iand61

Plenty of time for snow, even in the NW

Like your optimism BT We are overdue some some prolonged sunshine in the NW and no better time for it than when the other side of the Pennines are getting buried under snow. After all, why wait until June and July for it when we can have it in January with rain in the summer.

It finally brightened up here this afternoon although still remained rather cloudy. I'm fairly sure that what sun we saw today was the first of 2013 but it certainly made a pleasant change from the misty murk of the last two weeks. As you said though it is certainly mild to the extent where I saw slugs on the steps coming out of work last night.

Fascinating read TM. I like the part about the the lowest temperature and I've both read and heard first hand about birds and other wildlife losing all fear of humans during this bleak time. Although I was old enough to say I lived through the winter of 1963 (the clue is in the name) I wish I could have actually witnessed it as it must have been amazing although no doubt very tough for those having to work through it. To all posters on this thread, thanks and please keep up the stories coming in.

Just been out walking but what would otherwise have been a near perfect day for it was spoilt by constant misty conditions on the tops. It seems like an eternity since we had clear conditions in this part of the region although hopefully the onset of cooler weather next week will be accompanied by some improvement. Beyond that it's starting to look interesting although after the early December hype, I'll not be convinced until I see snow falling.

got this book as a Christmas present a couple of years ago and agree that it is a brilliant read giving a blow by blow account of the way that the winters panned out.

It's bad enough having to put up with crappy miserable weather and days which never seem to come light without seeing Diane "at least it will be mild" Oxberry's smug face hammering it home. That said though, with double figures at 10pm in January she has got a point even though it's a damned annoying one.

Just made up 1 myself so was probably tucked up in my cot for most of it. I did grow up with every substantial snowfall and cold period being "nothing" compared to it though along with the usual "not as bad as 47" stories. Could we cope with another 63 or 47, probably although the modern reliance on "just in time" would make it much harder than previous bad winters including more recent ones such as 79 and the early 80's ones.

Just returned home after spending the new year with friends so happy 2013 to all NW members. It certainly doesn't look like the idea of a change of year is followed by a change of weather as the models look very poor, certainly for the next few weeks. Hopefully changes will come about in time but tbh I get the feeling that this is going to end up being a winter that promised so much but delivered so little with what chances available usually being scuppered by being on the wrong side of marginal. A good case in question would be December where everything pointed to a major cold period but Imby we ended up with almost 300mm of rain and only one day with falling snow and even that was mainly a sleety mess. Should we be that surprised though when even the end of the world was downgraded at the last minute.

Forecast is showing the possibility of some wintry showers overnight but as been the case so far this winter, altitude will probably be needed. It just shows the desperation coming from what has so far been a pathetic winter that the chance of a wet sleety covering is being so eagerly anticipated but tbh, I'm not holding out to much hope and that is from someone who has had snow this winter.

Just spent a few hours in the garden tidying up and TBH I was glad to get back in the warmth with a nice hot bowl of leftover Christmas soup. It's currently 4.3'c here so certainly can't be classed as being in the mild category.

OMG a frost on the car this morning although currently 1.1'c so won't last long. It's certainly coming to something when a bit of ice is looked on with surprise and is made even worse when much of the US is now buried under snow. Never mind, that's the great British weather for you.

Maybe 6'c isn't mild but we have been climbing steadily all day and now stand at 10.2'c which for the time of year and at this part of the day I would say is heading towards exceptional. To put it into perspective, IMBY we had 10 days in October and 25 in November which failed to reach these dizzy heights so even though it's one of my most hated words in weather talk, I must admit that this is certainly mild. Hopefully it will be a word used much less as we head through Christmas and temperatures take a bit of a fall.

I remember having snow showers from late morning into the afternoon which gave a covering but it was very wet and soon mostly melted. After dark though we had a hefty shower which put down a couple of inches which stayed overnight and over Boxing Day. 2010 had more snow on the ground and was bitter cold but non actually fell on the day.

Another 35mm of rain has fallen here today to add to the 140mm this month although probably the most frightening statistic is the 1820mm which has aparantly fallen in 2012. That is 72 inches in old money and almost 20 inches above the long term average for this part of the North West. Not bad considering how dry the first 4 months of the year were. Slight possibilies that wet may become white in the period immediately after Christmas Day but TBH dry would be preferable over anything else at the moment.

Unlike a lot on here, I don't think that it's game over. Personally, I feel that this winter is going to be one of surprises and that most of them will be snowy ones. I don't think that record breaking cold will that evident but snow will be a major player in the coming weeks. I also think that this weeks breakdown to milder, sorry less cold conditions may yet be upgraded and go out with a major dumping of snow rather than the usual wimp. All in all i'm quite upbeat about the coming winter but whether i'm still saying that at the begining of February is anyones guess.

My God it's quite on here. At this rate, the North West regional thread is going to be amalgamated with it's other oop north neighbours again shortly. Maybe it's not helping with even this weeks potential snowy breakdown probably reserved for the top of Scafell if at all.

Temperature is starting to fall away now as the clearance comes through and very much in line with the forecast and is now 5.2c from 6.0c at 8am. The wind is still guite gusty as well so although it doesn't feel to cold out in it at present I can see that changing as the wind veers more northerly and the main thrust of colder air sinks south. That should set us up for a few days of cold but usable weather before the next change arrives later in the week. It's where we go after that which seems a little open to question at present.

Quite a wild last night and with plenty of rain but at least it's cleared all of the hard packed ice from the drive, something I struggled to do yesterday afternoon and a cheaper option than using salt. Things have calmed down in the model thread overnight as this mornings charts seem to show a trend of pulling back from yesterdays rapid Atlantic breakdown to a slight delay and the possibility of a more snowy transition from cold to milder. TBH from a North West perspective the chances of snow later nexr week have increased somewhat and is certainly something worth keeping an eye on.

Yes you could be right SFZ. We have been having major problems around here caused by water on roads turning to ice and much of this is down to constant run off from a wet last 6 months so the last thing much of the country needs now is a return to wet zonality and the current outlook promises little other than that. What amazes me though is how to hear people talk, the cold spell was set in stone. Even the more expert members were starting to ramp this up like there was no way it could go the shape of the pear and then right on cue, someone up there realised that this is the UK and we just do not get wnters like that so set the default back to where it should be. TBH I suspect that we would have got nowt in the North West from this wintry spell anyway so I'm not to concerned but I can understand the wrist slashing going on in the threads for the more favoured regions and the model one. I 'm sure that some snow is going to fall when the "blink and you've missed it" cold spell next week breaks down but whether that will be a fall to sweep away with a brush or one to move with a convoy of ploughs remains to be seen.

There was a bit of snow in Manchester yesterday lunchtime; but then when I parked up and shut the door, it fell off the roof of my car and melted on the car park.

Yes the Dales are a lovely part of the world and even better under snow. Probably my favourite walking area.

It looks like the wrist slashing is well underway in the model thread again this morning although as usual, the same charts show everything from feet of snow to mild and rain dependent on who you listen to. I'm sure that come tonight, the worst winter in 100 years will be back on track.

Little if any more fell overnight, but nothing has really melted either so now It's a snowy, slushy, icy mess outside. Certainly not the best of conditions and enough to cause the closure of some local schools including my daughters 6th form. Current temperature 1.0c and with a breeze blowing, winter has certainly arrived.

non here as I know of.