Scottish Cold Spell Discussion

[Guest]

Took a spin inland about 8 miles to visit Snowmageddon land late this afternoon. Not all roads open yet. Here are a couple of photos the last one showing another snow shower coming in off the Firth. Currently 0c and a fresh dusting from the showers earlier ,everything getting crunchy.

Cracking pics NL, the snow looks really deep. Spring by May?

[winter storm]

Hi Everyone,

it's snowing here in Livingston on and off for the last three days.

Bye

[Scottish-Irish Skier]

0.4 C here now and heading for a frost. Nice, as I've been largely the wrong side of marginal and have had more rain/sleet than snow over the past few days. Ground soaking wet and muddy. Thin snow covering in the garden due to the shade.

Snowline is very distinct on the hills in the area... < 200m green 200-250 m transition from greenish white to white, >250 m snowing and sticking.

Few showers drifting in. Had a brief spell of graupel earlier. Soutra cam been annoyingly out the past few days. I wonder if the lorry that jacknifed up there on friday rush hour crashed into it...

[Norrance]

1.5C here at present and partly cloudy.

Interesting run up through Perthshire today. At low levels amazing differences in snow cover within very small areas. As aeveryone could see on TV lots about Auchterarder but none in Perth. Further North very little up the A9 as far as Pitlochry. Heading West virtually none at Grandtully but only about four miles further West from Aberfeldy to Kenmore there is 20-30cms remaining at about the same altitude approx 100 mtrs asl. Go up the hill road towards Crieff and above about 250 mrs there is about 45 cms and above 300 mtrs about 60/70 cms, possibly more than at the same place in early January. Took some photos but don't know how they will come out. A few snow pellets blowing in on the wind in the morning but a slight thaw pm. Hope it won't be too cold tonight as my mum's Central Heating is down as are her phone lines. Three conservatories have collapsed in the village due to the weight of snow.

[LomondSnowstorm]

0.4 C here now and heading for a frost. Nice, as I've been largely the wrong side of marginal and have had more rain/sleet than snow over the past few days. Ground soaking wet and muddy. Thin snow covering in the garden due to the shade.

Snowline is very distinct on the hills in the area... < 200m green 200-250 m transition from greenish white to white, >250 m snowing and sticking.

Few showers drifting in. Had a brief spell of graupel earlier. Soutra cam been annoyingly out the past few days. I wonder if the lorry that jacknifed up there on friday rush hour crashed into it...

Ok, to save posting too much more about the last few days unnecessarily, ditto!

Looks to me to be mainly dry and cold for the next few days (see my post on model thread), though again unexpected snow events can pop up at times as long as the low isn't over or adjacent to Scotland.

[LomondSnowstorm]

I have a new term for the last 24 hours when a decent easterly with cold, frosty nights turns into a mid atlantic high bringing a constant 4C and mid-level cloud - a shi'itegrade! No offence to a significant minority of Iraqi Muslims

Edited February 28, 2010 by LomondSnowstorm

[Northernlights]

Currently -4c here with clear skies so going to be a cold start to March.

[Cheggers]

I have a new term for the last 24 hours when a decent easterly with cold, frosty nights turns into a mid atlantic high bringing a constant 4C and mid-level cloud - a shi'itegrade! No offence to a significant minority of Iraqi Muslims

I take it much Toorping going of in the MDT then?

I am a happy man now with winter thus far, wouldn't say no to more snow, but spring would be welcomed as well, even an Atlantic storm wouldn't go a miss either.

Clearer picture of Ochils today

Edited February 28, 2010 by Cheggers

[Sunny Leith]

Don't know when the figures will be in but a cold-ish - although not severe - February ... must have made the Dec-Jan-Feb spell one of the longest continous cold periods for a few decades up here. What we've lacked in bitter cold recently, we've made up for in gray-drab-daily-ongoing cold. So the cold-winter of 2009/2010 is in the bag and will have its own place in the record books...

Fed up with it now to be honest and I'd happily go for almost any kind of change as long as its warmer. The snow-base for skiing is probably secured until May (barring catastrophes) so I'm looking at the models for warmth/milder chances. Unfortunately no great hopes until the glimmer of a euro-high in FI .. way too far out to place any bets on. So not much immediate hopes for real warming any time soon...

Bah....

[Guest]

Down to -5C overnight which should protect the snow cover a little

To add to what others have been saying about differences in snow cover across small distances. We were out and about yesterday and a few miles and a few metres elevation makes a huge difference. The biggest difference we saw was between Kilmacolm and Bishopton; a distance of 5 miles village to village with elevations of 90-140m in Kilmacolm and 20-40m Bishopton. (That's hardly a huge difference in height which suggests some other factors at work)

Kilmacolm got a pasting with many inches of snow cover still left while Bishopton has nothing. Not even remnants of piles of snow which suggests they didn't have very much (if any) to start with. Bishopton seems to be a freakily warm wee place, as other local villages at similar elevations did at least have anything between complete snow cover and snow patches.

