Hailsowen

Just one phrase: It is very very very heavy. I could class it even higher than "Very Heavy Snow" here right now. Perhaps close to extremely heavy. If this carried on for a hour it would be feet of snow. A tyre track made no less than a minute ago has simply vanished.

Say, all this is arriving quite alot earlier than forecast. So much for the reliability short-term forecasting then... Also, I'd think that there's more chance of the classic large flakes this time around as there's heavier precip with lower temps. The winning mix, of course. EDIT: It's a blizzard out there, Jeff! I usually find the "night watch" horrible, especially on a weekend, but this has made it all different. Watching the Winter Olympics and this just outside is fantastic. EDIT 2: Just Head&Shoulders out there now. But that heavy spell shot here gave an inch in an hour and shot here straight up to S.F.7. Also, Stourbridge Road is absolutely covered. Doesn't happen often, but when it does it shows how heavy this is.

Snowing in Halesowen. Temporature's shot up to -2C, but it's still making that magic instant settle effect. S.F.1

I still think it looks an hour ahead of it's time. Perhaps that's a good thing, as temps will be low enough for it to start with.

Hmm. Looks like a little bit more of snow perhaps... Current Temp: -6C It always seems colder here in the "Middle Of Nowhere Stourbridge and Halesowen"... Also, I think that any precip. will reach us about an hour before the BBC says.

The low may be taking more of a bend than some people may have thought before... But there won't be much difference where it ends. But as the night goes on it'll all wear itself out.

Still falling quite well here. S.F.7

Snow Factor 6. Stourbridge road will be impossible to cover because of the rush hour traffic. There's enough snow on the side of it to say that with normal traffic it'd be wholely covered. Not here. It's just like the wonderful January snow earlier this year.

Whilst I'm at it, I may as well explain the lot! SF1 - All precipitation is snow. Perhaps old cars begining to be tinted white. SF2 - Grass and old cars begin to gather snow. Other old metals and soils accumulate as well. SF3 - All cars, gardens and other materials begin to look white. Roofs begining to gather snow. SF4 - Everything except roads and pavements are mostly covered. Perhaps pavement begin to tinge with white. SF5 - Pavements, and side roads gather snow. Perhaps main/busy roads begin to look white. SF6 - White-out (1-2") SF7 - 2-5" SF8 - 5-10" SF9 - 10-30" SF10 - 1 Foot and above. Also, I've reached SF5 now.

Halesowen now in "Snow Factor 3" - Everything (except roads) are at least half-covered by white. Perhaps white tinges on edges of roads.

The only thing left not tinted white now is the road...! Anyway, time for another chart.

We are now in "Snow Factor 2" in Halesowen. That means that all older cars are covered, newer cars are starting to look slushy, gardens are tinted white and roofs are begining to attract snow.

Now that's what I call "Heavy Snow"! Already settled on the car opposite (always the first one) but now settling onn other cars and gardens alike.

Still moderate snow here. It's simply not heavy enough to settle. Although everything is getting colder and the roofs of cars are starting to look slushy.

Right ho, I'm off to Smethwick. I'll report back! :lol:

A bit sleetish here too now. In all fairness my magic Meteophone (?) says it'll sleet from now untill 3pm, and then it'll be snow all the way.

Oh! Hold the phone... the iPhone weather app from that german company has just upgraded the amount of snow i'll get... Considering that they are usually VERY accurate, it says that this'll go on untill 1 or 2 am Friday!

Right. I deem this now as "Moderate Snow". Coming down quite nicely, too.

Just about to say the same. In fact, I'm ready to say it's offically "Light Snow"

Snowing here now. Rather light, but it's certainly snow.

Dew Point plummeted down to -1.1C. Even though radar says there was something in the air 15 minutes ago, it's not the case yet.

Not even a drop/flake here yet. Snow? What's the worst this snow can do!? (Doing that so the 'weather gods' will get angry and give me more!)

There's still chance. The snow depth at the end of the day is currently anyone's guess, but there's more potential than there was today.

Map - Google Maps Colours/Key - Met Office 'Invent' Actual thing - Me.

That map mearly shows the total amount of rainfall, not any risk or probability of snow.