Scottish Cold Spell Discussion 20:

[Guest]

Yeah, I think my pond is still forzen over despite the last few days of warm temperatures and rain

My parents' (curling) pond still has white lumps of snow on top of the ice, and lots of grey icy mush. The island in the middle of the pond still has snow on it

How about this for close but no cigar below 1500ft:

[Cheggers]

I do hope the close but no cigar becomes close, closer......bang lots of snow, be happy with one more cold snowy spell now, or maybe just being greedy considering previous winter and what we have already had.

Fog lifting slightly now.

Edited January 22, 2010 by Cheggers

[LomondSnowstorm]

Something brewing on Tuesday morning perhaps? Dewpoints look a lot lower than Sunday morning, as there is less sea modification, even though uppers are a good 2-3 C warmer on Tuesday, but -3 uppers are still conduicive to snow if surface conditions are favourable. As long as the upper layer stays below freezing, the precipitation has a chance of being snow.

As for overnight on Sunday, I'm going to almost disregard the GFS as it is cleanly beaten by the NMM and even the NAE at this range.

LS

[Guest]

I do hope the close but no cigar becomes close, closer......bang lots of snow, be happy with one more cold snowy spell now, or maybe just being greedy considering previous winter and what we have already had.

Fog lifting slightly now.

I can remember the winter of 05/06, waiting all winter for snow, and then the 12th/13th March happened, when all hope was lost......

-3 uppers are still conduicive to snow if surface conditions are favourable.

We had snow here a couple of weeks ago with uppers of -3C, surface conditions can be key

Anything will do

[LomondSnowstorm]

I can remember the winter of 05/06, waiting all winter for snow, and then the 12th/13th March happened, when all hope was lost......

That was an event alright - wasn't the 11th-12th? The 13th was a sleety washout here, but then again it was probably different further west, as Lochgelly had about a foot on the thirteenth. Anyway, I can't remember a winter when there wasn't a major snow event in February or March - Feb and March '05 had two four inch falls from an easterly, '06 had the 12th, 07' had 4 inches off an easterly, I can't honestly remember one in '08 though there was snowfall at easter, which fell in mid-March, while last year had a few minor snowfalls but only one 4 incher. So I think we'll see some more, given that the atlantic is hardly roaring in any output.

LS

[Guest]

That was an event alright - wasn't the 11th-12th? The 13th was a sleety washout here, but then again it was probably different further west, as Lochgelly had about a foot on the thirteenth. Anyway, I can't remember a winter when there wasn't a major snow event in February or March - Feb and March '05 had two four inch falls from an easterly, '06 had the 12th, 07' had 4 inches off an easterly, I can't honestly remember one in '08 though there was snowfall at easter, which fell in mid-March, while last year had a few minor snowfalls but only one 4 incher. So I think we'll see some more, given that the atlantic is hardly roaring in any output.

LS

It may well have been the 11th/12th. All I know is that the GFS switched between heavy rain and heavy snow for a week before hand, and then bang. Almost a foot of snow here. Although I was reliably informed by some members on here who lived 300 miles away that it was only about 2 inches of snow that I had <_<

[Cheggers]

It may well have been the 11th/12th. All I know is that the GFS switched between heavy rain and heavy snow for a week before hand, and then bang. Almost a foot of snow here. Although I was reliably informed by some members on here who lived 300 miles away that it was only about 2 inches of snow that I had <_<

Picture of the aftermath from 2005.....

[Guest]

Picture of the aftermath from 2005.....

If I remember I will load up March 2006 photos from the big computer over the weekend....on the laptop just now so no photos!

[blitzen]

Morning people. A dull, dreich one it is too with temps on the rise at 4.1 and dewpoints 3.2 with a NW wind. Hoping this chart is accurate for evening/overnight:

Haven't seen BBC24 yet as I believe EYE was of the opinion that their forecast would mild up today. Hope not.

(Sorry, link not loading for some reason) 00z T24 precipitation type chart. Have a look. Fabulous ECM 00z this morning, bitterly cold to the end of the run due to a powerful northerly and it has been suggested that a potent easterly would follow!

Have just seen BBC24 and it looks as if there has been a downgrade to hill snow only! Ho hum.

Edited January 23, 2010 by Blitzen

[Cheggers]

Something to cheer everyone up while we await the snow.....

Extracts from the diary of A Scottish man Abroad

December 20th:- Its started to SNOW! The first of the season & the first we've seen for years.

The wife & I took our hot toddies & sat on the porch watching the fluffy soft flakes drift gently down clinging to the trees and covering the ground. Its so beautiful & peaceful. How lucky we are to have moved from the south to the Highlands of Scotland .

December 24th:-We awoke to a lovely blanket of crystal white glistening snow covering the fabulous landscape.

Just what we always dreamed Scotland would be like. What a fantastic sight, every tree and bush covered with a beautiful white mantle. I shovelled snow for the first time ever and loved it! I did both our driveway and our pavement. Later a snowplough came along and accidentally covered up our driveway with compacted snow from the street. The driver smiled & waved. I waved back and shovelled it away again.

