Midlands Cold Spell Discussion

[Bottesford]

No snow here except remnants of this afternoons showers. Gonna be lethal in the morning with everything iced up. That's assuming we don't get any snow later to take away the slipperiness.

Radar is painful to watch - snow to the north & south. Saying that there's more of the UK without snow than with at the moment so we're not alone!

[NorthantsSnow]

Its worse when you know it has been snowing for the past 3 hours a sniff away and all you've had is a few flakes in the wind... At least in Northampton you are far enough away from the band not to feel as sick as a pig.

I've been following this all day so yes I can assure you I am sick as a pig to get nothing at all this evening.

I keep looking at the radar and willing it to change its path but it doesn't look like happening.

Mind you, even the GFS is forecasting light snow by dawn:

http://www.netweather.tv/index.cgi?action=uk7dayx7;page=2;type=free;ct=21308~Northampton;sess=#forecast

[Summer of 95]

I live in Shrews too and find your post a little strange, I can recall a couple of good snow days over the last few years. THink it was a couple of years ago when we had loads overnight and on the SUnday went for a walk in the morning and it as pretty deep. We even had some towards the end of last winter before Easter (My wife informs me that this was this year as she took the class she teaches out in it). There were a lot of schools closed and the rest in both of those events over the last couple of years.

The Sunday one was 12 March 2006- yes that was the deepest it's been in the 2000s. The other one must have been Feb 2007; Shrewsbury missed all the fun around Easter 2008 (there wasn't a single day when snow was lying at 9am GMT in 2008).

Granted it never seems severe around here, well not as severe as other regions or like it was when I was a kid (I used to live out by Montford Bridge and when I was younger not sure of the year we spent 4 days snowed in and without Electric... I would love that again)

We dont do too bad for all types of weather here IMO...hopefully the weekend and early next week will come good for Shropshire.

You've only got to look at how many times it snows in Telford/Wolverhampton/Birmingham/Wrexham/Stoke but not Shrewsbury; and all the times it's cloudy here in summer while further east and south (and often west and north) is in warm sunshine. The only things Shrewsbury is good for IMO is flooding (often when it hasn't rained much here) and the odd decent thunderstorm, though even these have been scarce in the last 3 years.

[dvdfjojo]

Okay so it's not getting closer at all I'm off to bed now in disgrace. Fingers crossed for tomorrow night.

[SalopWatcher]

The Sunday one was 12 March 2006- yes that was the deepest it's been in the 2000s. The other one must have been Feb 2007; Shrewsbury missed all the fun around Easter 2008 (there wasn't a single day when snow was lying at 9am GMT in 2008).

You've only got to look at how many times it snows in Telford/Wolverhampton/Birmingham/Wrexham/Stoke but not Shrewsbury; and all the times it's cloudy here in summer while further east and south (and often west and north) is in warm sunshine. The only things Shrewsbury is good for IMO is flooding (often when it hasn't rained much here) and the odd decent thunderstorm, though even these have been scarce in the last 3 years.

CHeers for that info... funny how years all blend into one

I know your right about the snow to the east of us always being worse but places like telford, stoke, wolverhampton and parts of the west midlands are at slightly higher altitudes...I always thought that was the reason why?

I chase storms around the midlands area, so I never feel like I have missed out...

As for flooding, we have not even had a good one of them for a while... I live on Coton Hill and when thats closed for a flood you know its a good one.

Anyway i did snow here today.... for all of about three minutes

Anyway good to know there is another Shrewsbury poster on here... hope we are chatting about snow come next week.

[A.J]

Further snow showers across yorkshire are now trying their best to filter down across the peak district towards the north midlands, albeit weakening as they do, however they may well give me and others around the stafford area an overnight dusting.....

Is there any chance of certain posters keeping the whining in the whining thread please?...It makes for turgid reading trawling through page after page of moans to find the constructive posts!

