December 1981-January 1982

[Sunny76]

16 minutes ago, Don said:

Where I was in North West Surrey there was a snowfall on the 5th January giving a few inches which stayed on the ground for two weeks and then a heavier fall around the 8th/9th February which lasted more than a week.

Yeah, but even when it’s cold, sometimes central London doesn’t much more than a few centimetres.

The same thing happened in January 2010.

 

[Bristawl Si]

Dec 81/Jan 82 memorable, for sure, and so soon after the Winter of '78/79. Big difference being that Winter really started 1st w/e of December in 1981, whereas 78/79 only got going NYE.

I still remember, vividly, that 1st blizzard in v early Dec '81. A Sunday, i was a few days off my 20th birthday and still living with my parents in Hanham, on the eastern edge of Bristol. I always went to my local pub for drinks at midday on a Sunday, normally still hungover from a Saturday night's drinking.

The local BBC radio station had a special snowatch prog that morning, as the blizzard approached from the South West. We followed its progress thru the morning; the wind was 'screaming' from about 10 oclock that morning.

As it got close to midday the first few flurries were wizzing thru the air. I left for the 5-minute walk to the pub and by midday it was snowing moderately. One hour in the pub and the blizzard had set in. 2 hours later, maybe 8 inches of snow. By 4 oclock that afters it had stopped, but noticeable how mild it was getting.

By 8 that eve all the snow had melted and the roads were running water; temps up to a balmy 13c, as the south west winds blew in.

What followed that month and into 1st half January ('82) was a number of noteable snow events for the Bristol area.

My memories of the Winter '81/'82.

Edited November 8, 2022 by Bristle Si

[I remember Atlantic 252]

this day Si?

Edited November 8, 2022 by I remember Atlantic 252

[Bristawl Si]

Earlier than the 13th Dec. I'm sure our 1st blizzard that Winter was very first weekend in December. System came up from the South West approaches and 'bumped' into cold air that had been in place for a few days previous.

Well, that's my recollection anyways. I could be wrong.

Edit: I reck it was Sunday 6th Dec '81, but maybe you're correct with the 13th.

Edited November 8, 2022 by Bristle Si

[I remember Atlantic 252]

checked the 6th first, but more of a NW'ly airstream, not really a system from SW setup

Edited November 8, 2022 by I remember Atlantic 252

[Bristawl Si]

Must've been the 13th then

[I remember Atlantic 252]

2 minutes ago, Bristle Si said:

Must've been the 13th then

Yes looking at charts,

[Don]

3 hours ago, Sunny76 said:

Yeah, but even when it’s cold, sometimes central London doesn’t much more than a few centimetres.

The same thing happened in January 2010.

 

You say that but there were a few occasions when Central London had lying snow, whereas where I was in Surrey had diddly squat!

[Don]

1 hour ago, I remember Atlantic 252 said:

Yes looking at charts,

Yes, the first snow arrived in the south on the 8th, followed by blizzards on the 11th and another blizzard on the 13th but this turned to heavy rain and a rapid thaw set in!

[Don]

2 hours ago, Bristle Si said:

The local BBC radio station had a special snowatch prog that morning, as the blizzard approached from the South West. We followed its progress thru the morning; the wind was 'screaming' from about 10 oclock that morning.

Am I correct in saying that forecasters were not predicting it to turn milder but the low moved further north than expected, ushering in milder air to the south/south west?

Edited November 8, 2022 by Don

[damianslaw]

Think we had snow cover from 8th right through to New Years Day, only a temporary thaw from 28th. Plenty of snow as well. 

[danm]

14 hours ago, Sunny76 said:

Not in Chelsea, central London. If so, I just don’t remember it. 

Lord's cricket ground in January 1985:

[Norrance]

Just been checking my weather diaries for 1981/2 as I lived in North London and worked in the City Centre then. My first record of snow was on the 8th when there was 4 inches of snow where I lived near Muswell Hill/ EastFinchley which I noted caused traffic chaos in the area. I noted a further heavy fall on the 11th which brought the depth up to around 9/10 inches. Quite something as in the previous two Winters I saw no lying snow at all there. There was further snow on the13th but it turned to rain pm with a thaw setting in which caused a leak in my roof as the water backed up above snow that had slid down to the gutters. I noted on the 14th that there was a general thaw in the South but heavy snow in the North. Most snow melted but by the the 16th it was cold and frosty and there were flurries on the 18th. On Sunday the 20th there was wet snow at times and by the afternoon of the 21st there was 4 inches lying again. On the 22nd and 23rd there were further flurries. I headed home back to the Highlands for the festive period  by bus that night. A freezing journey as the bus had no heating. As I was planning to go skiing I had some warm gear and actual shared some clothes with a couple of girls sitting near me but some had a terrible journey and the stop at a service station was some relief. Up at home there was around 9 inches of solidly frozen snow lying with further snow showers on the 24th, 26th 27th and 28th but not on Christmas day itself. Got my skiing in on 29th and 30th. Got a bit milder for a few days there with a slow thaw but on the third of Jan heavy snow set in just as I was heading off back to London causing my bus to be late. By the 6th the cold air had moved South and on the night of the 7th to 8th there was a real blizzard even in the central London. Further snow at times dying out later on the 9th. Noted that Wales had a particularly big fall and that Braemar equalled the record UK low temp that night. On the night of the12th/13th I recorded -11C which was pretty cold for London. Milder air moved in by the 16/th 17th and by the 19th the snow was gone, at least in London. The rest of theWinter was mild.

[Sunny76]

23 hours ago, Don said:

You say that but there were a few occasions when Central London had lying snow, whereas where I was in Surrey had diddly squat!

