South East England & East Anglia Regional Weather Discussion 13/03/14

[MP-R]

Has actually been quite pleasant out in the sun today, the car was reading 10C when I came back to Egham from Staines half an hour ago. Turning very dark from the north though. I also notice a sferic in the London area so perhaps some thunder late too.

[legrandefromage]

So, after my  Weather God prediction of no lying snow for our region for the 2013/14 winter - anyone want to hear what I have to say on this years summer?

 

Yes?

 

Okay then:

 

Hot and violent.

 

That is all.

Edited March 26, 2014 by legrandefromage

[Bluebreezer54]

Liking that blog BB, there certainly is plenty of conspiracy theorist stuff around on the web about the Gravesend weather station,it's all a bit puzzling to me, I've been there and seen all the complaints from pylons to warm water outflow, to sandy soil, none very relevant when you see its open position on the Swanscombe peninsula. 

 

I think the main problem is that the perception that somewhere like Gravesend shouldn't be the warmest place in Britain because of where it is and what it looks like. I remember Will Self writing a column in 2003 about how surely somewhere to West of London/Surrey should hold such records, not the likes of Gravesend - sums up columnists like Will Self and newspapers in general really.

Hi Bjk, I'm glad you and Ck both enjoyed the link to that blog, it's well worth following and the author writes a new post every day. Heaven knows where he finds the time.

 

Why I find it suprising that Gravesend quite often records the highest temperatures is it's proximity to the sea and the Thames Estuary. I would normally expect that to peg maximums back a degree or two compared with say, Heathrow ( which also features quite often ) but of course there are other variables at play.

 

Just a light rain here now and no thunder, hope everyone is having a good day

Edited March 26, 2014 by Bluebreezer54

[Soaring Hawk]

Am being naughty and squirreling my way in while at work.... 3.5^oC this morning at 6.40am, cloudy and damp.  More like a Novemember morning I thought.  Then drove past all the beautiful magnolia blossom in WGC centre and felt smugly relieved that we don't have to go through the whole of December, Jan and Feb to reach the Spring.  Imagine my surprised humility on looking up at my garret office window, a few minutes ago, to sideways heavy snow...! Ah well, looks like winter really is just starting then...

[Snowangel-MK]

Afternoon all (and Hi-Di-Hi to BlueBlazer54  )

 

It's been a busy couple of days here in fact yesterday was ‘Non Stop’ with Liam Neeson  (and Mr P) in Cineworld followed by some time with Frankie and Benny and a cinnamon maple waffle 

 

I'm still keeping one eye on the weather though and some heavy showers coming off the North Sea have been affecting the region... 

 

 

looks like there has been some hail mixed in with them as well as some sleet and possibly snow in places, thanks to 'Evaporative cooling' where it’s heavy enough to drag down the cold air aloft to the surface which makes it easier for the precipitation to stay as snow the whole way down. Just had a nice little covering of grauple here (is it to late for the snow cup?)

 

 

A chilly 5 deg c here now but looks like it will be warming up nicely for Mother's Day Sunday…..

 

 

 

Monday may be warmer still, we could perhaps hit 21-22 degrees in parts of this region….

 

 

[Charltonkerry]

Just got in from a hard day :-).car registering 3.5c and sleet falling in amongst the heavy rain. Wife ain't happy I got in early as she has to put up with me for longer, thought that was a bit harsh, but thinking about it I can now see her point of view.

[snow raven]

Afternoon All,

 

So today probably wasn't a good day to just have a cardigan to keep me warm then...? (my reasoning for going without a coat this morning is that I am working at my office that is less than a two minute walk from London Bridge Stn and Mr Raven is picking me up when I arrive later at Barnehurst Station, so I'm not that stupid   )

 

I don't have any windows at work today, so have been relying on all of your reports - and I hear some of us are having snow...?!

 

Fingers crossed the trains aren't playing up today, or I could be pretty cold later

[NO LONGER POSTING]

MENTALLLLLL Hail and snow mix here tings turning white LOL

[Bogman]

Well roger me timbers, there be snow in that there rain. First of the winter for me.

