It's Bloody Freezing!

Source: Josh Hild en Unsplash 

Here is a handy list for when it's cold outside - I hope I haven't left anything out! :-)

an avalanche - a large amount of snow that falls down the side of a mountain

below freezing - under zero ºC
bitterly cold - extremely and unpleasantly cold
biting (adj) - extremely cold weather that can cause pain
a blizzard - a severe snow storm with strong winds

a chill (n) - a feeling of cold
chilly (adj) - cold
a cold spell - a short period of cold weather

degrees - measurement of temperature
a drop in temperature - a fall in temperature

a flurry - a sudden, light fall of snow, blown in different directions by the wind
to freeze (froze, frozen) - when sth goes below 0ºC and becomes hard
freezing cold (adj) - very cold
frost (n) - a white, powdery layer of ice
frosty (adj) - very cold, with ice crystals
frostbite (n) - skin condition (on toes and fingers) caused by severe cold
frozen solid - turned to hard ice

hail (n)/ hailstones (n) - small balls of ice that fall from the sky like rain
harsh (adj) - severe
the heating - the system that keeps a building warm
heavy snow - a large amount of snow

icy (adj) - covered in ice
low (adj) - below the usual level

to melt - when solid snow turns to water
minus - indicates a temperature is below zero

nippy (adj) - quite cold (inf)

to plummet - to fall like  a stone

to shiver - to shake slightly because of the cold
slippery (adj) - easy to fall over because of a wet surface
sleet (n) - rain that freezes as it falls
slush (n) - snow on the ground that has been rained on
slushy (adj) - snow that is unpleasantly messy
to snow / snow (n) frozen water that falls from the sky
snow chains - you need to put these on car wheels if it snows a lot
snowed in - unable to get away from a place because of very heavy snow
a snowplough - a vehicle for removing snow from roads
a snowstorm - a heavy fall of snow which is blown by string winds
snowy (adj) - full of snow

to thaw / a thaw - when it's warm enough for the ice to melt
thermal underwear - underwear to keep you warm

a weather warning - a prediction of dangerous weather
wind chill factor - when the wind makes the air feel colder than the actual temperature
winter woollies - clothes made from wool that are needed in winter
wintry (adj) - typical of winter
to wrap up warm - to protect yourself from the cold by wearing lots of warm clothes


Listen to this report on the cold weather. Source : BBC Learning English


Do you have any snowy stories to tell?

What is the coldest weather you have experienced?

Do you like the weather in winter? Why/why not?


Read about my snowy journey to Bilbao.

Read about how to survive an avalanche.

Severe weather alert for England as heavy snowfalls expected

  • Snowfall of up to 15cm and temperatures down to -9C
  • Met Office issues amber weather warning
  • Heathrow cancels a third of Sunday flights

Heavy snowfall is expected across much of Britain, prompting Heathrow to cancel around a third of Sunday's flights.

An amber weather warning – the second-highest level – was issued by the Met Office, with snowfalls of up to 15cm expected, along with daytime temperatures as low as -9C.

Heathrow announced a reduced flight schedule to "minimise the disruption to passengers" caused by ice, snow and freezing fog but said it anticipated more than 70% of passengers would still be able to travel as airlines would transfer them between flights. The revised timetable was due to appear on the airport's website at around 6pm and passengers were advised to contact their airline for more information.

Heathrow's chief operating officer, Normand Boivin, said: "This decision ensures that the greatest number of passengers can fly with the minimum amount of disruption."

Latest forecasts suggest snow will fall at Heathrow from 5pm on Saturday until 6am on Sunday, with the heaviest dump between 9pm and 3am.

Gatwick said it was expecting the most heavy snowfall at around midnight when there were just a handful of flights.

A spokeswoman said there were no plans, as yet, to cancel flights on Sunday but the weather would be closely monitored.

Met Office forecaster Steve Randall said average snowfall would be 4-8cm (1.5-3.5in), including in London, but some easterly parts and high areas could expect 15cm. "There is a band of rain moving eastwards and this will turn to snow and sleet," he said.

The rain, sleet and snow will be replaced by dry and frosty weather overnight with black ice expected to be an additional hazard in many areas. The north and west of England, together with Wales and western Scotland could expect rain instead of snow, and milder temperatures.

The amber weather alert applies to Yorkshire and Humber, the west Midlands, east Midlands, east and south-west England, as well as London and south-east England, and north-west England. A yellow alert, which warns people to "be aware", was in place for parts of Scotland, Wales and north-west England.

The deep freeze has seen daytime temperatures plummet four or five degrees lower than average for February – traditionally the coldest month of the year.

Overnight, temperatures fell to -12C in Benson, Oxfordshire.

