The UK is suffering snow-induced chaos. You only have to log onto social media or switch on the TV to see that the country is gripped by anxiety over the disruptions caused by the ‘Beast from the East’ and Storm ‘Emmageddon’.
Roads, rail, airports and schools have all been affected during the recent cold snap. The question being asked by freezing rail commuters and stranded motorists up and down the country is: why can’t the UK cope with snow?!
If you’ve been on a winter holiday in Canada, you’ll have seen how bad the UK is at coping with the snow compared to Canadians. Here we make a few comparisons. If you’d like to see our winter holidays for yourself, click below:
Rail
While the UK’s railway system comes to a crippling halt, Canada’s trains just plough on through.
UK
#UKSnowSE – There is SEVERE disruption across the network at the moment, with no trains running in east Kent.
Given the severe disruption on many routes and no trains in east Kent, please do not head to the station unless your train is CONFIRMED as running.
— National Rail (@nationalrailenq) March 2, 2018
Canada
Winter driving
UK
Canada
The commute
Most of us in the UK struggle to get to work, one Deliveroo employee got inspired by the recent Winter Olympics and decided to try the skeleton to get around. In Canada they prefer sit back and let the huskies do the work.
UK
Canada
Clearing driveways
Trying to get cars out of driveways is always fun and games, but with Canadians there is not so much fuss.
UK
Canada
Snowfall: Canada vs UK
According to the Met Office, on average across the whole of the UK there’s only 15.6 days a year when snow sticks to the ground and 23.7 days of snowfall a year. In Canada, however, a report by Current Results shows the likes of Kitchener in Ontario receives 62 days a year of snow, while Calgary (52) and Edmonton (52) have double the number of snow days compared to the UK.
UK
Canada
Bemused to watch the UK predictably shut down due to *20cm* of dry snow, as meanwhile back in Canada drivers are literally digging themselves out of their own cars trapped in parking lots.https://t.co/EifcVSvL7B pic.twitter.com/yM43S7h1wC
— alenadundas (@alenadundas) February 26, 2018
How Canadians have reacted to Britain’s snowmageddon
Some Canadians have been laughing at the “dusting” the UK has experienced and here’s what some of them have been saying.
Nice to Tweet you. https://t.co/urBwRAVbPA pic.twitter.com/vySdDLkQ0k
— Sara (@SaraInLaLaLand) March 2, 2018
All this English people panicking about snow, I’m over here being all Canadian like “Snow, you call this snow?! I was born in the snow…” #Snow #Snowmageddon #snowday pic.twitter.com/QTYVtNQyCn
— Batnando (@ShinobiNando) February 27, 2018
English friends & coworkers: “we got so much snow, everything is shut down. Even the trains! It’s insanity”.
Me and rest of Canada: “pfft just a dusting”.
Love my Brits, but you guys are funny. 🙂#londonsnowstorm #England
— Sabrina P (@StpArt) February 27, 2018
How Brits are dealing with the ‘Beast from the East’
Despite the snow causing havoc across most of the UK, these tweets show that the “Beast from the East” hasn’t all been doom and gloom.
Amazing snowfamily from the Ingleton family in Leixlip.. geniuses!! #fairplay #BeastFromTheEast #StormEmma #snowday3 #SNOWMAGGEDON pic.twitter.com/ImYbkN88PQ
— Frances Black (@frances_black) March 2, 2018
Some humans are fed up after #StormEmma and #Snowmageddon
Here’s how to prevent them clearing up so you can have another #snowday #snowday3 pic.twitter.com/euGfl7MpSj— Evie the Cat (@HMCabinetCat) March 2, 2018
Fresh snowfall won’t stop us opening, we’re in our way in to fire up the ovens and check the beer taps aren’t frozen. No deliveries again today so menu may be restricted; all good for beer at the moment 🍺#priorities #finnieston #GlasgowWestEnd #Glasgow #snowday3 #open pic.twitter.com/7Xkd0peFp6
— Taphouse Finnieston (@TaphouseGlasgow) March 2, 2018