Cold Spell Discussion

[Mark Bayley]

What is it with that guy from the Met Office, asked on bbc news 24 whether another 1963 was possible, he just couldn't wait to go into one about global warming, for heavens sake change the record!

IMO he's just hating this cold weather, i'm sure he would much rather be reporting on yet another mild winter as this obviously fits better with his agenda!

They couldn't wait to mention Global warming in there review of the cold spell, as well as emphasize that other areas in the world were much warmer (yet failed to mention anywhere other than the UK was cold )

http://www.metoffice.com/corporate/pressoffice/2010/pr20100106b.html

They are a great forecasting organization. But they just seem to like mild and global warming to much, and mention it were where possible! Anyway, don't want to go to off topic

[Osbourne One-Nil]

Look North (NE & Cumbria) said tonight that over the course of the next few nights, they're expecting some rural areas to dip below -20C. Almost unprecedented.

[Reefseeker]

I may have several things to have a moan about during this cold spell, several that involve schools and car drivers, but one thing really irritates me and that's the use of the word blizzard to describe any moderate to heavy snow fall. Anyone whose ever been out in a blizzard can tell you that its not the same as just heavy snowfall, I must have heard it used several times today on news reports. We may have had some fantastic falls, but there have been no blizzards, there I better for that.

I agree. I remember the blizzard in the west country of the late-70s when I was in my early teens - now THAT was a blizzard; I remember watching from the window (probably where the obsession comes from) and getting annoyed that the snow couldn't possibly settle it was blowing around so wildly. Woke up to 6+ foot snowdrifts against the hedgerows on the Mendips the next morning.

[Optimus Prime]

Look North (NE & Cumbria) said tonight that over the course of the next few nights, they're expecting some rural areas to dip below -20C. Almost unprecedented.

Wonder whether your location will get that low?

I guess what's unprecedented about the Metoffice report is how biased they really are. They mention how not all parts of the globe has been cold- Deary me what a load of tosh!

[Neilsouth]

from TWO : nsrobins

Cut-off low - EA and SE England - Thurs 7th/Fri 8th

The next potential snow-giver needs careful watching as it moves WSW then SW across EA and the southeast tomorrow afternoon and into Friday. The NAE (modelled ppn well over the last 24hrs IMO) brings quite potent showery snow into Norfolk and N Suffolk by early afternoon then develops this into an area of moderate snowfall which moves southwest in a line Norwich to Southampton. The intensity decays as the low relaxes. MetO Invent model maintains it's integrity and threatens SE areas with fairly substantial snowfall Thursday night.

I have a feeling that this feature will be upgraded by the morning as all the ingredients are there.

The next 'event' is the potential 'supersnow' on Sunday but conditions may be marginal for this one so keep tuned

[Richard Lake]

Evening,

I consider my location to be East Coast or Eastern Area, but I suspect some may not so I am curious about this weekend's weather. Will I see much action?

[Ryongsyong]

Yes, they neglect other areas of the country. This morning, there was a whisper that there could be another 10cm of snow in the North East. No mention that was going to be on top of the 30+ cm that some places aready had, or the fact that it's been here for 3 weeks! As well as that, most of us have got to work ok. The roads are in a crap condition, but if you drive with a bit of care and common sense you can get through fine. This morning in the local paper there's coverage of a local lass who walked 15 miles to work from near Consett to Durham because her car was stuck in the snow at home. Also a coal merchant who made sure his deliveries were made, even though he had to wade through waist deep snow in places to do it.

Southern England - stop moaning !!!!

I apologise on behalf of the south, it's embarrassing seeing what the news people get up to, although it's more accurate really to just say that they're London-centric rather than South-centric. I remember in Feb living in Guildford and they never mentioned the fact that we'd got over a foot of snow in places, preferring instead to go on about London. But really they paint a picture that is far from the truth—we had 10cm here, and I went out earlier on to the supermarket in town. There were cars driving by on the snow just fine, the buses were all running, people were out and about, the shops were open, and no one was 'panic buying' bread and milk. Come home and switch on the television, you'd think the apocalypse has hit; it's a load of rubbish and I know it creates resentment for the other people to have to put up with it, but all I can say is that it's the fault of the news people, not the rest of us who are happily carrying on with what, in the grand scheme of things, is not a lot of snow at all. But that doesn't make for such an interesting 'story'. Whether people who are tasked with reporting facts should be worrying about whether the 'story' is good-enough or not is another matter. Certainly saying 'blizzards have swept the south', which is a direct quote I saw earlier, is in no way a fact.

[Optimus Prime]

OMG has anyone seen Bensons figure? -13.5c already!!

