Steve C

Yes, the radar looks a bit like there's a back edge to this stuff. Hopefully it'll brighten here soon too. Could be a treacherous journey home mind you.

Thanks for update. I still think some of us will see some decent snow before this cold spell is properly done. Just my own thoughts though.

Agreed. Some precipitation, according to radar pictures, moved into Harwich from the North sea and almost immediately died out. Suggests convection from the warmer North Sea to me. Also the radar indicated the precipitation was heavier over open water ( although nothing to get really excited about )

Yes, I see what you mean.

Light snow / graupel here in Hatfield Peverel ( near Chelmsford ) A few white patches on roofs etc.

Yes.

Even though this forecast was done yesterday, it concurs with my thoughts. I'd always felt the current less cold weather would have broken the freezing spell by now( however last Saturday eve, was a bit earlier than I thought ) I think it may become still milder, or at least a little less cold later this week. There might be some snow in the short term, before the less cold weather breaks through, although I personally think it won't be a big deal in this area. I then think the cold weather will re-establish next week - whether it's cold and dry, or a snowfall situation remains to be seen. The synoptic charts just don't look ready for a proper Atlantic breakthrough yet. Still, who knows?

Miserable light sleety rain at the moment

Good luck guys and I hope I'm wrong, but it appears to me to be just a bit too warm at the moment, for a major snow event tonight.

I agree with you TEITS re Scandinavian High etc. The funny thing about the sequence of winters above is that I can't really remember any particular event of 95/96. I know it's a winter that's referred to, in terms of winters since being 'the coldest since 95/96' As a child, I remember 78/79, particularly the Boxing Day to New Year period ( had frozen water tank when family went away over Xmas ) and then big snowfalls in Feb and March I remember the cold spell from early Dec 81 till mid Jan 82, with the mild interlude over Xmas. I remember Feb 86, Jan 87 and Feb 91. What memorably happened in 95/96? I reckon that being coastal, we probably missed major snow here.

Last time I looked outside, it was light sleety rain here, although the temperature appears to have dropped recently. Not worth reporting from here. I'll update in the next couple of hours if things change.

Slightly off topic, but Altnaharra was -20C at 7 this evening!

Agreed. Should be on my way to Mauritius then. Seriously, the best thing about this cold spell is seeing youngsters enjoy the snow as much as I did when a kid.

Thanks. Agreed!

Sorry to sound a bit thick, but what does F1 mean? I can work out most of the abbreviations, but can only think of Grand Prix when I see this.

I'm never, ever going to have a ( serious ) go at learned people who give a forecast, based on their knowledge, chart analysis ( and time spent interpreting the same ) and even more up to date observations, if they get it wrong - I totally appreciate the work they do on an inexact science. My problem with the Met Office is that they are reactive ( in my opinion ) as shown by the hopeless warnings for my region last week, when snow depth alerts were issued well after they had actually happened. They've also suffered from too much political interference recently, which isn't the fault of the scientists employed. Definitely. I think the proper cold weather is not done with us yet.

I think the cold will re-establish. I've a feeling that this winter will become a 'remembered' one. Having said that, who knows?

Lol

I'm not really moaning about the recent forecasts; like I said yesterday absolutely nobody can produce a 100% accurate forecast, even in the short term, all of the time. I was just a bit irritated by the difference in the long range forecast by two reputable forecasting bodies this morning, at the same time, with no caveats.

That was a miserable Country Tracks forecast. Mostly cloudy, windy and cold, with temperatures suggesting a slow thaw through the week. What I find a bit irritating is the lack of concensus in long range forecasting. Weatheronline are saying it's going to become average, or even mild at the end of this week and into the weekend, with no mention that confidence is low etc., whereas the BBC synoptic chart for Friday certainly didn't indicate the inevitability of mild weather pushing through.

Yes, I went same time last year and we had the outer bands of Cyclone Gael. In truth the worst we experienced was weak tropical storm force winds. Swells totally compromised the reef though and broke on the shore - I remember thinking you wouldn't have those photo's in a glossy brochure! I kind of like going then, as it fits in with my mate's love of deep sea fishing - peak time for marlin - and my desire to see tropical systems. Although I'd love to experience a proper hurricane, except maybe going through the eyewall of a cat 5, I do think in many ways it's a selfish desire, as it brings a whole lot of strife to the locals, a lot of whom have very little.

Light snow here. Slightly surprised, as would have expected sleet. Even though I'm a mile from the coast, there is a large fetch of land in a NE'ly - maybe that's helped? Looking forward to Country Tracks too. My hunch is that this cold spell is starting to run out of steam. There might be a brief interlude of atlantic weather, which will affect this region, but the cold will come back later - maybe next weekend?

I'm a few miles south of Suffolk and agree, but don't care as long as people don't have an issue with me posting here.

Words of wisdom. Night all!

Good news.