All white

IF you're on the right side of the window, it is a scene of silent beauty that comes but rarely. If you are on the wrong side, it can feel like a cold and dangerous hell has returned all too soon.

The thick white blanket covering much of Britain causes undoubted hardship for many, particularly the elderly and infirm who find it difficult to get around, and the small businesses who desperately want to stay open. As traffic winds its way slowly through the region's gridlocked and gloomy roads, and as mobile phone networks flicker in and out of service, there is a very Victorian air to everyday life.

The snow-covered landscape of Yorkshire presents a startlingly picturesque scene, however, and is a source of delight for dogs, children and more than a few adults. People will talk about the extraordinary weather seen at the start and end of 2010 for many years to come.

Predicting what will happen next is a notoriously foggy exercise, even for professional forecasters, but so far there is little to suggest this huge snowfall will become an annual event. So, if it is possible, Yorkshire folk should enjoy it while they can, even though it makes life a lot more difficult. It might feel like Britain has ground to a halt but, before long, it will be up and running again.