Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...
Sometimes you just have to accept the challenge as it occurs - and tomorrow I am driving 500km to and from Strathroy to humour my client. To interview 2 people. To pick up a couple of documents. And to challenge myself still further. For it will doubtless involve snow. Thats the white stuff in the sky, and not anything else, for those of you questionning my moral habits!
I am sure I will tire of the "dont you get snow in England?" question. Well, yes. It lasts about 2 or 3 days a year, its generally turned to slush within a few hours, and is guaranteed to bring chaos to rail and road networks across the country.
But here is an interesting one. Any idea what the average snowfall in the UK is? Well, from one website, I found that, for the years 1961-90, Berkshire had an average winter snowfall of 5.4mm, Pembrokeshire 6.6mm and County Down 10.5mm.
But hang on, I hear you say. We can make snow balls with our snow, so it must be more than 7 or 8mm average. You are right, because snowfall is apparently 12 times thicker than its water equivalent. In other words, if the numbers above suggest an average of 8mm a year of water equivalent, thats (12 x 8 ) mm of snow. Call it 10cm. Or for those of you who are still measuring in the old ways, 4 inches. (I was going to say 6 inches, but this is a family site....!)
Anyway, according to our friends at www.theweathernetwork.com, it feels like -10 in London (the nearest town to where I am headed), and i can expect 10cm of snow in the next 24 hours. That'll be a year's annual UK snowfall then!
This inspired one particularly kind local to text me to say be careful driving in the snow. The instructions I got are as follows:
- keep some distance from the car in front of you
- take your time
- no sweat!
- the car will probably have ABS (newer cars do) - I guess you wouldnt know about ABS? (I'm not sure i've ever mentioned the P309, but there will be a whole lot of people back home agreeing with that comment!)
- just drive in the clearest lane possible
- the snow on either side of your tire tracks can grab your tires and pull you in, so just be careful
- we do it all the time! (yeah, i've seen the other things 401 drivers do too....)
- its the only way to learn
- i dont mean to scare you (no no, keep it coming....)
- you'll be fine ( i got this particular one 4 times!!!).
So there you go. Instructions for driving the Ontarian winter, for any of you thinking of an out of season visit. I rather fancy that, unlike at home, the 10cm of snow will not close all roads tomorrow, so i expect to go and come back, and have something to say come tomorrow night.
Wish me luck!
I am sure I will tire of the "dont you get snow in England?" question. Well, yes. It lasts about 2 or 3 days a year, its generally turned to slush within a few hours, and is guaranteed to bring chaos to rail and road networks across the country.
But here is an interesting one. Any idea what the average snowfall in the UK is? Well, from one website, I found that, for the years 1961-90, Berkshire had an average winter snowfall of 5.4mm, Pembrokeshire 6.6mm and County Down 10.5mm.
But hang on, I hear you say. We can make snow balls with our snow, so it must be more than 7 or 8mm average. You are right, because snowfall is apparently 12 times thicker than its water equivalent. In other words, if the numbers above suggest an average of 8mm a year of water equivalent, thats (12 x 8 ) mm of snow. Call it 10cm. Or for those of you who are still measuring in the old ways, 4 inches. (I was going to say 6 inches, but this is a family site....!)
Anyway, according to our friends at www.theweathernetwork.com, it feels like -10 in London (the nearest town to where I am headed), and i can expect 10cm of snow in the next 24 hours. That'll be a year's annual UK snowfall then!
This inspired one particularly kind local to text me to say be careful driving in the snow. The instructions I got are as follows:
- keep some distance from the car in front of you
- take your time
- no sweat!
- the car will probably have ABS (newer cars do) - I guess you wouldnt know about ABS? (I'm not sure i've ever mentioned the P309, but there will be a whole lot of people back home agreeing with that comment!)
- just drive in the clearest lane possible
- the snow on either side of your tire tracks can grab your tires and pull you in, so just be careful
- we do it all the time! (yeah, i've seen the other things 401 drivers do too....)
- its the only way to learn
- i dont mean to scare you (no no, keep it coming....)
- you'll be fine ( i got this particular one 4 times!!!).
So there you go. Instructions for driving the Ontarian winter, for any of you thinking of an out of season visit. I rather fancy that, unlike at home, the 10cm of snow will not close all roads tomorrow, so i expect to go and come back, and have something to say come tomorrow night.
Wish me luck!
posted by CBC at 10:14 pm
6 Comments:
Take care.
Matt - the weather was awful this evening. Hope you made it back to TO safely!
You missed out on a cracking game of Poker!
I take it as you've commented on my blog you made it okay.
I am going to hold a shin-dig at my house in your honour when you get back. I would like you to actually come, so nearer the time you'll have to give me some idea of when you will be in Birmingham and free to come over.
The usual suspects are invited, along with anyone else you may like to bring along. Any readers from this blog are welcome too.
'Tis the season to be jolly after all (although I'll need some help with the "jolly" thing. Obviously).
Matt,
Dónde están sus postes nuevos?
Où sont vos nouvelles postes?
Ack...is that right? My non-English grammer is poor.
Yes, I typed this upon arrival home from Andy Pool Hall. Poor use of the scant 8 1/2 hours before I see you lot again.
Tell me you won't miss Canada!!!
Off to bed.
Get over to the latest post on...
http://www.pootergeek.com/
About the new German chancellor. I think you will piss yourself laughing.
So, to my 3 blog companions:
Elyse: of course i will miss Canada. I needed last night to remind me just how much. I will post a blog tonight, if Suzanne sends me her faces pictures this afternoon!!
Scribbles:will go exploring soon. But we will have plenty of chance to piss ourselves laughing at Germans. Mainly during the world cup next summer i expect!
Not Anonymous: you will have to get down to this party. If i have a car by then, in fact, i will come and fetch you. I want to see if i can still negotiate a roundabout. And i have developed a whole new respect for sitting in a car for hours at a time...
Children. Not long left now. 2 of you. See you v soon. Elyse. See you tonight. :)
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