Three Counties & East Anglia Regional Discussion - January 22nd 2013 14:00hrs>

[mackerel sky]

I'm with Dave (TEITS) on this. Its extremely rare that you can support a serious snow event with uppers of 0C on low ground. I was very sceptical. There have been times - especially February 2009 when those with snow cover got good falls with -2C (including myself). But logic does dictate that its a big ask to have no variation in temperature between the height at about 1200m down to the surface. Snow cover does increase this chance, and after February 2009 I threw the rulebook away, having regular heavy snowfall with -2C or -3C 850 HPa's. But 0 is a stupid call.

Sleet, or the new term "Rain Snow Mix" is currently the order of the day here.

[Dunstable Snow]

Well, when the wife and I were walking up the hill from the Indian it was light rain. Just looked outside and its now heavy snow. Classic case of evaporate cooling kicking in as the heavier precipitation kicks in and the energy requiredto turn the snow falling from up above ( remember think 850 temps) is not sufficient to turn the rain back to snow or sleet for some of us particularly with elevation ( not a lot required) could mean a significant spell of snow.

I for one think this has been a cracking spell of wintry weather. We had our first fall of snow two weeks tomorrow am ( 12.01) around 7.30 and we have had 3 significant snow falls since then , negligable melt and 6- 8 '' of lying snow generally together with a number of minor snow falls and flurry's from synoptics that ( as TEITS as alluded too) have been far from spectacular. Just shows what can be achieved when the atlantic remains active but the jet runs south of the UK - I did say this before the spell kicked off - the atlantic can be our friend in certain situations - far enough north to stay in the cold air, far enough south to benefit from the low pressures and precipitation.

I know that the current cold is coming to an end but I remain confident that we will shortly be enjoying more cold and wintry weather. I have given up on the greenland high but I much prefer high pressure to the north east any way for this area. February can be a great month for us but I woild like it to kick in by the 10th at the latest so that we can really its effect.

Cheers all - stay positive - plenty more to enjoy I would say ! and good luck to our LTFC friends going to Norwich tomorrow - you will enjoy your day tomorrow far more than I will as a FFC fan at MUFC and that is in no way being disingenouts to out friends in Norwich !

[TEITS]

Looking at the temps, dewpoints across this region and for those in the less cold air already then we're going to need to see the yellows on the NW radar to turn the sleet to snow. Those who are still in the colder air will see snow from the outset but then the same will apply to you later.

Frustrating thing with this is, if this amount of precip in my location had fallen when we we're at our coldest during this spell then we would be looking at 5x the amount of lying snow. This is all down to snow ratios and the best we can have in this region is from an E,ly when upper temps are at or below -15C.

Edited January 25, 2013 by THE EYE IN THE SKY

[Snowangel-MK]

yep, here we go rain has got heavier and I'm getting sleety blobs .....come to Mummy

[PurpleButterfly]

Big flakes here in north luton.

[Eskimo]

Cant justify the orange warning at the moment

[scotteboi]

Nothing in Braintree atm?? Radar shows us under precip for the last hour.

Will give it half an hour then bedtime! Good luck to all staying with this one

Edited January 25, 2013 by scotteboi

[Gary_R_Walker]

I am officially a big kid. I have to get up at 04.45 tomorrow morning for work and I'm still waiting to see if it snows tonight. Get a life I hear you cry, and you would be right.

[SnowJoke]

yep, here we go rain has got heavier and I'm getting sleety blobs .....come to Mummy

Heavy sleet in the center of MK as well, large soggy wet 50p sized flakes falling at times.

[Hammer]

Have enjoyed the knee jerk reactions of people tonight.

[Snowangel-MK]

Some great posts here tonight concerning marginal situations - great for learning. I think it's a fascinating event, maybe the cold air is not completely done yet?

