Yikes! Northern Europe Hit by Storms!

[3113]

I was feeling bad that the Europeans were left out of the U.S./Canadian Ice storms. Now I don't feels so bad Join in, Europeans! Are you folks still alive, well, anchored?

Huge storms sweep northern Europe

At least 25 people have been killed as violent storms lashed northern Europe, causing travel chaos across the region. Britain was the worst hit with nine people killed as rain and gusts of up to 99mph (159km/h) swept the country.

Hurricane-force winds battering Germany have claimed at least seven lives. The other deaths were reported in France, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands.

The severe weather has forced hundreds of flight, rail and ferry cancellations and prompted road and school closures.

Meteorologists at London's Met Office said the winds reached "severe gale force" as they crossed Britain and were the highest recorded since January 1990. They warned the weather system would intensify as it moved east across the continent - with Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany expected to be worst hit overnight.

GERMANY: Winds of almost 105mph (170km/h) were recorded late on Thursday in Germany, prompting the national rail company to suspend all its services, leaving passengers stranded. The head of German railways said the situation was unprecedented. Air traffic too has been badly affected with many flights cancelled. There has also been reports of flooding.

German meteorologists said the storm was shaping up to be the worst in five years and authorities have warned people to stay indoors.

More than 40,000 volunteers are on standby to help the fire brigade deal with the widespread damage that is anticipated....Many of the fatalities across Europe were the result of traffic accidents and falling debris.

'Stay indoors'

Tens of thousands of homes are reported to be without power.

NETHERLANDS: In the Netherlands, as in Germany, people have been advised to stay indoors.

"Our country has not had a storm like this in years. We advise you to follow weather alarms and messages to the letter," the Netherlands' Royal Weather Service said.

Austria has forecast winds of up to 105mph (170km/h) at higher altitudes in the Alps, and officials warned skiers to get off the mountains and seek shelter before nightfall.

In other developments:

A British container ship is listing in the English Channel almost 50 miles (80km) off Cornwall - all 26 crew of the MSC Napoli abandoned ship

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice cuts short her visit to Berlin in order to leave for London before weather worsened

London's Heathrow Airport, Europe's largest, cancels 130 flights. Other major airports including Frankfurt, Munich, Amsterdam and Vienna report delays and cancellations

The Eurostar train service between Paris, Brussels and London is briefly suspended

Ferries are cancelled or delayed in Britain, Ireland, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Finland

Residents along the North Sea coast are warned to expect storm swells up to 3.5m (11.5ft) higher than normal

Stay safe!

 

[SeaCat]

Heard from several relatives in Germany and Poland. They are all Okay.

Cat

 

[rgraham666]

Sending good vibes to our friends across the water.

 

[slyc_willie]

GERMANY: Winds of almost 105mph (170km/h) were recorded late on Thursday in Germany, prompting the national rail company to suspend all its services, leaving passengers stranded. The head of German railways said the situation was unprecedented. Air traffic too has been badly affected with many flights cancelled. There has also been reports of flooding.

German meteorologists said the storm was shaping up to be the worst in five years and authorities have warned people to stay indoors.

More than 40,000 volunteers are on standby to help the fire brigade deal with the widespread damage that is anticipated....Many of the fatalities across Europe were the result of traffic accidents and falling debris.

'Stay indoors'

Tens of thousands of homes are reported to be without power.

----------

I still have a few friends over in Deutschland. We keep in touch now and then. Funny that we're all lamenting loss of power and freezing temperatures. Here in Texas, we got our first snow since 2003, and the roads were so icy all the highways were closed. A lot of businesses haven't even bothered to stay open.

Funy how a lottle frozen precipitation can shut down a city of 2 million people.

 

[R. Richard]

I still have a few friends over in Deutschland. We keep in touch now and then. Funny that we're all lamenting loss of power and freezing temperatures. Here in Texas, we got our first snow since 2003, and the roads were so icy all the highways were closed. A lot of businesses haven't even bothered to stay open.

Funy how a lottle frozen precipitation can shut down a city of 2 million people.

In Los Angeles a 'dusting' of snow closed I-5 just North of the city.

 

[slyc_willie]

In Los Angeles a 'dusting' of snow closed I-5 just North of the city.

Lol. I believe it. They drive almost as bad in LA as in SA.

 

[3113]

Lol. I believe it. They drive almost as bad in LA as in SA.

Naw. LA drivers are among the best (believe me, I've seen all kinds of drivers in several different states and they're never as good as LA drivers because that's all people do in LA...drive). It's just that L.A. driver's got no idea how to drive in snow. It don't snow in LA.

Well...it didn't till last night. Snow in Malibu. Who woulda thunk?

 

[English Lady]

It all blew over yesterday -it was crazy. A lady was killed not far from where I live when a collapsing wall fell on her. I had to go and pick my daughter up when the winds were at their worse and I was on edge thewhole time -we removed a wheelie bin from the main road, all our bins were emptied yesterday so there were bins everywhere -you could here them skidding alon the road outside


But I'm fine and everyone I know is, too

 

[oggbashan]

A seafront shelter that has stood for about 100 years was reduced to a heap of firewood yesterday. Its roof blew off and blocked the road. The walls, deprived of the roof's support, just collapsed.

I lost another fence panel and some of the covering of my shed roof. My daughter's shed has lost its covering.

