North West England Regional Discussion - January 17th 2013, 12z onwards

[seasider]

Just started moderate snow here in Norbreck 5 mile north of Blackpool on the coast. Wet snow but sticking to cold surfaces and paths. Is there much hope for us poor folk on the Fylde coast overnight/tomorrow. Been following this thread now since yesterday morning, to say its been up and down is a bit of an understatement. Come on snow, don't skip by us again!!!

[Bartlett Low]

Utter crAp

Bit harsh, was only stating there was no sign of a covering forming here!

[greybing]

Weather history, are u mr data?

Ok so most of us in manchester have nowt as do I in west manchester....it strikes me it is atad too warm .Last I chesked it was 3c ,if it was alittle colder even this lihght stuff we are getting would settle.

[Munchermark]

So this band will slowly die away or eventually get eaten by the the other band?

[NW_Blackburn]

gone back to very light snow. was a bit heavier earlier on but has died off a bit. but its still snow none the less and we do have a dusting on most surfaces!

[R.P. McMurphy]

Yes.

A good sign of snow getting steadier and heavier is the orange sodium glow against the clouds disappears.

Getting heavier now in Irlam Data. See any orange around?

[wysiwyg]

So this band will slowly die away or eventually get eaten by the the other band?

As Kev19 just hinted it may be the reason why the main band does not get as far north and east as was originally expected. Nothing is nailed on yet though. Radar and lampost watching followed by later model outputs may give a better clue as to what might happen tomorrow.

[I Cumbria Marra I]

That was brave.

The extreme coastal strip of West Cumbria is

rubbish for snow though, but no worse than any

coastal strip of anywhere in the west I wouldn't

have thought. Once you head towards the fells

though things pick up pretty quickly.

Nar, we miss most of it even when there's a NW flow whilst the coast from Blackpool to Liverpool are getting hammered. Seriously it's the worst.

[Weather-history]

Getting heavier now in Irlam Data. See any orange around?

Nope and I can't the street lights around the Bolton area, a guide to when snow intensity drops.

[UV-RAY]

Temp struggling to get to zero, currently 0.9c and light snow. Looks like its fragmenting a little around here on the Weather Pro app.

[greybing]

I really did speak too soon.........it is settling.Well,this is cool.

Edited January 17, 2013 by greybing

[k19]

So this band will slowly die away or eventually get eaten by the the other band?

More likely it will stall fizzle out before the other band reaches us. The current band is attempting to travel north east, but as the front pushes in its starting to swing north, and will then try to swing north east, weakening as it does.

[Joe Bloggs]

Just to be clear ladies and gentlemen - what we are seeing now is instability in the strong SE wind ahead of the main front. In simple terms some of the warmer moist air has already tried to push east over the cold air. Sometimes this happens in a fragmented way but on this occasion a more organised "blob" of warm moist air has been thrown over us in the form of a mini occlusion. This occlusion is shown on the 12Z fax chart for today:

http://www.netweather.tv/index.cgi?action=charts;type=fax;sess=

Very difficult to track how these mini-features evolve but in this case it's worked out well for the NW giving a reasonably organised band of snow in most places except those near sea level. The fact that this is an occlusion (the warm air is floating above the cold air) means that it will eventually run out of steam, the cold air will mix with it and the snow will stop for a time. Then roll on the main front that is currently sat out across the far SW of the UK and Ireland - due to arrive (if it gets here at all) by tomorrow morning - Hope this helps - Wysi

Excellent post - thanks

Very light snow in Didsbury.

Hoping to get Kevin Bradshaw's heavier stuff here soon.

[Backtrack]

Snow has turned heavier with the proper flakes now falling. A good covering on the ground now. There's a lot of energy behind this front as it's clearly backbuilding. Bodes VERY well for the next front coming in. This is certainly turning in our favour.

[Stratocumulus perlucidus]

Interestingly the met office yesterday suggested the downgrade for our area was due to an occlusion in the irish sea not mobilising, perhaps this is what we are now experiencing.

that cant be right. The fax charts had the oclusion inside the low that is just hitting cornwall. It acted as a magnet pulling the ppn back and keeping it over wales. What were getting now has been progged by hot cuppa since monday.

[Ian Brown]

Moderate snow ongoing.

[R.P. McMurphy]

Nope and I can't the street lights around the Bolton area, a guide to when snow intensity drops.

Your in Bolton? It's finally starting to settle here. The first band of 2 is just starting to cross Ireland, it's heavy.

[iand61]

Still snowing here and has been since 5 o'clock.

Probably similar depths to other posters with a cm or 2 at the most and still clear on the main road outside our house.

The snow is starting to blow about a bit now although the wind isn't that strong as yet.

I like unexpected snow so maybe I will be surprised when tomorrows event decides to push it's heaviest part north again and give us all a memorable couple of days.

Can't see it happening but I think this has still got some surprises up its sleeve.

[UV-RAY]

Excellent post - thanks

Very light snow in Didsbury.

Hoping to get Kevin Bradshaw's heavier stuff here soon.

Good news, those pesky pennines are no match this evening.

[weatherchannel440]

Just driven home from preston it was snowing the whole way. big flakes sticking on the pavements roads okay. my estate is not gritted so its sticking on the road

Edited January 17, 2013 by weatherchannel440

[liam79]

In Rainford nr St helens and its has been snowing moderately for a couple of hours giving a good covering on every surface

going out the front with the kids for a snow ball fight

[Weather-history]

Your in Bolton? It's finally starting to settle here. The first band of 2 is just starting to cross Ireland, it's heavy.

No I live right next to the Moss, so I can see the street lights from the Bolton area in the distance. It's definitely selling on the grass, roads etc.

[TomL]

Well, after an hour or so of ultralight drizzly graupely type stuff it's now actually snowing, and starting to stick!

[Louise]

Still snowing here in South Cheshire, all white. Lovely Excited to see what the next few hours brings, glad I ordered my sledges!!!

[MrYoung]

0.2^oC here and still snowing (has been for a few hours now). Sticking quite well with a depth of approx. 2cm. Good snow as well - just bowled a snow ball across the lawn and it left a green track in it's path as it picked up other snow.

I'd post a pic if I knew how to do it!