Anyone Still Looking For Snow And Cold?

[damianslaw]

Judging by the number of posts this thread has received compared to the model thread over the past 24 hours I'd say people are certainly still interested in the prospects of snow in April..

I do like spring switcharounds when warm southerlies are quickly traded in for cold northerlies and vice versa - however, recent springs have been very benign affairs especially April. However, we only have to go back to April 2008 for a decent lowland snowfall event and this came on the back of a very mild winter - though we did see the cold snowy easter.

I was reading about late April 1981 and the exceptional cold snowy spell - very unusual and potent affair and this came on the back of a warm spell with maxima up to 20 degrees - so I don't but the assertion warm ground would prevent low level snowfall.

Whether we see any snow again this season remains to be seen - but we do have a very cold arctic and any potent northerly this April would certainly have the oomph to deliver heavy snowfalls to some places. Even May can produce low level snowfall, May 2010 was cold at times with a potent northerly blast giving some localised snowfalls. However, by May my hopes are certainly more for warm sunny dry weather than cold snowy weather but in April I can except cold snowy weather still.

[Milhouse]

After this early taste of Summer, 20c plus for the fourth day, not sure I am enthralled by the prospect of cold and snow.

I hope it can warm up significantly for late April and into May as i have booked loads of time off work for then. It will make up for missing out on the warmth of today and tomorrow by doing two 12hr days. The thought of cool showery days and cold evenings doesnt sound very appealing especially as i'm just in the mood for breaking into my summer wardrobe.

[March Blizzard]

I'd love some cold weather, if only to confuse the clueless masses who now think we are already in summer. If not cold then at least something remotely changeable and lively, please.

[damianslaw]

I'd love some cold weather, if only to confuse the clueless masses who now think we are already in summer. If not cold then at least something remotely changeable and lively, please.

Yes some people probably think this is it now until september - what planet are these people on.. its the same when we have an early cold spell in autumn- they think winter has arrived.

It won't be long before everyone is complaining its too cold again...what a fickle bunch we are and what short memories people have.

[reef]

Im really not looking forward to this supposed cool down and possible cold weather. I take the view that Winter had its chance and the whole failed miserably this year. Spring and Summer is having its turn now so in my opinion, keep it! Whats the wildlife and plants going to think after this week and then it could be frosty and some snow again?

I like Snow but the time for that has passed. If anything im more annoyed Winter charts are yet again appearing at the time we want and it looks like the Azores high will become suppressed... at the time we dont want in my opinion.

Thats the thing though. Snow and cold are normal spring weather, just like the weather this week is. Spring by its nature is a changeable season, its not a switch that is flicked from cold to warm. In reality I like to think of the months like this:

March: Mostly cool with occasional warmer spells

April: A mixture of cooler and warmer periods

May: Mostly warm with occasional cooler spells

Obviously this is a generalisation, but its pretty close to the mark on average. I think what some people mean when they want 'spring' is that they actually want 'summer'.

[spindrift1980]

Would be delighted to see more snow, even if only on the high hills. The amount of remaining snow in the Highlands is more like May than March at the moment, and it doesn't feel quite right.

[Costa Del Fal]

Thats the thing though. Snow and cold are normal spring weather, just like the weather this week is. Spring by its nature is a changeable season, its not a switch that is flicked from cold to warm. In reality I like to think of the months like this:

March: Mostly cool with occasional warmer spells

April: A mixture of cooler and warmer periods

May: Mostly warm with occasional cooler spells

Obviously this is a generalisation, but its pretty close to the mark on average. I think what some people mean when they want 'spring' is that they actually want 'summer'.

Indeed, in reality Spring is just as you say. However in terms of personal preference, I dont want to see constant switch arounds.

[Evening thunder]

Im really not looking forward to this supposed cool down and possible cold weather. I take the view that Winter had its chance and the whole failed miserably this year. Spring and Summer is having its turn now so in my opinion, keep it! Whats the wildlife and plants going to think after this week and then it could be frosty and some snow again?

I like Snow but the time for that has passed. If anything im more annoyed Winter charts are yet again appearing at the time we want and it looks like the Azores high will become suppressed... at the time we dont want in my opinion.

Hopefully the wildlife/plants will be able to cope fine with it as it's normal to get frosts in April, and changeable spring weather. More continental climates have even greater temp swings of course.

I see what you mean although wouldn't mind a brief cold spell and some more varied weather, although I wouldn't be too keen on a cool/cold spring overall. Could do with some April showers though.. In a way summer heatwave charts have just appeared too early again.

About some people probably thinking summers here, I heard a few people discussing wanting a swim at the beach, the sea's probably nearly at it's coldest still!

[March Blizzard]

"About some people probably thinking summers here, I heard a few people discussing wanting a swim at the beach, the sea's probably nearly at it's coldest still!"

The media don't exactly help with headlines like: "Summer's here, temps to hit 24c!". A few poor people have found out the hard way that March isn't a fun time of year to go swimming, the water is still seriously cold at this time of year, as you said.

[Aaron]

It's funny, most people around the world would probably die of hypothermia in Britain's waters even in summer and autumn!!

