Spikecollie

Don't remind me! I flew back to MAN in that one - mmllaahh!

Its has arrived... http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-39010887

Hi there, Scarlet. Lovely to see you on here. I went to Hangzhou a few years ago in January. Everyone warned me how cold it might be, and I packed my suitcase with warm clothes and coats. I ended up walking around the lake and into the hills in my t-shirt and light trousers! It was between 16 and 20c during the days! The pollution was a problem, though, and my eyes were very badly affected and sore. When I flew back from Hangzhou into Hong Kong for a stopover, the yellow pollution haze in the atmosphere was so distinctly visible from the aircraft. I'm not sure that weather is reliable anywhere in the world these days, but has it ever been? Time will tell whether we are experiencing normal variations or the result of the horrid damge we have inflicted on our planet. Do keep posting, I work with a lot of Chinese colleagues and students over here in France and I love to keep in touch with China's news and events. Happy New Year of the Rooster, by the way...

Good to have you back Moki, even if I don't belong in the NWE discussions. Have you got any snow, or any sign of snow?

Erm, sorry folks, but isn't there something a little weird going on here? Be careful who you are talking to. Things are not adding up in my mind...

Where are you, SB? My OH (other half) is in the Aire Valley...

What a beautiful image Is there anyone out there to experience it, I wonder?

Me too! I tried again and nothing works... Bring back the old chat system! I could have done with a Sunday evening natter...

What happened, VA? I hope no one was hurt...

I agree with Lassie, nice and clean and simple...

I just mentioned these in my status update...I wonder if anyone can see any flashes?

I think our electricity will be first to go, if anything does I've usually managed to keep the internet, as I use a 3g dongle. But that only works as long as there is power in the laptop, obviously!. It has been howling here already, but only under the showers, which have been torrential and accompanied by thunder...

One of my students said this morning that it was 5 days in 2000, as well as 2009! What fun and joy! Let's hope it's not as bad as they are predicting...

Gust to 110km/h being forecast by Météo France for my area on Saturday.

Nothing quite as impressive here, but some nice TCU this afternoon. Lovely to see some convection back in the atmosphere...

So "across the channel", you've shared the last frigid two weeks. When I went through Paris last week, it felt colder than here in Limousin (wetter cold?). Let's move on and get into spring. Any transient cold will just bring mushy sleet and wet cold. I'd rather warmth, even if it is a little wet!