Gord

Back to today, looks like things are developing across the South Midlands already. Great news for here but I reckon we end up as a breeding ground for some decent storms for the North West later on as well. More or less similar areas to yesterday, just firing around here and points south instead of the Home Counties and London as it was yesterday. That's my take on it anyway. Interesting afternoon ahead...no doubt about that.

The developments near Oxford/High Wycombe have got my interest. If they keep going, could be heading right this way!

That anvil from the Daventry/Rugby storm is now appearing over the rooftops. (I live on a hill). Looking good.

I think the sferics near Burton/Derby might be real.

You'd think the ones in the northwest would be spitting out lightning by now. Skies have actually cleared overhead here over the past hour. Although really good development way out to my east/southeast.

It's two steps forward, one step back. As the Milton Keynes one gets going, the Lichfield one starts to die. Really is anyone's game from the South East to the West Mids and up to Lancashire this evening.

Have a look at the latest radar image and look across from Lancashire to West Yorkshire.

The ones over Milton Keynes and Lichfield are brimming with potential too.

First thunder of the year here around half an hour ago. Just one single roll to my east, but it's a start.

Very light snow flurry here around an hour ago. Very rogue too by the looks of things.

Thanks to some bits and pieces of falling snow, it's not quite the worst winter ever. But it's close enough to be able to hold the scraper for the bottom of the barrel.

Just starting to rain here. Nothing wintry about it at all.

I joined this forum back in 2007...and one of the first posts I read on here was very similar to this. It's funny how things can turn from one winter to the next to surprise you. February 2009 was unexpected going by the previous winters. Although some of the winters over the past decade have felt more tedious than the poor winters we got during the 2000s. As for this winter? Like most, I would have loved to have seen a proper deep Spring cold snap. But you know what? The weather over the past couple of weeks has been so attrocious for people, the amount of lives that have ruined, I would not begrudge them a warm, dry spell at all (and in all honesty, now I'm older, would probably enjoy it myself too!). It's been a terrible end to a lousy winter...it's time to move on.

Not sticking at all up here in Upper Gornal either. But it's the best snowfall this winter so far. Which is comparable to picking out the best poo in the cat litter box. But hey...it's snow, I'll take it!

And after all that, we're now getting precipitation that is definitly something I'd call snow! And it's not overly heavy now so temperatures must have dropped. Now that is encouraging!

It must be heavier enough your way to make that difference. But yes, it's encouraging. Edit: In fact, closer inspection of the radar confirms it. You were right under the heaviest core of that shower.

Not quite what I'd call full on snow here, but definitly getting more wintry with some small slushy deposits on car windscreens building up.

It's mid February. It's pouring with rain outside. The temperature is around 13-14c at half past ten at night, dew points are up in double digits. Tonight is just awful. About as far away from a crisp winter's night that we can get.

A real mix of rain, sleet, hail and wet snow here throughout the afternoon. Excellent that we've finally caught an interesting couple of days of weather. But overall, this winter will still be in the abysmal category when we're looking back. A few blustery wintry showers isn't enough overall I'm afraid. It should be working towards a cinema release and today is just a straight to video!

That was a painful day for us in the West Midlands. It was forecasted for us until about 24 hours beforehand when it became clear the risk had edged south. Even then, we still were expecting a bit of snow and maybe even a light covering. In the end, not one flake of snow fell here...not one. But that's the way it goes sometimes. I'd rather be that close then the situation we're in now! At least it means someone on our muddy brown little island can enjoy it!

I've lost a lot of interest in winter weather over the past couple of years. Mainly because there's been very little of it to interest me and also because I have been busy doing other stuff. But I pop in here now and again, just in case... Each time I've visited the forum this winter...I've come across a post with a chart and a comment like, "It doesn't get much worse than this". So...when do we reach peak worst?

Our weather is such an odd thing. You forget when you're interested in it that the average at this time of year is around 7c. It's not the cold we like to see but it's not exactly a warm temperature either. I've been interested in the weather for over 20 years now. Everytime I think "That's it, we'll never see cold and snow again", a February 2009 or a December 2017 event pops up and surprises me. Usually followed quite quickly by a second event (January 2010/March 2018). Sometimes a 3rd or even a 4th in the cast of 2009-2012. And then...just like that...when the post mortem on who got the most snow fizzles away, we're back into a run of mild, bland nothingness (or ocassionally a prolonged spell of wild and wet!). But it's what drags me back to this forum each time, even at the lowest points for fans of the cold...like now...is the prospect of a month coming along that'll stick two fingers up at us doom and gloomers!

Dunno, I was born in 1978, and I can't say that cold Januaries have been the norm before or after 1999. Off the top of my head, no googling, just my memory...1987, 1991, I think 1997 started cold? and 2010. There may be one or two more, one or two in the early 80's when I was still too small maybe. But I wouldn't use 1999 as a cut off... But the last decade...granted...it's been a bit useless.

In the context of life and humanity...you're absolutely right. In the context of a forum for weather enthusiasts sharing their interests and passion for their chosen subject....you're being quite harsh.

So yes, this winter has been boring so far and the outlook isn't good. However, I've known a few winters where we've got this far without even a single frost...And we've certainly had a few this year so far. So a very tiny crumb of comfort for you there. Happy New Year. (The predictive text on my phone wanted to say "crumb of thunder", I quite like that!)