Scottish weather discussion - Spring 2023/24

[101_North]

Bit of light snow earlier but apart from a few flakes on the grass there's no evidence it happened  

As good as it's going to get round here I suspect before the rain appears later in the week. 

The non-winter of 23/24 continues

[Kayemill]

A wee surprise dusting here. 
 

[Quinach]

Lovely crisp morning (currently -2.5c) with light winds, plenty of sunshine and a covering of fluffy snow.

[Northern Strath]

Currently down beside Inverness airport, tanking down 

 

 

[Hairy Celt]

We've just had a pretty heavy 20 minute shower of big fluffy flakes so everything is white - but the temp has crept above freezing already and it's all starting to lose its fluffiness...

[Hawesy]

Dry here but we missed out on recording our first air frost since Jan 18th - our low was +0.8c. Better chance tonight, I think. Meanwhile I'll take the blue skies and light winds, 3c.

[thebigyin]

A tiny skiff of snow last night, and a heavier shower 5am ish I think left a few cm's of nice fluffy snaw. Balters and sticking around out of sun

Not getting too excited for Friday or Saturday here, but inland and bit of height might be a different story! 

Back in to hibernation until sone clear potential for something that's not wet and wind

[Halfamilefromnowhere]

Nice sunny frozen morning after last nights snow but heavy snow setting in again.

Snow shower passing through now

[johncam]

Our dusting has gone, looking at the models think that's it for this winter for us , another poor one  

 

[johncam]

Just had a look at our ski resort webcams , my the snow has taken a hammering in the milder weather ,been another poor season. 

[Norrance]

Nice day here. Sunny with an early frost at -2C. Feeling quite warm in the sun with a max of 3C. Currently 1C. Edit. Quite a nice sunset.

Despite at one point all the apps including the Met O saying that the trough last night was going to reach here and bring some snow as is often the case from that direction it got nowhere near and we hardly even got cloud. Things not looking so good for the mid to long term now either but I suppose there is still plenty time for change.

Edited February 7 by Norrance

[snowidea]

The met office has given us a yellow warning so that's it, we're definitely not getting any snow. 

[Kirkcaldy Weather]

Quite an intriguing storm system this and I did always say the orientation would be a big player as it usually is when looking at snowstorms, generally the more elongated cyclones are better with cylindrical being less so and looks as if we'll get a combo this time.

The ground temperatures also tell a great story 

We see during the approach of the storm ground temperatures are roughly 0 to 1C.

With the #1 ingredient the Dewpoint these start the day below freezing for many of us and itl be a gradual movement to less favourable 

These give an idea that many of us could have snow falling but having a tricky time laying, then more of a wintry mix.

Another factor is the wind, hence why IMO it still deserves to be reffered to as a snowstorm with a large swathe of the precip being snow and gusts being such as ..

Significant waves being drawn into the East Coast too

 

Check the windchill values some parts with at least 3 consecutive days of sub zero windchill and as the storm moves north some places nearing minus double digits 

Normally one of the key parameters I watch for snowfall is the 528 dam but interesting in this storm it actually isn't present during most of the snow.

The actual isotherm tells a story fitting what I've discussed as the snow height gradually increases.

With snowstorms even tweaks in parameters which may seem small often have large affects, I say pretty much all of us are probable to see snow falling just a question how much can lay given the ground temperatures and winds though again all of us cannot discount a dusting at the least. 

Heading through the remainder of Feb week 2 and into week 3 it's looking lovely with the building of high pressure likely some good sunshine on offer as covered in my post yesterday the wet conditions become focused into Italy and the Ionian, Adriatic and Mediterranean regions as our current storms energy transfers into a cut off low.

Though this is not the main period of interest with regard to further wintry conditions its not without interest, though the 850hpa temperatures are probable of being above average 

The flow will be switching toward more of an easterly which could give below average surface temps during this timeframe

With continuing retrograding into week 3 of February the blocking heads northwest to Greenland and the Atlantic and Scandinavian trough become our focus.

