Roads closed, no petrol? How will Phil Jones get to work? – Anthony
Now the Army moves in to clear away snow in coldest December for 100 years as fuel runs out at petrol stations in Scotland and East Anglia
Last updated at 2:17 PM on 9th December 2010
- Overnight lows of -15C in Scotland and -13C in England
- Experts say cold snap is ‘once in a lifetime’
- Slight thaw this weekend but a return to snow predicted for next week
The Army was called in today to help clear away ice and snow as Britain headed towards its coldest December for 100 years.
As temperatures plunged to -15c (5f) David Cameron ordered the military to step in and help the UK’s beleaguered local councils.
The Prime Minister also revealed Cobra-style emergency meetings of senior officials and Ministers had been held to discuss the Government’s response to the big freeze.
Edinburgh City Council was the first local authority to ask for help. Officials have held talks with the Ministry of Defence and the Scottish government to allow soldiers to remove built up snow and ice from roads and pavements.
ARMY ON CALL TO CLEAR SNOW CHAOS
A mini avalanche slides from an office roof in Edinburgh yesterday.
Thursday December 9,2010
By Nathan Rao
THE ARMY was called in to keep Britain moving yesterday as large parts of the country struggled with freezing temperatures, compacted snow and treacherous ice.
David Cameron revealed the Government was holding crisis meetings as the prolonged cold spell crippled much of the UK.
The country is bracing itself for another cold blast after a few days of milder conditions.
Hundreds of motorists spent the night stranded in their cars in the north of England. It came after 500 motorists were stuck on the M8 between Edinburgh and Glasgow when a ferocious snowstorm struck earlier in the week.
Yesterday, there was no let-up in Scotland as temperatures continued to plunge into the double minuses and residents reported the heavy snow had compacted into thick sheets of ice.
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Related:
Home Improvements: How to keep warm this winter
The great man-made global warming debate is entering an interesting phase, as early snow blankets much of Britain. If this winter is anything like as cold and long as last year’s, my postbag will soon be bulging with cries for help.
ENERGY BILLS ‘WILL HIT £2,500 A YEAR’
HOUSEHOLD energy bills could double to £2,500 a year in an “unstoppable” rise driven by the £200 billion fight against climate change, a market expert warned yesterday.
Meanwhile, brush fires rage in Israel, and despite some claims in Monsters and Critics…
Israeli’s worst-ever fire linked to global warming, expert says
‘This fire had a a strength we’ve never seen before. We have to link it to global warming,’ Yisrael Tauber, a forest manager for the Israeli Jewish National Fund land conservation organization said.
…that this was related to global warming, the truth turned out to be a case of negligence compounded by arson.
From the Jerusalem Post
Two teenage brothers from Usfiya were under arrest on Saturday on suspicion of negligent conduct during a family outing on Thursday in the Carmel Mountains that police said was likely responsible for the Carmel inferno.
…
Meanwhile, police and firefighters had to contend with sporadic fires that erupted far from the main Carmel fire zone, leading investigators to conclude that arsonists were attempting to “hitch a ride” on the Carmel disaster.
We see the same sort of news stories in the USA every fire season. Some rent seeking nimrod from an NGO proclaims the forest/brush fire to be caused by “global warming”, but the truth turns out to be far different.
Enneagram wrote:
“BTW: It is not Winter yet…”
While by definition the astronomical winter begins at the instant of winter
solstice (on or near December 21), the meteorological winter (at least for the
northern hemisphere) begins on December 1.
What is the link between warming and Israel forest fire? Then it should happen in July, not in December? Temperature down there is some 15°C now, so it can not have something common with temperature.
From Gareth’s BBC link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11152077.
“The researchers [speaking of last year’s UK freeze] also believe it is unlikely this combination will occur in the near future. Data from tree rings have shown that these same conditions caused by the same combination of weather systems happened over 200 years ago in the winter of 1783-84 in Northern Europe and North America. ”
So the interpretation of tree rings seems to be wrong about the frequency of cold winters, according to the ancient tradition of data/hypothesis/test (as employed by scientists).
“SandyInDerby says:
December 9, 2010 at 7:48 am
It’s not surprising that the Scottish Government have very little idea what to do about these conditions – they’ve fallen for Global Warming and renewal energy scam hook line and sinker. ”
Sandy,
I’m afraid it is not just the Scottish Government that has fallen for AGW.
Labour Party
“Time after time it’s been Labour pressing the SNP to be more ambitious on Climate Change.” [ http://www.scottishlabour.org.uk/speech-to-scottish-conference-by-sarah-boyack%5D
Liberal Democrats
“The Liberal Democrats have today called for the SNP Government to act now for Scotland’s renewables industry.” [ http://www.scotlibdems.org.uk/news/2010/10/lib-dems-call-snp-act-renewables-industry ]
Conservative Party
“If we continue to rely on fossil fuels as our main energy source we will exacerbate world poverty, face huge increases in global temperatures, create freak weather conditions and cause sea levels to rise by over one metre, condemning tens of millions to death.” [ http://indigopr.com/newsroom/scottish-conservative-mep-struan-stevenson-has-called-better-wind-farm-planning-order-prese ]
However, I think you will not fare better in France:
“Nelly Olin, French Minister for Ecology and Sustainable Development, stated on 31 October that she fully agreed with the conclusions of the Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change. ” [ http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/france-priorities_1/environment-sustainable-development_1097/environmental-diplomacy_4155/climate_4596/index.html ]
We do need voices in Scotland to speak out against the foolishness of climate change policy, but I am afraid the voices are few and far between. Though interestingly I’d say that sceptics are in the majority when it comes to the Scotsman comments pages.
http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/
So someone forgot to tell Israel that there has been no significant warming for the last decade? Travesty.