[cuckoo]

Looks like Norwich could be in line for "unluckiest location" award

[Costa Del Fal]

Further snow showers across yorkshire are now trying their best to filter down across the peak district towards the north midlands, albeit weakening as they do, however they may well give me and others around the stafford area an overnight dusting.....

I noticed that too. They are trying very hard but struggling. Who knows what will happen but im off now. Hopefully some will see a dusting or so tomorrow. Good luck!

[Nick L]

Anybody want to go down to the south east with some flame throwers? That will ruin their fun...

[A.J]

I noticed that too. They are trying very hard but struggling. Who knows what will happen but im off now. Hopefully some will see a dusting or so tomorrow. Good luck!

Cheers Luke...Our time will come!.....£10 says a christmas day snow dumping in the west midlands (but not the east midlands as I want some ammo to wind Andy up with! )

[Supercell]

I think many in the midlands will be disappointed by this cold spell. The only real hope is the front that heads down through the country on Saturday and in to Sunday. Even that, although looking okay at the moment, is becoming increasingly marginal the closer we get to T0. My hope lies with the eventual break down and a potential battleground scenario, but that is a way off yet.

It's very early in the season and we have stuggled to see a cold spell in December in recent times. This could just be the start of tentative signs to a colder theme through the winter...

[NorthantsSnow]

Latest radar looks a bit more interesting. Note the echoes beginning to appear in the S Lincs area. This should head our way.

[azores92]

snow seems to be a non-event for the coming days really

[NorthantsSnow]

Latest radar looks a bit more interesting. Note the echoes beginning to appear in the S Lincs area. This should head our way.

Yep- more convinced we will see something later.

http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/6829/radar1120.png

[Summer of 95]

CHeers for that info... funny how years all blend into one

I know your right about the snow to the east of us always being worse but places like telford, stoke, wolverhampton and parts of the west midlands are at slightly higher altitudes...I always thought that was the reason why?

I chase storms around the midlands area, so I never feel like I have missed out...

As for flooding, we have not even had a good one of them for a while... I live on Coton Hill and when thats closed for a flood you know its a good one.

Anyway i did snow here today.... for all of about three minutes

Anyway good to know there is another Shrewsbury poster on here... hope we are chatting about snow come next week.

Most of Telford and Wolves/Brum is around 100-150m, the same height as Haughmond and Lyth Hills which usually don't have snow when those places do. Also I've seen/heard of snow lying around Whitchurch and Wem (at most 10-20m higher than here) when Shrewsbury's had nothing. Last January I even saw lying snow at both Clive and Longnor (7 miles N and S respectively) but none in Shrewsbury.

There's something other than altitude at work; speaking to people here each winter brings up various theories such as the location of the nearby hills, the influence of the river, I've even heard the underlying rocks mentioned. (These suggestions come from people who've lived here 50-odd years and know how Shrewsbury misses snow). I've long suspected the river myself, given that the town centre is practically an island and the way it loops around the town instead of flowing straight through; does it a) saturate the ground nearby to the extent that snow melts quickly; raise the dewpoints in the local area, perhaps helped by the hills containing the modified air; c) have a very local warming effect in winter (it certainly causes fog when there's none 5 miles away)??????

[mackerel sky]

Yep- more convinced we will see something later.

http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/6829/radar1120.png

I have an inch of frozen snow on my car, shame it was from work in Bedford 2-3pm this afternoon. Precipitation seems to have stuck about 6 miles SE of Rushden all night, but I think now some signs of it moving a tad westward.

I'll be the first to let you know... then I might be able to go to bed not feeling sick as a pig, with all that juicy precip sat a few miles away for the majority of the night.

Edited December 17, 2009 by mackerel sky

[azores92]

And a few days ago, I said all of us from the Midlands would be making snowmen on Friday! It did look decent for the Midlands until recently. I still think Sunday and Monday holds decent snowfall for us, really I do.