Moisture plume w Jet Interaction from the Caribbean has begun

 

[Halfamilefromnowhere]

Brilliant post as ever Kirkcaldy Weather, currently -3.3C with 6.5cm of snow after very heavy snow showerb this afternoon. Icy wind setting in this evening too.

[Klippie]

I've been watching this "up coming event" since last weekend, I have my doubts its going to snow, for around here almost all the models are showing at best a wintry mix or cold rain...so its all up for grabs.

Amazing how its flipped back and forth this week...most frustrating.

That stubborn high pressure continues to be a bloody pain...we would kill for that during summer but once again here it is ruining the UK winter.

We are rapidly running out of time once again for a decent winter.

[Hairy Celt]

We went for a short potter around Cromarty this afternoon so I took a few photos, some are slightly weather-related...

  There were a few large trees that had obviously been broken in last week's wind. This beech had been snapped off and then taken its neighbour (not in photo) with it. It didn't look diseased, it just happened to be in the wrong place. There was an ash nearby, similarly snapped well above the ground, and a few big conifers that had gone over with root plates now vertical. I've not heard of any extensive damage to forestry, it's all single trees (or 2 or 3 together) that were broken...

  A view over to Nigg with snow clouds beyond. We could see snow showers to the north and north-west all afternoon but no more reached the Black Isle.

  Snowdrops... catching the late afternoon sun. Swathes of them above the town.

  One of the Cromarty sweet chestnuts that are reputed to be around 300 years old. Crazy gnarly old beasts - fortunately none were broken last week, but they're not getting any younger. 

-4C out now and plenty of this morning's snow shower is still here, just burnt off in sunny parts.

We used to have a big black cat who liked nothing better than to go out and kick and chase snow around. RIP.

Edited February 7 by Hairy Celt

[Hawesy]

Great post @Hairy Celt

First air frost since January 18th this morning, low was -2.5c. -6c up the road at more sheltered Leuchars.

Confident we won’t see any accumulating snow here, not with a strong onshore easterly. The latest Met Office forecast backs this up with the usual ‘away from the immediate coast’ caveat.  Normal service maintained 

[Gadje]

The front is coming in a bit faster than anticipated it seems. -5,5C here this morning showing dewpoint of -6.4C. You'd have to think some heavy snow is on its way. When have I thought that before.  Its a pity the low hangs around bringing in milder air so dont think snow is going to be around long what ever. Still fingers crossed.

Edited February 8 by Gadje

[101_North]

Cold one this morning at -5c  

Might see a snow shower later before the rain spreads in. Tomorrow looks really unpleasant

 

Edited February 8 by 101_North

[Ross B]

A frosty one here too. Meto text forecast mentions drifting snow on the hills tonight and that's for the Strathclyde forecast 

[Ravelin]

Currently -5.7C with an overnight low just slightly colder than that. Sun trying to make an appearance. 

Most forecasts, MetO, XC, Yr.No, showing a cold and snowy day here tomorrow. Pity it's then highly likely to turn to a slushy mess on Saturday. 

[Kayemill]

My weather station has packed in for good it seems now. However the sensor inside the summer house shows -2.9.

I got a new one for Christmas so will hopefully get it up at the weekend.

[Ross B]

Bit further north with the front as mentioned. Meto have brought the weather warning for the south forward to 12pm to cover the snow moving into the far south from early afternoon.. 

Edited February 8 by Ross B

[Hawesy]

 Ross B the warning does stress that accumulations will mainly be across higher ground (>300m). I'm struggling to see anything more than temporary slushy deposits for most at low levels through the central belt. Happy to be corrected by someone more knowledgeable of course!

Temperature up to 2c here now after the chilly start.

 

[Northernlights]

-5c start to the day snow showers to the north east over  North Sea and frontal cloud approaching from SW. Will try to post some ph0tos from yesterday later.

As far as skiing is concerned Spring is King on Scottish Mountains which means if they get a big storm at the end of February they could have good skiing till the beginning of May.