"ronaldbutton" wrote in message
...
Whilst trying to keep the weather reports at frenzy level ,the Beeb have
mentioned several times today that Britain has been struck by BLIZZARDS ,.
Whilst I know it is normal to read out the list of blocked roads in the
Peak District and the Cairngorms in order that we can all share in the
disaster zones,I'd have thought that snow ,no matter how heavy can hardly
be described as a blizzard when winds are less than 5 MPH all over the
SouthEast . The cub reporters should hold fire with their adjectives cos
soon they might run out....

RonB



Fully agree Ron. As I recall the media began using 'blizzard' in 1962/3 and
it is now applied to any fall of snow-retrospectively as well. I doubt if in
all my years of living/travelling around the British Isles and beyond that
I've ever experienced a blizzard in the true sense of the word. Similarly
'whiteout' (mentioned in a later post) is a popular word with journalists
and those of vivid meteorological imagination. Now don't even get me started
on the use and misuse of 'Gulf Stream' - a favourite of the writers of
travel brochures for our western shores.

At this point I must recommend some useful reading. 'Meteorological
Glossary' published by HMSO (1991)a really useful book available now from
Amazon starting at £3.95

--
George in Epping, West Essex (107m asl)
www.eppingweather.co.uk
www.winter1947.co.uk
COL 36055