The Department for Transport's salt stocks across Britain stood at more than 2.4m tonnes – a million more than last year.

The AA said it had been called out to more than 4,300 breakdowns so far this morning – around 1,500 an hour – and it expected this figure to reach up to 16,000 by the end of the day. This is almost double the 8,500 of a usual Saturday.

A spokesman said most breakdowns occurred because of flat batteries, which produce less power in low temperatures.

The Highways Agency extended its own amber alert until 9am tomorrow, meaning there was a "high probability" of severe snow affecting the road network and a risk of adverse driving conditions.

A Local Government Association spokesman said council staff and volunteers would be checking to see whether vulnerable people were being cared for, and people were being encouraged to call in on elderly neighbours.

"Motorists are being advised to check the latest weather and gritting updates on council websites and 'gritter Twitter' feeds, as well as refresh themselves on winter driving guidance and what to stock in their car," he said.

British Gas said it had received more than 200,000 calls in the last five days, compared with 120,000-140,000 during a normal winter week.

A string of sporting events have fallen victim to the icy conditions, with Portsmouth's home match against Hull City becoming the first Championship fixture cancelled due to a frozen pitch. Several matches in the lower leagues had already been called off.

Racing was heavily hit, with meetings at Ffos Las, Sandown and Wetherby cancelled. Sunday's meeting at Kempton will be subject to an inspection because of the threat of overnight snow.

But swimmers were not deterred by ice on the Serpentine in London's Hyde Park and gritted their teeth as they plunged into its chilly waters.



Comments

lucia said…
Hi Graham,

I had listened the reports on the cold weather but before this I had read the vocabulary about the cold weather. I think you know less words on the hot weather. It's true??

Bye,,,
Lucía. said…
Hi Graham !

I can't see this article:
"Hundreds of flights cancelled at Heathrow as snow and freezing fog forecast to hit Britain"

I don't find the link.

Bye, Lucía.
Graham said…
You could be right, Lucia. We might have more words to describe the cold and the rain. (see a rain list under the label "weather").

You'll have to wait to the warmer weather until I make a sunshine list. :-)

The link is in the same place as always - click on the main title "it's bloody freezing".

I HAVE LISTENED TO the reports on the cold weather but before this I READ the vocabulary about the cold weather. I think you HAVE FEWER WORDS FOR hot weather. IS IT true??
Anonymous said…
Hello Graham:

I was asking what the temperature would be in Scotland now. Is it frost, blizzard or hail? I have been visiting Scotland by internet and I have seen that the most below temperature was minus 27,2 º C in Scotland, in 1895. I know that the roman people went there, they called Caledonia to Scotland. It says that the Scottish arrived from Ireland. Your population is like a Community of Madrid, around 6 millions. Kenneth MacAlpin was the king of the Scottish and he reigned for four centuries. I see that Scotland was a kingdom, like Spain or United Kingdom now, it was an independent state. Scottish people say: ”Nobody offends with impunity”.

Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, Arthur Conan Doyle, James Matthew Barrie and Irvine Welsh are famous writers in the world. There are important ancient monuments like Calanais Stones in the west islands and the Ring of Brodgar in the Orcadas islands. The capital of Scotland is Edinburgh and the city with more population is Glasgow.

Besides the best whisky, Scotland makes cheese (of Ayrshire), fish and seafood (of Fine), veal Angus, deer of High Lands, strawberries, blackberries and raspberries of valley Clyde. Fish with potatoes is a delicious dish in Austruther Fish Bar of Fife. Another dish very important is a Scotch pie (of lamb) and the haggis (similar a blood sausage).

I know a bit of your country. See you soon. José.
Graham said…
I am very impressed, José. You know almost as much about Scotland as I do. LOL

You should think about visiting one day - you'd love it.

The weather is often dreary but it isn't as cold as you might think, at least in winter. ( -27°C is highly unusual). I've done a bit of research too - the coldest temperature recorded in Spain is -32°C.


I was wondering what the temperature would be in Scotland now. Is it frost, blizzard or hail? I have been visiting Scotland on the internet and I have seen that the lowest temperature was minus 27,2 º C in Scotland, in 1895. I know that the Romans went there, they called Scotland "Caledonia". It says that the Scottish arrived from Ireland. Your population is like the Community of Madrid, around 6 million.

The capital of Scotland is Edinburgh and the city with the biggest population is Glasgow.

Besides the best whisky, Scotland makes cheese (in Ayrshire), fish and seafood (from Fife), Angus veal, deer from the Highlands, strawberries, blackberries and raspberries from the Clyde valley. Fish with potatoes is a delicious dish in Austruther Fish Bar of Fife. Another dish that is very important is Scotch pie (of lamb) and haggis (similar to blood sausage).


