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Is it me, or does there seem to be an awful lot of snow falling around the world this winter?
I first noticed in early December with reports of people trapped in snow on a motorway in Japan and warnings of a massive snowstorm in the US which both seemed a little early for so much snow. Then we got our first snow storm in mid December which was very unusual.
Throughout the winter there have been numerous reports of heavy snow in Japan, USA, Madrid and recently in the UK and Netherlands. Reports from ski resorts in the Alps say it's the best snow season for years - so frustrating I can't go skiing at the moment!
I live pretty much in the foothills of the Alps, so snow here is not really unusual, but I also live by one of Europe's biggest lakes (is as wide as Windermere is long!) which creates a microclimate about 5°C warmer that the surrounding area, so actually it doesn't snow that often, and generally not so much and will usually be gone the next day.
This year in mid Jan we had a huge snowstorm lasting two days and dumped 40cm of snow. In 20 years living here I've never seen so much snow and it pretty much stick around for two weeks which is unheard of!
Are you lot also thinking there's a lot more snow this year than usual?
So you think it is linked with climate change?
Could it be linked to the huge drop in global travel and reduced emissions caused by Covid?
Also post your snow pictures of you've been out having fun! My pictures above show the snow depth on my driveway (about 39.5cm) and a nice view on a (socially distant) local snowshoe walk I did after the big dump!
Oh and it's now snowing again as I write this!
Last edited by BMWhere?; 09 February 2021 at 10:25 AM.
Beautiful scenery!
I love snow, we've had a little in the west Midlands for a couple of days but nowhere near as much as other places had.
I'd be interested to know whether it's linked to reduced emissions from the drop in global travel.
I remember the 80's when the snow was so deep it was up to my shoulders*
And definitely remember the week long snow closures from school.
Contrast to say, the past 30years since I reckon on the whole we've had rather pathetic winters. Last proper snow before the 'Beast from the East' round here that stuck around for more than a week was in 1996. Although people have since become more and more inept when it does fall. Cars getting so heavy with wide tyres made from harder rubber and no sipes has a lot to answer for that (my Mk2 polo was awesome, as was my N13 Sunny, Mk5 XR3 was a little more sketchy, my Impreza just wanted to pirouette and my R32 will just plough the snow until it pulls the front bumper off).
Even Spain in the Alcoi region of Valencia has only seen bad snow twice in the last 12 years, February/march always being the bad period. It does get feckin' cold at night though.
What I do believe is the seasons in the UK have shifted; We get worse snow now in late winter in February when before it was around December and January. The same in summer where September has become increasingly more pleasant (very noticeable if your camping, which I used to do fairly often at that time of year).
* I was a toddler
Obligatory snow pic from New years, (got none at the moment but the wind chill is evil ) you can just about see the Clee hills in the far distance:
Last edited by ALi-B; 09 February 2021 at 11:47 AM.
Cars getting so heavy with wide tyres made from harder rubber and no sipes has a lot to answer for that (my Mk2 polo was awesome, as was my N13 Sunny, Mk5 XR3 was a little more sketchy, my Impreza just wanted to pirouette and my R32 will just plough the snow until it pulls the front bumper off).
I'll never understand why they UK doesn't mandate the use of winter tyres! I had a Mk1 Fiesta back in the day in the UK with all season tyres and it was a hoot to drive in the snow, but any modern car with wide summer tyres is just a joke!
For some reason the UK seems to think that Winter tyres = Snow tyres, which just isn't true. Winter tyres are a huge improvement in the snow, but that is not what they are specifically designed for. They are really optimised for wet roads with temperatures below 10°C - So normal UK winter conditions - and will match summer tyre performance between 10-15°C. On snow, they'll keep you going on most roads where summer tyres would get you stuck, but anything more than a moderate incline and no AWD, then winter tyres will also struggle! Driving here with the Scooby in the mountains, I've always managed with just winter tyres and have never had to fit snow chains, while friends with front drive have had to stop and fit chains! A lot of people say AWD doesn't help down hill/under braking, but I disagree as long as you use engine braking then AWD still gives you an advantage.
I'll never understand why they UK doesn't mandate the use of winter tyres! I had a Mk1 Fiesta back in the day in the UK with all season tyres and it was a hoot to drive in the snow, but any modern car with wide summer tyres is just a joke!
