SATSIGS

[Evo]

Indeed a Scilly may seem a good choice, but it surely ranks poorly in the expectation management business. Those Scillyans (what the hell are people from Scilly called?) probably never expect to get snow, and are thence never disappointed.

Unless they're idiots of course, however I would never be so bold as to suggest that.

It could be argued that The Enforcer never expected to get any snow in Abingdon, however we all know how acutely disappointed he was.

Hmmm, I think this very imporant subject could be reason for a SATSIGS EGM. I nominate the RAC club in London, at Stratos Ferric's expense. All those in favour say "aye".

[davehsug]

Aye

[Rustynailer]

Abingdon sounds good though, in a Monty Python/League of Gentleman sort of way, i think it will be hard but not impossible to better.

Scilly just, does not do it for me b/w

Russ

[The Enforcer]

It could be argued that The Enforcer never expected to get any snow in Abingdon, however we all know how acutely disappointed he was.

Well I think it is reasonable to expect at least one covering of say a centimetre or two per winter that didn't melt instantaneously even in this location. I base this on the frequency of such snowfalls up until the mid-1990's with some snowfalls amounting to several inches and lasting for days. My annoyance with the lack of such occurances had gradually increased year on year. This had been further aggravated by the internet-age, where a combination of more information at ones fingertips and a series of winters producing some lengthy cold spells characterised by snowfall appearing to go out of its way to avoid here. Insult to injury was provided by false-alarm weather warnings. In spite of jokes about Exeter and Scilly, both of these places had seen more snow than here in the past two or three winters (from North-Westerlies).

Thankfully, the last couple of weeks have finally redressed the balance somewhat, although clearly both snowfalls will be fairly low down in the league table compared to historic snowfalls in my lifetime.

Abingdon will never be a favoured spot - even this years 'centralised' snowfalls have given more to other counties and other parts of Oxfordshire - but there is a realistic expectation that it should at least be on a par with other central lowland areas.

I would tend to think a location like Hedon, much further north and east than here should expect more from winters generally. Battleground scenarios obviously would not favour that area, but any incursions with a wind direction east of north ought to be producing more than it has been doing. Hedon gets my vote. An alternative meaning for 'Hedonism'?

[summer blizzard]

How much snow have you had over the past two days Enforcer???????

[The Enforcer]

2cm a couple of Wednesdays ago and 6cm on Thursday. Nothing on Friday.

[wellington boot]

2cm a couple of Wednesdays ago and 6cm on Thursday. Nothing on Friday.

Are you serious?

Youyr right next to me. Did you come into oxford? We had around half a foot here. Were only a few miles away.

And if you dont believe me:

http://www.putfile.com/wellingtonboot/images/80853

[PersianPaladin]

Are you serious?

Youyr right next to me. Did you come into oxford? We had around half a foot here. Were only a few miles away.

And if you dont believe me:

http://www.putfile.com/wellingtonboot/images/80853

And on that note.....I think the debate about whether 'Abingdon' is still a viable term; has clearly been resolved.

[wellington boot]

It's more like Abingdid now

Maybe the inches of snow we had managed to swerve around abingdon for 7 or 8 of the 10 or 11 hours for which it snowed here...

[The Enforcer]

Youyr right next to me. Did you come into oxford? We had around half a foot here. Were only a few miles away.

I presume you mean on Thursday? I have noticed during both Jan and Feb snow events for heavier snow to show up consistently on the radar in the area immediately to the north and east of the Oxford radar dot (representing the city centre?) even though the snow was travelling NW-SE on the first instance and SW-NE in the latter. Probably something to do with higher ground as there are hills around the edge of the city. A few bursts of heavier snow makes all the difference. What is your exact locale?

Edited February 10, 2007 by The Enforcer

[7andY]

2cm a couple of Wednesdays ago and 6cm on Thursday. Nothing on Friday.

Well, I'm very sorry, but on those totals, the unit will have to be called a Gloucester! We had 5cms on Thursday, which was gone by Friday pm, and what's this 'couple of Wednesdays ago' ?? - didn't see any at all then...

Discuss

Andy (Snowless) E.

[shuggee]

We've had one morning of 2mm of snow here all winter (Thursday am). And folk says Scotland hogs all the snow...

[Supercell]

We've had one morning of 2mm of snow here all winter (Thursday am). And folk says Scotland hogs all the snow...

It's nice to have a reversal of fortune. You can have it back again next year. I'm chuffed.

[Hairy Celt]

and we had an inch on monday, nothing since. despite the radar showing heavy snow just now, it's dry.

[acbrixton]

Brixtons has a nice ring to it. Does it ever snow down there? Good to see you've been released on parole by the way: incarcerative sentences are not what they used to be!

