The Official Blog of Blizzard '09. Day Two.
Dear Eddie. As you can see, the residents of Plover Way, London, reacted to the credit crunch and the snow event horizon by building some snowmen. But the local swans were nonplussed. David Aldworth"
"Jen Mathias, Betws Bledrws - It snowed a bit last night... lovely and quiet because the schools are closed and we only have a bus every two hundred years anyway.. the trains were axed by Beeching so no problems with the wrong sort of snow either. A few cars and vans, one small bus, but no heavy lorries. The farmer has just been to feed his sheep - life goes on."
Richard Barton sends: "no snow plough's or gritters here."
By way of a contrast, Rigobert sent: "Eddie, I've just received these photos from a friend in south australia which has been having record heat levels.....cute photos, don't you think?!" - this is my favourite:
Bronwen sends this of Ladywell Fields:
"Monday afternoon and the snow is gradually filling the traffic lights where I was waiting to join the M1 southbound from the M25. I'll look again tomorrow to see if the lights shine through the snow. Richard"
"Rachel: I'm a librarian and my housemate a geologist living in Tooting, London. Normally eminently sensible I am sorry to report that the snow got to our heads and we built this lovely snow lady (we're not responsible for the one on Kensington High Stree sent in by Eloise though). She's since lost her nose - it is buried somewhere under the snow that fell this afternoon."
Elizabeth sends this "taken in Hackney at about 2 p.m. today near St John's Churchyard"
Neil sends: "Stella, Lucy, Johnny, Matty and Neil's Snowman outside Ludlow Castle.
Couldn't wait for School to end today."
"This was as near to the snow as Alfie wanted to get! Rachel and Marsha in Edgware"
"Locals enjoying the snow outside Marney's Village Inn. Lucy Matejka."
"Hi PM team, I live on the Roseland peninsula, near Falmouth and Truro, and we have had just the merest dusting of snow here today. It must be the first time my hens have experienced any snow, however. They were rescued last summer from a huge farm that was closing down (15,000 birds in total). They have been wandering round the garden all day as normal, quite unfazed. How they don't freeze to death in this cold I really can't fathom. Here's a picture of Mari (attached). Regards, Blogger, GerransGirl."
"Hi Eddie. Under the snow is our garden in East Dulwich, best regards, Olliver
From Mariyata Whittaker:
BATMAN! "He's at least 7ft tall, more sculpture than snowman. I don't know who made him, but I found him at midday today in one of the tennis courts in Ravenscourt Park, Hammersmith, and I think he's fantastic. Maureen Fox"
Sent to us last night: "Greetings from a surprisingly snowy NW Cumbria. Forecasts yesterday suggested that the snow would not be putting in an appearance this far west, but as on so many other occasions prediction and reality are somewhat different. If I live to be 100 and have to answer the inevitable 'what do you put it all down to' question then my explanation will be the excellent exercise and release of tension afforded by shouting at the radio in reaction to weather reports which ever so inaccurately describe weather that has just happened or is happening when simply looking out of the window confirms that nothing of the sort is the case. So what will tomorrow bring? According to the BBC Weather web site it should be 'light rain'. Hmmmm, we'll see. Kind regards,
Chris Atkinson"
"Hi! I had a wonderful time walking in the snow in Richmond Park this afternoon where I took this photo of the deer. Cheers, Margaret"
Snow in the South Downs: "Beautiful. Ann B, High Salvington in West Sussex"
"Here in Wild Wales the sun shone on the righteous... (well, until this evening)This is how it was around 9.30. The pony and trap were on the way to Llanbedr Pont Steffan from Llanfair Clydogau. Apart from road signs and a tarmac road the scene must have been much the same as in the 19th century. You can just make out a few flakes of snow under the trees. Jen Cairns"
Richard sent this: I have no idea how he created it:
Des Boxall sent this yesterday: "We reckon 4-5 inches snow cover and more to come overnight but nowhere near 1982, yet!"
Adam, who sent a snap earlier (see below) writes: "Another image of the snow in West Cornwall today. The black sky in the background is the next shower heading in and resulted in a complete white-out."
Owen Wood sends: "Soldiers training in Hawley, Hampshire."
"Eight years since we last got any snow and today it's been snowing more or less continuously since 8.15 am. Only about 35mm so far, but enough to make it well worth getting out in. Image shows Cape Cornwall near Lands Ends with a snow shower just passing through not long before sunset. The next wasn't far behind. Adam Sharpe"
"Hi, Here's a pic of my happy dog Chester. Aaaah! where'd that snowball go...?? He never found any... but had lots of fun looking. Genny."