For some reason the UK seems to think that Winter tyres = Snow tyres, which just isn't true. Winter tyres are a huge improvement in the snow, but that is not what they are specifically designed for. They are really optimised for wet roads with temperatures below 10°C - So normal UK winter conditions - and will match summer tyre performance between 10-15°C. On snow, they'll keep you going on most roads where summer tyres would get you stuck, but anything more than a moderate incline and no AWD, then winter tyres will also struggle! Driving here with the Scooby in the mountains, I've always managed with just winter tyres and have never had to fit snow chains, while friends with front drive have had to stop and fit chains! A lot of people say AWD doesn't help down hill/under braking, but I disagree as long as you use engine braking then AWD still gives you an advantage.
I don't really disagree, but rather than just demand winter/all season. Just make it illegal to go out during a weather warning without being equipped for the conditions; Wellies/boots, thermals, shovel, rope, snow socks/chain and/or winter tyres. Invalidate insurance on cars without. Loss of licence and big fine for those who block the carriageways. Permission for ploughs/gritters to forcibly push/pull stranded vehicles out of the way and not be held accountable to any damage caused. Cars 'dumped' and restricting the width of the carriageway will be impounded once the gritters have cleared the route.
Would sharpen the minds of some.
Even during lockdown on a Sunday morning people were out before the gritters struggling with their cars...seriously what was so 'essential' that couldn't wait until monday? Or just walk?
Being honest and call me a hypocrite, but I absolutely hate the Dunlop Wintersports I have. Only time they I've found them to grip any better than PS4 summers is in the snow/ice, even when it's +5C outside they still aren't any good. They'll be coming off again as soon as the weather breaks. Braking stability/distance and cornering speeds of the winters are noticeably inferior both in wet and dry, dispute claims to contrary. They are less wobbly once a few mm have scrubbed off but still not as good. Just to add insult the 'rim protection' as stamped on the sidewall is non existent, the slight sniff of a curb or deep pot hole will scuff the wheels.
Due to sheer bad timing I had summer tyres on during the last beast from the east with under 3mm of tread (didn't realise at the time)...still didn't get stuck despite having to use steep back roads as muppets gridlocked the main roads. AWD is worth its weight in gold, especially with ATE Mk60 onwards ESP (although oddly the latest version on VAGs does suffer stability issues on moose tests when compared to earlier models ).
Last edited by ALi-B; 09 February 2021 at 02:34 PM.
I don't really disagree, but rather than just demand winter/all season. Just make it illegal to go out during a weather warning without being equipped for the conditions; Wellies/boots, thermals, shovel, rope, snow socks/chain and/or winter tyres. Invalidate insurance on cars without. Loss of licence and big fine for those who block the carriageways. Permission for ploughs/gritters to forcibly push/pull stranded vehicles out of the way and not be held accountable to any damage caused. Cars 'dumped' and restricting the width of the carriageway will be impounded once the gritters have cleared the route.
Would sharpen the minds of some.
Even during lockdown on a Sunday morning people were out before the gritters struggling with their cars...seriously what was so 'essential' that couldn't wait until monday? Or just walk?
Being honest and call me a hypocrite, but I absolutely hate the Dunlop Wintersports I have. Only time they I've found them to grip any better than PS4 summers is in the snow/ice, even when it's +5C outside they still aren't any good. They'll be coming off again as soon as the weather breaks. Braking stability/distance and cornering speeds of the winters are noticeably inferior both in wet and dry, dispute claims to contrary. They are less wobbly once a few mm have scrubbed off but still not as good. Just to add insult the 'rim protection' as stamped on the sidewall is non existent, the slight sniff of a curb or deep pot hole will scuff the wheels.
Due to sheer bad timing I had summer tyres on during the last beast from the east with under 3mm of tread (didn't realise at the time)...still didn't get stuck despite having to use steep back roads as muppets gridlocked the main roads. AWD is worth its weight in gold, especially with ATE Mk60 onwards ESP (although oddly the latest version on VAGs does suffer stability issues on moose tests when compared to earlier models ).
