The official winter 2015/2016 snow thread. (Ahem...)

[popeyewhite]

NRS said:

Snow shoes are still ok for going downhill/uphill too. It really depends on the snow conditions for using an axe - if it's too soft it will not catch in the snow and so will be useless. It's then more dangerous to use it because it's something that you can potentially land on and spike yourself. I would use an ice axe when going in hard snow/ ice conditions on steeper terrain as then the ski edges/ hiking boots will not be enough to stop you. Same with ski crampons. With 6 months of winter here/ having done avalanche courses etc then have some experience of what to use when,

I hear what you're saying. The snow was very soft, but parts of it were a scramble and way way too steep for snow shoes, hence the axe. But heyho I'll put off buying the toys until later Maybe a walking stick?

Without snow:

[schmalex]

p1stonhead said:

schmalex said:

I'm in Baghdad currently and it's absolutely stunning weather

Just a bit 'bomby'

Weirdly, quite the opposite. Yes, there's an armed Humvee on every street and a pickup with a .50 caliber mounted in the rear parked at every checkpoint, but it's just business as usual. We had to take a B6 armoured car with full cp team from the airport to satisfy work, but we've been moving about town very freely in a soft skin minibus and only one armed psd from the MoI for the rest of the week.

Speaking with our partners here, there's no way ISIS will get anywhere near Baghdad, so everyone is pretty relaxed. The iraqi's are some of the most hospitable people I've ever met. We've seen all sides of town and have been to some amazing restaurants and enjoyed some of the most incredible food!

[Puggit]

Brecon Beacons were absolutely beautiful today - will see if I can get a good screengrab from my GoPro.

Had to get from Cardiff to Chester. M6 was mullered, so I tried the A483 - which was shut. Used some very exciting single track lanes today

[mcelliott]

Bit breezy here at the moment...

[Bill]

Yep, I don't know where this supposed warmth has got to, its bitter here. It was chucking it down and 3° here this morning which must be the closest we've been to snow for a couple of years.

[GetCarter]

This morning (It was at 2300 ft mind)

[Cliftonite]

GetCarter said:

This morning (It was at 2300 ft mind)

Is that a rock outcrop . . . or a house chimney?

[GetCarter]

Cliftonite said:

Is that a rock outcrop . . . or a house chimney?

ha... not a chimney, no.

[mcelliott]

[funkyrobot]

schmalex said:

Weirdly, quite the opposite. Yes, there's an armed Humvee on every street and a pickup with a .50 caliber mounted in the rear parked at every checkpoint, but it's just business as usual. We had to take a B6 armoured car with full cp team from the airport to satisfy work, but we've been moving about town very freely in a soft skin minibus and only one armed psd from the MoI for the rest of the week.

Speaking with our partners here, there's no way ISIS will get anywhere near Baghdad, so everyone is pretty relaxed. The iraqi's are some of the most hospitable people I've ever met. We've seen all sides of town and have been to some amazing restaurants and enjoyed some of the most incredible food!

I thought you worked in the weather industry. Was I wrong?

Or can you not tell us what you do?

[windy1]

Puggit said:

Yep - I believe we officially have a 'major sudden stratospheric warming event' - whatever that means

Just seen that, it's gone off the scale. We could be in for something interesting next week and over the Easter period.

[perdu]

"All I am saying

Give me some snow"

Might as well be autumn for all the snow I've seen this year in Sutton Co'field

[funkyrobot]

mcelliott said:

Jumped in the bath?

[Puggit]

funkyrobot said:

I thought you worked in the weather industry. Was I wrong?

Or can you not tell us what you do?

In case he never answers - he doesn't work in the weather industry

Something far more mundane than that, although it appears to have taken him to the 3rd circle of hell

[SeeFive]

Puggit said:

funkyrobot said:

I thought you worked in the weather industry. Was I wrong?

Or can you not tell us what you do?

In case he never answers - he doesn't work in the weather industry

Something far more mundane than that, although it appears to have taken him to the 3rd circle of hell

Don't be fooled. The mundane job is just a cover for his international arms and drugs dealing business.

[Mr GrimNasty]

windy1 said:

Puggit said:

Yep - I believe we officially have a 'major sudden stratospheric warming event' - whatever that means

Just seen that, it's gone off the scale. We could be in for something interesting next week and over the Easter period.

Trouble is the sun is getting too strong now, at the moment it looks like we are doomed to a long cool drag into spring, especially in the South.

Even if we get a big overnight snow dump like we did in April a few years back, it all melted by mid-day!

If only this had happened 6 weeks ago!

[tenohfive]

Did someone say something about a SSW? In jest?

[schmalex]

funkyrobot said:

schmalex said:

Weirdly, quite the opposite. Yes, there's an armed Humvee on every street and a pickup with a .50 caliber mounted in the rear parked at every checkpoint, but it's just business as usual. We had to take a B6 armoured car with full cp team from the airport to satisfy work, but we've been moving about town very freely in a soft skin minibus and only one armed psd from the MoI for the rest of the week.

Speaking with our partners here, there's no way ISIS will get anywhere near Baghdad, so everyone is pretty relaxed. The iraqi's are some of the most hospitable people I've ever met. We've seen all sides of town and have been to some amazing restaurants and enjoyed some of the most incredible food!

I thought you worked in the weather industry. Was I wrong?

Or can you not tell us what you do?

No. I now work in counter cyber terrorism & espionage

I learned to forecast when I was racing yachts offshore in my 20's, as forecasting accurately was often the difference between winning and losing a race.

Edited by schmalex on Thursday 10th March 19:49

[v8250]

schmalex said:

I now work in counter cyber terrorism & espionage

Does it says this on your passport application form?

[schmalex]

ive no idea. My passport was issued 6 years ago, when I was selling satcom.