It looks as if it's going to be a nice sunny day today. So we'll see how long snow can last in the March sun :)

Edited March 1, 2010 by CatchMyDrift

[lorenzo]

High pressure abound, crystal clear blue skies this morning and some fine sunshine.

Still very chilly though, not spring yet..

[Gilly]

Morning All, -5C......beautiful sunny morning. Dry week on the whole with frosty nights but the risk of the odd shower cant be ruled out. Looks like the weekend could be the turning point for temps to start increasing a little. But too far out to be sure just yet.

[PC71]

First time post from a long-term lurker.

I don't pretend to be anything other than an interested amateur but I've been watching this winter unfold with increasing interest. February here on Deeside felt like it was actually colder than January and monthly mean temps from private weather stations on the weather underground website seem to support this. Both Grantown on Spey and Aboyne recorded lower means for February than January. Other stations in northern Scotland seem to show similar temperatures for both months and although southern Scotland was clearly less cold in February, even here the largest increase I could find in mean temperatures between January and February was 0.8C (in Dumfries), with most showing that February and December had similar average temperatures.

Now I don't know how the met office works out their monthly averages (their figure of 0.1C for January is lower than any of the January means I could see on weather underground), but if you take these figures at face value there must be a chance that the February mean temperature for Scotland may be sub 1C. If this turns out to be the case then this won't just have been the coldest winter since 1978/79!

[Gilly]

First time post from a long-term lurker.

I don't pretend to be anything other than an interested amateur but I've been watching this winter unfold with increasing interest. February here on Deeside felt like it was actually colder than January and monthly mean temps from private weather stations on the weather underground website seem to support this. Both Grantown on Spey and Aboyne recorded lower means for February than January. Other stations in northern Scotland seem to show similar temperatures for both months and although southern Scotland was clearly less cold in February, even here the largest increase I could find in mean temperatures between January and February was 0.8C (in Dumfries), with most showing that February and December had similar average temperatures.

Now I don't know how the met office works out their monthly averages (their figure of 0.1C for January is lower than any of the January means I could see on weather underground), but if you take these figures at face value there must be a chance that the February mean temperature for Scotland may be sub 1C. If this turns out to be the case then this won't just have been the coldest winter since 1978/79!

Good morning PC and welcome. Many of us on here are interested amateurs and there are one or two who are much better informed. I would agree January has certainly felt much colder with consistant colder temps particularly during the first couple of weeks.

Hopefully someone will give you the info you want in due course.

[Guest]

Now I don't know how the met office works out their monthly averages (their figure of 0.1C for January is lower than any of the January means I could see on weather underground), but if you take these figures at face value there must be a chance that the February mean temperature for Scotland may be sub 1C. If this turns out to be the case then this won't just have been the coldest winter since 1978/79!

Welcome to NetWeather PC71. I'm sure someone will answer you about the Met-O, if they don't then send the Met-O an e-mail. I think they're usually quite good at responding or pointing you in the right direction. There may well be info on their website showing how they work these stats out.

[Gilly]

Had a poke around the Met Office site .

No surprises for January just wondering now how February fared by comparison.

January 2010

The averaging period used for the following assessment was 1971-2000.

Scotland diary of highlights

The month saw mainly unsettled weather. The first half was very cold with frequent snowfalls and some sharp frosts. It then turned less cold until the last few days, when wintry showers returned to the north. Overall it was a cold month, with mean temperatures typically 2.5 °C below the 1971-2000 normal but closer to 1.5 °C below across the Western and Northern Isles. Provisionally, it was the coldest January since 1979 and the eighth coldest in a series from 1914. The number of days with air frost was the highest for January since 1985. Rainfall was generally well below average, particularly across the west where less than 50% of normal was recorded. Sunshine totals varied from somewhat below normal in the north-east to well above normal across western Scotland, where provisionally it was the third sunniest January in a series from 1929.

UK overview

The month was mostly unsettled, the first half being very cold with widespread snowfalls and some sharp frosts. After mid-month, temperatures rose to around normal before a return to colder conditions at month end. Overall, it was a very cold month with mean temperatures 2.5 to 3.0 °C below the 1971-2000 normal over England and Wales, 2.5 °C below over most of Scotland and 2.0 to 2.5 °C below over Northern Ireland. Provisionally, it was the coldest January over the UK since 1987 and equal eighth coldest in a series from 1914.

Rainfall was well below normal over many western areas, especially west Scotland and Cumbria, and close to normal elsewhere.

[Thundery wintry showers]

Down to -5C overnight which should protect the snow cover a little :lol:

To add to what others have been saying about differences in snow cover across small distances. We were out and about yesterday and a few miles and a few metres elevation makes a huge difference. The biggest difference we saw was between Kilmacolm and Bishopton; a distance of 5 miles village to village with elevations of 90-140m in Kilmacolm and 20-40m Bishopton. (That's hardly a huge difference in height which suggests some other factors at work)

Kilmacolm got a pasting with many inches of snow cover still left while Bishopton has nothing. Not even remnants of piles of snow which suggests they didn't have very much (if any) to start with. Bishopton seems to be a freakily warm wee place, as other local villages at similar elevations did at least have anything between complete snow cover and snow patches.

