Frost HoIIow

Never mind snow it's been like pulling teeth to get decent frosts this "Winter". Tonight another example with light showers & cloud still coming in off the Irish sea preventing the temperature dropping.

I know some of us have differential views on it & that is fine "agree to disagree" but to me a definition of a *strong* sun is when I can start to burn & for me that starts about the very end of March until about early to middle September at the latest. After that the sun to me has a lot less power to it here in Oldham. But if I lived in Southern France or Spain I could get burnt for much longer, probably into late October/start of November at the very southern point of Spain or Gibraltar, it loses it's strength even down there after that but not for very long it soon gains strength by late Jan/early Feb when you can start to burn if the sun is out. Of course all the above factors are dependent on skin tone. I'm not very pale like someone with red hair so I do tan, some people burn more easily than others.

They are both connected. Higher sun is stronger sun. But even now it's not high in the sky, nothing like in a couple of months from now. Where I am the sun today was the same strength as the start of November. I wouldn't call the sun *strong* at that time of year.

Feb sun isn't *strong* in this country. The UK is a long way north - this isn't Florida or Texas. The sun doesn't gain a lot of strength until late March give or take a week depending on where north/south you are in the UK. I worked in America & we had a snowfall in April yet it lasted 4 days on the ground in full sunshine, the dew point was below -10C in a very cold flow from Canada, it only very slowly melted over the course of those 4 days. That place was as far south as Spain. So the reason snow melts relatively quick in this country is because we rarely get a proper deep easterly flow and it's associated very low dew points, nearly all of our snow events in this country are marginal affairs from polar maritime and hence rarely very cold before or after. Snow won't stay for long at any time of year in marginal situations whether that be December or February. Apart from extreme events like Dec 2010 when snow lasted a while on the ground but that wasn't because of the weak sun - it was mostly because of the very cold air over us.

I enjoy reading your posts Ian. You certainly know your stuff.

Hopefully. March 2013 was a rare event & I think anything close to that would be a monumental success after this awful "Winter"

No doubt closer to that time the low will get shifted 150-200 miles further north so only Scotland gets the goods.

Temp & dew are both slowly dropping @ 3C and 0C respectively. Makes me wonder if there could be anything even more wintry later. I do think high ground could at least get a covering of snow first thing in morning. Could be one of those situations where only 30-50 metres difference in height makes all the difference.

Just had pea sized hail here, covered everything!

Yes it's been a thoroughly miserable Winter mate. With little to cheer about from a coldie perspective apart from 1 snowfall in this location. I am a hardened "coldie" in Winter but if we cannot get anything in the next 2-3 weeks then I am going to look forward to the stronger sunshine of late March when it can start to feel very pleasant on a bright day.

Winds haven't been all that bad here today. Typical Winter stuff that we get every year - 40-50mph gusts. Of course for western Scotland it's been pretty intense with 90mph gusts!

Aye, a far cry from early and late 2010 when charts seemingly got upgraded closer to the time!

Might get your head chopped off by a slate!

Feeling tropical out there now, temps in double figures. Some nights in Summer weren't this mild. Is it really the end of January?

I agree just a bit of snow a couple of weeks back doesn't cut the mustard for how short our days are and long nights as far north as the UK, even those are noticeably drawing out now with the evenings a bit lighter. It's as though someone is flicking a switch or something to prevent us getting anything seasonal in Winter or Summer! It's perpetual Autumn all year round these days especially here in the North-West. Since 2006 2013 was pretty much the only year that had both a decent Winter and Summer. Here's some great snow from days gone by around Saddleworth and West Yorks. First pic was Jan 1947 in Diggle. My dad used to talk a lot about 1947 & how bad it was, he grew up in Denshaw.

Not much happening here, earlier snow quickly melted, just bits left on the car. No doubt a foot of snow on April fools day.

Snow showers have left a light covering on all surfaces.

Had some snow earlier, all it did was wet the ground. Don't think I will get a covering this time around it's just not cold enough dew point is fine for snow but air temp is around 3C.....3C lower and it would be much better for settling snow.

Time slowly running out now with Feb clutching at straws & March 2013 was coldest for many years so not much chance of a repeat. Half a day of slush is pathetic for how far north the country is.

Unfortunately I think our Winters have gone back into a milder cycle with just a bit of snow each Winter like we got from the late 90's. After a lot of hope from 2009-2013. But that looks like it has ended. Possibly starting in late 2013, let's face it since then away from highland Scotland it's been mostly rubbish for proper sustained cold and lots of snow.

Crazy to think just over a week ago there was snow on the ground here, feels so mild out there tonight!

It would be great if we got the best of the cold and snow from late November to mid Jan, it would be just perfect with the sun being at it's weakest. Rarely happens like that though! you can bet we will get snow at easter but by then it will only last about an hour on the floor when mr sunshine zaps it!

Generally speaking I still like to see snow in March - I wouldn't class March as a proper Spring month, just as I don't class September as proper Autumn as it can still be really quite warm. Apart from snowdrops and the odd daffodil nature still looks in Winter mode in March. With bare trees and the like, March temps are similar to November's so hardly shorts & t shirt weather most of the time, however the sun does gain some noticeable strength the further into March one goes but when it's a dull day it can feel decidedly chilly. Nature doesn't get a move on until some time in April when all of a sudden the leaves on most trees begin to open & temps begin to get close to or breach 20C, but even in April 2013 hard frosts still hung on & leaf opening was delayed a bit. I also like proper warmth and May can bring that, the last week or two of May 2012 was absolutely perfect with a continental easterly (warm winds by then) and sunny skies, low humidity and temps into the mid-upper 20's. In fact it was probably by far the best weather of the year and what followed was a dreadful Summer! April & May can sometimes bring the best weather of the year for warm lovers given the Atlantic is still usually quiet.

Do you remember this snow fall? looked very decent. Certainly no snow deflector in your location on that day lol I think this was Blackpool on the same day?

I have a feeling later this month/early Feb will deliver again but this time the main course, and for people in our region who haven't seen snow cover yet too. Tentative signs at the moment with the models