Still can't get over the 'extreme' weather warning from the Met Office...don't know whether to laugh or cry.

i know, its just dreadful seeing all that snow sticking to one area, getting pasted, while the rest of us watch the severe weather warnings, piccies and posts of excitement, while seeing the benign clear skies through our windows. i truly hope you are right re the weekend, but the marginality/lack of precip is showing up as the time draws closer, and the cold spell seems to be growing ever shorter. its just a shame to be honest

[NorthantsSnow]

I have an inch of frozen snow on my car, shame it was from work in Bedford 2-3pm this afternoon. Precipitation seems to have stuck about 6 miles SE of Rushden all night, but I think now some signs of it moving a tad westward.

I'll be the first to let you know... then I might be able to go to bed not feeling sick as a pig, with all that juicy precip sat a few miles away for the majority of the night.

Thanks mate. I'll be pleased if you at least see something. Next half an hour keep them eyes pealed. Radar hasn't looked as good as this all night. All seems to be on track and if anything intensifying as it heads towards us.

[mackerel sky]

Thanks mate. I'll be pleased if you at least see something. Next half an hour keep them eyes pealed. Radar hasn't looked as good as this all night. All seems to be on track and if anything intensifying as it heads towards us.

I've seen the cloud bank to the SE all night yet i've been under pretty much clear skies. Can see cloud to the north now which is new! I'd hope to report something in the next half an hour or so, because i'll have to call it a night. I can't vouch for anyone in Bedford... other than I can only get an excuse for working from home if we get a serious dump in the next few hours. Would be nice to spend the day at home... I have a 7 week old son. But only a stupid amount of snow would allow this as I have several millions of pounds of seismic surveys riding on some decisions I have to make pronto!

[danm]

And a few days ago, I said all of us from the Midlands would be making snowmen on Friday! It did look decent for the Midlands until recently. I still think Sunday and Monday holds decent snowfall for us, really I do.

Still can't get over the 'extreme' weather warning from the Met Office...don't know whether to laugh or cry.

dont be too disheartened mate. im in North East London, its been hammering it down for the past few hours, but is refusing to settle. We have a couple of cm's on the cars and grass from when it was really cold earlier (around 7pm). Most of that snow melted, and the blizzards we've had since then have largely melted on impact. Quite slushy now in fact. Although other areas of the South East, particularly Ipswich, have seen bucketloads with thunder and lightning, and 4 inches of lying snow. Feb '09 for London was far better - 6-7 inches in that event.

[NorthantsSnow]

Latest radar is a peach. Those shows are FINALLY getting their act together and heading west. I think parts of Northants are sure to see snow now in the next few hours. And it looks like we might have a streamer of sorts setting up so once it arrives it's possible it might set in for a while.

Right, enough ramping. Need to check what's happening outside!

[conor123]

There was a brief light/moderate snow shower just before 4pm earlier which started to give a dusting then stopped and its been clear ever since.

Looks like our only chance is Saturday Night but the front doesnt exactly look that worthwhile and it will be dry and turning milder after that.

[mackerel sky]

Latest radar is a peach. Those shows are FINALLY getting their act together and heading west. I think parts of Northants are sure to see snow now in the next few hours. And it looks like we might have a streamer of sorts setting up so once it arrives it's possible it might set in for a while.

Right, enough ramping. Need to check what's happening outside!

Can't believe the sudden change in the radar in the past 45 minutes, a sudden shift from the precip diving SW to being pushed WNW... right surely there should finally be something wintery falling outside? Lets go have a look.

[mackerel sky]

Can't believe the sudden change in the radar in the past 45 minutes, a sudden shift from the precip diving SW to being pushed WNW... right surely there should finally be something wintery falling outside? Lets go have a look.

Yep light snow falling, but not hitting the ground... far too windy. Needs to get a lot heavier.. serious windchill out there though, I've got -1.3C!

Edited December 18, 2009 by mackerel sky

[lesta_snow]

Are the showers starting to pep up?? or is that just me :S.