I have Pirelli Sottozeros and really like them. The stopping power in cold/wet/greasy conditions is exceptional. When they are knew, they're a bit wobbly, but after 200km or so, they're pretty good. My summers are 245's on 18" wheels, the winters are 235's on 17". The step down in wheel size and width makes a big difference in the snow at the expense of grip in the dry, but with the amount I'm driving in the mountains in the winter, I'm happy for that compromise. If I was in the UK, I'd probably stick with the same sizes for winter and summer tyres. I know Pirelli's are not to everyones taste, the ultimate grip is not so high and the sidewalls are quite soft, but I find they let go quite progressively and give really great feedback, so you can really explore the limits of traction without any nasty surprises, so I really like them and they suit my driving style. The feeling between the Sottozeros and P-Zero's I have as summer tyres is pretty similar, so I like the consistency between the two with the only real difference being down to the different tyre size.
In Germany the regulations were driven by the insurance industry. It used to be that if you had an accident in winter without winter tyres fitted, the insurance companies would hold you 50% liable even though the accident wasn't your fault! About 10 years ago they changed the to make winter tyres mandatory, but in typical German style the wrote the law to say winter tyres are mandatory when driving in "winter conditions", but there is no definition of what winter conditions actually means, so the law can only really be enforced when it snows. The result is there are still a few people who don't bother with winter tyres and they are the ones who end up causing traffic chaos for everyone when it snows. During the big snowfall in January, there was around 50 people in my local authority area given fixed penalties after getting stuck or having an accident without winter tyres.
Austria did a much better job with writing their Law - 1st Nov to 31st Mar you have to have winter tyres fitted - full stop! They also have special signs in the mountain roads to mandate the carrying of chains in the vehicle which can be flipped to mandate the fitting of chains, although fitting is usually not mandatory for AWD cars. Its also quite common in both Austria and Switzerland to have police controls that stop cars to make sure they fit chains, most times they recognise the Subaru and just wave me through although sometimes they stop to confirm I have AWD before letting me continue, I've never had to fit chains.
The thing with mandating winter tyres is you need to be pretty specific with the wording to ensure there are no gray areas, otherwise people just won't bother. Nobody is going to swap their wheels over for the one day when it snows, so really the only way is to set a fixed date where they have to be fitted like in Austria. In the UK, you'd probably be ok with December to mid March.
We've had a good 6"-8" in Suffolk, im about 10 miles from Ipswich and it pretty much chucked it down from Saturday night thru till yesterday afternoon, loads more snow then we had back in 18' when the breast from the east hit the country.
It is covid that has ruined global warming, all the good work we have put in to global warming over the years has been wiped out by all these lockdowns and general lack of car, truck, boats and planes usage. So the cold miserable snowy weather has managed to creap back in just to annoy us, I have not seen this much snow for a couple of years now.
About 3" snow overnight and was -9°C driving to work this morning! Supposed to be clear skies and get even colder over the weekend, so likely to be well in the double digit minus zone at night
About 3" snow overnight and was -9°C driving to work this morning! Supposed to be clear skies and get even colder over the weekend, so likely to be well in the double digit minus zone at night
I'm so jealous lol,I love cold weather,I was out this morning @ 7:30 in my shorts and vest clearing out the type r ready for sale.i was getting some strange looks from the neighbours.
Is it a competition? Lets see what we get down here once the really cold weather moves in
Originally Posted by the shreksta
I'm so jealous lol,I love cold weather,I was out this morning @ 7:30 in my shorts and vest clearing out the type r ready for sale.i was getting some strange looks from the neighbours.
We used to have a bunch of Canadians working on site and they'd always be out in shorts and t-shirts with -15°C temperatures. I'm sure they were really freezing their t!ts off, but they were intent of making a point!
What I like here is we tend to get a dry cold and little wind, so you never really get that feeling of being chilled to the bones like you get in North West England even with relatively mild temperatures! The other thing I like here is the more defined seasons, with generally hot summers and colder winters, particularly when I get away from the lake at the weekends.
Coldest I've ever experienced was skiing in Lake Louise in Canada in '95, with -35°C and strong winds, although well wrapped up without a mm of skin exposed and didn't really feel the cold, but the wind was very unpleasant. Coldest I've ever felt was skiing in Cortina d'Ampezzo last year, was only -25°C and no wind but a damp cold and was almost unbearable on the hands and feet! Biggest temperature shock I've had was boarding a flight in Frankfurt with -15°C then arriving in Singapore with +40°C and still dressed for winter
In Northern Ireland it's not so much the snow , more the wind. I swear it's been stormy every weekend this last year. We get the odd weather warning with named storms but the wind seems to be as bad or worse when it's not named. I spend most nights awaiting my roof blowing off or bins tipping.
09 February 2021, 10:23 AM
How much snow?
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