scotland Scotland Regional Discussion 05/02/13 08 -------->

[November13]

Some real heavy rain in that radar...why couldn't it be snow!

[LomondSnowstorm]

My garden at the moment, 4.5 inches on the grass apparently. Damned Edinburgh snowshield!

[Benvironment]

My garden at the moment, 4.5 inches on the grass apparently. Damned Edinburgh snowshield!

Hmm. Missing out on all the fun as well. Stuck in rainy Edinburgh today. Gagging to get back over to Fife!

[Norrance]

Got lighter for while but with bigger flakes. Now a bit heavier again. Temp 0.4C.

Snow still sticking to all surfaces.

[A Winter's Tale]

A few pics from earlier. I hope to upload some more later.

[woodside]

Been pouring with rain here since dawn and temp now 6 degrees. Was some snow on the higher routes, about 1000ft, over the island this morning. Strong Southerly wind. Someone lost a bit of roof in a gust but insurance company says it's not windy so wont pay! I bet they get their readings from a nice sheltered city weather station.

[onemanmows]

Had rain since about 15:00, anoyingly it seems to be raining a lot harder than it was snowing. Outside what is there is wet heavy and settled in at about 3-4cm.

[jon_d1983]

rain in aberdeen now :-(

[101_North]

Despite some bits of town getting a covering this 'event' still proves that this type of setup is rubbish for Edinburgh. I didn't expect anything from it and I'm still surprised that it actually snowed at all. Year after year this type of setup fails to deliver here. Now that it's turned to rain though just watch the ppn intensify!

[Sunny Leith]

No entirely sure I understand all the factors in the Edinburgh snowshield but it definitely exists. We came back down the A9 from Boat of Garten earlier, heavy snow in poor visibility almost all the way until we got close to the north side of the Forth Road bridge. On the Embra side, visibility vastly improved, rain, and even on the higher parts of the bypass, in some places snow was completely absent.

Some kind of recurring geographical, topographical, micro-climatological thing going on there but whatever it is, its bloody effective at turning snaw into naw.

My garden at the moment, 4.5 inches on the grass apparently. Damned Edinburgh snowshield!

[Munter]

just like that it changes from moderate snow to rain ;-(

It was good while it lasted tho.

[Norrance]

just like that it changes from moderate snow to rain ;-(

It was good while it lasted tho.

Still snow here iin the outskirts though lighter now.

[Frozen Britain]

Heavy rain now here in East Ayrshire, and has been raining since lunchtime. The snow is melting rapidly.

[jon_d1983]

looking at the radar aberdeen is sitting in a big area of mimimal prcipitation. the heavier stuff is sitting to the west.....will it make it here.....will it be rain.......will the rush hour be easy or torturous...stay tuned to another edition of snaw or nae snaw!!

[scottishandy]

Back to rain here, did just manage a quick igloo though, good building snow!

And not content with just buiding, decided to have a wee fire in it as well, just for giggles and hand warming!

[LomondSnowstorm]

No entirely sure I understand all the factors in the Edinburgh snowshield but it definitely exists. We came back down the A9 from Boat of Garten earlier, heavy snow in poor visibility almost all the way until we got close to the north side of the Forth Road bridge. On the Embra side, visibility vastly improved, rain, and even on the higher parts of the bypass, in some places snow was completely absent.

Some kind of recurring geographical, topographical, micro-climatological thing going on there but whatever it is, its bloody effective at turning snaw into naw.

I think it's a mix of factors, including:

1) Urban Heat Island Effect

2) Coastal modification off the Forth and the North Sea during an easterly flow

3) topographical issues - being in the lee of the Pentlands and the Lammermuirs means precipitation totals are significantly lower than the surroundings with southerly wind vectors.

4) The same issues with northerlies that the rest of the central belt and mid Scotland has aka the Grampians.

5) proximity to sea level, certainly for the middle of the town and up towards Leith and Western parts too to an extent.

Its site may have done a good job of keeping the English out during the middle ages but it also does a very good job of keeping the snow out. Somewhere between an east and northeasterly wind is probably the ideal setup for here, which is actually the same for Freuchie, but without some of the added hang ups listed above.