It looks as if it's going to be a nice sunny day today. So we'll see how long snow can last in the March sun :lol:

Bishopton had >50% snow cover on 12 days in December and 17 days in January according to Weather Log, so it can't have that warm a microclimate! Interesting that you just happened to quote a village housing the weather site that has been most commonly used to represent the Glasgow area since Abbotsinch closed in 1999.

Is much of the snow still lying around? Most of England and Wales is getting up to 4-6C which usually means a significant thaw, but it might be colder in parts of Scotland.

[Gilly]

Met Office has just updated its info for Coldest UK winter for over 30 years

1 March 2010

Provisional figures from the Met Office show that the UK winter has been the coldest since 1978/79.

The mean UK temperature was 1.5 °C, the lowest since 1978/79 when it was 1.2 °C.

Since mid-December cold weather has often dominated much of the country, with spells of snow and very low temperatures. From southern England to northern Scotland, heavy snow caused travel disruption at times through the season.

Overnight temperatures fell to -22.3 °C at Altnaharra, Highland – the lowest UK minimum since 1995.

Long–term average winter temperature (1971-2000) Provisional mean temperature (1 December to 24 February) 2009/10 Coldest winter since (mean winter temperature) Coldest winter (since 1914) UK 3.7 °C 1.51 °C 1978/79

(1.17 °C) 1962/63

(-0.18 °C) England 4.1 °C 2.12 °C 1978/79

(1.43 °C) 1962/63

(-0.56 °C) Northern Ireland 4.3 °C 2.05 °C 1962/63

(1.51°C) 1962/63

(1.51 °C) Scotland 2.7 °C 0.24 °C 1962/63

(0.16 °C) 1962/63

(0.16 °C) Wales 4.2 °C 2.09 °C 1978/79

(1.64 °C) 1962/63

(-0.33 °C)

[PC71]

So unless something very strange happened in the last four days of February, this has been the coldest winter in Scotland since 1962/63!

2009/10 0.24C

1978/79 0.45C

1962/63 0.16C

Amazing!

[Guest]

Bishopton had >50% snow cover on 12 days in December and 17 days in January according to Weather Log, so it can't have that warm a microclimate! Interesting that you just happened to quote a village housing the weather site that has been most commonly used to represent the Glasgow area since Abbotsinch closed in 1999.

Is much of the snow still lying around? Most of England and Wales is getting up to 4-6C which usually means a significant thaw, but it might be colder in parts of Scotland.

It's only a degree or so that I'm suspecting Bishopton of being warmer by, nothing monumental but enough for commment! The use of Bishopton as the representitive Greater Glasgow weather site has been discussed in Westminster; it is not necessarily the most accurate reflection :lol:

Still loads of snow (complete cover of a good few inches) I will post more pics and and post more about the snow later, once back from the quacks!!

[Guest]

Action time (well, off Norway):

Edit: Not one but two PLs!! Although too far away to get excited about :lol:

And a trough on the west coast of Scotland which is shown on the FAX chart to the north of Ulster:

Have a look on radar. Or like me, if you live close enough, look out your window at the big dark cloud!!!

Edit: The trough is heading into Ayrshire but I do think snow is possible from this. Dew point at Prestwick Airport is -1C. Perhaps Ross can update when he gets home? :lol:

Edited March 1, 2010 by CatchMyDrift

[Ross B]

The shower is just passing to the south of here but I have seen a few flakes of snow. Not sure whether or not it can take more of a jog east and then we will get snow. Temp 3c dp -1c.

[Cheggers]

Action time (well, off Norway)

Edit: Not one but two PLs!! Although too far away to get excited about

If that would have popped up in Mid Jan I think mass hysteria would have broken out, Mondy would have fainted, and Aberdeen would be awaiting Snowmageddon.

Is much of the snow still lying around? Most of England and Wales is getting up to 4-6C which usually means a significant thaw, but it might be colder in parts of Scotland.

Check out my pic's a few pages back, I think most area's above 200m and away from the coast are well covered. I'm about 100m and still have a good inch, albeit frozen and will be for a wee while yet. Canal below us for the most part is still frozen since mid December, so cold is very much embedded here at least. I think we have had a top temp on one day of 7C, but the rest has barely struggled above 5C, with a lot of ice days in between.

The highlands are a different matter, and I think skiing up there will continue well into April or May.

[LadyPakal]

If that would have popped up in Mid Jan I think mass hysteria would have broken out, Mondy would have fainted, and Aberdeen would be awaiting Snowmageddon.

'twas a polar low in March 2006 (I think - the snow in the pic in my profile) that gave us a foot of snow. We've been a bit snow deprived recently - being coastal we got mostly rain recently. A foot of snow would be a nice way to head into Spring, I think...

[Guest]

If that would have popped up in Mid Jan I think mass hysteria would have broken out, Mondy would have fainted, and Aberdeen would be awaiting Snowmageddon.

Did I not mention they are heading south??

I think they will either fizzle out or head down the North Sea. Shetland may catch one though. I don't see why not?