scotland Scotland - Alba Regional Discussion 20/03/13 21z ------>

[LomondSnowstorm]

I know that those of you who run a recording station will have seen the same kind of temperature profile this past week, but this one from Edin Uni is as good as any...

http://www.geos.ed.a...latestweek.html

...basically the last 96 hours have flatlined in the range 0 to 2c at best. The cloud sheet has kept our spirits down a bit but this is still a remarkable cold spell in its own way. We're all used to daily highs and lows, but this kind of consistency in a narrow range is notable.

Similarities to the January cold spell there, though if you look at the temperature curve for all data you'll notice that this is probably the coldest spell of the winter so far for Edinburgh.

[A Winter's Tale]

8th consecutive day of snow here today with a few flurries. Another really cold day too but the wind has now eased somewhat. It's hard to believe that this time last year we were all enjoying that record-breaking warm spell with temperatures into the 20s in many areas. A year later, maximum temperatures are barely exceeding 3C (even for the likes of Tiree) and some of the most prolonged and 'deep' cold in March, occuring during the second half - a very different scenario to the usual share of northerly incursions or polar mariime air. One of the other weird aspects of this month is how Spring never really started - other than some of those glorious days back in that settled spell at the end of February - and we are enduring conditions that are akin to a decent cold spell in the depths of winter. March is renowned for its taste of late winter weather, but nothing on this insane level. During most years, we enter Spring at some time around the tail-end of winter before being treated to typical short and rather benign northerlies. I would like to see the run of sub 5C days see out the month which would nicely round-off this bizare spell of weather. It'd also be interesting to see this last into the first couple of days of April as I feel that some records could be broken (such as the coldest maximum for April which is -1.0C). Once the Easter weekend has passed then

[Sunny Leith]

Yeah, very similar indeed LS - just made more notable by the fact this is more than 2 months down the line !

Aye, saw the overall curve as well...just as the point when the curve should be ticking-upwards, the graph is still trending down to its lowest point of the winter-spring season. Bloody hell ...

Similarities to the January cold spell there, though if you look at the temperature curve for all data you'll notice that this is probably the coldest spell of the winter so far for Edinburgh.

Edited March 26, 2013 by by-tor

[Polarlow]

Heavy snow shower in Dundee, a fine coating of the white stuff !!!! 10 days in a row of falling snow ! Shower activity is pepping up of the North Sea on the Radar.

Edited March 26, 2013 by Polarlow

[Polar Gael]

I know that those of you who run a recording station will have seen the same kind of temperature profile this past week, but this one from Edin Uni is as good as any...

http://www.geos.ed.a...latestweek.html

...basically the last 96 hours have flatlined in the range 0 to 2c at best. The cloud sheet has kept our spirits down a bit but this is still a remarkable cold spell in its own way. We're all used to daily highs and lows, but this kind of consistency in a narrow range is notable.

Aye, it's no' exactly been toasty, has it?

A high of 2.4ºC and low of 0.9ºC here today. Currently 0.3ºC (could we see a frost? The excitement!)/-3ºC and whatever was falling from the sky has chucked it for now.

If this cold spell carries on after the clocks go forward on Sunday, it's going to be just plain weird.

Still, am sure it will all balance out in the end (he said hopefully)...

[Hairy Celt]

and I'll go with April 8th, NL's back garden, just after he's been clearing out the cows...

1C here, no snow (gosh, you'd never have guessed that).

[be cause]

and I'll go with April 8th, NL's back garden, just after he's been clearing out the cows...

1C here, no snow (gosh, you'd never have guessed that).

We're two hairy Celts without snow ...when all around it does abound .. Maybe our turn is yet to come !

[Buriedundersnow]

convection off the coast from fife not building as far out to sea as in other places could maybe be due to this

[A Winter's Tale]

8th consecutive day of snow here today with a few flurries. Another really cold day too but the wind has now eased somewhat. It's hard to believe that this time last year we were all enjoying that record-breaking warm spell with temperatures into the 20s in many areas. A year later, maximum temperatures are barely exceeding 3C (even for the likes of Tiree) and some of the most prolonged and 'deep' cold in March, occuring during the second half - a very different scenario to the usual share of northerly incursions or polar mariime air. One of the other weird aspects of this month is how Spring never really started - other than some of those glorious days back in that settled spell at the end of February - and we are enduring conditions that are akin to a decent cold spell in the depths of winter. March is renowned for its taste of late winter weather, but nothing on this insane level. During most years, we enter Spring at some time around the tail-end of winter before being treated to typical short and rather benign northerlies. I would like to see the run of sub 5C days see out the month which would nicely round-off this bizare spell of weather. It'd also be interesting to see this last into the first couple of days of April as I feel that some records could be broken (such as the coldest maximum for April which is -1.0C). Once the Easter weekend has passed then it would seem appropriate for Spring 2013 to finally make an appearance but after all we have no control of the weather to adjsust to our desire and that is a fudamental element that keeps the weather interesting. I'm absolutely positive that Spring will happen this year and possibly for a good chunk of April there could be the sort of Spring weather that is suitable for picnics, easter-egg hunts etc and through past experience don't underestimate the ability of mother nature to create dramatic turnarounds. The model thread has been pretty amusing recently especially Gavin's posts that include Victor Meldrew quotes and yet more straws to clutch (p.is that is what you get for being an annual mildie lol!) but condidering how BST is around the corner and the days are getting longer and the sun is getting stronger - here's a musical excerpt to reassure those who are dismayed by the recent vile temperatures

The question is when the will the synoptic change and how? The current situation would have been perfect during the depths of winter as yet again northern blocking prevails as a reguuar occurance. I've got a feeling that the jet will remain a fair but south into the start of April. It may stay cold for the time of year but with the possibility of high pressure over the UK or a northerly, it may ironically look and feel more like Spring than it does now. Hopefully by the end of next month we'll be talking about conditions akin to the April's of 2003 and 2011 and looking forward to a May like 2000 or 2008.

