[Bbc 4 20.04.2009 - Snow]

Told me a lot more about snow than what I already knew.

For my part I much prefer the small tablets of snow which form at -11c in relatively dry conditions and paradoxically it does not seem so cold when it is like that.

[Experts And Amateurs]

I just wonder because I am really an amateur on this forum, though I have had some weather experience but a lot of the terms and the argumements go straight over my head.

From other blogs I have seen I suspect that I am not on my own and wonder whether it might be possible to set up a section for us amateurs where we can speak in more simple terms with perhaps the experts coming in from time to time to explain their views in terms more easily understood by us laymen and to explain a lot of the abbreviations used.

That way a lot of us enthusiastic amateurs may learn a lot more.

[Blizzards]

I have noticed a tendency in the press and I suspect some of the members of this forum to describe heavy snow as a blizzard.

In my experience a proper blizzard is quite rare in this country and I have not seen anything this season I would describe as a blizzard.

To my mind, please correct me if I am not right, a blizzard consists of 2 factors, one is heavy snow, usually the dry variety and the other is a high wind which blows the snow to such an extent that the blowing and falling snow seriously restricts visibility and forms extensive snow drifts and can take on appearance of a thick fog which varies somewhat with the gusts.

Other than that we can have heavy snow, without too much wind - it does seriously affect visibilty but does not form any substantial drifts, when I believe it should just be referred to as heavy snow.

We also have the situation sometimes, though rare, where the snow has ceased but theré is still a strong wind drifting the snow and onstructing visibilty. In this case I believe that this should be referred to as blowing snow.

If we are reporting these different phenomena to each other, I believe it is important we report these as accurately as we can, otherwise it leads to others not getting a proper appreciation of what is being reported.

As for the press they are a law unto themselves and we all have to take what they say with a pinch of salt.

[Sea Temperatures - Athens, Greece]

Just spent a fortnight in Athens and out of curiosity checked the net weather worldwide holiday spots forecasts and noticed that there is quite an extreme range of sea temperatures in a relatively short space of time.

I suspect wind direction has a lot to do with this and possibly the run off of coldish river water at this time of year.

Can anybody enlighten me any further?

Mike