Stormy Weather II

[Lat-Literal]

In the past few weeks, the weather has blown down my fence, led to water leaking from the roof into my father's bedroom and presumably created a hole in my next door neighbour's french windows at 2.30am although the latter remains mysterious. Consequently I'm for a weather ban. Having been waiting for a scan for nearly six weeks, I'm concerned that it will also bugger up the 6.15pm (!) appointment early next week. And I absolutely hate low temperatures more than I hate anything else in the world so I am not full of the joys of spring.

Fortunately, today's early weather forecast was right. There was no new snow here - or, surprisingly, ice - at dawn so I was in and out of the Caterham supermarket before 8am. On arriving home, I realised that I'd run out of salt for the steps so I then dragged myself by bus to Coulsdon town centre - the woman on the bus is right : the absolute eyesore that is the new Cane Hill should be called Colditz - and was back from that one long before 10am. I slept from midday to 3.30pm having been up all night but would gladly hibernate until April.

Currently the roads are clear but there is snow along some pavements. I sense that Wednesday is ice day and Thursday is blizzard. I don't like this "Beast from the East" phrase". Who invents these things and gets everyone to say them? It sounds political and yet the Russians are having things far worse. So too the real homeless. It's nice to see that the shelters are opening after three days of below zero. Shame that three days is the current rule. No amount of new housing helps these genuinely needy people. Just a modicum of political empathy.

[Serial_Apologist]

I absolutely hate low temperatures more than I hate anything else in the world so I am not full of the joys of spring.

Maybe this will cheer you up a bit, Lat:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oU9AZKm4918&index=7&list=PLgMToCVLUN48TfqadC5TifHMafW34_w2a

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

It's actually snowing in the English Riviera. Only a sprinkling, but it's sent everyone indoors. I think the locals think it's Armageddon. Not a soul to be seen. They normally have school trips to Dartmoor to enable children to experience the white ice crystals.

[BBMmk2]

Even worse to come.

[Lat-Literal]

Maybe this will cheer you up a bit, Lat:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oU9A...TifHMafW34_w2a

Thank you.

That sounds attractively fresh. I like Getz. Funnily enough, I have the Joe Pass "Joy Spring" CD. Or perhaps it isn't surprising. Spring, when it eventually arrives, is my favourite season!

It's actually snowing in the English Riviera. Only a sprinkling, but it's sent everyone indoors. I think the locals think it's Armageddon. Not a soul to be seen. They normally have school trips to Dartmoor to enable children to experience the white ice crystals.

Phone in radio in London which picks a dark topic and obsesses about it "for entertainment" has recently focussed on Torbay. When I say recently, what I mean is for at least a month. It was only today that they worked out that Torbay was Torquay, Brixham and Paignton. One caller said they should all walk to Greece where it is warm rather than expecting handouts:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-42739890

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The snow didn't prevent the collection of the wheelie bins - venturing around the local streets trying to find where mine had been left this time, I can confirm that S_A's description in #965 of "powdery" snow is absolutely spot on.

Very cold, too - Northerners will require not merely their big coats, but also ... a vest!

[Beef Oven!]

It's been ok in NE London. Had snow on and off, not settled.

I've been invited to Belton Park in Lincolnshire for the week. The people up there are saying it's nice and sunny, but I see bad weather reports from Lincolnshire and sadly, some deaths. I don't know whether to stay put this week.

[oddoneout]

I shall be interested to see what turns up tomorrow. There was a noticeable thaw here for a couple of hours this afternoon - downpipes guggling away happily - but the temperature started dropping again about 3pm and in the last hour there has been a respectable covering of white stuff deposited. Glad I don't have to go out, snow over ice is not a good combination.
Regardless of whether this is really the Beast from the East, it is the last thing the NHS needs right now.

[Beef Oven!]

Regardless of whether this is really the Beast from the East, it is the last thing the NHS needs right now.

It shouldn't be too bad for the NHS. They will know almost exactly how many hip, wrist and ankle fractures to expect in A&E for every degree below zero the temperature goes - that's to say at least they can plan for it by lining their resources behind the expected attendances.

But the trouble is they are not very good at anticipating changes in demand, or even adjusting to known, coming changes. Take Xmas as an example. Emails flying around asking one another how many staff need to be on over the festive season, with the decision being a 'skeleton' staffing. So they go off on holiday (those that come to work are pleased because it's a quiet period) and only the emergency stuff is done. Then January comes and the work has overtaken them. They declare an emergency, cancel elective work and work in a panic until the end of January when the emergency status is stood down and they resume elective work. This happens religiously year after year. Can you imagine a restaurant giving a thumping amount of staff annual leave on a Friday and Saturday night? Or travel firms running a skeleton workforce during June, July and August?

I've had my life saved by the NHS and as a true Brit, the NHS is like a religion to me. But it needs to take a long, hard honest look at itself.

[Lat-Literal]

It shouldn't be too bad for the NHS. They will know almost exactly how many hip, wrist and ankle fractures to expect in A&E for every degree below zero the temperature goes - that's to say at least they can plan for it by lining their resources behind the expected attendances.

But the trouble is they are not very good at anticipating changes in demand, or even adjusting to known, coming changes. Take Xmas as an example. Emails flying around asking one another how many staff need to be on over the festive season, with the decision being a 'skeleton' staffing. So they go off on holiday (those that come to work are pleased because it's a quiet period) and only the emergency stuff is done. Then January comes and the work has overtaken them. They declare an emergency, cancel elective work and work in a panic until the end of January when the emergency status is stood down and they resume elective work. This happens religiously year after year. Can you imagine a restaurant giving a thumping amount of staff annual leave on a Friday and Saturday night? Or travel firms running a skeleton workforce during June, July and August?

I've had my life saved by the NHS and as a true Brit, the NHS is like a religion to me. But it needs to take a long, hard honest look at itself.

I am always struck by the fact that wherever it is in the world, including in Britain, there are periods of war or terrorism, climate change or natural disaster, vast homelessness and malnutrition, flu epidemics, populations of a size which cannot possibly be catered for adequately and economies on the brink but there is never a problem with maternity services.

This genuinely puzzles me.

That is, everything from the practicalities of how you can actually deliver babies in the heart of poverty stricken war zones on a daily basis to how you can model services in London when there's no idea of what numbers might turn up in the next year at Gatwick or Dover, let alone what the changes might be in the birth rate among the current British population.

[DracoM]

Serious snow up here tonight on the western Pennines and associated lumps. Frost imminent. Tomorrow likely to be lethal and very colder than cold.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Serious snow up here tonight on the western Pennines and associated lumps. Frost imminent. Tomorrow likely to be lethal and very colder than cold.

Yes - heavy snowfall at this associated lump (between Leeds & Skipton), too. But - safe indoors, it looks gorgeous in the moonlight.

EDIT: "Moonlight"??! What on earth am I talking about ... I meant the street lamps! Too much cloud to see any moon!

[oddoneout]

Cloud thin enough for the moon to do its stuff, very decorative too. While I was admiring the scene from the window I did wonder if I was also going to witness a weather related incident as some idiot approached the humpback offset level crossing too fast. Got across OK but the poor soul coming from the other direction probably had an unpleasant few seconds.
Said snowgazing also managed to pinpoint the defective bit of seal on the back bedroom double glazing , thanks to the rather large difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures creating a most impressive draught. Masking tape tonight, silicone fix tomorrow if the tube hasn't dried up.

[BBMmk2]

Very bad here yesterday. A friend of mine goes swimming off Brighton seafront!

Today sunny but very cold. -3C! Supposed to get more snow later!

[DracoM]

BIG snow here, fine sky / sun, wind fierce.