Snowfall on the west of the island - video

[curiouswombat]

I must start by saying that we live on what was the windward side during this particular snow storm - and most of the snow fell on the leeward side. We had only a couple of inches.

But this video on the BBC news site shows what it is still like on the leeward side.

The farmers on my Friends' List will want to weep, I think.

One farmer has lost almost her stock as she managed to get them into the sheds - and the weight of snow on the roofs caused them to collapse, killing alost all the stock within.

This photo, which is not one of mine, it was taken by someone about 4 miles from our house, gives you the idea;



For those of you unfamiliar with UK road signs, that one is on top of a pole at least 6 feet high. It is the worst weather we have had since 1963 - and the loss of stock is probably worse this time than it was then - lambing has been so badly hit.

Comments

[ellynn-ithilwen.livejournal.com]

This is horrible. :(

[kathyh]

Yikes! That's really serious snowfall. How terrible for the farmer who lost her stock when she thought they were safe.

There was a farmer on the Today programme this morning talking about how badly lambing was being hit. He was hoping people would buy British lamb to help farmers out.

[shirebound]

Oh my, what a killer storm. I know this can be devastating to farmers.

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

I heard about those poor sheep, and yes, I'm heart broken for both them and the farmer. I fear there will be thousands and thousands of lives lost in this awful weather. It really couldn't come at a worst time for sheep farmers. I've only lost two lambs to hypothermia and feel bad enough about that.

Actually, the last time we had snow here deep enough to hide road signs was 26th April 1982 so the possibility of a disaster with the lambing is always in the back of my mind. Thankfully all mine are inside and we haven't had enough snow to bring down the roof.

I'm glad to know you're all OK too.

[petzipellepingo.livejournal.com]

That's very impressive snowfall. And you're right about the stock, they aren't used to those kind of conditions.

[slaymesoftly.livejournal.com]

Oh, that is so sad! How awful for her. (and the sheep) I guess this time, you are fortunate to be on the windy side.

[samtyr.livejournal.com]

Oh, that is just heartbreaking. Being born and raised in an agricultural background myself, I know just how they must feel. :(

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

It is really sad - in so many ways we actually were happy to see the snow; leave work or school early, children getting the sledges out and building snow men; because it was the first snow we've had all winter. Then for all those more that about 3 miles from the east coast it became a very severe blizzard very, very, quickly.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

It looks as if we may have lost up to half the year's lambs, perhaps more. Only the farms on the very northern point of the island were totally unaffected. I'm not sure we'll have enough lamb for everyone to eat local...

[kazzy-cee.livejournal.com]

Oh goodness - I hadn't even thought about the lambing!! So tragic!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

It is so very sad - we had had no snow at all all the rest of the winter - had it been early January there would have been so much less loss of stock.

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

I'm not a farmer, but I live in a farming community so these sorts of things always hit home. Such a tragic loss for the farmers, but I do admire the grit that lady farmer showed, able to be so calm in the face of the devastating losses, and even share a laugh. Farmers have depths of stoic strength that non-farmers can only hope to emulate, really.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I've only lost two lambs to hypothermia and feel bad enough about that.

Every lamb lost is sad.

I'm glad to know you're all OK too.

I feel almost guilty - we were quite happy to have a few inches; I was able to finish work early, the children around got off school early, they were out building snowmen and so on. And yet within such a short distance it was so heavy as to be lethal.

Like you, it is always a threat - there is actually a local folk song with an opening verse

The snow's on the mountains, the snow's in the gill;
My sheep they have wandered all over the hill;
Uprise then, my shepherds, with haste let us go
Where my sheep are all buried deep under the snow.

And the last lines

They sought them with sorrow; they sought them with dread,
And they found them at last, but the sheep were all dead.

It is something of a reminder that the more things change, the more they stay the same.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

The local police actually posed for the first picture of this set (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-21926365) on the BBC site - to give an impression of how much snow there was, and explain why some roads were still closed...

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

We were very lucky indeed. It's been snowing again today - but not in the same league at all.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

You had so much earlier in the year though - I'm glad for you that you have missed this lot.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

So sad - such a loss of stock. The people are hardy - but their whole livelihood is threatened when something like this happens.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Some of the farmers are now dreading the thaw. To go out to your fields and find nothing but bodies...

It all fell in about 6 or 7 hours, there was nothing most of them could do about it - it drifted so quickly they couldn't get to their fields, and they couldn't have moved the sheep in it anyway.

Easter will be very sad for the farming community almost all across the island. (Only almost - the farms near my mother's were spared almost all of it and the labs were out in the fields as usual yesterday. They will be breathing big sighs of relief.)

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

She was just typical of the farming community.

They are all stunned, but pulling together. Even the lady who has lost almost all her stock in the shed collapse was saying, on the radio, how she wanted to thank everyone who helped her, "including the Department of Agriculture - even though we complain about them, and I've done my share of complaining about them - but they've been good."

It made me smile - that last remark.

A much older lady than the one in the video was actually airlifted from her cottage on Saturday - and was regarding it all as a big adventure as well as a chance to meet royalty as she said it was actually Prince William who was flying the helicopter. She was almost certainly right, as he is a Search and Rescue pilot in the squadron that covers the Irish Sea area, and so our island. But she, too, is typical of her community.

[heartofoshun.livejournal.com]

Yikes! How horrible. We had snow flurries on Sunday and Monday, but today it almost looks like spring. If one dresses warmly enough, the bright sunshine can almost make one forget that winter has not lost it grip on us yet.

Stay safe and warm. How awful about losing the livestock! Truly dreadful.

[ayinhara.livejournal.com]

The loss of stock is really heartbreaking. It is happening to so many farmers through drought and other climate change.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

We've had such lovely sunshine for most of March - even today the sun was shining brightly - just with a few snowflakes that seemed to be coming from an almost cloudless sky.

This all fell in such a short space of time - really less than one day. Some farmers have lost almost all their livestock. It is very sad.

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

That is tragic...trying to shelter her stock thy were killed anyway. That makes me want to cry.
:(

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I think it must have been such a shock. On Thursday the forecast was for 'some snow on higher ground, nothing lower down' - and then by the morning of Friday they had feet of it and it continued all day. All that remains is to wait for the thaw and then retrieve all the bodies.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

She seems to have had six sheds, all full, and five collapsed - I think she has lost stock in the hundreds.

And, for the others, there is the soul destroying task, when it thaws, of scooping up all the bodies that will be left lying.