Hey Pommie, a town in Australia named TEXAS? LOL.... that's ok as long as you got Aussies livin' the cowboy way! And that town named Kingaroy has the makings for a good children's movie: The Kangaroo from Kingaroy.
Is somebody from California going to tell us how cold it got there the other night? I hear that many citrus trees got frozen and killed. The food stores here have already doubled and tripled the price of fruit they already have from before.
A very cold Artic air weather system just missed me. Today the temperature outside is at exactly freezing, but the tiny amount of ice and snow aren't melting yet.
As far as stormy weather goes it's been very windy here today, our electricity has only just come back on - it's been off about 4 hours. I'm presuming a tree had brought down a power cable somewhere?, although not a lot is above ground these days. The motor was closed earlier, two trucks had blown over, and we saw a tree blown down across the road as we came back from shopping.
Before anyone asks - no, I still haven't mended my generator!
That is how people who have never seen snow measure how much snow.
In the good old days the snow was so deep that I couldn't get out of my house. Couldn't walk in it and couldn't drive in it. Today I got another 2mm but it has melted.
I don't think Estonia normally has a problem with shortage of snow? - although I must admit I'm always a little vague about the exact location of all these Eastern Europe countries.
WOW. Just saw the wind Nigel was talking about.. It made the US news tonight. It looked like a cat1 or higher wind. It pushed box cars over...
And people where outside in it.. That is not good, things will fly right at you. And it will blow large objects over as well.
Last cat3 we had was 130MPH winds (worst I have seen). I watched the walls on the house move (flex).. That was scary as heck. I watched the LARGE oak trees snap off and spin in the drive and travel across it.
Hope the jetstream is done with you guys. But do not send it back over here..
A little more than two years ago CNN had their reporters out in the very strong winds of hurricanes. They are crazy to do that when stuff is flying around at very high speeds.
Couple years ago a WPTV.COM weather man went out in the parking garage in a cat 1 and busted his BUT. Slick wet concrete and 70MPH winds and ratings.. But he had an open area and walls around him (thought it was safe I am sure). It took him down in less that 3 seconds. Sure some electronics were lost in that one.
CNN guys are nuts. They go to the coast and hang out and wait They go to all the spots it SHOULD hit and all hope they get the big story.
None of them were out there in Wilma. And I bet Katrina either. Just so weird to see others get a touch of we what get here all the time.
Years back I enjoyed downhill skiing. Anymore, I dislike the cold weather but ironically I think snow itself is fun... until it gets old! As quirky as this sounds, I enjoy bundling up in my down parka and the rest of my winter garb and head out for a walk amidst blizzard-like conditions. Where I live we get them often enough due to the Great Lakes. A bright flashlight, a compass, some snacks in my pockets are what I bring along. After an hour or so I head back home. I also enjoy hunting in the nearby forest of 500,000+ acres (not local wood lots!) during a heavy snowfall. I use only a compass, map, and my survival supplies plus my gun. It's a good opportunity to sneak up on bedded animals. The forest takes on a completely different look during a snowfall and you can get misdirected easily. For a resting period, I head to large boulders or low hanging pine bows for temporary cover, build a small fire, and set a time for eventual return to my truck. I don't own nor use a GPS.
We are all lucky to have technologies to warn us when it comes.
Here is Florida we sit and watch during certain months. But that looked like a sneak attach for sure. As well, I can see if you are not used to it, one might stand out and watch. Problem with watchnig is there is a point of no return one being able to walk with those wind speeds.
I have video from year before last. A neightbor and I were almost beat up (or worse). During the eye of hurricane Wilma, it became sunny and no wind. It too make you want to go outside. I took a video recorder during Wilma's eye and went out to film. I live a mile from a 7-11 store and there is a one car width wide road with thick woods on both sides. I found parts of the 7-11 building in my yard (building was not there anymore). As I was filming, a guy crossed the road and came after me. Turned out he and his gang were robbing the place and saw me fliming it.. I never road my bike so fast, the neighbor and myself thought were were done. Good thing we know our woods and had mountain bikes. And this fellow did not look like he had ever been in the woods .