from, when I realise that I've left my coat at work, and I've got to manage in just a shirt on the way in! Having said that, I love the cold, and I've got my fingers crossed for a touch of snow.

[stevie_c2it]

Wrap up warm, keep a flask of something warm to keep you going (amd I don't mean whisky, drisgirl), put the second bar on the fire (I know you can afford it, you've been hoarding again), keep the phone handy, and if you turn bluer than normal, phone the warden.

[qapmoc]

Hi Drisgirl, you had better start getting used to it I think, this is all down to an effect of good old ''global warming'', someone is going to say WHAT, the world is getting hotter but we are colder!!
Yes affraid so, its because the UK and especially Scotland is kept warmer than it should be by the gulf stream which is warm extra salty water moving on the surface from the south to the north which then sinks to the ocean depths and returns to the south , the global warming is melting ice in the north which is diluting the salt water flow and -

1. Reducing the flow rates, less flow=less heat.
2. Forcing the current to descend further south than it used to =less heat.

See this or this for some info.

[Drisgirl]

Thanks for that qapmoc - it was a wee bit over my head ( no great surprise there then) but your explanation was very succint and I did understand it.So basically we should all be aware, as what we are experiencing in this area is a pre-amble to what is starting to develop for everyone.

Thanks everyone for their replies BTW - it is only -5 today (dont know what it was during the night but I didnt get much of a sleep for the gritters going past every hour).Better than the -8 we had on Tuesday during the day.Snow for the weekend.

Still feel for the vulnerable though but I keep an eye on my elderly neighbours - so they are fine.Just imagine lying in a shop doorway in a cardboard box though.Wish we could all do more.

[Drisgirl]

In fact, even for the fear of being castigated for this suggestion - could we all forget any personal opinions on homeless people and give them a cup of tea or soup or something hot - even a bag of chips in the passing to give them some extra sustenance.

Its not every town or city who have soup kitchens and hostels.

I am not on a crusade - just try to help our fellow human beings who have fallen on hard times-during this appalling weather.

[johnlambert]

Nice one Dris, pity more folk dont have the same human trait as you.

Im a fellow Scot (born in Edinburgh) but now living in sunny Leicestershire where it's a balmy -1,

wrap up warn and look after them auld folks X

[VINNY100_2]

Hi Drisgirl,around my way,there's an old chap who sits on a blanket with his dog,and he always offers his hat,and its full of money....!dont want to upset him,so I always take a couple of quid out of the hat.must be some eccentric millionare....?hehe...........only joking..I always bung some change in his cap...the poor sod ..i do feel sorry for him, and his dog..lets hope he lasts the winter..!(i have seen this lady giving him hot food)there's still good people out there.(:)

[smudge]

I wrapped up warm this morning & ventured out into the garden to rake up all the dead leaves & twigs. It was very cold indeed & all the bird baths were completely frozen over. I unwound & dragged the hosepipe all the way down to the bottom of the garden to clean & refill the bird baths, but even that was too frozen to spray - so I wound it all back up again & carried on raking!

South Bedfordshire

[libertie]

Well its cold here today Edinburgh, but I've just been talking to a collegue in London and it's slightly colder there! Think the temperature down south has been a wee bit lower than ours over the past couple of days....which makes a change!!

[Drisgirl]

Hi libertie.

I think its where you are located.We just happen to be having it really bad although we are only 60m north of you.My husband is in Eire and its mild.Its definately the East Coast thats getting it.London being east coast as well.You lie lower than me.

All the more reason to give the poor people something to eat as homelessness is definately more prolific in London.I did think of the poor souls who kip down in Union St Aberdeen last night though - surely someone would have taken them in.

[Drisgirl]

Gos knows what happened to my last answer.Keyboard must be freezing up!