Midlands Cold Spell Discussion

[berometer]

I think Nottingham has doomed writen all over it for modern day winters. Everywhere else gets snow when we just get rain/drizzle, Butlers son I hope you see some snow on your way back up here though I hope you dont get caught out by the traffic.

[kold weather]

Coming down in big flakes now lol, not going to last long but it's the first proper snow of the night, too little too late.

Still better then what some of us down south are currently getting to be honest, which is the grand sum of nothing

Anyway reports of snow from the Milton Keynes region shows just how close and marginal this set-up is, the only reason they got a change over to snow was the precip was so heavy for a time that Evap Cooling took place and dragged the snow level down...very much a close but no cigar situation in terms of what could have been if we had just a slightly colder airmass in place.

[Potent Gust]

Still snowing here. We have had 5 hours of non-stop snow but none of it has stuck! Nevermind at least the weather is staying cold!

[LomondSnowstorm]

Amazing! Your area hardly gets any lying snow in spite of numerous met office warnings while we get only a warning for ice and still we get another 2cms of snow!

[Terminal Moraine]

It's been snowing lightly for about 5 hours here and has just managed to whiten the ground with less than 1cm of fresh snow. Temp' is 0.2c.

[igloo]

Amazing! Your area hardly gets any lying snow in spite of numerous met office warnings while we get only a warning for ice and still we get another 2cms of snow!

your spot on for the past 3 days all i have heard is weather warnings,blizzards,15cm of snow you name it. its not the first time the met have made a boo boo . i can only think of 1 weather warning where i stay and its being bitter cold for the past 8-9 days and we have 10inch of snow on the ground and snowing again as i speak and guess what no warnings

[mackerel sky]

Its worked. Only an inch but baby is sleeping as are the Whippets. Can only hope it might get better, now my chores are out of the way. Woke up to snow, then several hours of light rain. So turned out nice in the end. How I can appease the lovely Mrs Mackerel Sky is a different matter.

[Nabraxas]

Well, that proves what difference elevation makes! Just come home via Ashby De La Zouch and it's like a blizzard there, everywhere's whiteout! Come back to Hinckley and there's a bit of snow on the grass... :lol:

The Severe Weather warnings are clearly justified by the MetO considering you can have blizzard conditions in one area and have rain just 1 mile down the road.

Edited December 30, 2009 by Nabraxas

[HellyHanson]

Snowed for like half an hour here then turned back to rain...and still is raining :lol:

[berometer]

Think your one of the lucky people. Here it rained causing the drains to be waterlogged then stopped, it then looked promising when the clouds turned white but all we got was rain. Now it's just very light drizzle.

[I remember '63]

I'm losing count now, this is possibly the fifth non-event of this winter. We've had METO warnings covering at least part of 8 of the last 14 days and had virtually nothing, they've even had more just down the road in Leicester. Just another over-hyped bog-standard winter!

[Essan]

I'm told it may have snowed here for a while around midnight - but I'd gone to bed by then :lol: Needless to say nothing on the ground.

So still not seen any snow fall since 10th Feb ......

[berometer]

Well we have had nothing but continus light rain with the odd heavier burst around 12am. Now the nep website isd forecasting sleet in the afternoon. I think they have had too much to drive because they are changing thier story daily.

[Nabraxas]

Well, all rain now even at Ashby... makes me wonder exactly how much snow we would have had if it was a bit colder considering it's still raining 12 hours later!

[Serendipity]

Rain again here and all the snow washed away. I think for my children to actually see snow they can play in, I need to move house!

Another serious letdown.

[Shiny_Bottom_1]

It is funny reading posts about 'only light snow' and 'we only have 1cm lying on the ground'.

Lets just say we had moderate to heavy rain all yesterday evening (went to bed at midnight), and it was still raining at 6am this morning. In fact, its still raining now.

Interesting to see snow 20 miles south (Tamworth) and 25 miles s/e (Leics) had some snow.

