North West England Regional Discussion 17th March 2013>

[Chess01]

Quite a bit in stoke . Here's a webcam http://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/content/webcams/hanley_town_hall_webcam.shtml

[Ian Brown]

Not much here near Crewe, but daughters school is closed in Stoke on Trent.

It's quite wet snow so altitude has played a part, some heavy stuff over North Wales, will it all be snow as it edges across ?

[Stratocumulus perlucidus]

Heavy show all night

Snow pic.twitter.com/5YuZZznwGY

— Peter Kinsey (@Kinesin_Loot)

March 22, 2013

[PeteB]

It's quite wet snow so altitude has played a part, some heavy stuff over North Wales, will it all be snow as it edges across ?

Yes, very heavy snow, around 6 inches here so far and accumulating quickly now.

Pete

[Ian Brown]

Yes, very heavy snow, around 6 inches here so far and accumulating quickly now.

Pete

Thanks Pete, that is coming our way.

[Iceaxecrampon]

Radar looks as if the SW ppn incursion is winning the battle - doesn't look like a stall - maybe allowing temps to rise and turn to rain esp near coasts but elevation really does matter in this.

Met radar has some nice pink echoes around Merseyside.

Damp snizzle and small flurries nr Whalley and its coming light now - although the tops of Parlick - Fairsnape and Pendle should look well - for near April.....

IAC

[Weather-history]

Snow blowing around in the wind.

[Snow free zone]

Virtually nothing in Preston, a dusting at best.

[Brass_Monkeys]

Snow starting to get a bit heavier and the flakes a little bigger. Still quite a bit of melting going on of any lying snow, dripping from the shed roof.

I think it was always going to be a battle to get the snow laying on lower ground. If the snow can persist with decent intensity hopefully a decent cover will build through the day.

Temp 0.7C

dp -0.9C

[davyf]

whats it like near accrington? heading down from durham and nothing here

[Chris.R]

Snow very heavy and blowing around. Close to 2 inches in plaices.

[Interitus]

If you look at the Met Office warning in more detail in particular the amber warning and the impact matrix, a prolonged period of heavy precipitation predominantly as snowfall means a potentially high hazard but the actual risk of this happening is only moderate. Hence the depth forecasts are showing what might happen but probably not what will. Surface temperatures are quite marginal for lying snow and accumulation, for example Rostherne in north Cheshire has risen from 1.2°C at 3am to 1.9°C at 6am so places either need a bit of extra altitude or more intense precipitation for surface temps to be closer to or below freezing, which explains the areas showing lying snow at the moment. Without these, the forecasts of 10-15 cm for low ground were always going to be on the high side, I'd be surprised if many areas near sea level actually reach half of this.

Still, it's early days yet with the snow predicted to last well into tomorrow.

Edited March 22, 2013 by Interitus

[MrSunshine]

Snow starting to get a bit heavier and the flakes a little bigger. Still quite a bit of melting going on of any lying snow, dripping from the shed roof.

I think it was always going to be a battle to get the snow laying on lower ground. If the snow can persist with decent intensity hopefully a decent cover will build through the day.

Temp 0.7C

dp -0.9C

Those dew point's are doing my head in they just keep creeping up, looks like this is going to stall further north than previously thought.

[Oakwell]

Not bad amount of snow laying, current temperature +0.6C

[Spah1]

Slush Slush Slush! and more Slush

[greybing]

Nothingin west Manchester ,wgat is actually happening with this system;i have not watched or followed the weather in detail for a while .is his system expectedt to hit Manchesetr.I look at 'two's radae' and it has precipitation all around the north west ,lighter to the north of mancs ,heavier to the south-is this from sw.

[Jan]

Snow coming down heavy here albeit small flakes, must be about 2 to 3 cm. Anyone up Skemersdale way, what are the roads like?

[Stratocumulus perlucidus]

I wouldnt worry dave that point has been over us all night. It might have already stalled

[SparkleS]

Totally crap here, a dusting if that and thats only on the grass

[Brass_Monkeys]

Those dew point's are doing my head in they just keep creeping up, looks like this is going to stall further north than previously thought.

My dp has actually dropped 0.1 of a degree in the last hour. Hopefully it's a continuing trend.

Just wish these flakes would get bigger. The snows coming down quite heavy but the flakes are miniscule.

It's a slow process but the wet ground is starting to turn white.

[Darren Bown]

Moderate snow here, must've been quite wet over night as only laid on grass, about an inch.

[Stratocumulus perlucidus]

Temp 0c dp -1

[snowdrifter]

Question please folks - what has to happen for falling snow to begin to settle on already wet & slushy ground? Is it the intensity of the snow/temp or what?

[MrSunshine]

Heavier precipitation now pushing its way in.

[jam2010]

Well we have tiny flakes of snow but a few Iof them hope it gets heavier or it's not going to stick :-(