I think that the motto "nobody offends with impunity" (used by many Scots army regiments) says a lot about the character of the Scots.

One of the emblems is the thistle - a beautiful flower but it has thorns so don't try to mess with it. :-)

See you in the morning.
Anonymous said…
It´s funny to have the thistle like emblem. You can´t play with it because it thorns and I will say to English people that don´t mess with Scottish because they are going to burn.

The Spanish visitors talk very well from Scotland, everyone says that it very beautiful. I will go to Scotland soon, I think it will be the first country which visit when I go out of Spain.

See you. José.
Graham said…
José,

I'll set you some homework. I'd like you to find out why they say that the thistle was chosen as one of the emblems of Scotland.


It´s funny to have the thistle as an emblem. You can´t play with it because it has thorns and I will say to English people that they shouldn't mess with the Scottish because they will regret it.

Spanish visitors speak very well about Scotland, everyone says that it is very beautiful. I will go to Scotland soon, I think it will be the first country (which)I visit when I go out of Spain.


Are you joking? Have you really never been abroad?
Anonymous said…
Hi Graham:

I hope you have a good trip and time. When I was in Berlin, in 2007, (I have been abroad, I explained bad) I visited to Mrs Nefertiti who was in the museum because Germans have taken half of Egypt to Germany. I was impressive of her beauty, every people were amazed of the face of this Egyptian woman. I think you should find a lot of “Nefertiti” in Egypt. LOL

I know much more about Scotland. It´s very interesting. The Thistle is the national flower of Scotland. It´s the dearest emblem of Scottish people, as said Robert Burns. It´s the emblem of Scotland for more 700 years. According to legend, a lot of time ago, Danish people invaded Scotland,surprisingly, but they didn´t have shoes and in the darkness, they stepped a thistle and a cry of pain alerted Scottish people and it avoided a terrible massacre. From then, the thistle is “The Guardian Thistle”.

For this reason the thistle has related with the emblem of Scotland, “Nemo me impune lacessit” (In Latin), because if you touch the thistle, it pricks and you don´t go out unpunished.

There are: “Order of the Thistle”, the emblem of Scottish Guard, the emblem of the Highlanders of the Queen, the “Scottish thistle Cup” and it is the emblem of a lot of old Scottish families and several old Scottish Regiments. The thistle is in the shield of United Kingdom.

It´s funny. I also have seen that the oldest alive being of Europe there is in Scotland, the Tejo of Fortingall, with more than 5.000 years old probably. Another interesting ting for me is the Scotland is the only country in the world that has third verdict: innocent, guilty and no proved.
Is it okay?

See you soon. José.
Graham said…
You never cease to amaze me, José. You have done your research well.

I had a great time in Egypt. I'll tell you about it on Tuesday.


(I have been abroad, I didn't explain very well) I visited Mrs Nefertiti who was in the museum because Germans have taken half of Egypt to Germany. I was impressed by her beauty, everyone was amazed by the face of this Egyptian woman.

It´s beenthe emblem of Scotland for more than 700 years. According to legend, a long time ago, Danish people invaded Scotland,surprisingly, but they didn´t have shoes and in the darkness, they stepped on a thistle and a cry of pain alerted Scottish people and it prevented a terrible massacre. From then on, the thistle is “The Guardian Thistle”.

For this reason the thistle has become the emblem of Scotland, “Nemo me impune lacessit” (In Latin), because if you touch the thistle, it pricks and you don´t escape unpunished.

The thistle is in the shield of the United Kingdom.

It´s funny. I also have seen that the oldest tree in Europe is in Scotland, the Tejo of Fortingall, with likely more than 5.000 years old. Another interesting thing for me is that Scotland is the only country in the world that has three verdicts: innocent, guilty and not proven.


I had never hear of the Fortingall Yew.

What do you think of not proven verdicts? I've just read that it is sometimes referred to as "not guilty and don't do it again".[

See you on Tuesday.
Anonymous said…
The judges always have to sentence like guilty or innocent. It´s a judicial habit. But I like the Scottish system because there are a lot of very difficult cases that you can´t say if the accused is innocent or guilty. You can make a mistake and I prefer the judge says that it´s no proved. The accused is warned to don´t do it again and if he commits a crime, this will be the evidence of a previous crime.

See you. José.
Graham said…
Hi José!

After doing a little research on internet, it seems that the "not proven" option is alive and well. I had thought that it wasn't applied nowadays.


Judges always have to find the accused guilty or innocent.

The accused is warned not to do it again and if he commits a crime, this will be the evidence of a previous crime.


Have a nice weekend.