Snooz

check out the East Scotland (Huntly) traffic camera just now

Ah that's good, about the ploughing.. think it's a case of wait and see for some of us again heh! I think oor local fermers that might look after us in "normal" circumstances must be a little busy with their ain roads right now.. we haven't seen a tractor/plough in days - maybe they've been contracted officially elsewhere? - anyway not complaining as we always think we're lucky when they do come around

sorry SS will read your replies now, sister phoned in middle of me typing so I missed you'd been on

It's been a very long day here! Scottisk Skier are you still OK? I saw that the streamer was hitting you just when you said you could do with a wee break! that "blob" earlier hit us dead on for about 3 hours, amazing how much snow was in it, 4-6 of us out clearing the road couldn't keep on top of it, but we managed to get everyone home, because they come home early with gaps between them and immediately joined us in clearing for the rest of the neighbours. I'm absolutely kna****ed, we are now having to manually move the accumulated snow piles to make room for regular clearing. Thanks for letting us know, a neighbour also appeared home from Edinburgh this afternoon saying it was a bit hairy from Stonehaven Northwards <rant> ref. Mr Work & clearing your own pavements/roads (sorry lost quote) for the first time this afternoon, I have to blinking well agree (caveat: if you're able) - although our road is private, hence the self clearing without questions, the start of it about 100 yards before turning into an estate, is not : normally we (those of us who need to access the private road) - try to keep this first 100 yards as clear as we can too if council services do not appear as it is useless us clearing the other 1/2 mile if the start is treacherous (it's the start of quite a steep hill). Today the residents in said estate whose road has not been cleared were getting turned into their cul-de-sac entrance courtesy of us lot who have been clearing, then they were promptly sticking. This would be the classic case (though obviously much less serious) that a road which had been kept clear and used sensibly could not be accessed because it became blocked by abandoned traffic - by LESS sensible (or just plain arrogant?) users My message to them is get out and clear your own cul-de-sac, or at least the entrance to it so you have somewhere to park without blocking the other road! ... and while you're at it you could help with the bit of road that's normally done for you, it's not always the council who does it anyway!! <end of rant> Now where we .. is this feature a feature, or is limbo land between two fronts still?

I was presuming your GF was flying up, hence my report from Airport, If she's driving I would advise driving into Aberdeen then back out to Banchory or what do you think YeahBabyYeah.. what's it like cutting across from Portlethen to Banchory just now? Ahhh, this weather really brings out the best in small communities doesn't it

Aberdeen airport to the Hospital, is only about 15-20 mins all main roads. These roads are clear as a bell on that side of town accord to DH who drove them this morning. It is currently snowing lightly in Aberdeen but I doubt very much if that's affecting the road conditions. The roads from Aberdeen to Banchory however are possibly a different story, LadyP should be able to help with the state of the South Deeside road) - they will be passable but with care I would imagine, I can try to find out more if you like (my mum stays in Banchory) and I'm more familiar with the Hospital side of town to Banchory, via Westhill etc..

Whiteout now with great big juicy flakes, looking good for Aberdeen?

fingers xxx'd LadyP, it seems to be moving quite slowly or stalling getting ready for a more NE flow, in which case Aberdeen could finally get lucky. DH made it into work today (whether he'll get home remains to be seen!) and says it like a different world as soon as you get over the Tyrebagger:pardon:

Agreed, it's fascinating though Never seen the model thread so quiet either! The News24 programme is quite balanced really, not too dramatic.. That's the Northerly band of showers just reaching us now, temps rose quickly to -0.4 DP -2 just in advance of it, to my West it's been quite dark for a while and now it's flaking slightly

there is a BBC News special on right now, think it's also on BBC 1, here in Scotland it's on BBC News 24 it appears to be quite balanced, so far

BBC24 just had a borders reporter on.. "Borders one of the worst areas affected" 18" last Night!! to be fair the reporter, speaking from inside his house as he's very definitley snowed in, was very calm and the pictures told it all, the newscaster said, "surely you're used to this" in Scotland, reporter replied very calmly that the 18" that fell on top of the already existing 2 weeks worth meant it was an unusual situation too.. When you see pictures of diggers and tractors have to physically take the snow elsewhere it should bring it home to them.. shouldn't it? Anyway crisp clear morning here -2.9c DP -4 that little low rolling off Norway, seems to be having a big impact on the overall formation of the high - and stopped the Easterly? That is the same little low that Monds called pathetic the other day, it's nae doing too badly so far for the borders anyway WOOT! Enjoy :lol:<br>

Mondy, LS.. see the sat pics, well if you look at OSLO and replay your favourite feed back, or just watch sat24/scan for the last 3 hour loop, there is something coming out from Oslo heading East, and it seems to be "undercutting" or pushing against the ENE flow.. I think I remember that it was a feed from precisely the same place that set up the convection which lead to the "Tay/Clyde streamer".. what you think is this the easterly push onto coastal areas that progged to happen around 3am?

