UK: Heaviest snowfall in 50 years forecast

Global warming at work

From the Weather Isn’t Climate Department. This global warming sure is tricky. While the papers here are full to bursting about the last decade being the “hottest” on record (never “warmest” or “mildest”, you will note, but “hottest” – and we’re talking a few tenths of one degree here) I guess there will be some scientist, somewhere, who will attribute record snowfall in the UK to changing weather patterns caused by “global warming”. Here’s a recap from last year, when the UK had the worst snow for 30 years:

Even though this is quite a cold winter by recent standards it is still perfectly consistent with predictions for global warming,” said Dr Myles Allen, head of the Climate Dynamics group at Department of Physics, University of Oxford.

“If it wasn’t for global warming this cold snap would happen much more regularly. What is interesting is that we are now surprised by this kind of weather. I doubt we would have been in the 1950s because it was much more common. (source)

So there you have it. And again in 2010, my home country is frozen:

As the country was plunged into one of its worst winters for decades, the Met Office issued an emergency weather warning for all counties of the UK. The South, including London and the Home Counties, were expected to bear the brunt of the snowfall with emergency services warning they are already struggling to cope with the increasingly bitter conditions.

Forecasters predicted that more than one foot of snow could fall in less than 24 hours in most southern areas leading to widespread chaos and disruption for millions. The residents of Hampshire and Wiltshire were expected to be the worst hit, with as much as 16 inches likely to be dumped by the end of tomorrow. Residents and commuters in London, which ground to a halt last February following heavy falls, were warned to expect a covering of several inches by the morning rush hour.

On the roads drivers were advised not to venture out unless their journey was absolutely essential, as councils warned they could run out of grit if the conditions failed to improve.

The Met Office claimed the amount of snow forecast could be the biggest single fall since the notorious winter of 1962-63, when some areas of the country were blighted by snow and ice for more than three months. During that winter the south saw more than a foot of snow, while blizzards in some parts of Wales led to drifts of over 18 feet. (source)

And fuel will start running out pretty soon:

Figures obtained by the Tories suggested that if the icy weather conditions continue, storage supplies [of gas] could begin to run out early next week. Greg Clark, the Shadow Energy Secretary, accused the Government of negligence over the issue, claiming they had ignored repeated warnings over potential shortages. For only the second time ever, the National Grid on Monday issued a warning to energy providers that demand for gas is threatening to outstrip supply.

The ultimatum comes after a 30 per cent rise on normal seasonal demand as snow and freezing conditions continued their stranglehold on Britain. But the Conservatives claimed the Government had failed to put contingency plans in place for more than a decade.

Mr Clark said: ”This alert is just a taste of what’s to come as a result of Labour’s negligence. Gas supply shortages are already being predicted in the North West and East Midlands and at today’s level of demand we only have enough stored gas for another eight days worth of supply.

“I have repeatedly warned that Britain lacks the essential back-up plans needed for situations like this one. The Government has had its head in the sand on this issue for 12 years. (source)

Good job they don’t have an emissions trading scheme that will push up prices of fuel for the poorest in society. Oh, wait, they already have. They’ll have to start burning books soon. Oh, wait, they already are. (h/t Daily Bayonet)