In the meantime, over the coming days we have got an easterly flow to deal with which could potentially deliver some accumilations to eastern counties. It really is remarkable to be talking about snow from an easterly wind this late into March albeit without the oompth of late November 2010. At this time of year despite the stronger sun and cold air in abundance, the dry and relatively stable easterly flow over a colder north sea could be a problem for a sunshine and beefy snow showers set up. If it was mid-November, with a warmer north sea, a very strong and unstable easterly flow carrying -20C uppers then we could be in business...lol.

But for the Isles of Arran, the Kintyre Peninsula and parts of Dumfries and Galloway, in some sense and on a local scale it has surpassed anything we've seen since the new era of winter post 2008 (with the exception of those big snowfalls in March 2010 and 2011 in the highlands) with scenes akin to 1963. The thing is that strangely, there used to be a consensus (especially in the MT) about how impossible it is to get lying snow in March. Here we are in late March, and some of the least likely areas to see a snowflake during an entire winter with the effects of the guff stream (allowing for palm trees to grow) has been hardest hit with many, many feet of snow paralysing relatively remote and isolated areas. In some sense, the geography of Kintyre and Arran may make them the worst possible areas to be badly affected by a snowfall with vital routes being cut-off and subsequently various communities being isolated from the outside world despite the relative proximity to Glasgow. But in these situations, the islanders and rural folk have brought out the best of the community spirit with the most vulnerable being looked after - a very different society to suburban areas). Hopefully here the situation improves for everyone and the wildlife. For Arran, easter is an important time of year but I hope that the effects of this cold spell won't hit the islanders and farmers further down the line. I suppose, be it wind, rain, snow, sun or warm or cold, there is always going to be a cost or a consequence to what the weather throws at us - that is just a simple fact of nature - but for what the weather actually stands for, in its own pure, natural and dynamic way is what makes people (and Brits, not to mention Kilters) talk about it, interested in it and love it.

[Polar Gael]

And so ends another Kilted Thread day in the first WWE (Winter Without End) of the post-m0dern winter era.

Today's weather was brought to you by the letters GH (CODSAC) and SH (SODSAC), aided and assisted by their friend, the itinerant jetstream

(last seen on the latest leg of its world tour: the Sahara)

and the numbers 15 (depth in feet of the drifts in Arran & Kintyre) and 25 (celsius - we can dream.....)

Time to hit the hay and to dream of believe in summer* - you remember, that one day we have every day in July when everyone goes to the park, drinks themselves stupid enjoys a nice refreshing cup of tea and ends up with lobster arms**.

Surely, the ECM is wrong and it must be soon? Ah well, until then, this laddie will dream...

*like Santa Claus, only not seen as often.

**it is not recommended you try this at home. Especially not if yer fu'.

[101_North]

A dusting here this morning with more to come on the radar.

[Northernlights]

A dusting here this morning with more to come on the radar.

Same here, dull and currently 0c

[Blizzardo]

Some light snow showers have given a fresh covering to add to the remaining patches of snow in the shaded parts. 0.7c/-2.1c. No breakdown of the cold conditions showing across the model suite within the reliable timeframe and if anything its seem to be extending.

[CoastRainbow]

Morning, light snow on here in Gourock, I call it Swedish snow dry and floaty! Have lost count on how many snow falling days there have been!

[JoeShmoe]

Dusting here

[FrenchScotPilot1]

Based purely on Skew-T (for Aberdeen) I see good potential convection this evening and overnight with thicker clouds and a higher inversion.

Winds are also fovourable with lack of shear, leading to organised bands of showers off the E'lies.

Granted, N'Sea SSTs had been warmer it would have been much more subtantial. But with ifs...

[Snowplough33]

Based purely on Skew-T (for Aberdeen) I see good potential convection this evening and overnight with thicker clouds and a higher inversion.

Winds are also fovourable with lack of shear, leading to organised bands of showers off the E'lies.

Granted, N'Sea SSTs had been warmer it would have been much more subtantial. But with ifs...

Dusting thus morning and some snow falling.

Does the Skew-T look good further south for this evening? LS also mentioned this yesterday from charts for this evening and overnight

[BurntFishTrousers]

snawing and plenty more to come looking at radar oot east

[Ravelin]

Heavy snow shower just clearing from here, topped up last nights dusting. Radar showing more organised bands of showers this morning and looking interesting off the coast of SE Scotland.

[DR(S)NO]

Goddam it Mr Snow..you just don't know when to give up!end of March and another day of falling snow.

Probably not enough for one of these though!!

[101_North]

Despite a promising looking radar there is nothing falling here. Hopefully an improving convection picture through today though.

Edit: light snow back on.

Edited March 26, 2013 by 101_North

[mardatha]

Snowing again here, very light and fine. Snow still lying frozen from last week, the hills are white and the sky is white and its very weird. Can't remember when I saw any colour!

Edited March 26, 2013 by mardatha

[JoeShmoe]

Despite a promising looking radar there is nothing falling here. Hopefully an improving convection picture through today though.

Edit: light snow back on.

Light snow started here

Edited March 26, 2013 by JoeShmoe

[lorenzo]

New layer of graupel on the tundra out the back.

Radar looking much healthier today, some energy in there compared to the last couple of days.

UKMO run is Baltic. Literally.

[jon_d1983]

Grass and cars back to white here again! Will be gone soon enough if the showers don't keep rolling in.