Edited February 13, 2013 by LomondSnowstorm

[gavbamo]

No entirely sure I understand all the factors in the Edinburgh snowshield but it definitely exists. We came back down the A9 from Boat of Garten earlier, heavy snow in poor visibility almost all the way until we got close to the north side of the Forth Road bridge. On the Embra side, visibility vastly improved, rain, and even on the higher parts of the bypass, in some places snow was completely absent.

Some kind of recurring geographical, topographical, micro-climatological thing going on there but whatever it is, its bloody effective at turning snaw into naw.

I work at the gyle/hermiston gait and it must be one of the most snow free places in scotland from a westerly attack. It doesnt anger me unlike some on here, but it really is a strange one!!

[Ravelin]

No entirely sure I understand all the factors in the Edinburgh snowshield but it definitely exists. We came back down the A9 from Boat of Garten earlier, heavy snow in poor visibility almost all the way until we got close to the north side of the Forth Road bridge. On the Embra side, visibility vastly improved, rain, and even on the higher parts of the bypass, in some places snow was completely absent.

Some kind of recurring geographical, topographical, micro-climatological thing going on there but whatever it is, its bloody effective at turning snaw into naw.

It definitely exists.

For a year, around 2001/2002, I lived in Dunfermline and worked in the centre of Edinburgh. I could have several inches of snow at my house but there wasn't even a flake lying outside my work. At least one day I remember not making it in to work as the trains weren't running due to heavy snow. I'd to email a picture to work as my colleagues couldn't believe it was that bad.

[Hairy Celt]

No entirely sure I understand all the factors in the Edinburgh snowshield but it definitely exists. We came back down the A9 from Boat of Garten earlier, heavy snow in poor visibility almost all the way until we got close to the north side of the Forth Road bridge. On the Embra side, visibility vastly improved, rain, and even on the higher parts of the bypass, in some places snow was completely absent.

Some kind of recurring geographical, topographical, micro-climatological thing going on there but whatever it is, its bloody effective at turning snaw into naw.

Could be something to do with all the hot air pouring out of Holyrood? That wouldn't explain the inner MF snawshield though - a more self-effacing and modest community you couldn't find (eh, look at our wonderful Highland Councillors )...

[blitzen]

Moderate rain here since about 2pm. Lovely while the snow lasted tho'. Hope it isn't winter's last hurrah? Models don't seem to be down and out just yet.

[Hairy Celt]

Back to rain here, did just manage a quick igloo though, good building snow!

And not content with just buiding, decided to have a wee fire in it as well, just for giggles and hand warming!

I'd get rid of that 2nd one, there's something showing there...

[LomondSnowstorm]

Winter mean temperature for eastern Scotland:

Snow lying days (so most of us aren't doing too bad):

and rainfall, highlighting the Edinburgh precipitation shield:

[Ravelin]

Well after appearing to turn more to rain for a while in Dyce it now seems to be back to snow again. Not going outside to do a more accurate check as it looks rather horrible. Still struggling to lie, and what has managed looks pretty wet. Even more inland the wife reported that the snow she cleared from the driveway was wet stuff.

Traffic Cam for the A85 in Glen Ogle looks rather pretty and I think that road is currently closed, as is the A82 to the north end of Loch Lomond. Doesn't leave many options for anyone coming to or from Ft.William and Glasgow/Stirling.

Edited February 13, 2013 by Ravelin

[LomondSnowstorm]

I know, I know, it's too soon, you've just had to deal with the last failed easterly and you don't need another abject failure to contend with, BUT, the big difference with this one, hypothetically, is that it's actually driven and preceeded by a proper block and the shortwave would be coming out of the east, rather than the west. Another difference is that this forcing would make it more likely that heights would (finally)retrogress to Greenland:

GFS getting there too:

[doctormog]

Strangely the rainy/sleety mix has (currently) changed to wet snow causing slushy deposits on most surfaces (or on the vertical windward surfaces at least!)