Joe Snow

Yeah a 6/10 spell here it's a shame it couldn't have had more depth and severity but a reasonable cold spell, the NW probably seeing the best of the winter conditions out of all areas away from NI & Scotland - funnily enough last Winter 2022/23 saw some similar amounts of mid January snow locally too, had a 2-3cm fall here in Cheshire around the 18th Jan 23, following a very cold start to December not too dissimilar give or take a few days to this winter 2023/24 but this mid Jan 2024 cold snap certainly beating Jan 23 for overnight cold lows seeing -8c early Thursday morning, not quite the -9c/-10c seen in Dec 2022 though. A few very mild 12-14c days this coming week, a gradual cooling of temps to average, occasionally just below or slightly above average as well as a settling down of the weather late month into early February but I can't see much real wintry interest till around mid Feb 10th Feb onwards tbh now though.

Dusting of snow on the ground from yesterday evening’s Cheshire Gap showers got down to -3c overnight positively tropical compared to -8c overnight into Thursday Today & tomorrow in particular will be transition days before the likely named Storm Isha on Sunday. Amber warnings likely for some.

Have had locally 5 days of falling snow up to the 18th Jan so far this Winter 2023/ 24 yeah no more than 5cm but decent for NW England winter standards & considering how wet & mild this winter has been so far. Notable low temps too -5c in early Dec & -8c this morning Let’s see what February brings... something stirring from the East?? In the short term all eyes on the now likely named Storm Isha hitting Sun Night into Monday likely to be disruptive & with impacts

Cheshire Gap Light snow shower passing through giving a slight dusting currently.

Hopefully will clip me as it edges SE

Hopefully like Tues they’ll reach as Far South East as me here in Sandbach as it would be great to get another dusting - covering would be the icing on the cake to end this cold spell. Feeling v cold today a high of 2c after a low of -8c. Weekend is looking wet & windy, stormy even with Feb perhaps holding more wintry interest for us

Just seen a last minute drop in temps -8c not quite beating Dec 22 but close maybe a chance of a few flurries later this evening before mild, wet & windy returns for the weekend - Sunday into Monday still looking nasty with 60-70mph winds.

-7c with a severe frost brrr

Yeah Woodford has its own microclimate it’s a shame there isn’t a official weather station there any more - NE Cheshire Poynton, Macclesfield, Woodford, Bramhall heading up into the Peak District - higher Poynton, Lyme Park, Marple that kind of area all do pretty well for Winter snow by NW England standards. There was 9cm on the ground here in South Cheshire when Woodford 20 miles away hit -16c in Jan 2010 when they had close to a ft of snow on the ground after the 5th Jan 2010 event. Rostherne, Knutsford & Reaseheath Hall, Nantwich stations are both pretty similar stations in terms of local climate - Reaseheath perhaps a bit more sheltered by the Welsh Hills and at a lower altitude slightly warmer in summer, lower recorded snow depths etc... Would have been better to have a station near Macclesfield for example & Reaseheath as Cheshire stations.

Yeah Jan 2010 was the big freeze that saw BAE Woodford get as low as -16/-17c it’s a bit of a frost hollow there I think on relatively low ground at the edge of the nearby Peak District. You can get a great view of the Peaks on a clear day from the new Woodford Garden Village they have built there bet they had a gorgeous view in the Winter sunshine this afternoon. We are at -5c here now Whilst all eyes are on the cold & snow this week a likely named storm is creeping up on us for Sunday - looks particularly nasty for Cumbria/ North Lancs with 70-80mph locally 90mph+ on the latest UKV. Widely 50-65mph further south with heavy potentially squally outbreaks of rain pushing through.

Looking good - BBC NW Tonight not mentioning it though - I’m guessing it’ll be a local 1-3cm covering affair if it materialises? From snow watch to temperature watch -3c here forecast low of -7c by early morning Coldest nights recently I’ve seen locally here in SE Cheshire has been: -9c (Dec 22, no snow cover) -12c (Big Freeze Dec 10, deep snow cover) -14c (Big Freeze Jan 2010, deep snow cover)

-1c and clear here already you can tell tonight is going to be bitter & a likely rival potentially to the -8/ -9c lows we saw in Dec 2022‘s cold spell Will be great if we can see another covering from snow showers tomorrow night before stormy wet & windy weather is signalled to return in the second part of the weekend. Lots to keep us on our toes

Seeing that you can see why those in the S/ SE are miffed. It’s been a 6/10 cold spell here in the NW so far most notable perhaps apart from yesterday’s snowfall for low overnight temps if tonight is as cold as forecast. MO still going for -5/ -6c/ -7c for many inland.

Seeing ice as a real potential hazard early tomorrow - especially where there is still partially thawed snow cover and if the showery sleet/icy rain (wet snow maybe to higher levels) falls here enough to freeze over as winds turn N past midnight. I remember an event in the late 2000's 2007/08 maybe or 2008/09 where we had true icy rain (a watered down version of what you see in the US/ Canada) and you literally couldn't walk on the pavement in places the black ice was that bad it was a nice excuse to turn up an hour or so late to school though

Would it be Thurs daytime or evening/ overnight into Friday for any potential further snow shower development?

Full snow melt pretty much here after early afternoon just nudged 4c around then too but you could see the snow cover still holding on over local elevated points Mow Cop & The Cloud on the Cheshire/ N Staffs border to the east/ NE. It’s a shame most of our snow events snow cover wise seem to be one/ half day wonders but can’t complain had 5cm back in early Dec & 3cm last night not bad for the Cheshire Plain half way through winter. Might be an ice day or just a 1c day for some, including here tomorrow. Bitterly cold tomorrow night too MO have me down to -7c

The system pushing down from NI will probably be a wintry mix of rain, sleet & wet snow. Could be overthinking it but ice is going to be a big hazard later on tonight & into early tomorrow morning as any snow melt refreezes

2cm now here in S Cheshire - lightly snowing we are on the edge of the heavier snow to our N & NW. N Cheshire, Merseyside & Gtr MCR should do well from this batch.

Where is the heavy snow moving out of NI heading - is that the more ‘general periods of snow’ the latest MO update is referring to?

Proper covering now - light - moderate snow

Fantastic stuff Hopefully a few more hrs yet of snow the stuff moving out of NI looks interesting but not sure it’s got our name on it?

West is best currently for the heavier snowfall Cheshire West, Wirral & Merseyside - just on the edge here light - moderate bursts but a covering now & also in Crewe by the looks of the rail cam.

Light snow only a dusting so far - SE Cheshire snow shield broken

1-3cm potentially for S Cheshire a proper covering would be great. Ice as mentioned could well be a major hazard Tues night into Wed.

Colder than forecast already here at -3c snow now showing on the apps from around 4am. We are seeing last minute upgrades on the 18z hi res models for potentially a more substantial Cheshire Gap event with the snow showers overnight maybe reaching as far as the N Midlands , radar is looking interesting & there are snow reports right on the N Wales Coast Let’s see what we wake up to...