Yes it does rather: significant snow fall is rare here (UHI, too far west for the fabled Thames Streamers and low altitude). We have had 2 light coverings on the MO definition this year (last week almost 1"). Last year no lying snow. Even in 95/96 although it snowed on 13 occasions I never experienced more than 1/2" at any one time. Apart from the thundersnow of January 2003 (2") the last moderate to significant snowfall was February 1991 (8").

I must rush to defend Brixton: not all of its residents are crack dealers/hoodlums!

Regards

ACB

[Stratos Ferric]

Yes it does rather: significant snow fall is rare here (UHI, too far west for the fabled Thames Streamers and low altitude). We have had 2 light coverings on the MO definition this year (last week almost 1"). Last year no lying snow. Even in 95/96 although it snowed on 13 occasions I never experienced more than 1/2" at any one time. Apart from the thundersnow of January 2003 (2") the last moderate to significant snowfall was February 1991 (8").

I must rush to defend Brixton: not all of its residents are crack dealers/hoodlums!

Regards

ACB

Course they are!

Reading tonight's model discussion (in fact reading it at any time when there's no cold progged) I'm also thinking we need a unit of hopefulness. Any suggestions?

I can't imagine any obvious candidates.

We've had one morning of 2mm of snow here all winter (Thursday am). And folk says Scotland hogs all the snow...

Shuggs, did you ever see "Capricorn One"? Don't believe everything you read on here, it didn't really snow anywhere in England last week.

[The Enforcer]

Shuggs, did you ever see "Capricorn One"?

Coincidentally I was thinking about 'the joke' scene from that film at lunchtime for some reason. There's something fishy going on.

[davehsug]

With regard to SF's hope units, bit obvious I spose but we could have the Pandora scale? After all this winter's box has been decidedly empty!

Dave

Edited February 12, 2007 by davehsug

[PersianPaladin]

SATSIGS WATCH

This is just a preliminary advisory about the risk of some over-inflated and speculative outbreaks of ramping in the coming days. Some may be heavy and prolonged; mainly due to Steve M's excellent but highly cold-arousing post. Whatever synoptic ignorance there is about the uncertainty of the coming weather in the next 10 days; it is surely likely to manifest itself as a series of level 1-2 tremors in the next 48 hours. Cuban cigar shipments for Mr.Euro and Nicosia tickets (for Mr. Bloggs) permitting of course.

This watch will expire when\if the GFS self-destructs in about 48 hours.

Edited February 13, 2007 by PersianPaladin

[acbrixton]

Course they are!

Reading tonight's model discussion (in fact reading it at any time when there's no cold progged) I'm also thinking we need a unit of hopefulness. Any suggestions?

I can't imagine any obvious candidates.

Shuggs, did you ever see "Capricorn One"? Don't believe everything you read on here, it didn't really snow anywhere in England last week.

Well re units of hopefulness: a "Sussex" would incorporate two of the most determined/knowledgeable rampers...

Regards

ACB

[acbrixton]

Alternatively a "Telford" or a "Peterborough" (useful because of the "Peterborough Effect": infectious, Beasterly, ramping).

Regards

Acb

[The Enforcer]

The Telford effect would work inversely in that it would kick off in late August and by the time snowfall (or sleetfall) is actually a realistic possibilty, it will have run out of steam.

Using the same principles, a "Hastings" or a "Burton" could equally apply. For favourable teleconnections, forecast months in advance, one could apply a "Bexley", but most certainly not a "Steeton", "Sheffield" or a "Devon".

Edited February 15, 2007 by The Enforcer

[Snowly does it]

Unit of snowlessness should clearly be a 'Cork' as in 'a Corker of a non-event', 'Corking falls of no yesterday', 'The snow didn't arrive because we hadn't paid the corkage' and so on and so forth.

Units of hopefullness should be classed by the favoured model showing the unlikely evolution

hence 'Giffus a dumping', 'Uksnow', 'IcyM', 'Jammies', 'Snowgaps', 'gem of a GEM'

[acbrixton]

Unit of snowlessness should clearly be a 'Cork' as in 'a Corker of a non-event', 'Corking falls of no yesterday', 'The snow didn't arrive because we hadn't paid the corkage' and so on and so forth.

mmm yes "Cork" has definite possibilies!

regards

ACB

[acbrixton]

Dangerous/desperate ramping over the 12z with tremors from Ireland, Durham and Cheshire reported at Level 4 as the potent "Peterborough Effect" starts to exert influence.

A prediction of blizzards in the south west at T144 deserves special mention.

Abingdon/Brixton potential probably 4-5 at present although this may have to be revised further soon.

Regards ACB