Yes, but like I said, 1985 and early 2010 were those occasions when central London got very little or nothing, and Surrey was covered in snow.

I don’t have any memories of winter 84/85, apart from it being dry and cold. 

[Don]

19 minutes ago, Sunny76 said:

I don’t have any memories of winter 84/85, apart from it being dry and cold. 

I remember visiting my Nan and Grandad in Kent during January 1985 where there was loads of snow, around 10-12 inches.  I also remember a lake frozen solid with ice about a foot thick!  Not a patch on what happened two years later but the cold was more sustained, albeit not as intense.  That said, I personally rate 1984/85 above 1986/87.  The ice on the Basingstoke Canal in February 1986 was so thick that people were cycling on it!  People often mention February 1986 lacking in snow, but I had a fair amount around the evening of the 8th and another fall early on March 1st.

[cheeky_monkey]

3 hours ago, Don said:

I remember visiting my Nan and Grandad in Kent during January 1985 where there was loads of snow, around 10-12 inches.  I also remember a lake frozen solid with ice about a foot thick!  Not a patch on what happened two years later but the cold was more sustained, albeit not as intense.  That said, I personally rate 1984/85 above 1986/87.  The ice on the Basingstoke Canal in February 1986 was so thick that people were cycling on it!  People often mention February 1986 lacking in snow, but I had a fair amount around the evening of the 8th and another fall early on March 1st.

yep Jan 1985 was snowier than Feb 1986..Feb 86 was dull and very cold but pretty dry 

[Summer8906]

On 08/11/2022 at 21:05, Don said:

Where I was in North West Surrey there was a snowfall on the 5th January giving a few inches which stayed on the ground for two weeks and then a heavier fall around the 8th/9th February which lasted more than a week.

That is exactly as I remember it, from roughly the same part of the world (NW Sussex/SW Surrey) though the first snow fell on the 6th, not the 5th. I think it was topped up with further snow showers during the following week.

I remember a heavy snowfall on Feb 6th in 1986, this then stayed on the ground pretty much the whole month though slowly became a thin cover due mostly to sublimation in the dry air, rather than melting. There was then a further heavy fall on March 1st, admittedly spring rather than winter. But by mid-March it had become dry and mild (and then unseasonably windy late in the month) so at some point in early March the cold spell ended. Looking at archives it looks like a gentle end with gradual warming by day.

Edited November 10, 2022 by Summer8906

[Don]

8 hours ago, Summer8906 said:

That is exactly as I remember it, from roughly the same part of the world (NW Sussex/SW Surrey) though the first snow fell on the 6th, not the 5th. I think it was topped up with further snow showers during the following week.

I remember a heavy snowfall on Feb 6th in 1986, this then stayed on the ground pretty much the whole month though slowly became a thin cover due mostly to sublimation in the dry air, rather than melting. There was then a further heavy fall on March 1st, admittedly spring rather than winter. But by mid-March it had become dry and mild (and then unseasonably windy late in the month) so at some point in early March the cold spell ended. Looking at archives it looks like a gentle end with gradual warming by day.

I know in early January 1985, the first snow definitely fell on a Sunday morning and I went back to school the next day after the Christmas holidays.

March 2nd 1986 was very sunny and the snow (after the 1st) started melting rapidly, not surprising with the sun gaining strength.  I think you're correct that the cold spell ended soon after.  However, April was a very cold month and wintry in places, although I don't recall any snow where I was.

[Sunny76]

17 hours ago, cheeky_monkey said:

yep Jan 1985 was snowier than Feb 1986..Feb 86 was dull and very cold but pretty dry 

I think he was comparing it to January 1987(winter 86/87).

[damianslaw]

Fast becoming 80s snow thread this one. When thinking about snow in the 80s, Jan 84 never gets a mention, here and in Scotland for total amounts beats all other months hands down, Dec 81 probably second ranked. Jan 82 wasnt a particularly snowy month here, nor Jan 85, Feb 85, Feb 86 or Jan 87.

[Don]

5 minutes ago, damianslaw said:

Fast becoming 80s snow thread this one. When thinking about snow in the 80s, Jan 84 never gets a mention, here and in Scotland for total amounts beats all other months hands down, Dec 81 probably second ranked. Jan 82 wasnt a particularly snowy month here, nor Jan 85, Feb 85, Feb 86 or Jan 87.

The month of cold zonality which produced the goods for northern areas that's for sure!  Don't remember January 1984 at all weather wise, so imagine it was cold rain for much of the south?!

Edited November 10, 2022 by Don

[damianslaw]

3 minutes ago, Don said:

The month of cold zonality which produced the goods for northern areas that's for sure!  Don't remember January 1984 at all weather wise, so imagine it was cold rain for much of the south?!

Yes marked difference, Cumbria just nudged into the cold air and places with a bit of height saw signficant amounts. It was a NW flow that delivered. Much of England and Wales away from high ground didn't see much cold air and most precipitation was rain, or wet sleet and snow that never stuck for long. 

[Sunny76]

8 minutes ago, Don said:

The month of cold zonality which produced the goods for northern areas that's for sure!  Don't remember January 1984 at all weather wise, so imagine it was cold rain for much of the south?!

84 was milder in the south. We didn’t get anything in London. 

[Don]

3 minutes ago, Sunny76 said:

84 was milder in the south. We didn’t get anything in London. 

Nothing new for you during the mid-80's winters!! 

[Sunny76]

13 hours ago, Don said:

Nothing new for you during the mid-80's winters!! 

I spent most of those years in a mild fortress.