Got wind?

ianhind · Post by **ianhind** » 18 Jan 2007, 23:44

Fortunately I avoided going to Cambridge today. Looking at the RAC traffic news and further info from the Cambridge office indicated I would probably have been very late home tonight - lorry on its side on A14, problems on M11 and A1,etc.

But we're not the only ones having unusual weather. Company offices in Austin, Texas have been closed for last 3 days because of ice and snow. Texas with snow? Since a friend of mine chose to work there rather than the Northeast US to avoid snow I thought it didn't happen there.

Chris Trott · Post by **Chris Trott** » 19 Jan 2007, 02:31

It was the second time it's snowed there this year and only the 3rd time in 20+ years. In the last week, we had a 4 days of ice here in the D/FW area although it never stayed too much under freezing so most of the roads are already dry. We're expecting more cold rain and sleet tomorrow afternoon through Saturday night and possibly again on Monday. Basically, what's happened is the sub-tropical branch of the jetstream has set up with its most northern point being somewhere in the middle of Oklahoma. As a result, there is a *LOT* of moisture being brought into the area from the Pacific off Baja and couple that with an Artic Cold Front every couple of days and you get the last week of weather.

I'm waiting for Spring when we exchange this cold wet for Thunderstorms and Tornadoes. North Texas didn't have any severe storm days last Tornado Season but the start of this year and the El Nino makes it look we'll have a very active season this year. I hope that most of the Tornadoes stay clear of populated areas, but I love chasing them when I have the chance because they're a beautiful testament to how insignificant we really are on this world.

ianhind · Post by **ianhind** » 19 Jan 2007, 09:07

only the 3rd time in 20+ years.

Thanks Chris - explains why I thought snow in Texas was rare.

PhilipsCDRW · Post by **PhilipsCDRW** » 20 Jan 2007, 03:02

Chris Trott wrote:I'm waiting for Spring when we exchange this cold wet for Thunderstorms and Tornadoes. North Texas didn't have any severe storm days last Tornado Season but the start of this year and the El Nino makes it look we'll have a very active season this year. I hope that most of the Tornadoes stay clear of populated areas, but I love chasing them when I have the chance because they're a beautiful testament to how insignificant we really are on this world.

I'm interested in your point of view - from my perspective, a tornado arrives, moves things around, and then is gone in the course of hours. We normally last for decades, and some believe we last for eternity... And any human being is able to do far more in their lifetime than a tornado (just not so quickly!)

Jetset · Post by **Jetset** » 20 Jan 2007, 14:28

Took me two hours to get to work for a meeting, where it usually takes me 45 minutes. I saw 3 cars crushed enroute. When I got to work the airport was closed for the first time in years. Not even the sound of an APU on the apron. So I stayed for about 4 hours and helped out in ops. Rather an experience.

Chris Trott · Post by **Chris Trott** » 20 Jan 2007, 15:10

I'm interested in your point of view - from my perspective, a tornado arrives, moves things around, and then is gone in the course of hours. We normally last for decades, and some believe we last for eternity... And any human being is able to do far more in their lifetime than a tornado (just not so quickly!)

It's the point that man can build these amazing "monuments to ourselves" in the form of homes and other buildings and we can do hundreds of hours of work building parks and preserves to "preserve nature" and then in only a few moments, the weather (whether it be a hurricane, flood, tornado, lightning-sparked wild or forest fire, or other weather-related disaster) can obliterate it all, man-made and natural. It just goes to prove that as much as we consider ourselves to have conquered our surroundings to make a better life for ourselves, we really have no control over the one thing that threatens our survival daily - weather.

Post by **Garry Russell** » 20 Jan 2007, 16:00

I agree with you Chris

No matter how much in control we like to think we are, the weather controls what we, where we can do it and has the power to destroy without sentiment.

No matter how big we build nature is always far bigger.

And all we can do is sit and wait for it to move on.

The power of the sea in a storm is something that never ceases to amaze me.

Garry

Vulcan_to_the_Sky! · Post by **Vulcan_to_the_Sky!** » 20 Jan 2007, 18:42

The Wind has been really strong around my area (Preston, Lancs).

We've had most of the town blocked off due to loose slates and a roof about to fall off a church!

PhilipsCDRW · Post by **PhilipsCDRW** » 20 Jan 2007, 19:29

Garry Russell wrote:The power of the sea in a storm is something that never ceases to amaze me.

Garry

Me too - that's why I fly instead of sailing.