Midlands Cold Spell Discussion

[Frank]

Just had phone call from my kids school to say they are shutting the school now to all kids who can get home and have someone at home to receive their children.

Dont think that was necessary here, cant see any mor snow showers coming from the radar, oh well at least they managed half a day, more than most schools managed today

Edited January 6, 2010 by Frank

[Turnedoutniceagain]

Cloud clearing now and giving way to beautiful blue skies.

Still very windy and a slight thaw taking place, well snow falling off trees anyway!

Edited to add: You can see quite noticably now that the system is slipping south on the radar so I think that's our lot - what a 24 hours!

A THAW !!!!!

Errr, doubt it

[azores92]

its just the wind picking up for those who thinks all the snow coming off trees is melting. not much thawing here, its icy cold.

[Shiny_Bottom_1]

A THAW !!!!!

Errr, doubt it

It was the same here from about when the snow stopped about 9am, until about 12pm (See above post).

[butler_son]

I've got my eyes towards Hull and Grimsby on the radar...there are a few showers queuing up to hit Hull, but whether they'll make it inland to Nottingham, who knows! :lol:

[kar999]

Indeed and with much of our snow that we have just had which wont really thaw any snow will just add up! Could get very tricky at some point over the weekend again. BBC Maps have snow for us all day on Sunday but obviously it will change.

Just driven thru' blue skies and bright sunshine all the way from Shrops through Brierley Hill/Quarry Bank to Cradley. Average of 2 to 4 inches depth most of the way. A steady slow thaw setting in. with most of the snow of the trees beginning to melt as is any lying snow that is in direct sun. It wont all melt so it'll freeze well tonight!!

Edited January 6, 2010 by kar999

[Shiny_Bottom_1]

I've got my eyes towards Hull and Grimsby on the radar...there are a few showers queuing up to hit Hull, but whether they'll make it inland to Nottingham, who knows!

Not sure really.

I didnt expect to wake up to snow falling this morning, so might happen.

The wind slightly changes direction later, so it might push them more towards us.

[Costa Del Fal]

Just driven thru' blue skies and bright sunshine all the way from Shrops through Brierley Hill/Quarry Bank to Cradley. Average of 2 to 4 inches depth most of the way. A steady slow thaw setting in. with most of the snow of the trees beginning to melt as is any lying snow that is in direct sun. It wont all met so it'll freeze well tonight!!

Weve had a good 4 inches here. I cant see much thawing. Wind is increasing which is what is probably taking the snow off the trees. Bitter day!

[Rosemary Hobbs Ward]

Absolute white out here now. Just got back from sledging with the kids - snow very deep on the hills, we have a good 6 inches in the village though. Wind has got up too and is blowing it around. Temp in my back garden reads plus 1 and the icicles are dripping. A361 is very snowy, glad ! don't have to go anywhere today!

[Costa Del Fal]

Wouldnt rule out some showers from the North getting here as once they passed about Sheffield there shouldnt be much stopping them. There is a bit of a queue as well right now!

Edited January 6, 2010 by Blizzards

[kar999]

Weve had a good 4 inches here. I cant see much thawing. Wind is increasing which is what is probably taking the snow off the trees. Bitter day!

It's mainly loose snow in the direct sun that's melting. It's all gone from the cars, walls and railings and trees next to work. Most stuff on the pavements etc. is pretty solid and will be treacherous overnight.

Dudley temperature and dew point currently showing +1ºC

http://skylinkweather.com/metar/metarmapindex.php

Edited January 6, 2010 by kar999

[butler_son]

Wouldnt rule out some showers from the North getting here as once they passed about Sheffield there shouldnt be much stopping them. There is a bit of a queue as well right now!

There's certainly that area just near Leeds that looks to be on the way to Shropshire and Staffordshire...and another just north of that! If these keep coming, there'll be plenty of top ups round the Midlands.

[cyclonic happiness]

Off topic comment here....how long does the big freeze have to be before the media call it a "cold spell" as opposed to what they keep calling it now "cold snap".

It just really irritates me, I mean, it's been here now for 3 weeks and they are still calling it a cold snap???

Now me, I'd call this a "cold spell" now and everything that lasts a fortnight.

A two day toppler would be a "cold snap".

Amirite?

