Whether the weather, Whatever the Weather.

[Del]

Sister Jenny... you live in the most humid city in Australia

Rockhampton was actually listed as a condition of ifbi would marry the husband or not. His family lives there and I told him I would follow him to the ends of the earth... but nt Rockhampton. I lived up north for ten years but Rocky was the only place where you CAN make a puddle if you stand still ling enough.

Brissy is usually humid when we get heat... so it was freaky strange to get really high heat with low humidity. I don't think I will have to mow the yard this week.. the grass is so dry and brittle it just breaks off when we walk over it.

I have felt really high temps in really low humidity out west.. it's scarey. . You can feel the danger.. it feels like you dont have to actually DO anything for it to burst into flames.

My sister and her husband were taking me 12 and my little brother 9 up north along the beef road many years ago for a holiday. Before they sealed it... it was all bulldust... which I think saved us. This road is just a bit inland from you Jenn.

We kids were dozing off and on in the heat when suddenly my sister told us to slip down behind the front seats and pull a blanket over us. It was so dark I thought I had had a long sleep and it was night. Suddenly I could hear what sounded like a train and I peeked out. We were surrounded by fire and they were driving off and on the road as burning trees were crashing down. We were so lucky that somehow we missed the full firefront as it kept crossing the road ahead and behind us. I remember my sister screaming at me to get back under the blanket and I was more upset about her yelling at me because she had never raised her voice to me ever.

It's only been as an adult with children of my own that I realise how scared they must have been with two children in the car and being responsible for them in that.

We all owe a huge debt to the poor victims of the last Victorian fires that so many new warnings and regulations are now in place to make people realise that some fires are so bad you will not survive and now they get out sooner rather than later.

I think that's why there hasn't been loss of life in these fires.. except for that poor Tasmanian firefighter.. and yes a lot of luck... The Tasmanian people could get to the beaches.. I hope we get a week of rain to finish this.

Now would be good please hairy legs.

couldn't drag the kids outside for a bit of a rain dance could you Jenn? Stir up a small cyclone off the coast? Bring on the wet season?

[Bouncy Castle]

Talk about opposites.

Dear Oz.

This is what we are having/waiting for.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21063693


Terrible pun at the end of this report, chaps.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-21055669

Why the hell was she walking on the roof?

[Sister Jennifer]

No way Del. Rocky is humid but I spent a summer up in Cairns & beyond. That is humid, like the Devil's sweaty armpit.

The elderly should have heating/cooling exemptions with the electricity companies in extreme weather times. It's always good to see communities looking after each other.

It's usually cats being rescued from between walls. Hang about, maybe she WAS out looking for her cat, Bouncy.

[AuntyVague]

That photo is just magnificent mc! But I feel for you dealing with that much snow.

You Queenslanders can keep your humidity! That was the one thing I found really tough about Vanuatu (which is roughly the same latitude as Cairns I think) it was so...damp. If I'd stayed any longer I would have looked like some horrible scaly monster because my skin was so irritated

Having said that the lack of humidity is a big part of our bushfire problem here in Victoria. Unfortunately a couple of 40c+ days crisps all the moisture out of grass and leaves where they stand. Because we had such a cool wet winter there is so much growth that is now tinder dry. We had been pretty lucky up until yesterday here in Gippsland to avoid the horrible condions in other parts of Southern Australia, but not so now. Our own town is quite safe, but several towns North East of us are under direct threat.

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/its-too-late-to-move-now-20130118-2cwso.html

The heat has backed off, but the biggest problem now is the wind.

[chillicamper]

Hope everyone is keeping safe in Oz - the fires look scary

We have light snow here in Hampshire at present, with 4-6 inches forecast for during the day. Not going to be enough snow to stop me getting to work, but could be enough to make the journey home very interesting

I'm hoping if the snow really starts coming down we will be allowed to go home a couple of hours early so I can drive in daylight. I hate driving in snow in the dark.

Nevermind, at least I work closer to home now. When we had bad snow a couple of years ago, I worked in Basingstoke and have to drive home.Still less than 20 miles, but it took me 11 hours. Didn't get home until 1.30 am and my nerves were frazzled to say the least......oh and I arrived home to a powercut - no lighting or heating - as the snow had brought cables down. Really hoping the snow is not as bad this time.

[Ghost]

I have the day off today but the roads will freeze overnight making my mile and a half walk at 6:30am to the nearest bus stop fun

[Who's Wee Dug]

Chilly but the sun is shining, off out soon to feed the Ducks and Swans etc.

[Penfold]

Snowing at the moment and forecast to continue all day here (but turning to rain overnight).

[Jack Remillard]

I almost hope it rains tonight as I want to drive somewhere tomorrow. I do love the snow though, so I have mixed feelings about it.

[Del]

That photo is just magnificent mc! But I feel for you dealing with that much snow.

You Queenslanders can keep your humidity! That was the one thing I found really tough about Vanuatu (which is roughly the same latitude as Cairns I think) it was so...damp. If I'd stayed any longer I would have looked like some horrible scaly monster because my skin was so irritated

Having said that the lack of humidity is a big part of our bushfire problem here in Victoria. Unfortunately a couple of 40c+ days crisps all the moisture out of grass and leaves where they stand. Because we had such a cool wet winter there is so much growth that is now tinder dry. We had been pretty lucky up until yesterday here in Gippsland to avoid the horrible condions in other parts of Southern Australia, but not so now. Our own town is quite safe, but several towns North East of us are under direct threat.

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/its-too-late-to-move-now-20130118-2cwso.html

The heat has backed off, but the biggest problem now is the wind.

STAY SAFE Aunty V. I think everyone was shocked how fast that blaze blew up. A forest fire spreading as fast as a grassfire? ?? Scarey.

Do you have a few safe ways out or a safe zone nearby?

[wicked woman]

If it rains and freezes again the roads will be like skating rinks.
Not snowing at the moment but there's a lot up there.

Stay safe, Aunty and everyone else at risk from the fires.

[Penfold]

Stay safe Aunty (and everyone else).

This is the view from my front and back door as of half-hour ago.








Edited to remove number plate (thanks Bouncy, good point!)

[Del]

Ohhhhhh. So pretty! QUICK planners... run out and make a snow angel in the drive!

[Sister Jennifer]

Wow, beautiful Penners.

[Bouncy Castle]

Merthyr in danger of being cut off.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21073460