Several of the beach huts along the promenade will need repair this weekend and for once it wasn't the local vandals.

Og

 

[Guest]

our whole neighbourhoods a mess.

totally a mess. trees and branches and stuff everywhere.

some school s were closed early yesterday to get the kids home in time

trains have been down for three days

 

[Lauren Hynde]

I was feeling bad that the Europeans were left out of the U.S./Canadian Ice storms. Now I don't feels so bad Join in, Europeans! Are you folks still alive, well, anchored?

Charley, Neon and I are still feeling left out down here in the sun. Middle of January with 18ºC (65F) and winds of 4Km/h (2.5mph). Sigh.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

The snowstorm has passed us with no more than 4 people killed. Two of these were killed by falling trees, one I believe drowned, and the fourth... don't know what caused that death.

One of the tree-victims was an 8-year-old boy, whose father thought it was a brilliant idea to take his kid out driving a vespa during the snowstorm. Darwin Award by Proxy..?

I stayed in bed while the storm lasted, and only went out later, when the wind had calmed down, to buy groceries. So did all the sensible people I know.

 

[scheherazade_79]

It's been absolutely crazy here - trees down, roads and bridges shut and times when it's felt like the wind was going to blow the car off the road.

Went to the beach to get a better look and was greeted by the sight of 10ft waves crashing over the sea wall onto the road.

It seems like we've had at least one big storm every week for the last few months.

Is this El Nino?

 

[Liar]

Last weekend was interresting. Hurricane winds, fallen trees, flying roofs, four dead, some half a million without power. But warm for january. Almost 10 C.

This weekend seems to be interresting in a whole different way. 5 below freezing, and I've already got three feet of thick, heavy snow on the ground, and more coming down. Will cause havoc on the roads and none the least trains.

This winter just can't seem to make up it's mind. At least it's not -35 C and crystal fog like last year (or was it the year before that? whatevah.). That really sucked ass.

 

[Lisa Denton]

Things are fine here in texas today, all the ice has melted and its only chilly, not cold. So I guess the storm blew over to Europe (?)

Anyways, hope you are all fine and I am passing along some advice we here know from tornado weather -- anytime the wind is about 100 mph never spit into the wind.

Also if you ever saw that movie one thing is true, when you see flying cows "take cover."

Sending good vibes from texas.

Stay safe, stay warm.

 

[3113]

This winter just can't seem to make up it's mind. At least it's not -35 C and crystal fog like last year (or was it the year before that? whatevah.). That really sucked ass.

What's a crystal fog?

 

[oggbashan]

...
Is this El Nino?

Probably yes.

Og

 

[Liar]

What's a crystal fog?

Dunno if it has a proper meterologist term. Snow that's not really snow, but crystals tinier than flakes, and falls so slowly it looks like it just hangs there.

Even the tiniest wind means it smacks you in the face, creeps up your pants and down your neck.

 

[3113]

Dunno if it has a proper meterologist term. Snow that's not really snow, but crystals tinier than flakes, and falls so slowly it looks like it just hangs there.

Even the tiniest wind means it smacks you in the face, creeps up your pants and down your neck.

Cool--or, er, not. Are there pictures?

 

[Goldie Munro]

It was wild here in Kent. Power down, trains not running, motorways closed!

It has calmed down now - but it is warm - FFS - its January it should be cold!

 

[shereads]

Blown out windows, flipped-over cars, flying rooftops. Eerily like coastal Florida, but the wrong climate and continent.

Scary.

You have my sympathy, Europe. I'd loan you my generator if I could beam it over. Stay safe.

 

[SeaCat]

Dunno if it has a proper meterologist term. Snow that's not really snow, but crystals tinier than flakes, and falls so slowly it looks like it just hangs there.

Even the tiniest wind means it smacks you in the face, creeps up your pants and down your neck.

When I worked on the boats we dealt with a truly nasty little condition. (We get it every now and then on Cape Cod as well.) It's called a freezing fog.) Picture a fog bank in temperatures so cold that the water condenses and freezes on all surfaces. It truly makes life interesting.

Cat

 

[rgraham666]

When I worked on the boats we dealt with a truly nasty little condition. (We get it every now and then on Cape Cod as well.) It's called a freezing fog.) Picture a fog bank in temperatures so cold that the water condenses and freezes on all surfaces. It truly makes life interesting.

Cat

I had that happen once when I lived in B.C.

30 below, in a valley full of pulp and paper mills.

It was, interesting.

 

[SeaCat]

One of my Cousins, Stefan, called to let me know what's going on. He's doing okay as he lives in an older house with wood heat. He still doesn't have electric but he doesn't mind. (He charges his laptop off his car.) He said his In-Laws are staying with him and his wife, and that is a bit of a strain. (At least his Father-In-Law brought Beer.)

Oh he lives just outside of Cologne. (Leverkusen.)

Cat

 

[shereads]

It all blew over yesterday -it was crazy. A lady was killed not far from where I live when a collapsing wall fell on her.

A day of bad weather is such a shocking way to see lives ended or altered forever; maybe because it's so primitive. It strips away centuries of progress, isolates us from each other's help, turns our houses into caves and our possessions into missiles. It reminds us that we're essentially as fragile, exposed and helpless as our first human ancestors. It's unsettling, to say the least.