but why the disruption should have been
so bad
this yesterday, when the weather was less severe than we have seen in
the last two years isn't yet clear.

I guess it could be something to do with it being unusually cold this time
around. We've had a lot worse weather in the last couple of years but not
accompanied by the freezing / sub-freezing temperatures. The snow seems a
little different this time around too. It seems very fine, dry and powdery
rather than quite big and icy. I couldn't even get a decent snowman out of
it.

G.