The remarkable snowfalls of late April 1908: 100 years on

[Weather-history]

Late April 1908 was exceptionally wintry when slow moving low pressures and Arctic air combined to produce huge snowfalls in many parts of the south. The period 23rd-26th April produced snowfalls that would have been notable even in January. Norfolk and Suffolk: 30cm of lying snow on the 23rd; Epsom racecourse: 15cm on the 24th; Southampton 35cm on the 25th and Oxford 40cm on the 26th.

The 24th of April was exceptionally cold with a CET mean of just 0.5, one of the coldest CET days ever recorded for April.

23rd-25th April CET: 1.6

April 1908 CET: 6.0

-12.8C was recorded at Garforth (West Yorkshire) and at Perth on the 24th

-12.2C was recorded at Corstorphine(Edinburgh) on the 25th.

The last two days of April 1908 were considerably milder and this brought a rapid thaw to the lying snow causing serious flooding through the meltwater.

Some photos

http://www.hertfordshire-genealogy.co.uk/i...ickens-snow.jpg

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/content/ima...908_399x245.jpg

http://www.levengolfingsociety.co.uk/images/LGS%20OLD.jpg

Over the next couple of days, Times articles on the huge snowfalls.

From the 24th of April 1908 edition

[Weather-history]

From the 25th of April 1908

[damianslaw]

Yes the 1908 late april snowfall was perhaps the most notable snow event of the last century. The next most notable probably that of late 1981. Any chance of putting up any reports from the 1981 event. I'm sure many members will remember that event, incidentally I was only coming up to 3 years old at the time so have no recollection.

[Weather-history]

The final installment

27th of April edition

[osmposm]

Yes the 1908 late april snowfall was perhaps the most notable snow event of the last century. The next most notable probably that of late 1981.

The 1908 one was certainly exceptional on several counts, but I think it's highly debatable whether the Dec 81 fall constitutes the second most notable snow event of the 20th Century.

To name but a few: the enormous falls of March 1916 in Northern England, especially up on the Pennines.....the Southern England Boxing Day blizzard of 1927 - 20 ft drifts on Salisbury Plain, and 15 ft even in the Surrey Hills.....the huge and widespread accumulations of Feb/March 1947 & Jan/Feb 1963, especially on the moors of Devon & Somerset....the March '79 blizzards of NE England......or the February 1978 blizzard in SW England - 20-30 ft drifts & some of the smaller combes (valleys) quite literally filled with snow, with patches surviving till May. It is said that four and half million sheep died in the snows of '47.

Edited April 21, 2008 by osmposm

[Terminal Moraine]

The 1908 one was certainly exceptional on several counts, but I think it's highly debatable whether the Dec 81 fall constitutes the second most notable snow event of the 20th Century.

To name but a few: the enormous falls of March 1916 in Northern England, especially up on the Pennines.....the Southern England Boxing Day blizzard of 1927 - 20 ft drifts on Salisbury Plain, and 15 ft even in the Surrey Hills.....the huge and widespread accumulations of Feb/March 1947 & Jan/Feb 1963, especially on the moors of Devon & Somerset....the March '79 blizzards of NE England......or the February 1978 blizzard in SW England - 20-30 ft drifts & some of the smaller combes (valleys) quite literally filled with snow, with patches surviving till May. It is said that four and half million sheep died in the snows of '47.

I think you've got the wrong end of the proverbial stick here, Os', the references were relating to April snowfalls only.

[osmposm]

Um....yes . I was confused by the bare phrases "most notable snow event" and "late 1981"....and it was late....and I can be remarkably stupid sometimes. Apologies, Damian.

If a mod fancies deleting my idiotic post to save my blushes, I would be very happy. Ossie.

Edited April 22, 2008 by osmposm

[Weather-history]

Here are some reports of snow depths and other info on the remarkable heavy snowfalls that occurred during late April 1908.

Knotty Ash: 6 inches (24th-26th)

Milton Bryant: Snow fell from 1.30 to 6pm on 23rd. 8 inches

Newmarket: So severe was the snowstorm that racing stopped at 3.30pm on the 23rd

Hethersett: Heavy fall of snow, depth by morning of 24th was 9 inches.

Liskeard: 5 inches of snow on 23rd

Drunmore: 9 inches of snow on 23rd

24th April

Epsom: 6 inches melted by noon

Detling: 5 inches

Christchurch: 14 inches

Great Barford: 8 inches

Camden Square: 3.5 inches

Ticehurst: 2 inches

Broham: 12 inches

Dovercroft: 1.5 inches

Haslingden: 3 inches

Lampeter: 6 inches

Criccieth: 2 inches

Lurgan: 7 inches by noon

25th April

Headley House: 15 inches

West dean: 18 inches

Shrewton: 14 inches

Haslemere: 12 inches, 3ft drifts

Epsom: 5 inches

Freshwater: 14 inches

East Cowes: 10 inches

Bournemouth: 12 inches

Milford-on-Sea: 15 inches

Fordingbridge: 9 inches

Broughton: 18 inches

Alton: 15 inches

Barton Stacey: 24 inches

Newbury: 18 inches

Yattendon Court: 20 inches

Farnborough: 20 inches

Abingdon: 27 inches

Caversham: 16 inches

Bicester: 16 inches

Steeple Aston: 16 inches. 6ft drifts

Downton: 15 inches

Stratford-sub-Castle: 15 inches

Wilcot: 11.5 inches

Poole: 9 inches

Long Compton: 13 inches

Honington: 11 inches

Leamington: 8 inches

Coventry: 9 inches

Alderney: 13 inches

Some other reports

Meltham

Maxima was below 39.0F from 23rd to 25th

Snow fell on 4 consecutive days

9 inches

Max temp on 24th was 34.5F and noon temp was 25.6F

Northwood, Middlesex

19th April: NNW wind, frequent heavy snow showers

20th April: Sleet/snow squalls

21st April: Milder

22nd April: Rain towards evening

23rd: Rain turning to snow

24th: 3 inches of snow

25th: Heavy snow early morning. Further snow 10am-12pm, 4 inches

Oxford

23rd April: Rain turning to sleet, snowing heavily by 4pm.

24th April: 4 inches of snow on ground, afternoon snow showers.

25th April: 13 inches of snow by 4pm

[Weather-history]

From the Guardian

24th April      25th     26th 

 

27th         28th

[Metwatch]

A note on the snowfall of April 1908, by W. S. Pike written in December 2008 in the international journey of Meteorology, volume 33, No. 334.