[Jax]

Afternoon all

 

Rather nippy day again, and we had a short burst of wintry precip a while ago, bright-ish between the showers blowing over, have to nip out in a mo as well as I need to pay the council tax (yep that time of year is back with us) and return a DVD to the library (luckily I can do all this in five minutes as it is not far from me), after that I am un-decided if I should venture out and do some shopping (which is a bit further to walk)

[Methuselah]

Am being naughty and squirreling my way in while at work.... 3.5^oC this morning at 6.40am, cloudy and damp.  More like a Novemember morning I thought.  Then drove past all the beautiful magnolia blossom in WGC centre and felt smugly relieved that we don't have to go through the whole of December, Jan and Feb to reach the Spring.  Imagine my surprised humility on looking up at my garret office window, a few minutes ago, to sideways heavy snow...! Ah well, looks like winter really is just starting then...

And let's all hope is disappears again, just as fast?

[lassie23]

MENTALLLLLL Hail and snow mix here tings turning white LOL

Have you taken any pictures? Is your lawn white? I've just got rain here, 5.0c, suppose to be 20c come Sunday.

Edited March 26, 2014 by lassie23

[Bluebreezer54]

Well Hi-Di-Hi-Di-Hi there Ali.

 

I actually think you might have a valid case there re the Snow Depth Cup judging by your photo. What a contrast from last year eh? Poor old Tom and Chris, after all the work they put in to organising it.

[Daniel*]

3.6c snow reports starting to pop up..

I think today's snow chances have been underplayed, I've seen a few icy bits mixed in the rain, and its only 4pm. In london Much to play for - btw CK its all too late, we are destined for relegation, we've bought too many players and they've failed to gel together. I hope we keep Ian Holloway he is a top class manager, i don't think we will though.

Horrid day, there's nothing like being in a warm house

Edited March 26, 2014 by Daniel*

[A.J]

Well Hi-Di-Hi-Di-Hi there Ali.

 

I actually think you might have a valid case there re the Snow Depth Cup judging by your photo. What a contrast from last year eh? Poor old Tom and Chris, after all the work they put in to organising it.

the snow depth cup can always be wheeled out of spring/summer hibernation....the thread is just on temporary lock, so just say the word and.......

[john pike]

http://www.meteociel.fr/modeles/ukmo2.php?nh=0&carte=1021&ech=6&archive=0

 

http://www.meteociel.fr/modeles/ukmo2.php?nh=0&carte=1007&ech=6&archive=0

 

[Daniel*]

Rain turning to rain/sleet/snow to my north.. Interesting, 3.3c now

http://www.meteoradar.co.uk/?type=rain-snow-sleet

[Tamara]

Hello everyone - hope you are all well

 

Things are changing for me at the moment with a lot going on, and rather too much to worry and be anxious about at home.  One outside consequences of that change is getting Shadow my cat used to being in the car and driving distances as I try to get a new catering business set up away from Hastings, which makes the coming months very uncertain where it will lead, and where it will take me in the process *hopefully to better things and better days*

 

A crate was purchased from Pets at Home with some grateful help for this purpose - it is really more of a dog crate than one for cats but I want Shadow to have plenty of room and be able to see me clearly in the car so I can talk to him. I don't have long at all to get him used to the car (he has only been in it once or twice in years just a mile or so to the vets) - his first proper journey of almost two hours will be at the weekend - but he has already taken to the crate itself and at least made himself at home in it on terra firma here

 

 

In terms of all things weather, well we have this very belated colder snap at the moment with hints of wintry precipitation scattered around the region as some members have reported today. Its a far far cry from the bitterly cold conditions of last March and not amounting to anything and its wintry extent is some sleet and hail (and maybe a few wet snow flakes for some of us to lay claim to at least witnessing something resembling the real white stuff falling from the sky this 'winter', and there is a chance of more of this during the evening. But I have no excited plans to scan the darkness for scenes like this

 

 

 

With time overnight the associated upper cold pool that is bringing the current conditions will move away further westwards and a gradual warming up process begins with an extra degree or so per day till we get to the weekend and quite obviously warmer air moves in from the south east.