[Oblix]

I apologise on behalf of the south, it's embarrassing seeing what the news people get up to, although it's more accurate really to just say that they're London-centric rather than South-centric. I remember in Feb living in Guildford and they never mentioned the fact that we'd got over a foot of snow in places, preferring instead to go on about London. But really they paint a picture that is far from the truth—we had 10cm here, and I went out earlier on to the supermarket in town. There were cars driving by on the snow just fine, the buses were all running, people were out and about, the shops were open, and no one was 'panic buying' bread and milk. Come home and switch on the television, you'd think the apocalypse has hit; it's a load of rubbish and I know it creates resentment for the other people to have to put up with it, but all I can say is that it's the fault of the news people, not the rest of us who are happily carrying on with what, in the grand scheme of things, is not a lot of snow at all. But that doesn't make for such an interesting 'story'. Whether people who are tasked with reporting facts should be worrying about whether the 'story' is good-enough or not is another matter. Certainly saying 'blizzards have swept the south', which is a direct quote I saw earlier, is in no way a fact.

Couldn't agree more, clearly its a slow news week.

[Spurry]

OMG has anyone seen Bensons figure? -13.5c already!!

Seems to be a 2 horse race between Benson and Woodford at the moment

[gobbyash]

All forecasts are suggesting this Northe Sea low is going to hit East Anglia however it's track seems a bit more northerly to me and it also appears to be developing a lot more than I was expecting.

I would appreciate any comments from some of our wiser and learned weather buffs.

http://www.sat24.com/scan

Many thanks

gobbyash

[galba]

They couldn't wait to mention Global warming in there review of the cold spell, as well as emphasize that other areas in the world were much warmer (yet failed to mention anywhere other than the UK was cold )

Perhaps the Met Ofice haven't seen this report...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newsvideo/6941407/The-big-freeze-around-the-world.html

[Scorcher]

My goodness, is this correct?? Woodford got down to -14.9C a couple of hours ago!! It has now risen to -12.2C apparently. Incredible. I live only about 10 miles from Woodford and my current reading is only -7.5C. Supposedly Manchester Airport has also got down to -12C but it has now also risen there. Amazing considering Manchester Airport's all time record is -13.5C.

[dave79]

All forecasts are suggesting this Northe Sea low is going to hit East Anglia however it's track seems a bit more northerly to me and it also appears to be developing a lot more than I was expecting.

I would appreciate any comments from some of our wiser and learned weather buffs.

http://www.sat24.com/scan

Many thanks

gobbyash

hope it does stay northerly, seems we could be in the firing line if it continues on its current course.

[Cumulonimbus Tower]

hope it does stay northerly, seems we could be in the firing line if it continues on its current course.

Well it would have to do a 75 degree turn and head SSW to make landfall over East Anglia looking at the first of the precip coming into view over the North Sea ATM

[dave79]

Well it would have to do a 75 degree turn and head SSW to make landfall over East Anglia looking at the first of the precip coming into view over the North Sea ATM

I ment us in Teesside lol, seems its still going to be abit further south though for our liking.

[Osbourne One-Nil]

Wonder whether your location will get that low?

Not down to -20, but a new record low for me as it dropped to -13.3C about half an hour ago. Currently, it's -12.8C.

[Tucco]

Not down to -20, but a new record low for me as it dropped to -13.3C about half an hour ago. Currently, it's -12.8C.

To get near to -20C you'll need deep powder snow. Appleby got down to -20C in Jan 1940 with such conditions.

Mark

[Osbourne One-Nil]

I think when Look North referred to -20, they must have been talking about Pennine or North Northumberland areas. Still, I'm impressed with -13C with just a few inches of snow on the ground. At least it's of the powder variety too!

[Nick L]

New record for me, -10.0c, smashing the previous record of -8.9c set last January.

[johnholmes]

some fairly unusual values so far this morning for lowland areas-most are over England

-18C at Woodford

-15C at Manchester airport+Yeovilton, and Carlisle together for low level stations with Eskdalemuir also on -15C

There are 20 places reporting -10C or below this morning!

[Nick L]

some fairly unusual values so far this morning for lowland areas-most are over England

-18C at Woodford

-15C at Manchester airport+Yeovilton, and Carlisle together for low level stations with Eskdalemuir also on -15C

There are 20 places reporting -10C or below this morning!

Well the Met Office are predicting an equally cold or even colder night tonight for central areas, and tomorrow night doesn't look much warmer! The CET is going to take an absolute battering.

[Costa Del Fal]

-14c in Pershore, Worcestershire this morning!

[Nick L]

-14c in Pershore, Worcestershire this morning!

Could I freeze to death on my paper round this morning?

[Costa Del Fal]

Could I freeze to death on my paper round this morning?

Wouldnt rule it out.

I remember last year in January were were getting amazed at -7/-8c etc and now were thrashing them!

Edited January 7, 2010 by Blizzards