NorthernRab

Snow in Buxton in August? Buxton lies at 300m asl, the mountains we're talking about are over four times that

I seem to recall that although winter 2010-2011 was the colder winter (although still very snowy), winter 2009-2010 actually delivered a lot more snow for the Scottish Highlands. Here's one of New Years Day in Inverness, this snow was topped up a bit more following this: Places such as Tomintoul, Aviemore, Carrbridge, Kingussie etc looked extremely scenic: Tomintoul: Glenlivet:

There we have it then, I'll take that! First frost

The snow and cold fans (whom I think would actually be largely quite happy with that) need to wake up if they think we're going to get record breaking winter after record breaking winter. This is very unlikely. What is looking quite likely is that we're entering a period of colder winters in comparison to the past couple of decades. In the past during periods of colder weather, even the "milder" years could deliver short cold spells that we would have absolutely drooled over 5 years ago. It's all down to personal preference, I know, but a cold November and December is actually what I would prefer. The build up to Christmas and the fact that the days are very short create the perfect atmosphere for freezing cold days. How spoilt we've become that we're being picky over WHICH months are to be cold, in the past we'd have been more than happy to take a cold spell during ANY of the winters months!

I think I'm missing your point. Is it just that LBA at 200+m and inland is colder than Edinburgh airport at 41m asl and near the sea?

But when you consider that you're comparing LBA to Edinburgh (LBA being a considerably higher weather station) it's not too surprising. That cold spell you've referred to didn't really affect Scotland as much on those dates, the deeper cold was at the start of the month (I remember it quite well) when the temperature only just went above 0'C on the 2nd and reached a low of -10.6'C here in Inverness. However, on the day you've referred to we weren't as affected. Being a small island, Britain sees certain parts of the country getting weather they normally wouldn't when areas that are more prone to such weather are spared. Generally, because much of the Scottish Highlands is inland, at higher altitude and so far North (very short days / more at risk of Arctic influence) the coldest weather is recorded here in comparison to Edinburgh. Similarly, Edinburgh and Leeds often experience weather London doesn't and from time to time, London is worse hit than Leeds, Edinburgh and even parts of the Scottish Highlands. Crazy island weather

What a lovely photo! Where on Eilean A'Cheo are you?

It's all about what you're used to though, many people from here in the Scottish Highlands would consider your weather tame in the way that you consider S/E English weather tame - similarly, many from Norway would consider a Highland winter to be quite soft. Let's just hope this one is colder for all of us

First day of 20C is normally April, May is quite often the month with the best weather in Highlands. Last Day of 20C tends to be August or September, quite often mid September has a few days in the low twenties. First frost is sometimes late September, but always by late October First snowfalls have happened in October but normally it's in November. Last snowfalls are normally in late March but it's not unsual to get them up towards the end of April if the weather's bad.

Do you mean Tulloch Bridge? If not, then I didn't know Tummel Bridge had a weather station!

I'm going to say Sunday 28th August at either Tulloch Bridge or Loch Glascarnoch. Potentially some snow on the summits of the Aonach Mór range and the Cairngorms on the same day too.

Half our plum trees are completely withered - that is, they're all half withered!. It's very strange, the parts of the threes that are doing well leafed early during the April warmth whereas approximately half of each tree is looking almost disease ridden, unusual?

Maybe a consortium of council members from each local authority should come up to learn from the Highland Council? They could all get free accommodation, meals and drinks after seeing the snow gritters / ploughs and the train plough / listening to a 30 minute presentation?

I'm guessing your on the eastern part of the Black Isle? I can see Ben Wyvis / Beinn A Bh'Ach Ard etc from my house in Inverness.

Maximum snow depths in Angus deeper than Drumochter etc?! Really?

LOTS - I mean this in the nicest way but as you've already made your point quite a few times on this thread with regards to your intuition forecast (and that's OK as a one off really) but can you refrain from repeating it every couple pages unless you have some actual evidence to contribute to the discussion? I think I speak on behalf of most forum members when I say that, thanks

I really don't think we'll see -20'C in London, it would be interesting however - what is the (modern) London record? I thought it wasn't much below -8'C?

I'm assuming you're referring to the doubling in size of Behemoth Sunspot 1263? This won't have an affect on the weather winter per se, however the general trend of weak solar activity continues (which is what everyone is referring to with regards to their winter forecasts)

I can entirely see why many on this forum want a truly record breaking cold spell, but -28'C being breached is extremely cold for us up here in the Scottish Highlands - there's been a fair numbers of days over the last two years' cold spells which struggled to get much above -10'C here, the idea that this would be replicated down in English cities makes me a little bit concerned as to what would happen here. Old people in the Highlands are quite competent at dealing with very cold spells (my granny used to actually mummify in four blanks tucked into the mattress) - I'm just not sure if they could deal with almost Russian standards of cold. Who am I kidding though, despite the obvious risks, the weather (whether hot, cold, windy, snowy, icy, foggy or rainy) will always have a human risk, it's probably just best to get out there and enjoy the extremes when they happen

Well they're stuck here for at least another two years, so hopefully we'll get at least one stunning weekend, that way they'll see the place in all its Highland glory with green fields, blue firth and mountains framing the scene P.S, I like thunderstorms, just not at 4:30AM. The thunder was extremely loud considering I couldn't see any lightning - perhaps a cargo train actually crashed into Clachnaharry and no one has noticed yet?

Sorry, but there's no such thing as a "quota" of Northern Blocking, just as there's no such thing as a quota of an active Atlantic.

Up to 23'C in the garden and I'm away to Dores Beach on Loch Ness for some venison steak and a pint

Madainn mhath Alba / Morning Scotland! And what a morning it is - one of the first times in quite a while that I can report wall to wall sunshine with genuinely not even a tiny cloud in the sky and only a slight breeze Thinking of going for a walk to Abriachan and taking some photos of the Aird and the Great Glen, could probably see down to Aonach Mor at Fortwilliam from Inverness on a day like this.

I don't know if we're looking at different charts, but it looks really quite dry and sunny in Scotland and Ireland, especially compared to the last couple of weeks! Warm too, certainly up from the fairly deflated temperatures as of late.

Yeh I noticed that, can't wait!