North West England Regional Discussion 13/01/13 ------>

[dodge]

When I left Oldham at 7:30am it was wet sleet - I'm not surprised the higher parts of Oldham are having snowfall, never mind regional variations in the North West, we could have two threads for Oldham. Those higher up and those of us lower down lol

[Interitus]

Usual suspects getting snow this morning. No matter what you want to happen if you live in an area towards the coast then these types of set ups rarely deliver, look at the snow coverage maps and snowfall maps issued by the met office.

But having said that heres a question ..... up the M6, off at jn 35 Carnforth half a mile north of that junction its hammering down with snow. Looks like its been snowing for an hr or so. Everything is white. cars, fields etc. We are nearer the coast than Preston, (4 - 5 miles as opposed to 15 at home and I am actually at sea level here) and it is also noticably colder - car temp dropped 2 degrees within a mile and a half - won't be very accurate and i'm not really surprised with snow on the ground. Why is it snowing here when all other areas to the West of the M6 and further away from the coast are getting rain.

The general flow has come down from the north west and Carnforth is sheltered by Cumbria so is effectively quite far inland - the webcams show decent amounts of snow the further south and east in the Lakes at Windermere, Coniston and Langdale but zilch up at Keswick or top end of Ullswater. Further south like at Preston the flow has come straight off the sea.

[Snow free zone]

Could be dew points, wind direction, wet bulb, things have to be so right for snow

It has happened quite often in the past too. Think its more to do with location, looking at the map we are fairly sheltered from the NW wind here so the milder air doesn't get blown as far inland, looking further South theres nothing blocking the wind off the sea. Thinking about it we had more snow in Preston out of the streamers pre Christmas 2009 (more sheltered here and no where near as much) so it has to be something to do with the wind direction modding the temps.

May have a drive out to Arnside at lunchtime and see just how far the snow gets up to the coast.

Must have typed at the same time as Interitus

Edited January 14, 2013 by Snow free zone

[Jan]

http://www.skywarn.org.uk/

Key word.......Possibility

[cheshire snow]

what a sado i am lol

keep looking out the window to see if any snow flakes mixed in with the rain,not working though LOL

C.S

[UV-RAY]

A few flakes mixed in with the rain now, well six to be precise.

[feb1991blizzard]

Just checked the net weather forecast for me frid and sat! Wow if that comes of we shall be shut off!

GFS 6z looking an upgrade as well, block holding firmer and better orientated, its a downgrade in terms of getting a blizzard for my location but an upgrade in terms of the block eventually winning out.

[Snow free zone]

Think i'm confusing a few people sorry !!

I am currently at work up near Carnforth not in Preston

[Jan]

Rain stopped here now, in fact the sun is trying to come out. Temp up to 5.1c, think I will walk my dog and make some mud angels

[UV-RAY]

Rain stopped here now, in fact the sun is trying to come out. Temp up to 5.1c, think I will walk my dog and make some mud angels

At least the mud will be colder than last week.

[feb1991blizzard]

looks like our fun could be over soon, getting lighter here, band moving too fast as well.

[UV-RAY]

looks like our fun could be over soon, getting lighter here, band moving too fast as well.

And I was just beginning to enjoy the rain.

[Jan]

At least the mud will be colder than last week.

Mud is the one thing I am most confident about having, more than I can say for the weather

[Snow free zone]

Need to go and do some work - clearing up nicely here blue sky coming over from the NW.

Have a good day all whether you have snow or not or are making mud angels !

[feb1991blizzard]

And I was just beginning to enjoy the rain.

Dont get me wrong i am not one of those people who are easily pleased, i am after the really big one, i have waited 22 years and have been unluckly by moving locations in exactly the wrong summer and the next winter pelting it in previous location and me getting nothing,`

[R.P. McMurphy]

Heavy snow here in Stockport, Bredbury

[HelenVF]

Not posted before but I am in Bowland, and we had snow last night. It started coming down at 2 yesterday but only small flakes. It continued and it was white over by 4, certainly enough for my son to go sledging and build a snowman. It turned heavier, with bigger flakes until 10 and then stopped. Started raining, but with sleet mixed in at 7.30, and continued until about 8.30 when flakes started getting bigger and heavier. It snowed for about 45 mins, and then stopped and it is now raining, but not quite rain, iyswim?! Not very technical, I know.

Thought people might be interested in this, as there seem to be only smallish areas that have had snow. My sister works at Lancaster University which is about 5 miles West, as the crow flies and they have had no snow whatsoever.

Helen

Edited January 14, 2013 by HelenVF

[Bartlett Low]

Snowing heavily in stockport where I work

[trickydicky]

GFS 6z looking an upgrade as well, block holding firmer and better orientated, its a downgrade in terms of getting a blizzard for my location but an upgrade in terms of the block eventually winning out.

It all depends what you are looking for. Its an upgrade in terms of cold, dry weather persisting; which in all fairness we haven't been short of over the last few winters. But if you were looking for a February 96 remake, the kind of blizzard our area oh so rarely sees, the type that gives us a nailed on 25, 30 upto 50cms of snow and has the east for once looking enviously at us, then its a downgrade. I know which I would prefer, frost and cold upper air isn't that hard to come by, major blizzards are. Not that it matters much anyway, its too far off for any model to have a handle on it yet. We can all agree that we don't want the Atlantic to push right through, but to win big you have to gamble big.

[R.P. McMurphy]

Snowing heavily in stockport where I work

Aye, I'm working in Bredbury and its heavy.

[macc2013]

its chucking it down with Snow here in Macclesfield.

[feb1991blizzard]

It all depends what you are looking for. Its an upgrade in terms of cold, dry weather persisting; which in all fairness we haven't been short of over the last few winters. But if you were looking for a February 96 remake, the kind of blizzard our area oh so rarely sees, the type that gives us a nailed on 25, 30 upto 50cms of snow and has the east for once looking enviously at us, then its a downgrade. I know which I would prefer, frost and cold upper air isn't that hard to come by, major blizzards are. Not that it matters much anyway, its too far off for any model to have a handle on it yet. We can all agree that we don't want the Atlantic to push right through, but to win big you have to gamble big.

Yes but we could end up with both, i would prefer a stall but with LP to the south and a nice favourablly orientated high to the North and a 50 or 60 mile an hour easterly gale and the block winning out, if the atlantic wins thats future chances gone for a week or 2, yes if you could guarantee me 40 cm followed by a dry day and then the atlantic powering through, yes i would take it, but if it goes wrong then....... The other way if it goes wrong and misses us to the West we still get future chances.

[Cheshire Freeze]

rain rain rain. Temp up to 2.6

[itsnowjoke]

Covered the paths now

[R.P. McMurphy]

Real heavy now, starting to stick!