South East & East Anglia Regional Discussion ~ December 5th 2012>

[Dexter29]

Temp now up to 3c and expecting it to rise even further through this evening

Would be great to see snow but I think it will be just plain old rain..... Grrrrr

[Laurence Hill]

Temp 2.3 and dropping in South West London

Edited December 6, 2012 by Sharpedge

[jaynemc]

It must be your elevation... We just had rain here!

I was in Tadworth when it started :-)

[Sweetdream]

Temp at 2c also dry.

[bobbydog]

I suspect the temp dropped when it rained (evaporative cooling) - though temperatures are generally slowly creeping up each hour south of London across most stations. However, still appears cold enough atm, with elevation, for some snow to fall from these showers - as jaynemc reports.

will keep an eye on what happens- temps have risen very slightly by 0.2c but DP have dropped to -5c shouldn't that be rising?

[WillinGlossop]

12z gfs still very marginal conditions we could still be in for a repeat of what we had yesterday?

[Jo S]

Still dry here and cold,nothing to report from the sky

[NO LONGER POSTING]

Something wicked this way comes from the east..Could it be a beast..Could it be a treat..Who knows we will have to wait to see!

[Sweetdream]

Met office warning for ice 005 -1030. 7/12/2012. East of England.

[gottolovethisweather]

The Met Office use Wintry Showers to cover their backsides, because if they Forecasted snow and it didn't happen it would make the forecast bust. The met are a bit rubbish anyway, take note of the back track of the ukmo which has happened TWICE now in the space of a month.

Victor, that still doesn't explain why they have dropped the word snow as it has been included in the 15-dayers since 23rd November.

As I said, it matters not because the temperatures will be condusive for snow throughout next week, all we will need is a trigger.

[Floatylight]

1 c, -1 c dp .looking to see it rise then at some point?

[WillinGlossop]

Watch bbc forecasts people! they are saying sleet/snow possible tomorrow am.....

Ps jay wynn just said watch out for next week colder and snow around.....

The 6z and now the 12z carries on that risk that ea and se can get some snow/sleet tomorrow am!

Edited December 6, 2012 by willinkent44

[snow freak]

I don't think this evening's rain will turn to snow for the south east or anywhere from the north midlands southwards to be honest. It is cold but we need more than just cold for it to snow. I think next week could deliver some of the white stuff to much of the country though if things continue the way they have been showing on the charts in the past few days. Of course, this being the UK, it could all change in the blink of an eye.

[NO LONGER POSTING]

In Manchester snow IS falling in some places but it's +2.2.. Evaporating cooling?

[No Balls Like Snow Balls]

Max of 1.8c today, such a shame that it will become milder for a time overnight :-(

[NO LONGER POSTING]

Looks like Southern England could see some of that sleet and snow moving out of South Wales, perhaps for a time. #uksnow hummmmmm -.-

[Summer of 76]

_{The Beast is lurking.... From the BBC}

_{http://www.bbc.co.uk...st-is-lur.shtml}

I tried to look at that article and our works system says

Access Denied

The web resource http://www.bbc.co.uk...st-is-lur.shtml has been deemed by your administrator to be unsafe or unsuitable for you to access. The resource has been blocked. No further action is required.

They don't like snow either

[NO LONGER POSTING]

http://uksnowmap.com/#/

[Coast]

I don't think this evening's rain will turn to snow for the south east or anywhere from the north midlands southwards to be honest.

Do you do the lottery?!!!!!

It's a bit like that, down to watching out of the window now I'm afraid. Rain here in Mid Sussex, cold very wet rain......

Edited December 6, 2012 by Coast

[Floatylight]

Temp now up to 3c and expecting it to rise even further through this evening

Would be great to see snow but I think it will be just plain old rain..... Grrrrr

well the charts i am looking at are giving me a 0 at 6pm then upto 1 then bck to 0 min temps,so thats not a very big rise?and also the gfs has been showing milder than actual temps latley,i got - 5 early hours this morning,i didnt see that anywhere on the charts?

so i am looking at this band thats for sure!

[gottolovethisweather]

Well, originally I went for a rain to snow event - http://forum.netweat...60#entry2429592 and I think that should still be the case.

With backup from other posts (aj's and PS etc.) I am assuming the following with regards to tonight's event.

According to the latest available data from the UKMO, in the form of their Fax Charts, it certainly shows a very complicated picture. Firstly, a warm front approaches this region from the Northwest, over the next few hours. This will largely contain rain and very little snow IMO. Thereafter, over the period around midnight to 2am, a cold front rapidly follows it through. The timing of the cold front and whether it can undercut the warm front's milder air will be a key factor, which will influence the forecast. After the period mentioned above, i.e. 3am onwards or thereabouts, this is when wintry precipitation will be much more likely, so perhaps you should set your alarms for a very very early morning wake-up. This third front is shown on the UKMO Fax Charts, heading down from central parts of England and looks set to follow in behind the main depression as the wind backs to the North or Northeast.

An interesting night ahead but will most likely result in no further lying snow, IMHO.

