Snowbound For Easter
Britain is experiencing some truly awful Easter weekend winter weather and it is causing chaos all across the country. Up to six inches of snow is expected across wide areas along with high winds and bone-chilling temperatures.
In theory, spring has already sprung.
But in reality, winter still has much of Britain in its icy grip - and it's going to get even tighter.
Yesterday, high winds lashed many parts of the country while temperatures plummeted. It was a bitter prelude to what forecasters warn will be the worst Easter weather for a quarter of a century.
Snowstorms are expected in to hit large swathes of eastern England and Scotland today and tomorrow, with up to six inches likely to settle.
The cold conditions are due to continue into next week, threatening more travel chaos for the return home on Monday after many endured a nightmare Good Friday getaway.
However, it was a mixed picture yesterday, with many parts of southern England enjoying bursts of glorious sunshine.
The upper Midwest of the United States is also getting hammered with massive snowfalls.
More than a foot of snow fell in parts of southern Wisconsin. Nearly the same amount blanketed southeastern Minnesota.
"Everyone is pretty tired of the snow but I think most people will agree these types of storms aren't unusual in the spring," National Weather Service meteorologist Steve Davis said. "These kinds of early-spring, late-winter storms are fairly common."
The timing of the storm was especially disappointing for church officials planning Good Friday services. Events were canceled at dozens of churches.
"It was a hard decision but for the safety of everybody, especially of the elderly, we think it was prudent to make this decision," said the Rev. Jonathan Jacobs of Ascension Lutheran Church in Milwaukee.
Dozens of flights were delayed or canceled at the Milwaukee and Madison airports, leaving officials there bracing for larger crowds over the weekend.
The early spring snow storm was sliding through Detroit and much of Michigan's southern Lower Peninsula, making driving hazardous and forcing the cancellation of several flights.
The National Weather Service said the system was expected to dump up to 12 inches of snow in parts of the region as it tracked through the Ohio Valley on Friday and early Saturday.
Snow forced the cancellation of more than 450 flights and delayed numerous others at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, one of the world's busiest.
That isn't a new lawn ornament out in front of your house. That's the Easter Bunny, flash frozen.
Environment | Gaius Saturday, 22 March , 2008
By Mockinbird, Saturday, 22 March , 2008 @ 2:53 pm
The unusual snowfall in these places is a message from Mother Nature telling the wandering Muslims to go back, go back home to the Middle East. They should go now before things get really messed up for them. The snow is a profound message to them.