Big Sis sends: "Monty taking a chunk out of my shoes this afternoon. This is what snow does to an excitable, and very naughty, collie."
"My kitchen window at 6.30am this morning. Anneberth Lux"
Liz Tunmer sends another from yesterday: "Dave's first view of snow - 7.15 a.m Feb 2nd, Brighton" 
"A snowy scene in The Close in Salisbury (The National Trust's Mompesson House is in the centre of the photograph). Bryn Jones, Salisbury."
"Here we have a nice collection of snow cushions as seen in our garden at 7 this morning. Totally impractical, we know, but very pretty. Loveliness. Dominic Arnold"
"The attached pic is of the Market Square in Saffron Walden, Essex, taken at 8.55am (yesterday). It's pretty rare these days to find the square almost empty of cars. Most of the snow had been cleared by 11am after the minor roads (and pavements) had been gritted. Main roads are clear - one of my colleagues cycled in, as usual, from Steeple Bumpstead, which is 10 miles away. Sara Willard, Saffron Walden.
Chloe Alexander sends: "The Grange Gardens, Lewes and The South Downs in the snow today":
David Tribe says this is the "fun side of the credit squeeze"
More from yesterday: "Eddie, Just back in from work, But attached is a 'photo from Tadworth (Surrey) this morning: "My driveway", regards, Peter Hutton.
Deer in Richmond Park, taken by Imogen Driver
From Barbara Watson: Snow scene Bourne End, Bucks.
Eddie, More snow in St Albans: David McNickle
"Not much work done today. Too much time spent looking out of my window...from Molly"
HelenSparkles in Sapcote, Leicestershire sends this:
"OK - I couldn't resist sending this photo - an ever-expanding group of snowpeople in North Millfields Park, Hackney. Every time I walked by there was a new addition! Ruth Tovim"
"This is Marcus Aurelius, looking rather jaunty. He lives in my garden in Wiltshire. Lynn Taylor"
"This is my Daughter in Law enjoying the snow in Hampshire. from C Cook Somerset"
"Please could you accept this picture taken this morning in Norton, Malton, North Yorkshire from our bedroom window. Best wishes, Nick Fletcher"
John writes of "Treacherous conditions. And just to prove that the buses were running - one taken from the top deck of one in Stamford Hill, Stoke Newington."
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Well despite getting quite a lot yesterday afternoon, ours is all melting now.
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Nope, still no snow here!
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Lovely photos. Ours is all melting here too. Blue sky and sun. Icy underfoot though. Lots of animal tracks visible this morning.
Cracking strapline today LBG! (Are you a member of The House of Lords btw? Or an independent sort of Lord? Just curious...)
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Another really good selection of Photos. Any more..?
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First may I suggest that the BBC and other news agencies stop hyping everything up. First it was the Banking problems caused by irresponsible Bankers and now it is the Arctic conditions effecting the UK! Have you any idea what conditions are really like inthe Arctic because it does not compare with anything that has happened to date in the UK since the Ice Age! Finally if you want to underatke some useful journalism may I suggest you look at why the UK authorities are not prepared for this blanket of snow and ice and consider if it is due to financial constraints or just bad risk management?
Kind regards.
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Snow crust too hard for the tracks of all but human and other large animals here. Brilliant sunshine so expect it will melt where the sun reaches, but probably not elsewhere. Interestingly the snow hardly settles and melts fast on the lid of our well - presumably warmed by the residual heat from the water below.
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Morning All. Side roads here slippy but passable with decent tyres. Main roads clear. GET TO WORK!!
Just kidding. Travel if safe to do so.
My garden looked lovely this morning but too rushed to do a piccy.
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And just to prove that the buses were running - one taken from the top deck of one
Oh dear. Just as well they did stop them yesterday, then. It looks like the bus in question has fallen over and is on the pavement.
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The pics are all v good! Our snow has all gone apart from the odd patch of ice. We had plenty here in the NW but alas not enough to be snowed in!
Beautiful blue sky this morning; perfect for a good brisk stroll!!!
The snow was beautiful to look at (through a window I mean!). Hope everyone is ok and warm.
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Is it true that the CBI and Federation of Small Businesses is demanding the scrapping of a Bank Holiday this year to make up for all the money lost yesterday through people not turning up to work yesterday? Christmas, perhaps?
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Just been told by the postman that the lady in the shoe shop complained about the icy pavement. council swept it then its frozen over.
The comment back was they won't grit it 'cos once its gritted council are liable for falls. If they leave it icy they are not.
Can someone get to the bottom of these rumours, are they just urban myths?