Whatever happens, there will be more fun to follow in the following days and weeks.

Edited December 6, 2012 by gottolovethisweather

[Iceni]

Just found this old video of the copious snowfall we had in Jan 1987. This was filmed just down the road from where I live.

I was only about 8 at the time, but still remember it.

Here's an old post from Paul Sherman who was talking about this back in 2006.

On Saturday 10th January 1987 snowflakes began to fall on Essex. As little as 48 hours later the county was at a standstill. No buses,no trains,no milk,no post, no schools open and in many places no telephones. Most major roads were closed and villages isolated or cut off. The people who dared venture out at points were walking on hedges. These were reported to be the worse conditions since the winter of 62/63.

Early in the New Year the signs were ominous that something unusual was about to happen. Massive cold pooling to our North-East on the 5th January 1987 were giving temps of -35c in Finland and further East inSiberia -76f These mind numbingly temps were on a collision course with the British Isles. By Sat 10th the wind had swung around to the North East and a huge High Pressure area was established over Scandinavia and so the scene was set.

On Sunday 11th Jan Essex had already recieved 5" ( 12cm ) of level snow and the BBC Forecast for the week ahead was dire (Not if you were a snow lover) Over the next few days the cold intensified. On Monday 12th Southends top temperature was an amazing Minus 10c and the sea froze for 700 yards from Westcliff to Southend. This Monday was the lowest daytime temperature recorded in the 20th Century for Southend and it was unusual for heavy snow to fall in these low temps and was almost unprecedented. Myraids of fine powdery snowflakes whirled in From the North Sea, generated by its reletive warmth. Rising columns of air, cooling and condensing, produced almost non stop heavy snow showers throughout Tuesday 13th Jan and a huge clear up operation was underway. In South East Essex supplies of 60,000 tons of Salt were needed. By Wednesday 14th Southend had accumalated 2 level feet of snow, with 85cm at Thundersley and Leigh On Sea. This was just the start and worse was to follow as the wind strenthened on the Wednesday to create a magical scene as powder snow was whipped up into huge drifts. The savage winds roared over fields whipping the snow into blinding clouds. Mersea. Tiptree, Halstead and Maldon were completely cut off, and all villages between Clacton and Lowestoft were isolated. The next problem was panic buying from the shops that HAD Supplies. 400 Of the 700 Schools closed in the county. There were countless stories of Babies being born in Ambulances stuck in drifts and such. One totally buried car was bulldozed out at Southminster and a Police Patrol on the A12 saw just 1 traveller with no apparant problem, he was ski-ing in the fast lane near Chelmsford.

Then slowly the wind abated and by the Friday 16th January there was a chance to dig away the snow drifts. It was a strange world, Icicles festooned houses and this probably lead to the demise of Gutters, slowly the milkmen and the postmen returned and everything came back to normal and all this within a week.

Would love to know how your area coped with the last notable Siberian Blast.

Paul Sherman

Data Taken from "The Essex Weather Book" by Ian Currie & Mark Davison

Fantastic film and lovely post. Makes me feel sad though… that nice street with people clearing their own front gardens and not waiting for the council to do it. I'd bet those front gardens don't even exist any more and I bet the houses are multiple occupancy now. The country was in a safe pair of hands in those days.

I remember this snowfall very well as I'd just got a pair of Sorel boots (Canadian snow boots) and I walked out onto the common where I lived with not a soul about (no one could get up the hill) with my dog Sam. We got to the lane which had been obliterated by the snow and saw a small herd of about 15 roe deer just standing there in the winter sunshine. Magical.

Yet the very next year, 1988, was horrendous — just mild muck. The great British weather.

[TheToastPeople]

Sleds on standby everyone...

[Coast]

An interesting night ahead but will most likely result in no further lying snow, IMHO.

Whatever happens, they will be more fun to follow in the following days and weeks.

Good on you GTLTW for putting a stick in the ground! I'm still undecided but tending towards rain the further South you go in our region - if it does turn out that way it could be a lot of rain too.

Next week? It's all up in the air as far as I'm concerned!

#wewantsnowandlotsofitintheseplease

Edited December 6, 2012 by Coast

[nanu]

Fantastic film and lovely post. Makes me feel sad though… that nice street with people clearing their own front gardens and not waiting for the council to do it. I'd bet those front gardens don't even exist any more and I bet the houses are multiple occupancy now. The country was in a safe pair of hands in those days.

I remember this snowfall very well as I'd just got a pair of Sorel boots (Canadian snow boots) and I walked out onto the common where I lived with not a soul about (no one could get up the hill) with my dog Sam. We got to the lane which had been obliterated by the snow and saw a small herd of about 15 roe deer just standing there in the winter sunshine. Magical.

Yet the very next year, 1988, was horrendous — just mild muck. The great British weather.

back then i do believe you was responsible for your path and the path outside you front gate!!(dont quote me on that tho!) So if somebody slipped outside your front garden you could be held responsible for there injuries!.. but now the council is now in chardge of clearing all paths and roads, and also i think it was the same case with burst pipes??