The Great April 1981 Wet Snowstorm

[jethro]

Anyone have any idea how much effect the eruption of Mount St Helens, the previous summer (May 1980) had on this years weather? Can't say that I remember the snowy April, but to date the winter of '81/82 is definitely the snowiest winter I've ever experienced.

[Guest Mike W]

I doubt tht 81/82 was in any way down to the St.Helens eruption, I think if anything it would ahve been doen to human induced SO2 emmisons which were sdtill enough to cause notable cold or just to getaverage to below, that and natuarl event slike the PDo pahse and soalr activity if it was low aty the time if it was low at the time, I don't know. Any of those would have beenbehind alot of the other notable winters and cool summers even more so.

[Phil UK]

I think their is a picture of Shakin Stevens who was everywhere in music that year.

And at Glastonbury 2008 as rumour has it.

Anyway, ordered, despatched Tuesday afternoon (Play.com) so ETA... Friday or Saturday this week so if I'm quiet this weekend, you'll know why.

it is a 'unique' book and one every weather fan should have on their bookshelf.

I concur entirely with that. Another book which could bring conflicting views and has done to to this day as regarding climate change is called "The Weather Machine" by Nigel Calder.

One of the first weather books I ever read. Reason being that at school when I was 15, an English language class I was in was split into groups of three and each had to work on an exam project. Having watched some documentary on, maybe ITV or Channel 4 a few days prior and stuck for ideas, I came acroes the idea of natural disasters (TV programme giving me the inspiration!) Went to the local library, hired out two weather books, one astronomy book. (Two I kept, one they got back. "The Weather Machine") but the rest as they say is history.

Phil.

[Phil UK]

It's just arrived at my doorstep. (2nd class post and was dispatched only on Tuesday afternoon? Did a Lear jet deliver it or something?)

A good foreword by Ian McCaskill though. Hope I don't get into any trouble for this if I partially phrase it...

"When I completed my initial forecasting course over thirty years ago I remember thinking, after six gruelling months,'That can't be it. When do they take me aside and tell me the secret of weather forecasting and make me vow to use my new powers only for the good of mankind!' My head was stuffed with formulae but I had no clue about the weather. How I wish someone had given me Robin's book then. Because he knew the secret and had that almost indefinable 'feel' for the scale and process of weather, something that's taken all my life even to approach. And, you lucky people, you too can acquire his insight just by reading this book -- and keeping it it -- and dipping into its treasury of weather records and stories, and there are hundreds of them! Lots of recent weather books have had an American bias. Not this one. Resolutely British with only brief and almost pitying glances at our neighbours, the citizen needs no other volume to possess an authorative account of every aspect of Britain's weather, past, present and future. I can think of no topic in meteorology which he has not covered happily and well.

See ya later. Shall enjoy this sitting outside in the sun with a cold beer or two. B)

Phil.

Edited May 8, 2008 by Phil UK

[Weather-history]

From Guardian/Observer April 1981

24th  25th  26th 

27th 28th 

3rd May 

[A Face like Thunder]

On my way  out (literally), but Philip Eden noted heavy snowfalls in N England during the last few days of November 1965, with frequent and widespread snow from 13th Nov to 2nd December.

[Weather-history]