The weather in West Texas is somewhat changeable at the moment, but that is normal in the Springtime in these parts.

Last Tuesday, we had some sleet and very cold. Now it's 60 and students are wearing shorts. And supposed to be 77 this weekend.

We've been having some very cold spells, but I wonder if they're done now. I do know that we'll need to wear layers from now onwards to summer...

Sorry to hear all about the floods in England. We're still in a 10-year drought here so if you want to send us precipitation, that would be great. :-)

Oh, the arctic vortex is still very much with us in the US! The day before yesterday we had an ice storm in South Carolina, and many still are completely without power. To have so many ice storms in one winter so far south is highly unusual. Strangely, we do have paper whites coming up and I saw 2 fruit trees starting to bloom here in Charleston. The Northeast is being pounded currently with --- what else? -- a huge "Nor'easter."

We have had snow cover for I believe 12 days now--very unusual for Kentucky where our mantra is, "Leave it alone; it will melt." And this was after another snow that lay for several days. Yesterday afternoon and this morning were above freezing for the first time in days, and now it is raining but that is predicted to turn to 2 to 4 inches of new, wet snow tonight. Temps are supposed to go up by the first of next week. I can hardly wait to see what has happened to my Lenten roses which were blooming at this time last year.

It is still hot summer in Western Australia and no rain for many weeks. I hand water my new rose bushes and am sad that I have no red rose bush in bloom for Valentine's Day as I did have in my last place.
I am still settling in to the new place where I was relocated so that my old place could be done up and sold. Curse the GFC!

California is in the worst drought in recorded history. In my part of the state we've had 2.5 inches of rain since July 1. A high pressure system has been sitting off the coast for over a year diverting rain away from us.

I suspect that some of the storms others are getting may be our missing rain. We very much wish we were getting the rain here!

Hoping that the weather soon improves for us all.

Folly

I wish there was a large gutter starting in BC that sloped toward California so that you could enjoy some of the rain we are now getting. We have had a very mild and relatively dry winter, though the pineapple express started visiting us a couple of weeks ago. The ski slopes are finally getting a lot of snow. Folly, we are expecting a weekend storm that on Saturday and Sunday will drop a little over 2.5 inches of rain! I wish I could send some of your roses a little of that.

The snowdrops have been up for a while now, the hyacinths and daffodils are coming along nicely, and I sense SPRING!!!!

Vee, from what I have heard, the weather in England has been AWFUL for the past couple of years.

I have no idea what is going on the eastern states. Sochi could use some of that weather.

Ann, what is the "GFC"?

After seeing the rainstorms and floods in Britain on the news day after day, I am, on the whole, rather happy with the weather here.

The weather in Reykjavik has been mild lately: occasional short rain-showers, occasional brief snowfall, a little wind, a little sun; not cold enough to make going outside painful but not warm enough to really melt the ice that accumulated after repeated heavy snowfall followed by too-short spells of warmer weather in December and January. I am getting sick and tired of driving to work - I would rather walk- but after a bad fall on a patch of ice 3 years ago I have stopped taking risks when it's icy outside.

Today is one of those lovely days you occasionally get here in the winter: clear blue sky, bright sunshine, no wind and only a slight frost (perfect skiing weather, in fact). My only complaint is that it's terrible driving weather, because the sun is so low in the sky that it's in your eyes all the time and I had to brave the mid-town traffic to go pick up my DELF certificate from Alliance française.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow !

The past two snowstorms roaring into the northeast have left us with at least 24 inches of snow cover and counting.
It is really, really beautiful though.
I love a good snowstorm.
It's perfect hunkering down weather.

Yvonne in the southern tier of New York state.

Today, the sun is shining. Make a note on the calendar; yes really. It is a rare event to see more than a few hours of the yellow stuff in any one winter week let alone day.
Paula/Rosefolly, there was a long article in the 'Telegraph' about the CA drought mentioning that 'scientists' think the last one, so long-lasting, was when Francis Drake sailed in during the reign of Good Queen Bess. A large, black rain-bearing cloud is being sent your way with a smaller one to Liz/lemonhead in Texas.
Liz, Bedfordshire was especially mentioned on Sat's BBC news as having very high wind-strengths. I hope your Mother has battened down the hatches.

Yvonne, what no yoyobon snow-induced rhyme from you?

There's 24 inches of snow
Falls onto the head of yo-yo
To keep you alive
You must dig out the drive
It'll help you to work-up a glow.

Great job Veer !!

Our drive is 250 feet of downhill and when this snow covers it we are pretty much snowed-in until our plow guy arrives.

My glow is coming strictly from a nice, tidy tipple of Canton's Ginger Liqueur. ( which is wonderful ! )

This post was edited by yoyobon on Sun, Feb 16, 14 at 11:18

Snow, snow.....picnic lunch anyone !?