December 26th:-It snowed an additional 5 inches last night and the temperature dropped to around -8c.Several branches on our trees & bushes snapped off due to the weight of snow. I shovelled our driveway again. Shortly afterwards the snowplough came by & did his trick again, much of the snow is brownish-grey with yellow patches!

January 1st:- Warmed up enough during the day to create some slush, which soon became ice when the temperature dropped again. Bought snow tyres for both our cars. Fell on my I have a problem in the drive, nothing broken but £100 to a Physio. More snow & ice expected.

January 5th:-Still cold. Sold the wife's car and bought her a Land rover to get her to her work.. She slid into a wall and did considerable damage to the right wing. Had another 8 inches of the white onions last night. Both vehicles are covered in salt, iced up slush, locks are frozen solid and wiper blades are stuck to the screens. More shovelling in store for now.. The laminate floor snowplough came by twice today.

January 9th:-More -----ing snow! Not a bush or tree on our property that has not been damaged. Power was off for most of the night. Tried to keep from freezing to death with candles and a paraffin heater which tipped over and nearly burnt the house down.. I managed to put the flames out but lost all my eyelashes and eyebrows and suffered second degree burns to my hands. (Car hit a -----ing deer on the way to the hospital and was written off.)

January 13th:------ing laminate floor white sh-- keeps on coming down. Have to but on all the clothes we own just to get to the post box. If I ever catch that cous cous that drives the -----ing snowplough Ill chew open his chest and rip out his heart with my teeth. I think he hides round the corner and waits for me to finish shovelling and then comes down the road at 100mph and buries the -----ing driveway again.

January 14th:-16 more -----ing inches of -----ing snow and -----ing sleet and -----ing ice and god knows what other kind of white sh-- fell last night..

I managed to wound that laminate floor of a snowplough driver with an ice-axe but he got away. -----ing car wont start. I think I'm going snow-blind.

I cant move my -----ing toes, I think its frostbite.

Haven't seen the sun in weeks.

More -----ing snow forecast.

Temperature -20 degrees C.

---- this I'm moving to.... Australia !

Edited January 23, 2010 by Cheggers

[davidbarnes25]

Thats very funny!

[blitzen]

Interesting to read how the more qualified posters on the model thread are not about to be taken in by this morning's ECM.

Perhaps we should all take a leaf out of their book and accept that the best part of this winter is over. Not to say that there will not be anything cold/snowy in the future of course, but at the moment it is not looking too hopeful for February. It is also worth noting that GP has not been posting recently on the in depth thread. I always take this is a sign of the status quo.

[Blizzardo]

Interesting to read how the more qualified posters on the model thread are not about to be taken in by this morning's ECM.

Perhaps we should all take a leaf out of their book and accept that the best part of this winter is over. Not to say that there will not be anything cold/snowy in the future of course, but at the moment it is not looking too hopeful for February. It is also worth noting that GP has not been posting recently on the in depth thread. I always take this is a sign of the status quo.

My own view is ignore any comments such as "it will be a mild February because of stratospheric blah blah...." or "it was a good ECM but it wont happen because GP said such and such".

I'm not saying that what the experts say is irrelevant and I do keep this at the back of my mind but I sometimes think it takes takes away a lot of the wonder and excitement from watching the weather and following what the models are showing.

Personally. I very much doubt this mornings ECM will happen exactly as shown but the trend is good in that its showing a better Northerly flow and the possibility of then drawing in some more cold from the North East or East. Thats good enough for me.

Anyway, I dont know whats wrong with a 3 day Northerly toppler, for Scotland its better than a feable Easterly that only gives a bit of sleet or a few snow grains in the South East of England.

[Snowlover2]

Something to cheer everyone up while we await the snow.....

Extracts from the diary of A Scottish man Abroad

December 20th:- Its started to SNOW! The first of the season & the first we've seen for years.

The wife & I took our hot toddies & sat on the porch watching the fluffy soft flakes drift gently down clinging to the trees and covering the ground. Its so beautiful & peaceful. How lucky we are to have moved from the south to the Highlands of Scotland .

December 24th:-We awoke to a lovely blanket of crystal white glistening snow covering the fabulous landscape.

Just what we always dreamed Scotland would be like. What a fantastic sight, every tree and bush covered with a beautiful white mantle. I shovelled snow for the first time ever and loved it! I did both our driveway and our pavement. Later a snowplough came along and accidentally covered up our driveway with compacted snow from the street. The driver smiled & waved. I waved back and shovelled it away again.

December 26th:-It snowed an additional 5 inches last night and the temperature dropped to around -8c.Several branches on our trees & bushes snapped off due to the weight of snow. I shovelled our driveway again. Shortly afterwards the snowplough came by & did his trick again, much of the snow is brownish-grey with yellow patches!