 

The current synoptic pattern is one that has been completely AWOL for a very very long time, as finally the dying winter time polar vortex transfers it bulk of energy into Siberia and high pressure appearing to the north of the UK to replace several months of endless lows

 

At the same time, a cut off area of low pressure is set to be rotating in the atlantic to the north of the Azores area and the computer models are trying to work out how this aligns itself against the high pressure block to the north and how much influence it has over our region and other southern parts of the country. There is certainly enough push from the south around this low pressure system to the south west to advect something of a tropical continental influence into our region as the current relatively colder north easterly airstream veers south easterly in the coming days

 

Good agreement is shown by ECM ensemble members through to the early part of next week to maintain the fairly warm Spring conditions which begin this weekend, but more especially on Sunday.

The slight uncertainty of the tilt of the low pressure is evident in the ensemble maps, but overall it looks as though the wind will maintain a flow rather east of south and showery rain bands that come around the trough to the south west will be restricted further west of our region. The odd shower is possible, but it looks generally dry and quite pleasant in any sunshine with temperatures considerably higher than at present. Those of us on east facing coasts will most likely to be that bit cooler with the wind coming off the sea, but with the wind blowing from the nearby continent rather than down the North Sea itself cloud amounts shouldn't, hopefully, be too large.

.

Beyond this there is some uncertainty, and possibilities are that something of a breakdown to cooler and slightly more unsettled conditions may occur as pressure finally falls from the south west - but this could well be more apparent west of our region once more.  I think that the -NAO conditions that are currently setting up could well be quite a feature during April. This could give a variety of weather for us with warmer sunnier weather alternating with chilly cloudier days from the North Sea and also with the threat of troughs trying to come up from the south west to give showers.

 

Quite a common mixture of weather for the time of year - April is characteristically capricious. But then that is her perogative to keep changing her mind  

Edited March 26, 2014 by Tamara תָּמָר

[Captain Shortwave]

Afternoon all

Err..... I don't quite know what to say..

 

I SAW SNOW FALLING TODAY!!! 

 

It was only for half an hour and was only wet but it still counts. That looks like my lot though as temperature set to rise and approach 20C by Sunday.

Snow to early summer warmth in a couple of days. March you have succeeded again in providing a decent month of weather.

 

PS - Bye bye Avatar

Edited March 26, 2014 by Captain shortwave

[john pike]

hi all

 

temps here 2.3 and tampered by a chilly wind

 

gave up doing roof today

 

too blinking cold brrrrrr

 

i am going lamp post watch tonight but will wait til after 11 pm (not expecting a covering though)

 

have had some wintry bits so far today

 

glad to hear from you tam

 

i am unsure with the outlook at present but ukmo has a potential cold start to april in store

 

anyway back later with the updates

 

john

[Snowangel-MK]

Hello everyone - hope you are all well

 

 

Great to see you back in here Tamara, I hope everything is going well for you, Shadow certainly looks at home in his new crate 

 

A few more 'wintery' mixes by way of precipitation here during the afternoon, mostly wet and cold stuff anyway - thankfully it's not going to be like this at the weekend as I've been planning a yomp and was rather hoping not to get the walking boots (or the rest of me) too muddy......Steve C you will be pleased to know I have been watching on line tutorials on how not to jump over muddy puddles just in case 

 

[Jan_Bromley]

Good evening all, and especially to you Tams,

 

Yes indeed, April is looking rather on the chilly side as you say. Rather late in the season to enjoy this sort of inversion for me, but we can't choose the weather.

 

The local country park has dried up nicely, but the dogs and me met up with a rather large bulldozer this morning shifting the piles of mud that had covered the pathways. Should keep him busy for a few weeks

[john pike]

 

i think the op has gone a bit loopy

[lassie23]

Great to see you back in here Tamara, I hope everything is going well for you, Shadow certainly looks at home in his new crate 

 

A few more 'wintery' mixes by way of precipitation here during the afternoon, mostly wet and cold stuff anyway - thankfully it's not going to be like this at the weekend as I've been planning a yomp and was rather hoping not to get the walking boots (or the rest of me) too muddy......Steve C you will be pleased to know I have been watching on line tutorials on how not to jump over muddy puddles just in case 

 

Can't play your video MK I like seeing people fall into stuff. 3.5c clear

[Summer of 76]

the snow depth cup can always be wheeled out of spring/summer hibernation....the thread is just on temporary lock, so just say the word and.......

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!! must go and read my contract