Sometimes the vertical depth of cold air and the inversion of above freezing temperatures will be near the cusps of a change in precipitation type. This produces a wintry mix, precipitation type changes from one type to another or even sleet, snow, and cold rain all falling at the same time. Evaporative cooling also plays a key role. Monitor the wet bulb temperatures from the surface to the top of the inversion to monitor possible changes in precipitation type (if wet bulb is at or below freezing at all levels, precipitation type will eventually change to all snow, until or unless warm air advection again changes it back to another type.

http://www.theweatherprediction.com/habyhints/167/

[Iceni]

Yes just started snowing with a darker pink blob just to my west incoming. I reckon altitude has a lot to do with it in these circumstances. It just doesn't feel like it's going to rain — air's too dry.

[Luton Weather]

yet i have plain old drizzle here, why can't bedford ever get any extreme weather

You might see some snow in a few minutes..

[scotteboi]

Have enjoyed the knee jerk reactions of people tonight.

How is that different from any spell of weather on here, in the summer its storms and winter its snow...we all love the anticipation and revert back to kids when it does or doesn't go our way...rhyme or reason goes straight out the window (or is that just me )

[Dunstable Snow]

Apologies - just read my post and noticed a few typos etc - I think you all understand the points I was trying to make ! First few glasses of red for several weeks. Anyway outside very heavy snow and laying on cleared paths and cars - moisture content much higher than the recent falls - wet and sticky !

[TEITS]

Looking at the radar we have been very unlucky especially Cambs, Northants. Appears to be two main areas, one N of this region and the other W of London.

I would love to be in the Lincolnshire wolds right now.

[Yarmy]

Well, when the wife and I were walking up the hill from the Indian it was light rain. Just looked outside and its now heavy snow. Classic case of evaporate cooling kicking in as the heavier precipitation kicks in and the energy requiredto turn the snow falling from up above ( remember think 850 temps) is not sufficient to turn the rain back to snow or sleet for some of us particularly with elevation ( not a lot required) could mean a significant spell of snow.

I for one think this has been a cracking spell of wintry weather. We had our first fall of snow two weeks tomorrow am ( 12.01) around 7.30 and we have had 3 significant snow falls since then , negligable melt and 6- 8 '' of lying snow generally together with a number of minor snow falls and flurry's from synoptics that ( as TEITS as alluded too) have been far from spectacular. Just shows what can be achieved when the atlantic remains active but the jet runs south of the UK - I did say this before the spell kicked off - the atlantic can be our friend in certain situations - far enough north to stay in the cold air, far enough south to benefit from the low pressures and precipitation.

I know that the current cold is coming to an end but I remain confident that we will shortly be enjoying more cold and wintry weather. I have given up on the greenland high but I much prefer high pressure to the north east any way for this area. February can be a great month for us but I woild like it to kick in by the 10th at the latest so that we can really its effect.

Cheers all - stay positive - plenty more to enjoy I would say ! and good luck to our LTFC friends going to Norwich tomorrow - you will enjoy your day tomorrow far more than I will as a FFC fan at MUFC and that is in no way being disingenouts to out friends in Norwich !

Oi! OTBC.

[dapick2002]

Temp up to 0.5 and just started turning to wet snow. a great fresh covering so far though!

[Gary_R_Walker]

Yes just started snowing with a darker pink blob just to my west incoming. I reckon altitude has a lot to do with it in these circumstances. It just doesn't feel like it's going to rain — air's too dry.

I'm going for attitude in place of altitude. You will be snow, you will be snow.

[Snowy Easterlies]

so jealous of them northerners, they are getting pasted

here it is just light drizzle as has been the case for two hours now

[Gary_R_Walker]

so jealous of them northerners, they are getting pasted

here it is just light drizzle as has been the case for two hours now

Don't be jealous, remember when their snow has melted they still have to live there.

[Snowy Easterlies]

Looking at the radar we have been very unlucky especially Cambs, Northants.

don't forget bedford i'd say bedford has been one of the unluckiest places in the region during this cold spell, only got 2 or 3 inches from last sunday

[Norfolk Sheep]

Friend of mine in York reports 7 in in 3 hours. Lucky Norfolk again, we're staying clear, not even rain or sleet hehe

[Stuie]

Just started snow/sleeting here.. Come on

[Andy H]

Such a waste of lovely snow! Hammering down here, but just too marginal to actually settle