Yoyobon, that's what it usually looks like in my neck of the woods but this year the big storms have been staying to our east and your area is getting the majority of the white stuff. Our average annual snowfall is anywhere from 85 to 112 inches depending on which site you look at. The first year I lived in central NY we had somewhere around 133 inches for the season and I hated every minute of it!

In a newspaper article this morning they reported that we've had 79" of snow to date.

I really enjoy the beauty of a full-on winter season....lots of snowstorms, n'oreasters and such.
As long as I don't have to shovel it !

Here is my snow pic - it is nearby my house, and the lake is where we get out drinking water. If any of you remember the X files, they were often filming in those woods. So far, we have had about 4 or 5 days of snow (in the city, local mountains have more ofc) in december and none in 2014.
We are pathetic in snow though. People here just cannot drive in it, the city shuts down if it is more than an inch. Honestly, I think it is because everyone just wants to go skiing and they use it as an excuse. Not that there is anything wrong with that. ;) I love heavy snowfalls, a comfy chair near the fireplace and a great book.

That is an amazing view.
It looks like a beautiful painting !
How fortunate to have such a vista to enjoy.

Woodnymph, the GFC is the Global Financial Crisis which has affected us in Australia to some degree because money outside of Australia isn't worth as much now. My British pension money was reduced to two-thirds of its value with the poor exchange rate at the worst time.
The management of my retirement village had planned to build a Nursing Home but found the funds were no longer sufficient , I gather, so decided to sell off some of the rental stock after relocating nearly a dozen of us. They did up accommodation in the oldest section as it was vacated and moved us. I was very upset as I lost my garden, courtyard and the more modern fixtures like built-in wardrobes and a pantry. I had put a lot of money and effort into what I thought was to be my permanent home.
Australia didn't do too badly as there are huge reserves of minerals which were sold overseas but that mining boom has lessened now so must forgo some of the plans made in the glory days...

Our yard and deck look a lot like Yoyobons ... not so bad, as we're used to the snow in Connecticut. It's almost like the weather I remember from my childhood: snow, and lots of it. Now, the removal of it ... not so fun!

The DH's cousins in Atlanta and our friends in Maryland are still reeling from the snow and ice they've had, and my nephews in North Carolina have enjoyed lots of days off from school. Very unusual to have this kind of weather so far south and so frequently.

Vee, I've been watching the UK weather - Yikes! I hope you remain safely above the high water line!

We have a friend in SC who got not only 3 inches of snow but also 1 inch of ICE !!
I said that up here I loved the beauty of it all and when the wind picks up it blows all the snow from the branches and limbs and creates little white-outs.

He responded that when the wind kicked up down there it showered ice cubes from the trees that sounded like Al Capone and Eliot Ness !!!!

I can imagine.

What a strange winter.
And apparently we here in the northeast have more to come tonight with 3-5 inches predicted .

yoyo. I'd rather be in looking out from a cosy room at your photo than vice-versa and janalyn I love your pic and now I can see you and your DH lugging barrels of water from the lake to make cups of tea and coffee.
Sheri, it didn't rain yesterday but is making up for lost time today. Heavy-duty pumps have arrived from Holland (and I always thought they employed small boys to stick their thumbs in the dyke to hold the water back) and are in use along the Thames and the rivers near us in Somerset.
We hear that some unfortunate people have been unable to use their loos for over six weeks. When they need to 'go' they jump in their cars and dash to the nearest supermarket sensibly built on higher ground.
The TV's interviewers chat to people some who moan about 'not enough being down' and others who put on their wellies and paddle out to do what they can to help their neighbours, rescue stranded farm animals and provide hot meals and drinks for the emergency agencies. A nice eg was an American who has been living over here for several years. He has put his ancient Dodge to good use transporting hay, straw and animal feed. He said it was his way of helping the locals who made him welcome when he first arrived.

My brother, a retired county school superintendent, called our niece who teaches in his county and asked her how she is enjoying her summer vacation, since so many days will have to be made up as they have lost so many because the buses can't get to the children to pick them up,

My sister has taken a picture of icicles on her garage that formed at an angle because the wind was blowing so hard. She said the ice on the metal roof of the house is slowly sliding down and pushing those icicles lower and lower, and then it crashes to the ground. Said they would stab you to death if you happened to be underneath when the fall occurs.

Our temperature is beginning to rise and we are getting some rain, so there is hope that the snow cover (now turning into skating rinks) will melt. Supposed to be in the 60s by Thursday.

In our neck of the woods a prediction of rain later this week means flooding , ice jams and general havoc.

If I had my choice I'd hope that the temps would stay cold enough to keep the beautiful snow cover until it can slowly disappear as crocuses push through to cheer the world.

In my dreams.........:0)

The truth will be slush up to your ankles with dreary, dirty snowpiles slowing exposing tons of road pieces and dirt piles on everyone's lawn.

I prefer white snowy loveliness.