# "Snowmageddon" to hit British Isles - 2-4 inches expected! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 2, 2015, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmageddon-to-hit-british-isles-2-4-inches-expected/711648 "2015-02-02T23:23:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmageddon-to-hit-british-isles-2-4-inches-expected/711648/41 "2015-02-04T04:11:45Z")
> [@MacTech](#): > > Wouldn’t they use that combine harvester they turned into a plow/gritter/snow-and-pedestrian-melting flamethrower rig instead? And that rally-style thing against the snowmobile? And from when they raced the bobsled? Ah, Hell – just give them three Robins and see which one dies first. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmageddon-to-hit-british-isles-2-4-inches-expected/711648/42 "2015-02-04T08:28:21Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > _stifled chortle_ Are you agreeing or suggesting that isn’t true? ---
**Author:** ![scareyfaerie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scareyfaerie/32/3135_2.png) [@scareyfaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scareyfaerie)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmageddon-to-hit-british-isles-2-4-inches-expected/711648/43 "2015-02-04T11:32:05Z")
Ah, the Daily Fail…they love a good scaremongering headline. Next thing you know, they’ll be prophesying doom and destruction because we have sub-zero temperatures. In winter. It was -1 when I was on my way to work this morning, but it’s a lovely crisp sunny day here in the Wet Midlands, so obviously the DF has got it completely wrong as usual. However, I’m sure tomorrow they’ll be telling us we can stop all these nasty snowstorms arriving on our shores by voting for UKIP in the next election. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmageddon-to-hit-british-isles-2-4-inches-expected/711648/44 "2015-02-04T11:58:22Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > “Unseasonable?” It’s fookin’ WINTER! It should stop being surprising that it shows up every year, like it were a SEASON or something! And they lose some 30,000 people every year. You’d think they’d learn, and give Granny a few shillings for the electric fire. We do give Granny a few shillings! Plus certain other people with disabilities and/or very young chlildren if they’re on a low enough income to receive certain benefits. [Well, we give them £25pw for each week it gets “very cold” for the entire week](https://www.gov.uk/cold-weather-payment). One day of going above whatever the temperature is would disqualify it. Typically (in England) you’d get one week covered, so £25 extra. There is also a subsidy for people on DLA (disability living allowance - which is not related to work; many recipients are in work), but it’s for electricity only, which I’ve always thought weird because most people get their heating via gas. It’s about £125pa. And most people don’t claim it because they don’t know it exists. The stats must be very oddly calculated, though, WRT old people dying from the cold. This country is not actually that cold and houses always have heating of some sort. Damp is a problem but other countries have it too. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmageddon-to-hit-british-isles-2-4-inches-expected/711648/45 "2015-02-04T16:07:36Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > What the fuck is wrong with those people? In the US, totaling the cold fatalities in both 2012 and 2013, [only 36 people died.](http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/hazstats/resources/weather_fatalities.pdf) Eighteen a year, not 30,000. > That’s a measly +5F–I don’t even button my coat for five lousy degrees! That article got me researching this because when I saw “Hospitals are expected to be flooded with people suffering from the cold, and the Office for National Statistics has predicted 3,000 deaths due to the cold in this week alone,” I thought it was a joke. I agree +5F is nothing. I went out to start the car yesterday morning with only my bathrobe and slippers on. It was -26F. And no, the car didn’t start. :mad: The only time this year I’ve put on a hat and mittens, was when I had to shovel during this past snowstorm. If it hadn’t been still snowing, I wouldn’t have bothered with the extras. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmageddon-to-hit-british-isles-2-4-inches-expected/711648/46 "2015-02-04T16:09:36Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > We do give Granny a few shillings! Plus certain other people with disabilities and/or very young chlildren if they’re on a low enough income to receive certain benefits. [Well, we give them £25pw for each week it gets “very cold” for the entire week](https://www.gov.uk/cold-weather-payment). One day of going above whatever the temperature is would disqualify it. Typically (in England) you’d get one week covered, so £25 extra. > > There is also a subsidy for people on DLA (disability living allowance - which is not related to work; many recipients are in work), but it’s for electricity only, which I’ve always thought weird because most people get their heating via gas. It’s about £125pa. And most people don’t claim it because they don’t know it exists. > > The stats must be very oddly calculated, though, WRT old people dying from the cold. This country is not actually that cold and houses always have heating of some sort. Damp is a problem but other countries have it too. But it’s electricity that runs the furnace. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmageddon-to-hit-british-isles-2-4-inches-expected/711648/47 "2015-02-04T21:05:56Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > …“Unseasonable?” It’s fookin’ WINTER!.. By your spelling, you’re obviously from the North of England, or even from one of those celtic tribes who’s only contribution to the civilized world has been whisky. Us lot down living in Railway Cuttings, East Cheam don’t have great deal of sympathy for you. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmageddon-to-hit-british-isles-2-4-inches-expected/711648/48 "2015-02-05T00:40:59Z")
Ancestors from Counties Cork and Mayo. I think that counts regarding our “contribution.” 🙂 (re-adding Hancock’s Half Hour to my listening and viewing list) ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmageddon-to-hit-british-isles-2-4-inches-expected/711648/49 "2015-02-05T00:55:56Z")
Glad you got it, mate… Have an 'alf hour with Hancock… ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmageddon-to-hit-british-isles-2-4-inches-expected/711648/50 "2015-02-05T01:29:21Z")
> [@MacTech](#): > > Wouldn’t they use that combine harvester they turned into a plow/gritter/snow-and-pedestrian-melting flamethrower rig instead? True. Actually, I’m surprised that they didn’t stick James May with a pogo-stick and a vicious shove. I can almost picture the end sequence now… [Jeremy Clarkson] _narrator voice James_ “…and as the sun set on our little adventure, the victor gladly accepted his prize. Which led me to another question to ponder as another winter sun set in the gray western sky…” _cut to live shot_ “Cheltenham? What the Hell is there to do in Cheltenham!?” [/Jeremy Clarkson] ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmageddon-to-hit-british-isles-2-4-inches-expected/711648/51 "2015-02-05T01:39:46Z")
76 and clear here today. Thank Og, because if it ever snowed here, we’d all die driving on the freeway the first day. (SoCal) ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmageddon-to-hit-british-isles-2-4-inches-expected/711648/52 "2015-02-05T15:13:41Z")
> [@Honey](#): > > But it’s electricity that runs the furnace. The heating’s provided via a boiler that yes, does need electricity to turn on because of the dials and stuff, but it’s mainly powered by gas. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmageddon-to-hit-british-isles-2-4-inches-expected/711648.md?page=2)