January 1st:- Warmed up enough during the day to create some slush, which soon became ice when the temperature dropped again. Bought snow tyres for both our cars. Fell on my I have a problem in the drive, nothing broken but £100 to a Physio. More snow & ice expected.

January 5th:-Still cold. Sold the wife's car and bought her a Land rover to get her to her work.. She slid into a wall and did considerable damage to the right wing. Had another 8 inches of the white onions last night. Both vehicles are covered in salt, iced up slush, locks are frozen solid and wiper blades are stuck to the screens. More shovelling in store for now.. The laminate floor snowplough came by twice today.

January 9th:-More -----ing snow! Not a bush or tree on our property that has not been damaged. Power was off for most of the night. Tried to keep from freezing to death with candles and a paraffin heater which tipped over and nearly burnt the house down.. I managed to put the flames out but lost all my eyelashes and eyebrows and suffered second degree burns to my hands. (Car hit a -----ing deer on the way to the hospital and was written off.)

January 13th:------ing laminate floor white sh-- keeps on coming down. Have to but on all the clothes we own just to get to the post box. If I ever catch that cous cous that drives the -----ing snowplough Ill chew open his chest and rip out his heart with my teeth. I think he hides round the corner and waits for me to finish shovelling and then comes down the road at 100mph and buries the -----ing driveway again.

January 14th:-16 more -----ing inches of -----ing snow and -----ing sleet and -----ing ice and god knows what other kind of white sh-- fell last night..

I managed to wound that laminate floor of a snowplough driver with an ice-axe but he got away. -----ing car wont start. I think I'm going snow-blind.

I cant move my -----ing toes, I think its frostbite.

Haven't seen the sun in weeks.

More -----ing snow forecast.

Temperature -20 degrees C.

---- this I'm moving to.... Australia !

[Methuselah]

Cold and grey with drizzle, 3C... :(

[ploughboy]

beeb going for a (wet) snow event tonight in many parts of the central belt

anyone know if this could upgade and hit lower levels?

staying up late for muzza; might be nice to have some lamppost watching to keep the dog & I entertained

[Gilly]

A cold raw afternoon......temps at 2C and we are sitting in cloud.

Overnight forecast for light snow showers. Although the snow is unlikely to last there no real sign of warmer weather in the outlook. Also nothing to confirm one way or the other that another northerly is on its way although there is talk on the model forum of a N or NE in FI.

I hate this cold dreich weather!!

Aw well off to celebrate Burns Night tonight with a some Haggis and a wee uisge beatha - slainte

Edited January 23, 2010 by Gilly

[howham]

beeb going for a (wet) snow event tonight in many parts of the central belt

anyone know if this could upgade and hit lower levels?

staying up late for muzza; might be nice to have some lamppost watching to keep the dog & I entertained

Rain has turned to wet snow here!!! Temp 2C and falling, DP 1.4C. I'm at 114m asl.

[Cheggers]

beeb going for a (wet) snow event tonight in many parts of the central belt

anyone know if this could upgade and hit lower levels?

staying up late for muzza; might be nice to have some lamppost watching to keep the dog & I entertained

NOt sure about wet snow.... but what is falling is very wet!!!!! Temp is dropping now down to 2.3 after a day high of 5.9.

[LomondSnowstorm]

Is cold zonality making a return after what now appears to be a brief northerly toppler? http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/Recm1441.gif http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/Rukm1441.gif http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/Recm2161.gif http://www.meteogroup.co.uk/meteo/ecmwf/NSea/2010012312/NSea_2010012312_thgt850_240.png

Worst case scenario IMO - http://91.121.94.83/modeles/gfs/run/gfs-0-216.png?12 - dreich, drizzly, with very little hope of anything interesting for at least a week or two. We need the jet to track a bit further south if we want more sustained cold, though with the MJO moving into a more favourable position and BFTP suggesting the jet tracking further south into February, maybe there is still hope. Not sure if we're going to see any wintry PPN overnight - the NMM seems to suggest central, northern and western areas potentially seeing some but still a bit too mild further east.

LS

[LadyPakal]

Good pics! Happy dogs...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/8476942.stm

[Scottish-Irish Skier]

Just arrived back from Edinburgh.

Whiteout at Soutra on the A68, T = 0C and snow lying on the road. Combined with heavy fog, you could hardly see 10 m.

Cold rain at the house though and 2 C

[LomondSnowstorm]

Bound to be downgraded in some way but this has some potential, depending on how cold the surface is.

The title of it says it all really!

[Scottish-Irish Skier]

Thanks LSS for the ongoing updates, even if many seem to have lost hope.

It's still hardly what I would call mild and cold zonality is better than blow torch SWerlys. While things may not appear uber cold for the next week or two, we still have a fair bit of winter left yet and I remain upbeat about a decent reasonable snowy spell before the spring arrives, even if it may only be a few day one. Cold zonality is certainly good for the ski areas as it keeps the Ts low enough and tops up the snow.

[howham]

It's been snowing here for four hours! Everything is white! Not really forecast...