East Anglia And South East England Cold Spell Discussion

[Coast]

For children looking forward to the Christmas holidays, it's a thrilling forecast.

But for parents who are having to combine commuting with frantic shopping for the forthcoming festivities, it may be less welcome. Snow could start falling today - heralding a week of cold and wintry weather, say the weather experts.

The Met Office believes the Midlands and eastern areas are likely to be hardest hit by the arrival of wintry flurries over the next few days. The prospect of December snowfalls comes after one of the wettest Novembers on record, with downpours causing widespread flooding and chaos. While there are no predictions of large-scale disruption at the moment, forecasters believe there could be some heavy snow showers on Thursday and Friday.

With December 25 fast approaching the odds of a white Christmas are being cut. However, the Met Office insists it's too early to know what will happen on the day. Paul Knightley, forecaster at MeteoGroup UK, said it was 'not out of the question' that parts of the UK could see a white Christmas with either snow on the ground, or snow falling on Christmas Day. He said that this possibility was 'probably less likely than likely'.

But a combination of wintry showers, raw winds and plunging temperatures is set to send a chill through the country this week. The Met Office predicts 'some heavy snow showers' in eastern counties on Thursday and Friday.

Daytime temperatures on Friday will creep just above freezing and drop down to -4c at night. Commenting on the general picture, a spokesman said: 'As always the hills are likely to get most of the snow but lower down don't be surprised if you see quite a bit of snow as well.' If the cold snap continues towards Christmas there are fears for salt stocks to keep roads clear in some parts of the country. Half of local authorities have salt stocks to deal with iced-up roads that would last just six days of continuous freezing weather, according to the AA

www.dailymail.co.uk

[Paul Sherman]

First Negative values here since Mar'09 and a pretty hard frost, my temperature got down to -2c in the end.

Paul S

[yukichon]

no frost here in Herts this morning but a lovely one at that

[maidstone weather]

Got down to -3.6C last night, a hard frost outside.

Gloriously sunny outside, but even at this time it's still -3.5C! Proper winter

[Rich44]

Lovely frost this morning and the cars are heavily iced up too.

Temp was 0.4C this morning at 7am and has since DROPPED to 0.2C so heading the right way and all that at the coast as well!! Looking great for the rest of the week!

[Barometric]

what a beautiful morning here today near the N Kent Coast here in Iwade.

Clear and sunny with temps at a chilly -2.8c

Strangely enough our very first air frost for this winter season and for here (around 2 miles from the sea) thats quite an air frost.

My interest lies with tomorrow afternoon and evening as the low moves down over the bitterly cold stagnant air over the extreme SE. I see around 1-3cms which although wont cause any significant problems, it will be nice to see. I wouldn't be suprised to see the temp rising any higher than 1c today and not much above freezing tomorrow (and the really cold air isn't even here yet)

So far so good here and I see many more little features cropping up at very short notice over the next 5 days.

James

[Neilsouth]

Everything is white here!

From a really hard frost

[donna-m]

Well 3c here this morning with a dew point of -2.9 and low level cloud, not sunny as its just been mentioned on forecast

So much for me keeping quiet about the snow and not telling the kids (after febs disappointment i refused to say anything until it was actually snowing)

gmtv told them for me !!! thanks gmtv

The models are all looking good but must stop reading the model thread and get some christmas shopping done, its just too addictive though !!!

[SMU]

Morning All-

From a crystal clear & very frosty Summit of mount Barnehurst-

I am actually bowled over by the temps today & is a stark reminder of what a continental feed with low dewpoints can deliver-

Looking at the thermom on the car it was -3 a short while ago-

Ive no doubt that todays maxima will be surpressed to 2c-

As for the end of the week, well I guess I can liken it a christmas when you were a kid- Today we are just starting off with the stocking fillers & overnight tonight & tomorrow could see that unexpected surpise that sometimes cropped up at the bottom- whatever it was though your still excited at whats to come in those big presents.....

Anyway, I am hoping today stays clear- it feels bitter - but a nice cold to have- once we get to around 3pm though the temps are going to plummet- & judging by the overnight temps I would guess we are back below freezing before 9pm- then a whole night of cooling before the cloud is building before day break-

If we get PPN in the morning ( latest 00z brings it in slightly quicker ) it will be snow & will certainly settle, I do however think it wont be sustained tomorrow & will turn to sleet/rain before clearing away-

The end of the week continues to chop & change, I dont think its a Classic in the making- I have seen better set ups- but none the less is very good in terms of flow & depth of cold-

I suppose my expectations at this stage would be the following ( anything else is a bonus)

weds am- 1/2cm before melting-

Thurs Through Friday- 2-6cm Max-- More over the downs ( esp biggin, wrotham, +more bluebell- maybe 10's) then this clearing south & east to reveal a penetrating frost-

I managed to edit out the whole of what I wrote about the weekend & beyond- oh well another post later-!!

onwards with the 06z- hope for the undercutting trough at around 170

S

Edited December 15, 2009 by Steve Murr

[Neilsouth]

Great models this morning ,looks like the e/ne has been upgraded

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/Rukm721.gif

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/Recm721.gif

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/Rtavn721.png

[Paul Sherman]

On looking at the 00z GFS If the charts stay the same we have a real shot at another TSS (Thames Snow Streamer) the wind vectors are favourable from Thursday 9pm until Friday 9am for this unique set-up, obviously still not in the bag but this could be a real chance for significant Snowfall early doors on Friday "if" the charts stay the same.

