What is that Bright Thing in the Sky?
It wasn’t that warm yesterday and it was rather windy, so all of the locals were wearing boots, hats and gloves but the sun was out. Ad how many times have we been able to say that in the last couple of months in the UK.
Last night as it got dark, I walked round the old city and took a lot of pictures of the floodlit sites. I can’t post them now, as there is no SD slot on the computer.
I ended up eating a very large Greek salad and some souvlaki in a restaurant underneath the acropolis. C and I had been to Athens about four times, but we’d never really explored this part of the city. I’ll put it right today.
I’m sure she won’t mind!
The Good News on the Weather
The Times today, has an item entitled, If you thought winter was dull, you were right.
The South East of England suffered its gloomiest winter on record, the Met Office said. The region received 40% fewer hours of sun than usual between December and the end of February. London was particularly grey, with only 98.2 hours of sunshine at Heathrow – its darkest winter since monitoring began in 1957.
In a reversal of the usual winter pattern, the North West was much brighter than usual. Northern Ireland received 223 hours of sunshine, 62% above average, while Scotland was 20% above average. However, those sunny skies were accompanied by high-pressure systems and freezing weather. It was the most brutal early winter since 1890. Temperatures plunged to -21C (-6F) at Altnaharra, Highlands, for example. But while most winters grow colder this one turned warmer and February was remarkably mild.
Another surprise was how dry the season was. Despite the snow, precipitation was 22% below normal. “This is typical of cooler winters, when the weather becomes blocked by high pressure, which brings cold winds but little precipitation,” said Barry Gromett of the Met Office. “Snow doesn’t actually contain as much water as you think; a 10cm snowfall is equivalent to 1cm rain.”
So this is good news for me, as it explains why I’m feeling so lousy. No sun! My cardiologist, who said I needed two weeks in the sun, was right.
When Is It Going To Get Warmer?
I’ve just watched the weather forecast and although it might be sunnier today, it is unlikely that the temperature will make double figures.
But at least my house is warm!
One problem is that I took my warm coat to the laundry because it was so filthy and I haven’t got it back yet.
I don’t think I have ever known such a period of wretched weather in the UK.
The weathergirl on BBC London also appears to be trying to warm, at least the males up, by wearing a short dress with a low neckline, dark tights and high heels.
Are We That Stupid?
The weather woman on BBC Breakfast this morning was giving snow depths in centimetres and then using the irrelevant inches, which I gave up with all the other Imperial units in about 1970.
My Road in the Snow
I suppose I’ve lived in London off and on for about half my life.
But I can only remember it snowing like this twice in London before.
Once when I was a child about eleven and then one Christmas when we lived in St. John’s Wood, I can remember driving to East Barnet to bring my mother-in-law to Christmas lunch through the snow in a borrowed Vauxhall Cresta.
But this is my road tonight.
Snow in my Road
It’s Grim Up North!
I am a soft Southerner and a proud Londoner to boot, with the tough genes of a true mongrel. But especially after today’s weather reports from Jockshire, no sane man or woman would want to live north of Cambridge. I might make an exception for Liverpool, as I like my culture to have an edge.
Are We All a Load of Softies?
I’m not asking the question, by my stallion is.
Vague Shot in the Snow
Lookm at him here, with his backside into the wind. He’s 27 years old now, which is a good age for a horse, but he is still hale and hearty and he lives out most of the year. At the moment, he does come in at night, but that’s only because of the cold.
One thing, I’ve always wanted to do is put a proper camera on his head, to film what he sees in the fields. As he likes to think he’s protecting his herd, he is always watching for movement. Would the camera catch the deer, foxes and hares that pass through his field?
The Weather Must be Bad!
The BBC has just had a report from Hull abut the awful conditions there.
I thought that Hull was one of those places where the weather usually didn’t get that cold and snowy. If that memory is correct, then this cold spell must be bad!
The Anonymous Widower 