Late cold spell - The effects

[knocker]

Precisely, so we shouldn't vilify anyone on the basis of their preferred weather.

My view is that we only live once and that I'd like to experience as much of what nature can offer as possible, including heatwaves, blizzards, storms, thunderstorms, aurora etc. How dull would it be if it was mild all the time?

You obviously were not on a weather ship for twenty years. Or the Penlee lifeboat when the all the brave men died.

[PersianPaladin]

Why?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/lights-out-warning-as-sse-cuts-its-power-generation-8544946.html

[peterf]

3 years then!

should give me time to finish my hydro dam intime for the flooding.

[Polar Maritime]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/lights-out-warning-as-sse-cuts-its-power-generation-8544946.html

Not in 48hrs then...

[nitro_deluxe]

Now now lets all calm down a bit eh.

People are entitled to their opinion and there is nothing whatsoever wrong in enjoying the current weather conditions. There is a lot of frustration about the slow no start to spring not only on here but in the national media and the public in general so easy to get caught up in it.

It's been a tough year for animals, farmers, gardeners and the tourist industry alike but no doubt a good period for all will come along soon to balance things out.

Heatwaves, cold weather, storms, snow and wind all cause problems at time but doesn't stop them being interesting and enjoyable. Your not relishing in the suffering of others but in the weather itself!

Probably the most balanced reply i've seen in a wee while - having and sharing ones personal opinion is all well and good.They may well differ from that of your own, that's what a healthy, constructive debate is all about - weighing up the pros and cons without making any personal attack on individuals and hopefully reaching some kinda conclusion.

I too enjoy cold and snow but some warmth would be very welcome too! yes there will be winners and sadly there will also be the losers - if let's say for instance that we were in the midst of an exceptional heatwave, prolonged dry weather ensued, again whilst some will of course be enjoying the rays and quite frankly having a good time on a deckchair somewhere by you, it doesn't necessarily mean that there won't be others possibly suffering as a consequence.

March 2013 shall no doubt be remembered as one helluva nippy month, Springtime whilst traditionally a period of warmth, rejuvenation and a new beginning has been hit badly this year.It is not the first and no doubt last time that is likely to happen.Nature has an uncanny way of balancing things out in the longer term, making up even for lost time.We'll see what indeed April and beyond brings, but i doubt (and if i were a betting person.) that the ever present cold/very cold is going to continue with such aplomb forever, the possibility is in fact nil.

Edited March 26, 2013 by triple_x1

[PersianPaladin]

Not in 48hrs then...

Britain’s rapidly dwindling gas supplies will be boosted by the arrival of a giant tanker from the Arabian Gulf today, as the unseasonably severe March weather continues to place increasing demands on the National Grid.

The 350m Varga is expected to dock at Milford Haven in Wales to supply Britain with 266,000 cubic metres of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Another tanker, the Mekaines, docked at the Isle of Grain in Kent yesterday. Both vessels have come from Qatar. Together they carry enough gas to meet Britain’s needs for just 12 hours.

The continuing wintry weather had depleted gas reserves to about 10 per cent of capacity – enough to supply the country for just 36 hours. Stored gas is used as a back-up, so low reserves do not mean an imminent blackout. The Government has insisted gas supplies will not run out despite the extended cold snap. The Energy minister, John Hayes, has admitted that storage levels are low and has also told the National Grid to increase the flow of gas from Norway and the North Sea.

The country is currently working at 40 per cent above its usual gas capacity for this time of year and the price of gas hit record levels of 150p per therm (100 cubic metres) on Friday after a key pipeline between the UK and Belgium temporarily broke down.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/britains-big-freeze-qatari-tankers-sail-to-the-rescue-of-uk-gas-supply-crisis-as-snow-and-ice-sets-in-8547611.html

[knocker]

Simple question. Why do people on here welcome extrreme weather knowing the Consequences?

[Thundery wintry showers]

The main problem is that not enjoying it doesn't make it less likely to happen or reduce the pain of those who suffer from it.

The 1995 season was practically the worst-case scenario for crops and wildlife (a mild wet winter and a variable spring with some warm sunny spells but also late snowfalls and frosts) but the subsequent summer drought caused more problems overall. Thus, if it is selfish to welcome snow in spring, it must also be selfish to welcome a hot dry sunny summer. (I'm not being cold-biased here, for nowadays I am often as guilty of enjoying unusually hot weather as unusually cold weather).

The main sufferers from the current weather are probably the likes of Mushymanrob whose income depends on a relatively early start to spring and who are thus having to wait a lot longer than usual before they start accumulating income. Crops and wildlife will most likely just suffer a delay.

[NorthernRab]

I hope you break a leg,

What a stupid thing to say.

[nitro_deluxe]

Simple question. Why do people on here welcome extrreme weather knowing the Consequences?

Fair question - extreme weather has been going on since year dot, even probably before that or before we entered the equation/food chain.

I suppose we or alot of us on here are perhaps slightly more passionate about all things weather than your average onlooker.We all have different tastes, tolerance levels to cold, warm, wet, ok so the list is endless - but one thing remains for sure.We can only but try to prepare for the worst and maybe sometimes hope for the best, as the weather is always simply going to chuck whatever it wants at us, whether it's March or October or whenever - the UK has a varied climate, we all know that and let's be honest here, extremes seldom come along and compared to many places, say much further afield, we're pretty darn lucky!