Regarding earlier assertions about “warmest year globally”, I have sent a query to the MetOffice regarding a strange thing to do with the HadCRUT3 global anomalies. The annual anomaly data they publish has (to the nearest .01 here) 1998 at 0.52 and the first ten months also at 0.52. In fact, using the thousandths, 2010 is warmer, but with 2 probably cool months to come.
But if you look at the mean of the monthly anomalies, whether weighted by number of days in the month or not, 1998 is at 0.55 and 2010 (Jan-Oct) is at 0.50. This difference between the two versions, 0.05 degC, is almost as large as the mean error of the MetOffice next-year forecasts (and that error is nearly always found to be a warming bias).
So, if they have two views of HadCRUT3 to use, which would they use? In 1998 they would use the monthly, to show how warm it was, and in 2010 they use the yearly, to show how close to the record 2010 is. The fact that the 2 views can differ so much is bizarre – unless some kind person here can explain it?
Anyway, I’m looking forward to the first mild English weekend for a month. If the forecast is correct…
Rich.
Ken Hall>
“However it is in these trying driving conditions that I really wish I had a massive thirsty 4X4.”
There’s something to be said for it, because even a leaden-footed idiot can’t get a Range Rover stuck, but it’s hardly necessary. My rubbish front-wheel-drive car with worn budget Hokikoki tyres was fine in the snow and ice because its driver had a delicate right foot. Either way, the problem is still all the idiots who think the throttle is a switch, spinning their wheels and getting in the way. You’re guaranteed to find that the person in front of you stops halfway up a hill, or something.
Gareth says:
December 9, 2010 at 7:38 am
“Last year’s cold winter was a once in a hundred year event as well”
Last year’s winter was the once a century event of the 1910/11-2009/10 period. This year’s winter is the once a century event of the 2010/11-2109/10 period.
(And next year’s winter will be the once a century event of the last 100 leap years).
It might be the coldest since whenever here in the UK but sadly that group of warmistas which passes for our Government takes advice (for which read ‘orders’) from the “Committee on Climate Change (CCC)”. Their remit, copied from their web site, is as follows:
“The CCC is an independent body established under the Climate Change Act (2008). We advise the UK Government on setting and meeting carbon budgets and on preparing for the impacts of climate change.”
This less-than-august body has just released its “Fourth Carbon Budget”. The following paragraph from Chapter One captures the general tone of the Report:
“Recent public controversies have sparked several independent inquiries into the activities of climate scientists. As a result there have been recommendations for reinforcing the IPCC assessment process and increasing the transparency of research data and methods, which are being addressed. A small number of minor factual errors have been found in the IPCC’s reporting of climate change impacts in its Fourth Assessment Report. However, no new findings have emerged that call into question the robustness of the fundamental science.”
The whole dismal publication can be seen here:
http://www.theccc.org.uk/reports/fourth-carbon-budget
Here’s a short comment on the Carbon Budget and its impact on the British from http://www.anenglishmanscastle.com/
“The CCC is the Government’s primary advisory panel on cutting CO2 and was established in the 2008 Climate Change Act. But there will be a price to pay for this utopia.
The CCC recommends a carbon tax on food, leading to higher beef and sheep prices – and “rebalancing diets” away from red meat. Meanwhile, household access to electricity will be restricted – thanks to smart grids – or taken away completely, with electricity rationed via a completely automated supply. You’ll do the laundry when you’re told to, not when you want to.
This is presented as a consumer choice (“enabling consumers to shift non time-critical demand to non-peak times”), but really the key is taking choice away from the consumer – personalised power cuts, if you like. Or no control at all.
“An important element of a smart grid is a ‘smart meter’ which will allow display of energy usage data in real time and remote or automated control of energy usage by suppliers and consumers.
“Meters will allow supply to be controlled remotely,” the report stresses, as if we missed the point.
It is pointed out in the comments that the policy term for the remote control of electricity supply is “choice editing”.
cold snap” once in a life time”? presumably, apart from last years cold snap! Life expectancy must be falling round here.
Roads closed, no petrol? How will Phil Jones get to work? – Anthony
It’s just as easy to make up the numbers from home.
Electric cars in Norway have diesel-fueled heaters. Seriously.
http://www.elektrolund.no/w/Elbil_teknisk.html
“Benefits of BUDDY over other electric cars …:
…. that the heater runs on diesel so you do not take power from the propulsion battery is quite charming.”
