Cold Spell Discussion

[conor123]

The cold spell is definately not ending for the majority of us, just the snowy weather which weve pretty much missed out on anyway here.

Still looks like a few good frosts are possible if the cloud breaks.

Edited January 10, 2010 by conor123

[Bottesford]

Crikey what happened?! Went to bed last night with warnings and info that the midlands was going to get pasted with snow (which would be a first for this winter - at least round here anyway) and wake up to rain and all warnings gone!

Disappointing definitely as it was the first time Notts was coloured orange on the warning maps and the first time we were in the firing line for the 'worst' of it (instead of just getting left over showers).

Well if it must warm up then I hope it warms up properly - there's nothing worse in winter than temps 1-4c with chilly easterly winds laden with cloud & drizzle.

[Mondy]

Quick. Someone start a "Warm Spell Discussion" thread :lol:

What you all talking about? It's 1c here DP -1, wind chill at -8c and no thaw whatsoever.

Pick up all your toys and put them back in the pram

[MR EXTREMES]

A bit of a boo boo for the met. The thaw is underway across the UK now. Just as we were looking forward to another big dump.

People underestimated the warm front pushing from the east , it had too much of a southerly element to the origin of the air, perhaps? Where did our forecast of strong easterlys go? its calm here ?

anyway i'm quite happy, had a great day in Richmond Park yesterday , and walked on frozen ponds- had nearly a week of snow in London which is rare ( plus the week before Christmas). Not bad when we havent even finished the second week in Jan.

its simple i think they posted panic warnings and also at that time it was favourable for a snow event.

but they had all day yesterday to sort this out and in my opion and it might sound harsh but it was lazy just like the meto lrf lazy.

Crikey what happened?! Went to bed last night with warnings and info that the midlands was going to get pasted with snow (which would be a first for this winter - at least round here anyway) and wake up to rain and all warnings gone!

Disappointing definitely as it was the first time Notts was coloured orange on the warning maps and the first time we were in the firing line for the 'worst' of it (instead of just getting left over showers).

Well if it must warm up then I hope it warms up properly - there's nothing worse in winter than temps 1-4c with chilly easterly winds laden with cloud & drizzle.

i go with that dont want no cold drizzle crap.

either got to be cold with some action or mild with some action.lol:drinks:

[Lenticular]

Hi Mondy you been allowed back???

i think it was yesterday morning i said that the front coming from Holland was decaying even before it got over the north sea so its no surprise that it has all but died last night,

the next thing looking into next week will be the return of the atlantic on Tuesday,

The jet looks to be recurving north and warm air masses start to push in from the SW, the first incursion will probably be around Tuesday morning and we may get a full Atlantic low with quite a few fronts then another one Thursday. think that the cold spell has pretty much ended and the only chance we have of more snow is into Feb as i think we might get another short cold spell.

Edited January 10, 2010 by Lenticular

[MR EXTREMES]

Quick. Someone start a "Warm Spell Discussion" thread

What you all talking about? It's 1c here DP -1, wind chill at -8c and no thaw whatsoever.

Pick up all your toys and put them back in the pram

well your living in the arctic right now :lol:.

but im happy withour event its one i will remember for a very lontime and it may not be over yet.

[Thundery wintry showers]

Crikey what happened?! Went to bed last night with warnings and info that the midlands was going to get pasted with snow (which would be a first for this winter - at least round here anyway) and wake up to rain and all warnings gone!

Disappointing definitely as it was the first time Notts was coloured orange on the warning maps and the first time we were in the firing line for the 'worst' of it (instead of just getting left over showers).

Well if it must warm up then I hope it warms up properly - there's nothing worse in winter than temps 1-4c with chilly easterly winds laden with cloud & drizzle.

Aye- for me the "exciting" cold snowy weather was always set to finish, or be put on hold, for the coming week, even though a breakdown (in the "turning mild" sense) always looked unlikely. I was in my element with the sunshine and snow showers setups that dominated the first nine days of January.

But this is always the risk snow lovers take with easterlies- if the upper air temperatures aren't particularly low, the result is often a spell of cold cloudy weather rather than sunshine and snow showers. However, the upcoming spell of weather does promise some snow events towards the west and south-west as the Atlantic tries and fails to make it in.

[cycloneuk]

Certainly an event to remember for my location. We have had 5 days of lying snow/ice this last week with temps dropping to -9c and also 3 ice days which is something not seen for around 15 years or so.

[Snowyowl9]

If anyone thinks theres a thaw coming then think again,alot of snow once again for the week ahead and the atlantic will never break through again just gagging that last bit.

No but this is like february 1986 today is anyway but just with lighter winds had alot more in the way of heavier snow grains then.

Light snowflakes now again.

[TEITS]

Whats ironic is the Met O put out warnings for when I thought heavy snow was unlikely i.e last night in the SE. Now they have removed the warnings for the period when I think snow is most likely i.e this evening/overnight.

Despite the warm up and thaw it actually feels like its getting colder here. I wouldn't be surprised come later on when the winds change to the E rather than the NE that we see more snowfall than the BBC/Met O are suggesting.

