Beast from the East in UK

[Debi]

SNOW CHAOS: 'Beast from the East' leaves 4 dead while Storm Emma threatens WORSE weather

SNOW CHAOS: 'Beast from the East' leaves 4 dead while Storm Emma threatens WORSE weather
FROZEN Britain is braced for worse to come with Storm Emma threatening widespread chaos. Swathes of the country were left under deep snow yesterday after heavy showers fell throughout the day and overnight.

Full story at site

AND let's add an earthquake...

Cumbria earthquake: Houses shake as tremor of 3.2 magnitude hits county

 

[Benway]

Ah. A cultural explanation is required. The Express is notorious for it's turning any mildly bad weather into the book of Revelation. Snow in particular terrifies its readers (who are really elderly horror fans in denial) and each year they never fail to disappoint with lurid tales of the imminent collapse of civilisation which keep Express readers safely inside and not yelling at kids, who can so play happily in the small amount of snow in peace.

The deaths are awful, but sadly they happen all year round. (I see that number four was near me. I hope it wasn't anyone I know.) Actually England is bad at dealing with weather everyone takes for granted anyway.

Sample made up but typical news stories from around the year:

IS THIS THE END? Hayfever epidemic could kill says report!

SPRING IS HERE..... AND SO IS BIRD FLU!

RAIN PROMPTS FEAR OF WISESPREAD FLOODING!

HOSEPIPE BAN 'INEVITABLE' AS DROUGHT LOOMS

MAN DIES AS TEMPERATURES SOAR TO 20 DEGREES (68F)

SUMMER RAIN 'UNPRECEDENTED' SAYS MINISTER

BRITAIN SHUTS DOWN AS NORMAL SUMMER WEATHER CAUSES CHAOS! (Pictures of girls in bikinis on page 6)

GHOST PIRATES FEARED AS PLAGUE OF FOG CONTINUES

TERROR AS TEMPERATURE PLUMMETS (to about the same as Canada on a warm day)

ACTUAL BALLS OF ICE FALL FROM SKY!

and so on.

It's been really nice here. A couple of inches of snow and only just cold enough for it not to melt. The curtain of icicles at the local supermarket was pretty too.

 

[Benway]

And earthquakes where no buildings fall down are all we get. Honestly those are just fun.

 

[CalicoBarnCat]

GHOST PIRATES FEARED AS PLAGUE OF FOG CONTINUES.

IS THIS THE END? Hayfever epidemic could kill says report!

SPRING IS HERE..... AND SO IS BIRD FLU!

RAIN PROMPTS FEAR OF WISESPREAD FLOODING!

HOSEPIPE BAN 'INEVITABLE' AS DROUGHT LOOMS

MAN DIES AS TEMPERATURES SOAR TO 20 DEGREES (68F)

SUMMER RAIN 'UNPRECEDENTED' SAYS MINISTER

BRITAIN SHUTS DOWN AS NORMAL SUMMER WEATHER CAUSES CHAOS! (Pictures of girls in bikinis on page 6)

GHOST PIRATES FEARED AS PLAGUE OF FOG CONTINUES

TERROR AS TEMPERATURE PLUMMETS (to about the same as Canada on a warm day)

ACTUAL BALLS OF ICE FALL FROM SKY!

and so on.

It's been really nice here. A couple of inches of snow and only just cold enough for it not to melt. The curtain of icicles at the local supermarket was pretty too.

I used to be a fan of the Weather Station back in the '90s. It was just about the only thing I watched on cable TV -- that is until I finally had enough of the weathermongers who were practically salivating at the idea of all the devastation to come from the next big storm advancing on the coast.

The one thing I cannot complain about here is the weather. We had 70 degrees on Valentine's Day and temps in the low 60's so far this week. Last summer and fall were unusually mild also.

 

[TonyM]

Well said Benway, the main stream media like to hype it up to sell newspapers. It's been a torrid couple of days here and more to come, perhaps the worst snow I've seen but aside from the village being cutoff and empty shelves we are in no danger. No milk or bread I can live without for a few days, hardly the end of the world

 

[Steve]

Yes The Express newspaper here in the UK is renowned for hyping up weather events.

They were right about this week "Beast From The East" weather phenomenon but all the other newspapers and TV news programs were highlighting this too. The Met Office did warn us it was coming.

On the majority of occasions, The Express is always harping on about the next weather phenomenon to sell newspapers as they know that the British are obsessed with the weather.