““The researchers [speaking of last year’s UK freeze] also believe it is unlikely this combination will occur in the near future. Data from tree rings have shown that these same conditions caused by the same combination of weather systems happened over 200 years ago in the winter of 1783-84 in Northern Europe and North America. ””
Winter 1783/84 was the winter of Laki.
From (gag, I know), wiki:
The system erupted over an 8 month period during 1783-1784 from the Laki fissure and the adjoining Grímsvötn volcano, pouring out an estimated 14 km3 (3.4 cu mi) of basalt lava and clouds of poisonous hydrofluoric acid/sulfur-dioxide compounds that killed over 50% of Iceland’s livestock population, leading to famine which killed approximately 25% of the population[4].
The Laki eruption and its aftermath has been estimated to have killed over six million people[5] globally, making it the deadliest volcanic eruption in historical times. The drop in temperatures, due to the sulfuric dioxide gases spewed into the northern hemisphere, caused crop failures in Europe, droughts in India, and Japan’s worst famine.
What’s the excuse for this and the previous 2 winters? The Laki eruption has been classed as a VEI6 eruption. It was so cold in North America that the Mississipi River froze over in New Orleans! Hopefully it won’t get that cold this winter?
☆ cold snap: a sudden, brief spell of cold weather
(Webster’s New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.)
The Warmist press, in true Socialist form, uses creative linguistics to sidestep facts. They’d call an ice age “a cold snap” if it suited their political agenda. “Marx Nature Trick,” anyone?
Sunday afternoon, I checked the weather forecast and decided that as it was “fog” for the next few days, I could work on the roof – so I cleared the snow and took of the tarpaulin to let it dry.
So, I have some sympathy with the Scottish “government” who would have been using very much the same “it’s only Scotland – they don’t need a proper forecast” from the Met Office.
But what I don’t have any sympathy for is their ridiculous dimwitted idea that “it’s all to do with global warming” … well in a way it is, it’s all to do with global warming cause the idiots in Holyrood believed the CRU in March 2000:
“According to Dr David Viner, a senior research scientist at the climatic research unit (CRU) of the University of East Anglia,within a few years winter snowfall will become “a very rare and exciting event”.
“Children just aren’t going to know what snow is,” he said.”
Gareth Phillips says: December 9, 2010 at 9:37 am
Are there known or suspected links between the Jet (not Gulf) Stream, magnetic effects from Earth and/or Sun, and other solar influences?
I live in Norwich, five miles from the uea cru. There has hardly been any snow at all here.
So Phil will have had no problem getting to work.
Are Phil and the rest of the team in Cancun?
Unlike Copenhagen, I can find no reference as to how many delegates each country sent to the party – at Copenhagen almost every country boasted how they had sent x hundred delegates, now they seem ashamed to admit how many were on a junket wasting taxpayers’ money.
As for the UK weather, it is simply no more than Gaia given the finger to card carrying greenies and data manipulating “climate scientists”. Not to worry, this “anomaly” will be smoothed out of the models.
Robert M says:
December 9, 2010 at 9:44 am
“Experts say cold snap is ‘once in a lifetime’”
sunderland steve says:
December 9, 2010 at 11:29 am
cold snap” once in a life time”? presumably, apart from last years cold snap! Life expectancy must be falling round here.
I’m intrigued by this curious word “snap” – could someone from the BBC clarify for us what it means? I have the impression that it refers to some period of time.
Lets put it this way – which of the following would a BBC news reader get sacked for NOT describing as a “cold snap”:
a week of frost, snow and ice?
a month of frost, snow and ice?
a whole winter of frost, snow and ice?
a period of 100-200 years of very cold winters sometimes called a little ice age?
a period of 20,000-100,000 years seriously cold climate with glaciers covering half of Europe and North America (a glacial maximum)?
A glacial epoch of 10 million years?
A snowball earth ice age lasting 50 million years?
The heat death of the universe lasting forever?
Can the line be drawn anywhere above? Or does “snap” mean any length of time when its bloody cold?
Stephen Brown says:
Cabinet Office Briefing Room A
And the meetings are never actually held in Briefing Room A, but a totally different room! Perhaps closer to the bowel.
I expect most of those 55 were the very expensive Tesla Roadsters. Which definitely have heating and defrosting. And get 240 miles/charge. And whose LiIon batteries are maintained internally at room temp whether idle or running, and are affected very little by the cold. Mileage equivalent is around 2oo+ mpg, depending on how much time you spend speeding or high-jinking with the powerful torque and acceleration. They have very advanced traction control, and are superb on snow or ice.
P.S. Converting the mileage numbers to SI units, 400 km. range, and 2-2.5 l/100 km.
Correction to above: 2-2.5 l/100 mi., ~1.7 l/100 km.
Paris had reported “heavy” snow and having to close the Eiffel Tower. It looks like “heavy” snow is a few inches there.
We’re still holding off winter here in the Denver area, mid-50s all week, but the mountains have been getting slammed with snow. Very good for all you skiers out there.
Carsten Arnholm, Norway says:
December 9, 2010 at 12:01 pm
“Electric cars in Norway have diesel-fueled heaters. Seriously.”
Thanks for the info. I always wondered how they cope in cold weather without completely wrecking their small mileage.