The thing is, there is no point complaining. You get what you get, and as Paul said last night on here, it was mainly forecast for elevations. As some have said, around Birmingham is actually quite high, as is parts Leics. Of course, the elevation sounds like it worked for the Peaks which is good, so may make a trip up there this afternoon.

The models are at least forecasting a cold spell, and perhaps a prolonged one. It may not snow in bucket loads, but looking better as time goes on.

The Midlands, more especially the central midlands, are always at the extent of typical snow set ups, and we need stalling systems like last night to get the best (in general, but not exclusively).

It worked for so many of us, and would say that those that missed out were much less than those that got something.

Today continues to look promising, to an extent, and better towards the west, so chins up...still at least 2 months to go for something interesting.

[Serendipity]

I think temperatures are stil the wrong side of marginal though? If it were to snow again today, it will again fall on rain soaked ground and quickly thaw with the temperatures above freezing?

We have rain right now.

[Shiny_Bottom_1]

But some people still recieved snow with temps on the wrong side of marginal yesterday/last night. It really was an exceptional set up that came through. Marginal, yes, but it still happened.

That the fun of these set ups...sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.

[Serendipity]

I'm not sure anyone did get the sort of snow that was mentioned in the warnings though. I'd be interested to see who still has it lying this morning gven temps across the region are 1-3, am assuming most will have experienced a quick thaw and rain again.

I think the frustrating thing for most, is how close the Midlands keep coming only to get another letdown.

Great ecm at the mo though! However I can't see much hope for snow for the midlands in the next few days despite the cold hanging on.

[I remember Atlantic 252]

may as well have the Atlantic in charge looks no different, just want it drier, today on bbc looks like a rerun of yesterday with snow possible in the evening, but im not getting excited, it snowed for around 3 hours last night, did stick a bit but now milder from south, gfs had this right all along

its so hard to get decent snow now in the even larger teapot, turning cold (which I think may last all of January) but will be dry, if any fronts do come along I see just rain

I have had snow this december but in the good old days off this setup way more would have fallen

[phantom]

All you guys that are whining about not getting any snow should go and have a read of the model thread. That will cheer you up.

[Snowmoon]

I'd be interested to see who still has it lying this morning gven temps across the region are 1-3, am assuming most will have experienced a quick thaw and rain again.

There's still about an inch lying here, although it's thawing due to the temperature and light rain.

[I remember Atlantic 252]

All you guys that are whining about not getting any snow should go and have a read of the model thread. That will cheer you up.

wont cheer me up, all that is pure FI stuff, 384 hours away lol, the reliable timeframe is rain today and tonight, then dry from new years eve

[Shiny_Bottom_1]

I'm not sure anyone did get the sort of snow that was mentioned in the warnings though.

But this is a common problem with people taking the warnings as a forecast. I think if you look at the warnings, the words "Up to..." are probably used.

You can't blame the METO though, because for example, Derbyshire yesterday:

1. Weather Warnings out for snow, with up to 5-10cm

2. Actual forecast was for rain all day

It's a case of people using 1. for the forecast, instead of 2.

In fact, the BBC forecast was also the same on the internet, but the conditions were obviously giving the TV forecasters a headache, who were trying to update the forecast, which actually ended up similar to the original in point 2. above.

But, if the colder air had undercut the ppn to a greater extent, which was a possibility, it would have been different.

But due do its marginality (and we all saw the disagreement leading up to the event), it was never a straight cut set up.

The main problem, from what I see, is when a snow event happens which is not up with the classics, we always get disappointed. Basically, I think the expectation is too high.

[stewfox]

The main problem, from what I see, is when a snow event happens which is not up with the classics, we always get disappointed. Basically, I think the expectation is too high.

People get disappointed from what their told. So if you see snow on the charts via the BBC in your region and its rain then clearly you will be. Expectations are built up.

I note today with a similar weather the 'forecast people' are stating 500ft + the hills /mountains of Wales etc

Low level snow is not on the cards

Might drive to Brill Hill today see if anything is there (600ft)

Just moderate to light rain here at present