Terrible weather in Seattle today

[Jason Larsen]

It has snowed in Seattle for the past day, and the road conditions have been very bad. There is snow and ice on the roads everywhere.

A storm like this is rare because winters here are usually very mild. I don't think the snow will melt tomorrow either.

It's amazing how often global warming has happened, and it also fascinates me that it will never stop.

The weather here today has made me wonder about something. The last time I checked, the weather in England was foggy. Has the weather there changed since then?

On the positive side, the snow is very pretty to see here and I like it!

[Michael Wallace]

The weather here today has made me wonder about something. The last time I checked, the weather in England was foggy. Has the weather there changed since then?

Nope.

(Well, that or my glasses have just steamed up.)

[Jason Larsen]

I took the day off from work today, and I'm taking it off tomorrow.

It won't be the end of the world though. I think the snow is very pretty.

[Matthew Green]

Im hoping to emigrate to Victoria/Vancouver area in a couple of years, is the weather usually ok?

[Jeff Clayton]

The weather here today has made me wonder about something. The last time I checked, the weather in England was foggy. Has the weather there changed since then?

Storm in a proverbial English teacup, methinks.

You cannot talk about "the weather in England" generically - we are a relatively small island but there are as many regional microclimates as there are dialects. The northeast coast tends to get cloud/mist rolling in off the North Sea from autumn through to spring, western areas tend to be wetter than eastern areas since they get the brunt of any fronts coming in off the Atlantic, the southeast is warmest because of the concentration of built-up areas... etc.

Have a look for a BBC weather forecast or three on YouTube.

As for global warming/climate change, the range in temperature between winter and summer has widened ever so slightly in the last fifty years but it is a temperate climate, where a funnel cloud in a bout of unusually low pressure (<980mb?) is possibly one of the more exciting things to occur.


Jeff

[Lucy Gowers]

Im hoping to emigrate to Victoria/Vancouver area in a couple of years, is the weather usually ok?

It rains a lot. I lived in Vancouver for six months a few years ago. It rained every day for the first month. However it's such a wonderful city, you won't care. Very jealous of you.

[Michael Wallace]

Im hoping to emigrate to Victoria/Vancouver area in a couple of years, is the weather usually ok?

It rains a lot. I lived in Vancouver for six months a few years ago. It rained every day for the first month. However it's such a wonderful city, you won't care. Very jealous of you.

What's so nice about it? Whenever I've mentioned to people I'm thinking of emigrating to Canada, and in particular when I mention Vancouver, they always seem to nod knowingly (the Canadians, at least). Just curious to hear what someone who's spent so much time there.

[Kevin Thurlow]

It certainly rains a lot in Vancouver - but (on the basis of a few days there) it looked a very nice city, and not too far from Whistler etc. If it's a clear day, looking out of the window as you fly in is well worth it, assuming you're awake as you'll then be 9 hours into the flight.

[Jason Larsen]

Since Vancouver is close to the West Coast of the US, it usually doesn't snow there, but that whole area has had such a deep freeze there it has been very dangerous and extremely abnormal.

[Kathleen Batlle]

Talking about the weather in Canada, I thought you might be interested in a letter I received this morning from a 92 year old relative who has recently, very bravely, emigrated to Alberta. Quote: "When I opened the blinds this morning I saw such a delightful vista as I have ever seen. More snow overnight has covered the entire farm and acres with a thick perfect blanket and the multitude of fir trees have every branch laden - just perfect Christmas trees - already trimmed with cotton wool and waiting for the baubles! It reminds me of almost 90 years ago in Leicestershire when Britain did get snow, deep drifting snow, and on such an awakening was shouting "soon be Christmas". I could barely wait to start my new snowman. I haven't thought of these ancient delights for years!" Just wanted to share this with you.

Incidentally, I live on the Costa Brava in Spain and we rarely get snow. We get snow flurries, but it has actually only settled into a thick carpet twice in the 37 years I have lived here. It's quite chilly at the moment, but bright sunshine during the day. We're not far from the Pyrenees which are now covered in snow.

[Jason Larsen]

Wow, Kathie!

I'm amazed this person can write and describe it so well!

[Kathleen Batlle]

Wow, Kathie!

I'm amazed this person can write and describe it so well!

Hi Jason,

Sarah is an absolute delight and all her letters are amazing. She's been housebound for several years and lived in Anglesey, with a view of Mount Snowdon from her window there, before her son insisted on her moving to Alberta where he and his family can take care of her. She's my mother's cousin and has some wonderful stories to tell of her young life. Apart from her interesting letters, when I talk to her on the telephone I always have a pen in hand to jot down her stories. She loved Countdown, by the way, and although didn't use a computer was very interested in this website. You would probably know if there is some way she can receive Countdown in Canada. Let me know and I'll pass on the info.

[Jason Larsen]

Oh, that's who Sarah is! Thank you for letting me know!

Once again, the website is http://www.uknova.com

[Lucy Gowers]

Im hoping to emigrate to Victoria/Vancouver area in a couple of years, is the weather usually ok?

It rains a lot. I lived in Vancouver for six months a few years ago. It rained every day for the first month. However it's such a wonderful city, you won't care. Very jealous of you.

What's so nice about it? Whenever I've mentioned to people I'm thinking of emigrating to Canada, and in particular when I mention Vancouver, they always seem to nod knowingly (the Canadians, at least). Just curious to hear what someone who's spent so much time there.

It's got everything you expect from a North American city: some stunning high-rise architecture; great restaurants and bars; good shopping; excellent transport links; interesting museums/art galleries etc. but it's also spectacularly beautiful and green (Stanley Park is wonderful).

There's masses of stuff to do on land and sea (eg hiking, sailing, kayaking) and you're only 20 minutes away from the mountains where you can ski and snowboard. Alternatively you can skip all that and move straight on to copious consumption of alcohol and just enjoy the stunning panorama of the city.

Most importantly, the Vancouverites are lovely. All the ones that I encountered were charming (The regulars in my local bar and coffee shop each adopted an English Premier League side so that they could follow proper football with me), smart and opinionated and great conversationalists but also very interested in your own life experience and opinions which is quite rare in my experience of North American cities (But I'm sure everyone in Seattle is lovely too).

And they've got rafting otters: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=epUk3T2Kfno

[Jason Larsen]

Vancouver is great, but unfortunately it's experiencing the same type of weather as Seattle right now. The snow melting process should start by tomorrow, but it will be cold again by Christmas Day.