11 replies to this topic

[Sharon007]

Europe freeze: Heavy snow across continent

Heavy snow has caused disruption across Europe, carpeting much of Italy to the south and Turkey to the east.

The freeze that has swept south through the continent has caused at least 80 deaths, mainly in Ukraine and Poland.

Temperatures were so low that some areas in Romania along the shores of the Black Sea froze.

In central Italy, heavy goods lorries were barred from motorways and several top-flight football matches have fallen victim to the wintry conditions.

Ukrainian officials reported that the number of deaths attributed to the freeze had risen to 43, with 13 people falling victim to hypothermia in the past 24 hours.

Schools and colleges in the capital, Kiev, were shut on Wednesday because of the severe cold.

School closures were also reported in northern Greece, where temperatures of -16C (3F) were recorded.

Several towns and cities in Bulgaria saw record lows, with -29C reported in Kneja in the north for the second day running. For much of the country an "orange" alert was in place, warning of dangerously low temperatures.

A 57-year-old man froze to death in a village in the north-west and 450 schools were closed across the country.

In Bosnia and Serbia helicopters were used to airlift supplies to villages cut off by drifting snow.

Seven more deaths were reported in Poland, bringing to more than 20 the number who have fallen victim to the cold snap. Five were said to have been homeless people.

German media reported that ice and sub-zero temperatures had led to the deaths of two women: a pedestrian froze after falling into a drainage ditch and a driver was killed when she lost control of her car on an icy road.

In Turkey, three crew-members from a ship that sank during a storm in the Black Sea were pulled out alive by coastguard near the north-western port of Eregli but eight others were missing.

The bulk carrier Vera, with a crew of 10 Ukrainians and a Georgian, had been carrying a cargo of scrap metal from Rostov in Russia to Izmir in western Turkey.

Snowfalls were recorded as far south as southern Italy and Corsica, where at least 20cm of snow covered the centre of the Mediterranean island.

Italian rail services were reduced because of the wintry conditions. In Sicily, a one-year-old boy was fatally injured when his mother's car went into a stream swollen by torrential rain.

Several football matches in Italy's Serie A were postponed on Tuesday night and there were doubts that Wednesday's clash between Inter Milan and Palermo would take place. Workers cleared snow from the pitch at the Renato Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna but the match against Fiorentina was later postponed.

The cold snap, according to forecasters, is due to an area of high pressure that has extended across Europe from Siberia and is expected to reach its peak at the weekend.

BBC weather presenter Peter Gibbs said he expected the bitter weather to continue for several more days across most of Europe, with cold winds and snow also spreading further south to affect the Balearic Islands and parts of northwest Africa by the weekend.

Source: BBC

[Sharon007]

Villages were cut off in Bosnia where temperatures fell to -10C


For a second night running, matches in Italy's Serie A were called off

[magic]

Thanx for posting this cause now I have a chance to share some pics from across the Europe I was going to post in forum anyway

[magic]

I have courses tomorrow. If my bf will not be able to take me from courses by car then I probably will not go at all cause I have to walk for 30 mins and I am afraid to do it in this weather. I could also take public transport but I have to walk 15 mins to it and then stand and wait for more 10-15 mins so it doesn't really matter if I walk or go to transport, it's all the same.

[Sharon007]

Oh my god the phone above looks frozen . Its probably best not to go to your course also maybe not many will go anyway. in Ireland its -6 degrees. Also Greece and Turkey has snow

[magic]

Sharon007, on 01 February 2012 - 09:58 PM, said:

Oh my god the phone above looks frozen . Its probably best not to go to your course also maybe not many will go anyway. in Ireland its -6 degrees. Also Greece and Turkey has snow

The telephone pic is from Kiev.

-6 is still warm and I walk without hat in that temperature, Now I need to wear hat and hood together. I also wear two pair of socks and thick pantyhose under my jeans and warm boots and the warmest sweater I have. But my legs (apart from feet cause of warm boots and two pair of socks), my fingers and face is totally freezing. I walked home from courses yesterday and when I got home, my fingers were frozen and hurting. And it was about -10 C. Now it's -19 C

[Sharon007]

-6 is cold for me because I am not used to it but its ok for the Russian girl in class although during the day its 1 to 5 degrees

[magic]

Sharon007, on 01 February 2012 - 10:24 PM, said:

-6 is cold for me because I am not used to it but its ok for the Russian girl in class although during the day its 1 to 5 degrees

+ or -?

You really hardly ever get lower than this?

[Sharon007]

magic, on 01 February 2012 - 10:26 PM, said:

+ or -?

You really hardly ever get lower than this?

thats +1 - +5 degrees during the day time. No it doesn't get any colder then this during the day time. But it gets colder at night. For Ireland to get -17 would be very severe indeed as we dont normally get temperatures this low.



Fears 'thousands of elderly may die' as temperatures plummet across Britain


Thousands of people could die as the big freeze keeps a tight grip on the UK, the Department of Health fears.

While the mercury continues to plummet every day, the Department has estimated that the excess death toll could be as many as 1,560 per week with the elderly – especially women and hospital patients – the most vulnerable in adverse weather conditions.

Professor Dame Sally Davies, the Department of Health’s chief medical officer and chief scientific adviser, said in a report: “Mortality rises by 19% in winter months in England, amounting to 27,000 excess deaths or 1,560 more people per week.”

Forecasters predict that by Friday the country will see temperatures as low as -10°C at night – with sub-zero temperatures lasting through February

Lows of -6.2°C have already been witnessed in Pershore, Worcestershire, with a Level 3 cold weather alert in force for England meaning a 100% probability of ‘severe’ cold weather.


Icy winds from Siberia are triggering the freezing conditions – which broke the recent spell of unseasonably mild conditions.

180 pensioners died every day as a result of cold conditions during the 2010-11 winter months in England and Wales, according to an ‘Excess winter mortality report’.

An estimated 21,800 people over the age of 65 died as a result of adverse conditions, in the four months from December 2010 to March 2011, the report found.


The shocking projection of cold weather-related deaths comes as the big freeze, which has been sweeping the continent, claimed the lives of more than 60 people in eastern Europe.

More than 600 in the region have been treated for frostbite and hypothermia.

Temperatures reached -16°C during the day and -26°C at night in some parts of Poland, the Czech Republic, Serbia, the Ukraine and Romania.

Michelle Mitchell, Charity Director General at Age UK said: “It may have been relatively mild so far this year but the winter can be a dangerous time for older people. Many people believe that the only risk of winter weather is getting a cold but the risk is much greater.

“Low temperatures raise blood pressure which puts people at a greater risk of heart attacks and strokes and well as increasing the likelihood and severity of flu and other respiratory problems.”

There are plans in force to help the ‘at risk’ stay warm and well – including shopping, path clearing and meal deliveries.

Source: Yahoo.com

[magic]

Why you didn't freeze in Latvia? lol I think it was December when you, Heidi, Nik and Zoi came. But itš not that cold in Dec in Latvia maybe thatš why lol Those were good times

Today we have -19 C during the day. In the center tam's wires broke and there was huge traffic over the river and some ppl had to cross over the bridge by feet to get to the other side. Few 100 villages in Latvia also lost electricity cause wires broke as well. In one of the cities tram didn't work as well cause of the cold weather.

I am staying home today although it's very warm inside. But there is less air since I don't want to open window cause of weather which makes my head hurt

[Eriny]

I like winter with snow and ice, not the rainy and grey ones.
It's beautiful!




- most of the time...

[magic]

loved your comment "most of the time" lol that last imagine is wow

I also love when it's snow a little bit cold -5 or max -10 C. Otherway it feels like there's no winter