[Nick L]

Off topic comment here....how long does the big freeze have to be before the media call it a "cold spell" as opposed to what they keep calling it now "cold snap".

It just really irritates me, I mean, it's been here now for 3 weeks and they are still calling it a cold snap???

Now me, I'd call this a "cold spell" now and everything that lasts a fortnight.

A two day toppler would be a "cold snap".

Amirite?

Absolutely agree. I would hardly call 3 weeks of cold weather a cold snap.

[swilliam]

Off topic comment here....how long does the big freeze have to be before the media call it a "cold spell" as opposed to what they keep calling it now "cold snap".

It just really irritates me, I mean, it's been here now for 3 weeks and they are still calling it a cold snap???

Now me, I'd call this a "cold spell" now and everything that lasts a fortnight.

A two day toppler would be a "cold snap".

Amirite?

Totally agree - part of the BBC AGW campaign - cold spells can no longer occur.

[kar999]

BBC are sending out mixed messages!!

The UK is in the grip of its longest cold snap for almost 30 years, and extreme or severe weather warnings are still in place across the UK for both snow and ice.

EDIT: Met office however are refering to it as a cold spell..

Heavy snowfall is expected across southern areas of England that have not seen snow so far during this cold spell.

Edited January 6, 2010 by kar999

[weather_it_will]

Still snowing here.

I doubt any chance of any thaw or sun here today that's for sure.

[azores92]

a slight thaw here on rooftops, and a little on car tops also. but for the most part, the majority of the snow is still intact.

[NorthantsSnow]

The snow has stopped falling in Northampton. 5cm accumulation as of 1200, so very similar to the December event in terms of depth.

So that concludes round 1, however there is an increasing risk of yet more snow as we head towards the weekend.

For the rest of today, skies will slowly clear and it should remain mostly dry. There's a chance of the odd isolated flurry somewhere in the northern part of the county tonight but this likely won't amount to very much.

Tomorrow and Friday there's a small risk of snow showers in the East extending far enough west to affect parts of East Northamptonshire at times, although this remains low at this stage. The likely predominant weather across the county will be clear sunny skies and sub-zero temps throughout with ice days likely to be recorded.

Then on Saturday and Sunday we start to pick up a more E'ly component to the wind and this will likely be strong enough to bring some heavy prolonged snow showers across from East Anglia to affect us later in the weekend. Further accumulations are likely if this occurs as currently projected.

All in all, the relentlessly wintry spell of weather continues with no end in sight. Enjoy it won't you? I know I will

Edited January 6, 2010 by NorthantsSnow

[snow hunter]

I hope you're right NorthantsSnow and we can play catchup a bit to those in the south.

It makes a change for Northampton to get more snow than Rushden.

[Severe Siberian icy blast]

Iv got a question . . .

Now we have -10uppers flooding the country this afternoon on a fresh northeasterly wind , and a relatively warm sea then would that not mean strong convection off the north sea, and with the contrast between sea and air i would of thought they would become proglonged and move well in land??

Thoughts welcome , thanks

[I remember Atlantic 252]

Iv got a question . . .

Now we have -10uppers flooding the country this afternoon on a fresh northeasterly wind , and a relatively warm sea then would that not mean strong convection off the north sea, and with the contrast between sea and air i would of thought they would become proglonged and move well in land??

Thoughts welcome , thanks

im looking at the weekend for this, need the winds direct East not northeast, just hoping ukmo and ecm have weekend right, but if high is too close like gfs shows, the showers will only hit the SE

[NorthantsSnow]

I hope you're right NorthantsSnow and we can play catchup a bit to those in the south.

It makes a change for Northampton to get more snow than Rushden.

LOL it does seem to be quite rare even during that incredibly snowy spell during Feb 2009 you seemed to be beating us in terms of accumulations, but of course that event will take some beating!

[Bottesford]

Light snow shower just beginning. Gives us a little top up on our existing inch of snow.

Plenty of sunshine around today but still little melt...

[NorthantsSnow]

im looking at the weekend for this, need the winds direct East not northeast, just hoping ukmo and ecm have weekend right, but if high is too close like gfs shows, the showers will only hit the SE

Absolutely right. We need the GFS to move away from its solution and come into line with the Euros. (UKMO/ECM)

Most analysts are fairly confident this will happen given the GFS has been very unreliable at this range as of late, desperate to bring in a breakdown too early.