[Thundery wintry showers]

I think the drought is a far bigger threat to wildlife than spring switch-arounds, even though the latter can certainly cause a lot of crop damage. The 1995 season was a good test of this- we had a mild February followed by a March with a few wintry spells mixed with a couple of warm anticyclonic interludes, then the warmest first half of April since 1945, then a northerly on the 18th-21st with wintry showers and damaging frosts, an exceptional heatwave in early May and then more frosts and wintry showers in the second week. But overall the damage caused by those episodes paled by comparison with the subsequent summer heat and drought in most cases.

This is relevant to 2012 also as many of us are at risk of a drought surpassing the 1995 one if we don't get some serious rainfall soon.

Nonetheless there are certainly some strong reasons for not wanting a particularly variable spring, including the aforementioned issue of crop damage and the difficulty of getting "seasonal body clocks" to adjust effectively for example. As with many things in life, some of us get a real thrill out of seeing contrasting episodes and others just don't see the attraction- the same also goes for heatwaves, thunderstorms and snowstorms for instance. Thus I think Aaron's post #21 is quite right.

Not sure if many of us really want the Azores High to stick around for the next few months though- water shortages are an issue, and in any case many of the really hot sunny summer months (plus a lot of the thundery ones too) have traditionally had a SW-NE tilted jet allowing anticyclones to break off from the main Azores High and settle over Europe, rather than a strongly dominant Azores High.

[danm]

No not for me. Once we get into mid-March I'm looking for warm and sunny weather. Especially now that we've had a couple of weeks of warm sunshine it would be quite depressing to go back into cold/wet or cold/snow. I suppose if a snow event popped up I would be interested, but I'm not hoping for one.

I suppose the answer to this question is also dependent on how much snow has fallen during the winter. If a lot of snow has fallen, people are less likely to be craving a snow event in Spring and vice versa. We had our week of good snowfall at the start of February in the SE so for me personally I had a fairly decent snow fix. But I can understand for those that got very little, if any, snow this winter to be wanting some now.

I love hot and sunny weather as much as I love cold and snow. Snow from November to early March and sunny warm/hot weather from end March to September/October.

Edited March 28, 2012 by danm

[Aaron]

But you're more likely to see snow in March then you are hot and sunny weather... I don't think it's ever been hot and sunny in March before, unless you consider the 25.6C in Cambridge hot.

[danm]

But you're more likely to see snow in March then you are hot and sunny weather... I don't think it's ever been hot and sunny in March before, unless you consider the 25.6C in Cambridge hot.

Yep, obviously in March it's warm and sunny weather I'm hoping for, as we have now. That's why I said warm/hot from end March to October.

Edited March 28, 2012 by danm

[Bottesford]

Nonetheless there are certainly some strong reasons for not wanting a particularly variable spring, including the aforementioned issue of crop damage and the difficulty of getting "seasonal body clocks" to adjust effectively for example. As with many things in life, some of us get a real thrill out of seeing contrasting episodes and others just don't see the attraction- the same also goes for heatwaves, thunderstorms and snowstorms for instance. Thus I think Aaron's post #21 is quite right.

This is very true with a lot of people. The common phrase of "why can't it just make its mind up" referring to showery type days especially. Large swings in conditions are indeed harder to plan for. Even this week will have caught many out- those taking a big coat because its cold in the morning will then be carting it all around in the afternoon. Then there are those who head out in shorts/t-shirt but don't get home till midnight who end up very cold!

[Zenarcher]

Not looking for cold and snowy weather as much as I would do through the winter but would still welcome it.

[Eugene]

Warmth in March is great as its very pleasant like this week has been and not hot and humid like in the summer(this week unlike what the media says is not a heatwave), nights long enough to prevent hot and sticky sleepless nights too.

Lots of people walking around in shorts like its really hot so am looking forward to nice cold weather like the models are firming up on for next week onwards.

April is colder than October on average so its a good month for cold synoptics, mins actually rival Novembers believe it or not.

[Costa Del Fal]

Warmth in March is great as its very pleasant like this week has been and not hot and humid like in the summer(this week unlike what the media says is not a heatwave), nights long enough to prevent hot and sticky sleepless nights too.

Lots of people walking around in shorts like its really hot so am looking forward to nice cold weather like the models are firming up on for next week onwards.

April is colder than October on average so its a good month for cold synoptics, mins actually rival Novembers believe it or not.

So shorts are only for above about 32c???

Its been so cold hasnt it. Anyhows, its been very enoyable this week. Its not been hot at all but extremely pleasant and shorts weather it has indeed been.

[Milhouse]

So shorts are only for above about 32c???

Its been so cold hasnt it. Anyhows, its been very enoyable this week. Its not been hot at all but extremely pleasant and shorts weather it has indeed been.

I get the impression Eugene dislikes the sight of people in shorts, or generally just dressing down to enjoy the weather

[Snowy Easterly]

i used to want snow and cold in march and april, but now i have an allotment so i just want it to stay warm, but we can still get frosts in may.

unless it is an exceptional event like 1981 then snow and cold is just annoying at this this of year,

Edited March 30, 2012 by Snowy Easterly