One to watch for sure!

Paul S

[SMU]

On looking at the 00z GFS If the charts stay the same we have a real shot at another TSS (Thames Snow Streamer) the wind vectors are favourable from Thursday 9pm until Friday 9am for this unique set-up, obviously still not in the bag but this could be a real chance for significant Snowfall early doors on Friday "if" the charts stay the same.

One to watch for sure!

Paul S

Just saw the regional snow forecast with rob Mc & he mentioned that leigh on sea will miss out because the wind vector wasnt easterly enough- he said something about being exactly the same as 2009.....???

im not sure what he meant???

S

[TEITS]

On looking at the 00z GFS If the charts stay the same we have a real shot at another TSS (Thames Snow Streamer) the wind vectors are favourable from Thursday 9pm until Friday 9am for this unique set-up, obviously still not in the bag but this could be a real chance for significant Snowfall early doors on Friday "if" the charts stay the same.

One to watch for sure!

Paul S

Im actually thinking there will be more action through the wash rather than the thames but then again I would say that.

[Paul Sherman]

Just saw the regional snow forecast with rob Mc & he mentioned that leigh on sea will miss out because the wind vector wasnt easterly enough- he said something about being exactly the same as 2009.....???

im not sure what he meant???

S

That was the training session on Feb 1st, we are better equipped with blasting the Inversion over the Foothills of Bexleyheath this time around!!!!! No Polystyrene Balls this time!!!!!!!

Im actually thinking there will be more action through the wash rather than the thames but then again I would say that.

I Think both will do very well Dave - Hows that for spreading the lurrrvvee

[Neilsouth]

The problem with the streamer in early 2009 was that the showers filtered away from most north , east and south kent areas. The snow filtered mainly through a small tight gap through the thames and into gillingham , chatham , london and onwards to surrey. Are we looking at the same again? , though it's probably too early to tell. We had about 1cm while many western areas had 10+

[Harry]

On looking at the 00z GFS If the charts stay the same we have a real shot at another TSS (Thames Snow Streamer) the wind vectors are favourable from Thursday 9pm until Friday 9am for this unique set-up, obviously still not in the bag but this could be a real chance for significant Snowfall early doors on Friday "if" the charts stay the same.

One to watch for sure!

Paul S

Well - the Thames Streamer in Feb brought me 1ft 2incs so I'd say defo one to watch which in new money is approx 36cm - so yes Neil certainly more than the 1cm experienced further East lol

Edited December 15, 2009 by Harry

[SMU]

That was the training session on Feb 1st, we are better equipped with blasting the Inversion over the Foothills of Bexleyheath this time around!!!!! No Polystyrene Balls this time!!!!!!!

I Think both will do very well Dave - Hows that for spreading the lurrrvvee

looking at the 06z through 42 + 48 has the cold aig digging in better underneath on the early part of Thurs- snow earlier this run- I wonder if tonights overnights can get so low they negate the slightly higher dewpoints tomorrow PM

S

[donna-m]

I do not want polystyrene balls this time round thanks

i'd rather have just a frost

[Coast]

Just saw the regional snow forecast with rob Mc & he mentioned that leigh on sea will miss out because the wind vector wasnt easterly enough- he said something about being exactly the same as 2009.....???

im not sure what he meant???

Ah yes, that will be the 'Leigh-On-Sea' effect

[TEITS]

Thursday night is looking superb for my location.

A NE,ly with bitter upper temps spreading across the N Sea only means one thing, snow and lots of it!

[chilly milly]

Thursday night is looking superb for my location.

A NE,ly with bitter upper temps spreading across the N Sea only means one thing, snow and lots of it!

That's good to hear TEITs, because if I don't get anything here, it's less than an hour to get up there.

No frost here for us overnight. Struggled out of bed at 8am to temp of 1.8c, and currently 2.3C

[runboy]

Thursday night is looking superb for my location.

A NE,ly with bitter upper temps spreading across the N Sea only means one thing, snow and lots of it!

Eye, go on, give your prediction for Norfolk - I STILL owe you a snowman, built in your honour - but I need the snow to do it!

[Rich44]

Eye, go on, give your prediction for Norfolk - I STILL owe you a snowman, built in your honour - but I need the snow to do it!

Snow and lots of it

[southbank]

well we are getting down T72 region , models still firming up PPN and exact flow but really models only show trends and we are getting to the micro situation where a few 100 miles here & there can make all the difference . For a personal point would love to to see the right ENE flow set up for a thames streamer as this has always been best for my location sutton or sw london (10 inches on Feb 1 st 2009)

anyway what i really wish is that all parts see some festival snow and the biting cold will hopefully enhance the festive spirit so here gearing up for radar / lamppost watch

[jackie]

woohoo first post, have to say it was really nice to see beautiful crystal clear sunny sky and thick white frost covering everywhere even the roads.

Hoping for some of the fluffy white stuff ! i reckon we are in with a reasonable chance especially is the streamer does its thing Ive even gone as far as to buy a months worth of NW extra radar !