E-E-East? LOL!! (did you try the ALT+101 thing for fan you'r' d'sp'rat'?)

and still the forum goes down straight after you said that, :lol: time to log off for a wee while?

hehe.. just don't hold your breath while you're waiting

My thoughts exactly.. but just how much would it take to get to blue when it can't even get to red ?:o

so how does it feel to officially cut off you guys doesn't look like your daughter will get home tonight Pete? Has she got somewhere warm/safe to go ? Hope all is OK!

Enjoy!

>>How bad? pretty bad considering all those traffic cams show major routes, I know the A9 is closed at various points, the A96 is not much better. The temp after that last "shower" which left another 2cm at 4:30 has dropped very quickly and the wind is picking up just as quickly so the snow now has nowhere to go except blow! Just been and cleared our road for the 4th time today, so a neighbour could get home.. everyone else stayed at home today - very unusual as we usually manage to get everyone out and home again, just plain different from the "usual" no matter which you look at it :unsure: All Aberdeenshire schools closed again tomorrow : http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/closures/index.asp Alford friends reporting 50cm+ this am. .. even employers that would normally expect staff to make an effort to get to work have given staff extra days off.. not sure how the main roads are around here today as I never got out to see them, but by all accounts people were doing the sensible thing and staying off the roads where possible! any more expected for up here Moray, Huntly, Alford?

Yes, well a lot round here do anyway, however we also have a large amount of people who drive 4x4s, in fact I myself did until this year! DOH! - but they are now taxed so heavily I imagine winter tyres would be a cheaper option. As I said at the time the tax on 4x4's was always unfair to the people who need them most. I have recently been reading a lot about Tyre Socks, was meaning to get some for the car. They are supposedly ideal for our climate, as in they are easily taken on and off when required, which with our "usual" few days of inclement weather, should be enough - and they are of course not damaging to the road surface, which winter grips would be. A fleet of Aberdeenshire Courier Vans supposedly have these socks in all their vans this year after trialling them on a couple last year, it would be interesting to hear how they got on this year with them. I remember earlier in this season that the Highland Council road clearance manager was interviewed and said rightly that it isn't that the UK doesn't cope, as is evident by the fact we (Highland/Aberdeenshire) don't make the news so often, it's more that the rest usually don't have to, so it's a cost exercise. I do think though that this is all slightly ironic as it's because of the swing the other way in the last 15-20 years, taxing bigger cars/expensive tyres/lowering grit salt orders etc. has become the norm, contracting out the road clearance jobs to companies that had no idea what a bigger winter would entail. I presume it would take about 15 years for it to swing the other way again if required

Aberdeenshire council closed ALL schools in the county today, don't think I've ever seen a council wide closure decision before? We had a deer in our garden earlier, unfortunately dog barked and scared her off before I could get a picture, am totally running out of superlatives for the view & scenes now. it's calmed down with us here now, just catching some light flurries, it seems You Invernesians are getting a shottie now OMG! really is the only phrase at times.. LS, thanks for your updates, charts, forecasts as always Everyone take care, remember to help the less able members of your community, where you can

most recent fall, overnight left another 10cm, soft & powdery again average lying depth now 15" - 38cm

OK I was conservative, total overnight fall was 10cm (4") total untouched covering on doghouse (photo coming later) is now 38cm (15") now snowing lightly again SL2 I'm feeling your vibes, blowing it down your way, - that's quite enough for now - I don't mind sharing

or Manchester according to the News too! check out the Huntly camera for our current situ. too our trees are now hanging so heavy I can hardly see the lights in the village any more, and cars are just crawling on their way to work.. anyway gotta go out and help DH will report depths back a wee bit later

Ok coffee #2 .. think it's here Pete! You did well overnight too CMD et al.. took quite a bit from the showers yesterday evening then caught some as the wind swung more northerly around midnight, and more recently just took a pasting (don't think I've ever used that word before) off the first phase of this band now coming in, think Aberdeen/Dundee should be seeing it soon too.. too early to measure accurately but I reckon 6cm maybe more School is closed, son is happy he rarely gets snow days as he walks to school DH not so happy up to start digging the car out again! and maybe a bit more on the way by the looks of it..