My vague memories of end January and February 1956

[Rollo]

Even all those years ago I had an interest in the weather but of course other that the shipping forecast and somewhat out of date charts I received 6 days a week from the Met office my other source being a danish station (Radio Kalonberg) which as I recall broadcast a 15 minute forecast for most of Northern Europe,that was fine except I did not speak danish) and only understood the odd word.

I was due to start my national service around 21 st February,anyhow although I do not remember the exact date (I believe it was the 31st January we had a days weather in Sunderland which I have yet to see again. Let me start by saying that the BBC forecasts had in the outlook hinted at colder weather coming from the east but this kept being put back (sound familiar) until on the 30th of the month it was dropped from the outlook period. Tthe morning of the 31 st of January dawned overcast aand mild with a temperature recorded at 9am at a proper recording station in Sunderland town centre The day had been predicted to be rather cloudy and very mild. As most here know I am a great fan of cold weather and I was not entirely satisfied that the colder weather which I knew was just at the other side of the North Sea would not surprise us all.

At about 9-30 am whilst watching the clouds I noted clouds more like mist racing in from the east,in no time at all the statiform clouds which I had seen previously were totally obscured by this low level cloud sheet and a fine drizzle commenced on an increasing easterly wind. This lasted for about 30 minutes and then the sky cleared completely,whilst not really knowing what was occuring I paid a visit outside and it felt much colder,on inspecting the drips on the bushes I was amazed to find that they had frozen.

It was only later I discovered thar the 10 am temperature was (at the same recording station) 32f or 0c (we did farenheit in those far off days). The front continued westwards giving a fair amount of snow towards the west and the weather then stayed predominently cold right through February. I should know as I was doing squarebashing at RAF Stafford for some time in February-it was freezing cold believe me.

[Terminal Moraine]

I was only 3 in 1956 but I have two lasting memories of February that year. The first is the enormous drifts resulting from the blizzard in mid-month. I remember my dad lifting me to stand on the bedroom window sill to see snow completely filling the lane outside out house, to a depth of about 8 or 9 feet, extending over our garden hedge and a good 10 yards into our garden. I had never seen anything like it and was mightily impressed.

The second memory is a few days later when the lane had been dug out. My cousin, who is a few years older than me, had been lifted onto the drift covering our hedge and was walking along it, about 7 feet above normal ground level.

How I wished it was me, but at the tender age of 3 I wasn't allowed as my mother deemed it far too dangerous.