BlueHedgehog074

Snow, I think can be very marginal, although this sometimes depends on the conditions, like the wind direction, precipitation intensity and how much cold air is being injected over the area. Sometimes, it could be snowing over a hill and mountain, but raining overlower ground with conditions being generally warmer the lower you go. It is amazing to think that even a little bit of height can make the difference between rain and sleet, or rain and snow. In most cases, the precipitation tends to be heavier over hilly areas which, during cold periods, can help with the lowered air temperatures, and as such, the snow cover is often deeper. For some situations, the snow may miss the hilly areas and fall over low ground instead. The area you live in can have an effect, too. And it's possible that in one area of a city or town it could be snowing and in another area it could be just sleet/rain, although the height and the lack of industrial buildings will have an effect on this. It is also possible for one part of a city to be under a ridge of colder with other parts just missing out. Generally speaking, the more rural your area, the more the the precipitation will be of snow. The surfaces and structures, in the towns and cities, can easily be heated up by the solar energy, making the temperatures rise more than in rural areas. Any heat stored in the buildings at night time gradually rises into the air and this also helps to make the temperatures generally warmer in cities, meaning a lowered snow risk. Around coastal areas, the difference between rain and snow can be huge. It has been know that areas just one mile inland have had a covering of snow, whereas locations right next to the sea have been empty of snow cover. During Winter, the warm breezes help to keep temperatures around the coasts higher than areas further inland. The effect of the sea breezes decrease rapidly the further away from the sea you are and can explain why places just a little inland are more likely to see to see the snow. Having said that, places near the sea have a better chance at receiving coastal wintry showers, which do not always make it that far into the inland areas and tend to loose alot of energy the further overland they travel. Nevertheless, during times of very high convection, the wintry showers may make it far inland and this is helped along by the strong winds and the warm sun. Some areas will clearly stay dry, with wintry showers bringing small concentrations of snow to places. In general, the futher North you go, the colder it gets and and the chances of wintry precipitation become higher, (particularly over the Scottish Mountains), although this is not always the case. With atlantic Lows approaching the Southern areas and with the wind direction coming from a cold Northerly/North-Easterly source, the rain bands can often end up stalling to the South with enough cold air brought in to drag snow down to low levels. In these periods, a Northern and Southern split with the weather can happen; one time it could be snowy in the North and dry to the South and vice versa. I think when the snow is not quite as marginal is when some extremely deep cold air gets blown down from the North and floods the whole of the United Kingdom, thanks to a consistant wind direction. The large spread of the very cold air with low dam numbers and low Dewpoints mean anywhere could see snow with widespread snowfalls possible. When it reaches the night-time the marginality of the snow becomes reduced, in my opinion, with the temperatures becoming better supported for more locations during this time. So, on the whole, I would say snow can be a hit and miss event.

I suppose I would class that as sleet or icy rain. Edit: CatchMyDrift beat me to it.

Sleet usually refers to a mixture of snowflakes and raindrops (although in the US, sleet refers to snow grapuals/ice pellets). I can see why it would be confusing, though. Edit: Reply from frostyjoe's post.

@snowmess: True. There's still time for more snow shields to break.

Those are some very cool pictures with the whole area caked in a blanket of snow. And now, I'm going to teleport myself to Scotland and take away all your snow from your garden. And never to be seen ever again! Edit: Or maybe, I'll just stay home instead (darn that teleportion machine; it's broken).

Seems like a pretty fair obversation, particularly the way you talk about the arrival of colder air and upper temperatures. Indeed, the North-West positioning of the Low will be helping to cause delays to some very cold air reaching areas. I have to say I wouldn't be surprised if people, especially in Northern and Western areas, to want to see a break to the unsettled cold, wet weather.

Good heavens. With all those reds, pinks and oranges, Scotland, Nothern Ireland and portions of Northern England would be in for a huge dumping of rain, sleet and snow (if that were to come off).

Periods of rain with breaks in between. The temperature has dropped to around 10*C from the 11.9*C earlier. Winds have begun to swing into a South-South-Easterly direction with the pressure continuing to fall. A similar pattern looks likely to continue through the rest of the day into to Wednesday, with a small risk of snow.

