Whilst I know that 21 tonne experience 'doesnt count' for owt out here (!!), a note of caution to all those who are wondering why their colleagues are 'wasting' ACARS time on airports that you can see 'from 500 miles away....'. - 'twas in the UK, hurtling across Hampshire at FL280, an hour or two following the passage of a particularly virulent cold front...you could see for miles, a beautiful day. "Would you mind getting me the weather for SOU please", I asked of the F/O. He looked aghast, "Why? i can see it" said he. "humuor me" said I, because I suspected that something was up....sure enough, minutes later, after a VOLMET session he came back with the fact that not only was it closed but so were many of the other fields en-route, due to severe icing on the runways and taxiways! Indeed, we spent a long time holding overhead destination, awaiting de-icing of the airport before diverting to about one of the only UK fields actually currently open, and all in glorious weather! However, as I said, 21 tonne experience counts for 'owt.....proper european weather in winter can sometimes catch the unwary out, especially if you are entrenched in the middle-east mindset and that you know best! Some of us in the RHS have seen more than you might give credit for......