Edited March 26, 2013 by triple_x1

[knocker]

The main sufferers from the current weather are probably the likes of Mushymanrob whose income depends on a relatively early start to spring and who are thus having to wait a lot longer than usual before they start accumulating income. Crops and wildlife will most likely just suffer a delay.

Wrong the main sufferers are the elderly.

What a stupid thing to say.

No more stupid than the original comment,

[Summer of 95]

I'm more concerned for all of the small businesses out there who are going to "lose" Easter. Already had someone at work who had their caravan holiday cancelled by the site due to conditions (OK I don't think they were that disappointed!). All of the resorts & attractions that would normally open & make some much needed income are going to be hit very hard as people, by & large, stay away. I realise it can't be helped & it's nobody's fault, but it's the sort of thing that could have a very harmful effect on these businesses & the economy more widely.

Another reason to fix Easter in mid-April every year instead of having it move around

[TonyH]

Another reason to fix Easter in mid-April every year instead of having it move around

No way I enjoy caravaning in the snow.

[Radiating Dendrite]

Wrong the main sufferers are the elderly.

No more stupid than the original comment,

Why was it a stupid thing to say? They were only saying they were looking forward to a bit of skiing, which will no doubt be better given the recent weather (which we cannot control).

Having been on a skiing trip recently where two people broke their legs I can say from experience that your comment is quite frankly awful and I cannot believe that it has been left up by the mods.

Why don't you go into the severe weather section and have a go at Paul S and co who will be off tornado chasing soon, afterall tornadoes kill people.

Some people really need to engage their brains before posting sometimes.

Edited March 26, 2013 by Radiating Dendrite

[AderynCoch]

Life is full of pain and suffering. Doesn't mean we shouldn't enjoy it when we get the chance.

[AderynCoch]

I hope you break a leg,

He's going skiing, not performing on stage.

[No Balls Like Snow Balls]

Yes it is sad when people and animals die in extreme weather, this will never change but that I am afraid is life and there is nothing no-one can do about it. I enjoy extreme weather, the more extreme the better and I quite frankly couldn't give a monkeys what other people think :-).

[Mountain Snow]

Simple question. Why do people on here welcome extrreme weather knowing the Consequences?

You are a grumpy old sod!

I'm sorry to say this but it doesn't matter how much you wish and hope for any type of weather, it makes ABSOLUTELY no difference to the weather we have. This continuation of winter is severely affecting my business, I have very little money coming in and I am hoping for spring to arrive soon but the weather will do what the weather will do. Instead of moaning about it I'm going to try and enjoy it as there is nothing I can do to change it.

[knocker]

Okay by consensus I'm a brainless grumpy old sod. Guilty as charged for having a different opinion.

[The PIT]

Most of the time our extreme weather is just a little hiccup compared to other parts of the world. Perhaps we're just poor at planning ahead prefer to make short sited profits rather long term plans.

[Methuselah]

I guess the thing is, we all know what the consequences are...But the weather will just go on doing what it always does, notwithstanding the human costs...

[cyclonic happiness]

My workplace has been extremely badly affected by the cold, so much so that I've been put on a three day week and the boss is worried the place might not be able to survive at what should be one of the busiest times of year (garden centre/nursery).

Nothing is growing and we have thousands of pounds worth of bedding in the tunnels that isn't moving because we cannot afford to heat the tunnel for anything other than frost (3'c) .

Yesterday we had one customer all day!! yes ONE! where there should be at least 100 odd.

The hanging basket are due to be started in 2 weeks but nothing is near enough ready.

I'm worried sick that I'm gonna be laid off or made redundant, the weather the past few years has really dumped on the gardening industry from a great height, especially last summer, we cannot survive another bad summer

[Gowon]

...

I think Knocker gets the message now.

[Radiating Dendrite]

My workplace has been extremely badly affected by the cold, so much so that I've been put on a three day week and the boss is worried the place might not be able to survive at what should be one of the busiest times of year (garden centre/nursery).

Nothing is growing and we have thousands of pounds worth of bedding in the tunnels that isn't moving because we cannot afford to heat the tunnel for anything other than frost (3'c) .

Yesterday we had one customer all day!! yes ONE! where there should be at least 100 odd.

The hanging basket are due to be started in 2 weeks but nothing is near enough ready.

I'm worried sick that I'm gonna be laid off or made redundant, the weather the past few years has really dumped on the gardening industry from a great height, especially last summer, we cannot survive another bad summer

Wow sounds bad!

Did you see the Alex Polizzi programme last week? Your garden centre sounds exactly like the one that was on that.

[Coast]

I'm still a bit taken aback at how a simple thread on the late cold spell and its affects, has descended into bickering and impoliteness.

This thread was supposed to take some of the discussion (and argument) out of the MOD but it still seems some discourtesy has followed it.

Can we try and respect other peoples views and maintain a little more decorum please?

Edited March 26, 2013 by Coast