The beast from the east　東から来る荒くれもの

ENTRY

2018.02.28

Hello everyone,

It’s almost March, and spring is in the air! It’s getting warmer this week and I can feel the season changing. Ireland isn’t so lucky, however. A status orange warning, the second highest level, has been given for the east of Ireland because the temperatures are going to drop so low. The freezing weather has been nicknamed “the beast from the east” because it’s cold air coming from Russia. Daytime temperatures in Dublin will be as low as zero degrees, and it will drop into minus figures at night. Snowfall has been predicted this week, so they are preparing gritters to help the icy roads in the mornings. Ireland doesn’t handle snow very well because it’s so rare. In 2010 there was about 30 cm of snow in Dublin, and the cold weather kept it on the ground for about 2 weeks. Many people didn’t go to work because the roads were so icy. I was lucky because I walked to work but the paths were so slippery that I fell over on the ice. I saw cars stopped at traffic lights spinning their wheels and going nowhere. People had to help and push cars to get them moving again. It’s amazing how difficult snow makes everything that we take for granted in warm countries. Ireland isn’t a warm country but the gulf stream of air from the Caribbean gives us mild winters despite being far north. I’m happy that it rarely ever snows here in Fuji. I can’t stand the cold! I’m really looking forward to a warm spring with cherry blossoms in the parks, before summer comes and then I complain about how it’s too hot! Nowhere has perfect weather all of the time, but I think Fuji is a very good place. Good luck to everyone in Ireland this week, I hope “the beast from the east” isn’t too cold for you. Maybe you can finally practice some Winter Olympic sports in the snow. Ireland didn’t win any medals this year. Well done to Japan on their medal haul.

Alan

みなさん、こんにちは。

もうすぐ３月ですね。暖かくなり、春の訪れを感じます。

しかし、私の母国のアイルランドの気候は日本とは違い穏やかではありません。

気候の警告「２」（オレンジ）が発令されています。警告１（赤）が一番強く、２番目の深刻差を表す警告で、異常に気温が下がっています。

これは、「the beast from the east」（東からの荒くれもの）と呼ばれるロシアからの非常に冷たい空気が原因です。

アイルランドの首都、ダブリンの昼間の気温は０零度。夜にはマイナスになります。今週は、雪の予報がでているので、朝から人々が道の凍結に備えています。アイルランドの人々は雪には慣れていません。２０１０年に３０センチの雪が観測されました。その寒さは２週間ほど続きました。道路が凍っていたので、皆、仕事にはいきませんでした。雪のために、非常に不便な生活を強いられ、温かい気候の大切さを思い知らせれます。富士市は、ほとんど雪がふらないので、幸せに思います。私は、本当に寒いのが苦手なので。