Yeah, I agree. It would be a shame not to get anything from this cool/cold period. Probably not the most inviting wind direction, although should hopefully still bring in enough cold air to give us a chance of some sleet/snow. Maybe a chance for some wintry weather on Thursday, as well, if we're lucky. What ever happens the snow shield could have a hard time staying intact, because should those two days fail to break the snow shield, then Easter Sunday could be our last chance with another possible occurance of some Northerly winds and some good dam numbers. So fear not! We'll make sure our snow barriers get a beating. Sure looks like some of you in Scotland have had thier snow shields wounded and cracked with some sleet and snow, with more breakages tonight.

Partly cloudy with flat stratus-like cloud creating a patterned look in the sky. Temperatures currently hovering just above 5*C with a very light South-West wind. Pressure: 1008 hpa and falling.

Beginning to think that Wednesday, with some generally decent 850 hpa high-up temperatures would be a better day for the Midlands to see snow/wintry weather, though there is still a chance I feel for some ares to see snow at high and low levels around Tuesday night time. Clearly, some Western/North Western and hilly areas could receive some wintry weather earlier than that with slighly more favourable dom's and high-up temperatures. Perhaps not the most inviting Dewpoints for the start, though are looking better for around 72 hours onwards on the GFS. The Met Office outlook/forcasts seem promising, also, for some rain, sleet, and snow for part of next week, (hopefully some good snowy/wintry showers for Wednesday with the cold 850 hpa high-up temperatures + slight storm risk). Even though there appears to have been some lowered snow potential, and with the fact that Wednesday's higher snow risk could become lowered, I think there is still certainly enough time for modifications and ajustments with possible Low shifting and that. The overall forcasts/maps are looking tolerable and at least North and Western areas, as well as the South and Eastern areas later on, have chances of wintry events to look forward to. Idealy, it would be great to see a one-day widespread snowfall event before the cold weather gives up the ghost for Summer (who knows, the next few updates could bring back the potential). In fact, may avoid looking at the forcasts/maps/charts during today; the excitment is really starting to get too high with the snow constantly on my mind...

@10123: Wow, you've really got it good. It does seem like there is going to be quite a battle with the cold, snow, cool and wet weather next week. Shame about the lower snow risk for Tuesday with the newest update, and I suppose with the Low Pressure being in a less favourable area sort of delays some very cold winds reaching Southern and/or Eastern parts. I still feel reasonably confident, however, about getting something wintry, but perhaps just not from the Low on Tuesday; well, maybe towards the evening or overnight. I wonder what the next update will show? @yamkin: That's encouraging.

Welcome to the forum and site, dude. Seems like an impressive gust you've had their. Temperatures now dropped to around 8*C with Westerly winds.

Mostly clear at the moment with small pieces of cloud around. Dusky looking skies, also, with some gentle winds. It has been dry with little in the way of rain.

Probably a touch extreme considering on Tuesday, in particular, there looks to be some very reasonable 850 hpa high-up temperatures with Dewpoint temperatures generally around 1*C or below (except for some South-Eastern areas, where Dewpoint temperatures look to be higher at first). The Dam's are also looking mostly good with lower Dam's getting pushed down to Southern areas from the North. With temperatures indeed looking close to freezing, with Southern areas getting a the same treatment throughout Tuesday, those temperatures do look a little worryingly cold when comparing them to some other forcasts. Interestingly, the BBC have my place down for 11*C on Tuesday, which is a fair deal warmer. Come to think of it, that 11*C perhaps is just representative for just the very beggining part of Tuesday and expect the temperatures to quickly drop as it approaches mid-morning, onwards. I feel that, especially up North, there would be not much of a problem for places receiving snow with temperatures above freezing. There have been a few times this Winter, in fact, where I've had wet/dry snow falling with temperatures a degree or two above freezing. I think the heavier bursts of precipitation had helped, too, and seems like one of the other factors to help for next Tuesday's event. Mind you, heavier bursts of precipitation during colder periods does seem to lower temperatures. While I would say freezing point temperatures can be rare in April (though definitly not impossible), I think the fact that it can still snow during that month means some possible freezing point temperatures occuring at times. Obviously, though, this would depend on other conditions such as the high-up temperatures and Dam's numbers and whether the winds were coming from a suitable direction to drag in some very chilly air from the North To conclude, I agree with the above post(s) that there is some good snow potential for the next few days during next week. I remember once reading one of the member's statuses saying how Tuesday's Low needs to have an Easterly postioning to it to allow those cold Notherly winds to penetrate far South (think it was something like that, anway). And that circular Low Pressure, according to the GFS Sea Pressure Map, does seem to be sort of doing that, so should help to open up the door to some cold winds. @ajpoolshark: Same here. This is my third post I've done in here now, having spent a while looking at the GFS Maps. But yeah, I definitly agree with you about the outcome and the low Dewpoint's; would make for some very exciting days ahead. Although this is looking great, I would probably say that I'm starting to get a little too excited for an event which is some days away, but I have a feeling that some sort of snowy mix will still arise from this. Sorry for waffling on a bit, too - I think I spent too much time looking at the Maps/Forcasts (lol).