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I can try to offer a view on liability. In summary, the law says that an occupier – a householder or an employer or someone who owns or runs commercial premises – must take reasonable care to see that people using paths, car-parks and private roads would be REASONABLY safe.
So, employers must set up proper systems to deal with safe access and ensure that they operate as planned. And recent court decisions have held that they must train their staff how to use the systems – risk assessments, proper equipment, advice and guidance. Occupiers must also regularly inspect their premises to inform themselves about any accumulation of snow and ice (breaking off icicles, for example, rather than allowing them to grow into lethal daggers).
There is a belief that if ordinary householders sweep paths in snow, they make themselves liable if someone slips and is injured; it is better to leave things as they are. Although one ought to able to conclude that the public is, even in 2009, sufficiently educated to recognise snow when they see it and to know that packed snow and sub-zero temperatures equals ice and slippery surfaces, it is a sensible precaution to add grit or sand or salt to give a degree of grip.
However, the creeping effect of ‘Elf ‘n Safety means that householders are probably going to be liable if they public-spiritedly sweep away snow so as to leave lethal icy surfaces – unless they provide grip.
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Peter, Never leave your tools out in the snow.
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One deer to another, "Anybody seen Father Christmas?"
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Well - it's all gone again here. Raining and gloomy. Shame.
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In case anyone wonders about my removed post (3), I had in ignorance used yer French language. This is what I should have said:
It's not just London, you know. Or the UK. Here is what today's French paper Le Monde says about Paris and northern France yesterday:
“34 departments in the north and west of France were under severe weather warnings because of snow and icy roads. The bad weather made driving difficult. Suburban train services in Paris were affected and many buses were stuck on the outskirts, according to a spokesman for RATP (ie. the French equivalent of TfL). There were serious delays at Roissy and Orly airports; no flights took off between 6.30 and 9 am."
And Madrid, too, and Milan were seriously affected.
However, the buses ran in London in 1947 and 1962/3......
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BATMAN! ... I don't know who made him, but I found him at midday today in one of the tennis courts
And he's staying there until the courts grant him access to his snowchildren!
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lbeagle @17 I suspect the big differences between 1947/1963 and now are that then most people lived within walking distance of their work (if they had to), and secondly that there was far less traffic trying to share slippery roads with them.
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re Richards name in the snow. I hope that it is in his handwriting ;-o
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Snow (which reached a depth of three inches) is all but gone now, just a few patches on the lawns.
Still, no rubbish collection today, so far at least. Is this a knock-on effect? Or an excuse?
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No snow here on the easterly outskirts of Norwich, just glorious sunshine!!
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Rain here. Not a sign of snow. But apparently trains aren't running in Norn Iron. Have they come out in sympathy?
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Anne P @ 19, there was a small interview yesterday with a lady who had got as far as London Bridge, discovered that the buses were not running and was going to turn round and go home.
How far is London Bridge station from most of London? There is a bridge over the Thames there, she wouldn't have had to swim the rest of the way. :-)
Seems fairly feeble to get that far and then just give up, unless she was trying to get rather further than the City.
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Screaming (23) - Translink (Norn Iron Rail and Bus network company to the rest of you) said it had experienced radio communication problems. I think that means the controllers couldn't get Terry Wogan on the radio this morning and they all p*ssed off home.
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Chris@24 I wonder if she was dressed the same as the lady who got on my bus yesterday - hair sprayed to a metallic rigidity on which no snow would dare to settle and feet in high heeled peep-toe shoes.
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Anne P. @ 26
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh.
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And yeek!
Mind you, out in last night's snow, I saw a jogger (at least, I guessed he must have been a jogger) walking home, clad in shorts, ankle socks and trainers and a light top.
A bit keen?
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Hmm. Quite irritating hearing the happy teacher talk about his lovely days off. I'm a community psychiatric nurse who couldn't get to work to see chronically ill patients because of school closures and having to stay home. Yes we had a great time, but it's kind of not funny when my severely ill patients can't be seen. I could do with knowing why one school opened and one closed in our village, and why they can't operate a shorter day, or something... have rather lost my sense of humour and face chaos when I do get into work.
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I'M a teacher at a secondary school in Sussex, and the reason our school was closed today was the frozen icy conditions all over the county. I couldn't leave my parking place in Brighton let alone drive to work; there were no trains according to Network Rail, and most importantly what if any of our students had slipped over in the ice at school? How would their loving parents coped with 6 weeks off work nursing little Joannas broken arm?
Its time all us wage slaves rejoiced in the opportunity to spend some time with our own kids; yesterday at the local park many families and young people had a fab time in the snow..
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