North West Cold Spell Discussion

[Cric_lancster]

Woke up to a cm cover this morning. Went into school. Hasn't stopped for 3 hours steady snow, my school shut, all schools cancelled in the area bar one. Now around an inch to an inch and a half. Roads treacherous, now the wind has picked up. I certainly won't be forgetting this winter any time soon.

C.L.

[HotCuppa]

Flakes getting much bigger now

[Cheshire Freeze]

Well after studying the radar, that precip just doesn't want to come down, and any that does try just dissipates so I shall get my head into some work (I work from home) and resign myself to the fact that it just might not happen.

I am so very thrilled to read that the NW have had a great snow event. Look after the older ones around you though won't you.

Louise

I feel your pain, we had a few cm here this morning but nothing since. It's not being made easier by the other half sending me pics of insane amounts of snow in Stockport! :rolleyes:

Aaron

[Cecil Hogmanay Melchett]

still snowing moderate here.

[thewirral]

The wind speed on the net-w station data is 1mph in south Cumbria and 0 mph over N Cheshire, hence the slowness of the snow. Mind you, the slower, the more people will get as it gets there.

Double post.

Edited January 5, 2010 by thewirral

[Backtrack]

Morning all! Awoke this morning to an increased cover (3-5cm).

I'm in Wallasey right now and there's less cover here, but it's snowing again - light grains rather than large flakes, but snow nonetheless - and that can only be a good thing given how much I'm expecting it to turn to rain. The afternoon will undoubtedly be key.

Finally, guess what the council didn't do last night? The roads were absolute chaos getting into town.

It's actually a very good thing that it's snowing such small flakes. As i've learned the smaller the flakes are the harder the air has worked to turn the rain drop into ice/snow meaning it wont turn to rain..

Big flakes here now, moderate snow!

[ianshortall]

Quite heavy now in New Brighton but mainly graupel still sticking though.

[Darren Bown]

We have 10, yes 10 inches of snow here, maybe even a foot in places, this is insane, schools are closed for the first time in 16 yearsish. I'm going to my mums to stay there for a few days, this is crazy!

[HotCuppa]

It's actually a very good thing that it's snowing such small flakes. As i've learned the smaller the flakes are the harder the air has worked to turn the rain drop into ice/snow meaning it wont turn to rain..

Big flakes here now, moderate snow!

There you go..non of this will turn to rain. Saying that it would be wise to build a boat for some calamitous flood now i said that lol

[Maz]

HotCuppa: If you add the wind vector overlay to the NWx radar you can see that the lower (850hpa-1000hpa) vectors are pushing from roughly the NNE. The higher vectors (500hpa-300hpa) still have a Wrly component. So assuming these modelled vectors are reasonably accurate it would seem that this is a classic cold air undercutting the warmer air mass and hence why the precipitation keeps pepping up on this band. For once the warmer air to our west, aided by the moisture and instability from the Irish Sea, is working in our favour!

Wysiwyg, yes I think you are spot on. The convergence zone, Irish sea moisture, frontal lifting and orographic uplift are all working in our favour. I think the low pressure developing over the Irish Sea near the North welsh coast, has stalled the frontal band. I guess once the low centre pushes southwards over Wales it will drag the band of snow with it, moving faster for a time, before stalling again over central Southern England (accoring to Meto).

[LiverBird]

Flakes getting much bigger now

We're still getting small flakes here HotCuppa, plenty of them but they're not making any impact on the snow already down. Do you still think the big band coming from the north will bring us the snow we're hoping for? Boss is thinking of sending staff home a bit earlier this afternoon if conditions are going to get worse!

Can't see Ellesmere Port anymore from office but just saw plane taking off from airport.

[mcfcben]

We have 10, yes 10 inches of snow here, maybe even a foot in places, this is insane, schools are closed for the first time in 16 yearsish. I'm going to my mums to stay there for a few days, this is crazy!

We got around the same in Wythenshawe too, and yeah, everywheres shut here too. Loads of my friends have been sent home, or couldnt make it, into/from work too (including me)

[Backtrack]

Heavy snow here now! Flakes are big!

[karyo]

The 11:30 radar shows the band starting to weaken just north of Manchester. Coastal areas should still see snow there as they benefit from some moisture from the Irish sea.

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/radar/

Karyo

Edited January 5, 2010 by karyo

[HotCuppa]

We're still getting small flakes here HotCuppa, plenty of them but they're not making any impact on the snow already down. Do you still think the big band coming from the north will bring us the snow we're hoping for? Boss is thinking of sending staff home a bit earlier this afternoon if conditions are going to get worse!

Can't see Ellesmere Port anymore from office but just saw plane taking off from airport.

I think this is going to set in for some there is a lot of snow around us its practically on our doorstep

[Spurry]

Still snowing here , unbelievable amount

[Templinho]

Snowing in Bebington. Very light to start with, now moderate.

[Chris D]

The 11:30 radar shows the band starting to weaken just north of Manchester. Coastal areas should still see snow there as they benefit from some moisture from the Irish sea.

Karyo

No joke! We are still seeing snow (since 6am this morning in fact) non-stop, and although lighter now, it is causing major problems. I would say around 7cm currently.

[Liam J]

still -1.8c and approaching midday! not much here only a icing sugar dusting im envious of down with you guys a bit further south.

that ppn over scotland has got me interested in where its heading as it looks as intense as the band further south.

met office issued EXTREME weather warning parts of south get this excess of 40cm possible!!!!!!!!

[Cecil Hogmanay Melchett]

STILL snowing nicely lol

[HotCuppa]

Extreme Warning

Very Heavy snow southern england

There is a high risk of an extreme weather event affecting parts of Southern England this evening and overnight. A period of exceptionally heavy snowfall is expected with accumulations of 15-30 cm and perhaps in excess of 40 cm. This is expected to cause widespread disruption to the transport network and could lead to problems with power supplies.

The public are advised to take extreme care and refer to the Highways Agency for further advice on traffic disruption on motorways and trunk roads.

Issued at: 1135 Tue 5 Jan

They just have to go one better every time don' t they.

[Darren Bown]

A foot of snow in the NW only gets a severe weather warning, yet the stuff coming later today in the south is an extreme weather warning....

[karyo]

STILL snowing nicely lol

That's good, you are benefiting from your proximity to the Pennines.

Very light snow here from time to time.

Karyo

[thewirral]

When will this band hit my area!! Im sick of waiting.. Heavy snow in Runccorn but nothing here!

Edited January 5, 2010 by thewirral

[mcfcben]

That's good, you are benefiting from your proximity to the Pennines.

Very light snow here from time to time.

Karyo

lets hope this band strengthens and we get another dumping this afternoon