Weather Where You Are

[ET, the Extra Terrestrial]

About 10F here, with wind chill somewhere around -5F. Both wood stoves going.

[black bart]

Still lots of snow. Made a snow man and a snow dog.

[Roy Hunter]

About 1/2" snow on half of the garden. Roads are clear, schools open, buses and trains running...

[DavidH]

They say we're facing a very quick thaw in a day or so. Since the ground is still saturated after the wet summer, this is likely to cause more flooding.

A UK government agency suggests we all build as many snowmen as possible, as it thinks these will melt more slowly than snow on the ground.

Homeowners were advised yesterday to build snowmen to combat a “sudden thaw” that could cause flooding as schools remained closed and transport networks struggled to cope with fresh snowfall.
The Environment Agency said that building snowmen in gardens and driveways could help to slow the rate of a sudden thaw and minimise the chances of properties flooding.
The advice came as the Meteorological Office predicted that temperatures, which have been as low as -13C in some parts, could rise well above freezing to 10C by the end of the weekend.
Roy Stokes, a spokesman for the Environment Agency, said the compacted snow and ice in a snowman would melt more slowly than snow on the ground meaning there would be less surface water when the thaw happens.
He said: “Ideally if everybody built themselves a snowman that will slow the thaw down a bit. If you notice when people clear their the snow it thaws away but the compacted piles stay, which will give a balance to that, which would be helpful.”
Mel Sandells, a snow physicist at University of Reading, said while there was some “logic” to the agency’s advice it would only work for a “very short time”.
She said: “It really depends on the properties of the snow and the density. If you make a snowman the likelihood is that the temperature will be far lower because the snow is thicker.
“It comes down to the rate of heat transfer and energy that can pass through air bubbles in the snow. The more compact they are the slower the snow will thaw but really as long as heat is coming from the sun and the temperature is well above freezing the thawing process will be undeterred.”

[black bart]

^

The Govt haven't thought it though as usual...the huge mass of snow men will reflect the suns rays back up George Osborne's arse causing him to explode wiv hot air and increasing global warming.

[Roy Hunter]

The snow here is a bit half-arsed. Either snow properly, or don't snow at all. And don't bother turning into sleet or slush either...

[Ravi Oli]

Effin windy and wet as ex-cyclone makes its way past still packing heavy rain and strong winds. Up at 3am thinking "I should go out and roll up that sun blind" when it went snap and flap. May be postponing todays bbq.

[ET, the Extra Terrestrial]

Still a little chilly out for a barbecue here. I went on a two-day site visit to Alder Stream township (Tues and Weds) to assess potential visual impacts of a wind power project that's in the early stages of pre-development. Went up to Round Mountain Pond, among other places. Had to ride in on a snowmobile for a good bit of the way. Ambient temp at the pond was about -20F. Factoring in the 35 mph wind, it felt like about 55 below zero. I don't care if you call it C or F, that's cold. Back home, the pipe to the dishwasher is still frozen, but the laundry had thawed out today so I will have clean clothes for next week at least. I'm ready for spring.

[Mad Willyum Bonney]

Argh , me as well , tis bedlam here since my caregiver left . These people are not evil , they just have issues . I wish they would go to sleep at night .

[Ravi Oli]

The superstorm that has been progressively flooding and flattening the east coast of Aus is finally moving out to sea down past Sydney! [might give the Kiwis a flogging yet?] Luckily no big rivers with large catchments where I am but to the north and south... seems unreal to be waiting for a flood peak days after the rain stops. Cities 3 and 6hrs north are waiting floods well above recorded history. Wishing them well.

[black bart]

I hear Bunderburg copped it...I've been there...bloody dangerous place!

[Ravi Oli]

^ Yarrgghh Mate thar culd be a Bundy rum shortage... Bundaberg is still coping it. Just watching news and it didn't look like much was above water there.

[ET, the Extra Terrestrial]

Bloody hell, Ravi, that's nasty. Not much on the news about it up here.

[pieces o'nine]

Between the fires and the floods, your country is not having a good 2013 so far...

[black bart]

Between the fires and the floods, your country is not having a good 2013 so far...

...and their cricket team is about to get thrashed in the Ashes Series.