Still im not going to complain about the BBC/Met O too much as the thaw took all of us by surprise. However I do have one gripe with the BBC/Met O and that is far too much reliance on the models instead of using the basics i.e radar/observations/Sat pics. For example last tues morning it was pretty obvious the heavy snow would be further E and I said this at 10am. Yet it took the BBC/Met O to realise this until 6pm!!

Some may disagree but I actually think 1-3 day forecasts were much more reliable in the 1980s than they are today. Reason is simply down to forecasters relying too much on the models!

[Kentish Man]

Please feel free to move this query to another thread and I apologise if it has been covered elsewhere. However what was and is that warm front shown in the BBC and Met Office Fax Charts? As has been pointed out it hasn't been very intense and temperatures haven't changed noticably down here in the Kentish snowfields (it's snowing as I write this). Why is it shown as a warm front when it wasn't attached to any low pressure system?

Edited January 10, 2010 by Kentish Man

[Harsh Climate]

http://www.meteociel.fr/cartes_obs/temp2_1h.png

Heavy snow currently over northern germany. Would be nice if it kept its intensity when it arrives in the british isles later

[MR EXTREMES]

Aye- for me the "exciting" cold snowy weather was always set to finish, or be put on hold, for the coming week, even though a breakdown (in the "turning mild" sense) always looked unlikely. I was in my element with the sunshine and snow showers setups that dominated the first nine days of January.

But this is always the risk snow lovers take with easterlies- if the upper air temperatures aren't particularly low, the result is often a spell of cold cloudy weather rather than sunshine and snow showers. However, the upcoming spell of weather does promise some snow events towards the west and south-west as the Atlantic tries and fails to make it in.

i 100% sure the sw event will be a none runner.

but i agree its been special but in my opion we had an easterly this did not produce anything but cold drizzle rubbish for a fair few also the thaw is on,

so if the easterly did not do its bit then sw event will also be a let down.

we are in january and there is plenty of times for the cold to return but the futher north you are the better your chances this week.

[johnholmes]

Please feel free to move this query to another thread and I apologise if it has been covered elsewhere. However what was and is that warm front shown in the BBC and Met Office Fax Charts? As has been pointed out it hasn't been very intense and temperatures haven't changed noticably down here in the Kentish snowfields (it's snowing as I write this). Why is it shown as a warm front when it wasn't attached to any low pressure system?

its an upper warm front so not at the surface

[TonyH]

Fantastc severe winter spell here too!

4 days sub zero until this morning- its only +1c now.

4 nights in a row below -10c, and the lowest UK temp I have experienced/ am old enough to remember -16.7c- (thats close on 50 years experience!).

Snow cover here since last weekend, the longest since 1991.

Below average temperatures since mid December (virtually a whole month).

All in all the most severe cold since 1987 or even 1982, and the most prolonged cold and snowy spell since Feb 1991 at least.

And we have a pretty gentle snow fall today on top of the existing 4-5 inches covering.

Edited January 10, 2010 by Tonyh

[Snowyowl9]

Upper air temps are still at -9c

http://91.121.93.17/wz/pics/Rmgfs092.gif

-7 to -9c I should say mostly -8c

Edited January 10, 2010 by Snowyowl9

[MR EXTREMES]

If anyone thinks theres a thaw coming then think again,alot of snow once again for the week ahead and the atlantic will never break through again just gagging that last bit. :lol:

No but this is like february 1986 today is anyway but just with lighter winds had alot more in the way of heavier snow grains then.

Light snowflakes now again.

the thaw is coming because its here.

bristol drizzle cows drizzle.

looks like ne england and scotland getting battered tonight strong e ne winds and heavy snow coming out of the north sea.

Edited January 10, 2010 by badboy657

[Kentish Man]

its an upper warm front so not at the surface

Thanks for that John. However the 850 temps seem similar both sides of the front so what kind of boundary does it mark?

[Nick L]

If anyone thinks theres a thaw coming then think again,alot of snow once again for the week ahead and the atlantic will never break through again just gagging that last bit.

No but this is like february 1986 today is anyway but just with lighter winds had alot more in the way of heavier snow grains then.

Light snowflakes now again.

It's thawing here now.

[Ben_Cambs]

We just got Met-rolled! :lol:

[Mondy]

-16c Altnaharra

-11c Aviemore

-8c Inverness

-7c Aboyne

-7c Lossiemouth

[Osbourne One-Nil]

Yes, but what about Orpington and Chelmsford?

[Mondy]

What about them? Do they have temps like that too?

Edited January 10, 2010 by Mondy

[Osbourne One-Nil]

There was a live reported from Bluebell Hill in Kent on the news this morning showing us that the road was fine. I was relieved.

By the way, before anyone comes along and accuses anyone of having chips on their shoulders, don't be ridiculous - this is a comment on the media, not individuals.

[MR EXTREMES]

-16c Altnaharra

-11c Aviemore

-8c Inverness

-7c Aboyne

-7c Lossiemouth

well according to john in the model thread aviemore is a degree above freezing with a slight thaw.