Howdy, Makes me think that the weather can really be very devious at times; one minute it's creeping up on us with hammering rain, and the next a some unlucky person(s) gets blamed for making it happen. It's bad I tell you. Very Bad... I hope the weather can cook up a really big storm this year (even though I do get a little nervous of the lightning, lol). Edit: Some logos I've designed underneath for the No Storms Club. Personally, I think the third one is the best, but what do you think? (click to enlarge).

I would probably kind of count myself as being a member of the No Storms Club with no servere storms experienced yet, although their was some windy weather with some super heavy downpours yesterday in the Birmingham area. Then again, with the absence of hail, thunder, lightning, and severe winds with more of the stormy weather being in the far South, does this mean I still be a member of the club? Or perhaps just have a bronze membership (I was also thinking of designing a No Storms Club Logo).

I know what you mean. Since the heavy shower ealier, been running into all the gaps on the radar with some showers just missing here a few miles to the North and South. I suppose still, I have had one heavy shower (with the odd very light one, too), which is something. (Probably wouldn't be impossible still for some of the showers and biggest areas of precipitation to the South-West to deliver something).

It's amazing how close these snow events can be, sometimes and how areas of cold and slightly warmer air can make a difference. I guess Glasgow must have been under an area of slightly milder air at that time. I think it was April 2008, too, was when I last saw snow during Easter with a front whcih gave me about 1 to 2 inchews of snow on the ground. Most of it had melted with a few patches left during the next day. With a small risk of snow for Easter Sunday, I think I will probably just stick with seeing rain, or possibly sleet for now, even though I am feeling really hopeful.

Looks like I had a direct hit with that shower. Surprisingly, though, it didn't look that dark as it passed over here (except possibly at the start), although there was a bit of a downpour with some gusty winds. It almost looked like hail was going to fall along with the large rain at one point. Seems to have grown into a more of a king-sized shower since I last looked at the radar about 40 minutes ago.

On the whole, a mostly cloudy night so far, with temperatures dropping to a cool 7.4*C. The 995 hpa pressure is beginning to rise after the storm which had hit Southern areas earlier on yesterday. At the moment, the winds are coming from a Southerly direction with some sunshine and showers expected later on today. Good visibility evident and the wind speed is roughly around 10 - 15 mph.

Agreed. The rain had really hammered down (I was out travelling in it at the time), and splattered like mad on the front car window. There didn't appear to be any lightning, though. Speaking of flooding, huge puddles had quickly formed on some of the quiter roads and there was also some big puddles in some of the nearby fields. It's incredible to see what a 10/15 minute downpour can achieve. With the risk of some heavy showers tommorrow, it looks like the clouds don't want to give up just yet.

Greetings, I was wondering whether anyone in the Midlands reported any hail or lightning? because it was absolutely throwing it down with rain on my way to my music lesson about two and a half hours ago. I do kind of feel sorry for the people who have been caught out in this, but I would admit that I did find the heavy torrential downpours quite amazing to watch and I wasn't quite expecting the big shower from the South to keep most of its intensity, as it reached here. There were some very interesting dangling looking nimbostratus-like cloud from the earlier downpour, too, which is a bit odd because I did not think nimbostratus clouds produced thunder, or sudden squally downpours like this. Edit: Although I suppose there were a mixture of cloud layers from this?

Spells of heavy rain at the moment with a temperature of around 12*C. Wind direction from the South-East. Looks like some very intense showers rading some areas to the South.

Man, there is lots of extremely intense precipitation being injected into that almost banana-shaped shower around the far South of England.