Winter 2013-14: exceptionally stormy and very mild

[Thunderbolt_]

Hi guys. I thought I would make one of my historic videos on my YouTube channel, of the very mild and stormy winter of 2013-14 this time. I have also included quite a few pictures from over the winter in the video too. So if you have 34 minutes to spare, here it is:

 

 

From my own view, I tend to find it quite an interesting winter from a meteorological perspective, despite the damage it caused and its sheer wetness. Never have we ever seen such an Atlantic onslaught over the winter months. I also find the fact that it was completely devoid of any form of cold weather another very interesting factor, as that is also something which has never happened before, even during the mildest winters like 1988-89 and 2006-07.

 

So what are your views on it? Did you love it, did you hate it, or are you very neutral towards it?

Edited July 21, 2015 by Thunderbolt_

[AderynCoch]

An absolute abomination.

[Walsall Wood Snow]

Very depressing. Especially as it followed the cold winter of 2012-13 and the cold spring of 2013. So I wasn't expecting it to be so snowless.It wouldn't have been so bad if it had at least one good spell of cold snowy weather, but it gave nothing (except one or two brief flurries which melted as quick as they came though this was more than what most parts of the country got so I should count myself lucky in that regard). Even winter 2014-15 was a slightly better but not by much with snow round here not lasting more than a few hours (though we did have the Boxing day snow which was nice and Christmasy if wet and short lived). Here's hoping for a cold and snowy winter 2015-16 to make up. Though I can appreciate how some found it interesting from a meteorological point of view. But being a cold and snow lover it couldn't have been worse and was the winter equivalent of a sun and heat lovers summers of 2007 and 2012.

Edited July 21, 2015 by WALSALL SNOW

[Thunderbolt_]

Very depressing. Especially as it followed the cold winter of 2012-13 and the cold spring of 2013. So I wasn't expecting it to be so snowless.It wouldn't have been so bad if it had at least one good spell of cold snowy weather, but it gave nothing (except one or two brief flurries which melted as quick as they came). Even winter 2014-15 was a slightly better but not by much with snow round here not lasting more than a few hours (though we did have the Boxing day snow which was nice and Christmasy if wet and short lived). Here's hoping for a cold and snowy winter 2015-16 to make up. Though I can appreciate how some found it interesting from a meteorological point of view. But being a cold and snow lover it couldn't have been worse and was the winter equivalent of a sun and heat lovers summers of 2007 and 2012.

 

Can you imagine if winter 2013-14 swapped places with winter 2012-13? We would have had very autumnal conditions from the start of April right through to the end of February... an 11 month autumn!

Edited July 21, 2015 by Thunderbolt_

[Walsall Wood Snow]

Can you imagine if winter 2013-14 swapped places with winter 2012-13? We would have had very autumnal conditions from the start of April right through to the end of February... an 11 month autumn!

Actually your right that would have been worse.

[East_England_Stormchaser91]

Really was a very tedious winter indeed. It wasn't even that mild either, just 4-8c pretty much the whole time from what i remember.

I find it from my view so much more challenging to get snow here more so than plume events being an equivalence. Snowy spells really do have the tendency to go right down to the wire in this country. It's a nightmare! In the past I've seen an easterly be completely wiped off at less than 24 hours out back in 2005!

[Summer of 95]

It was not without interest but I'll happily not see it repeated. The complete lack of snow and low temperatures over such a wide area incredible, even compared to some of those 90s and 00s winters.

The funny thing, it wasn't as mild as some of those either. None of the weeks of 10-12C highs we saw in seasons like 1989-90, 1994-95, 1997-98 or 2006-07. It was just 6C +/-3 all winter.

[Nick L]

Probably the worst season I've ever had the displeasure of experiencing.

 

For weeks on end, I couldn't remember not walking to lectures resembling a drowned rat.

[feb1991blizzard]

Yes absolute garbage winter, good video though, do you do older ones as well Scott like Gavin Partridge does?

[Thunderbolt_]

Yes absolute garbage winter, good video though, do you do older ones as well Scott like Gavin Partridge does?

 

Not yet, but I certainly will do. I have done one of December 2010 though. Thanks.

[Thunderbolt_]

Probably the worst season I've ever had the displeasure of experiencing.

 

For weeks on end, I couldn't remember not walking to lectures resembling a drowned rat.

 

I remember when we finally got an area of high pressure in early March and it felt like an absolute Godsend after this winter. I don't even think many were too bothered about it not bringing snow, but were just happy that the storms had finally subsided.

[Nick L]

I remember when we finally got an area of high pressure in early March and it felt like an absolute Godsend after this winter. I don't even think many were too bothered about it not bringing snow, but were just happy that the storms had finally subsided.

 

Yup, it could have been as mild and snowless as it wanted to by February, I just wanted dry weather!

 

From a meteorology-nerd point of view, the relentless rainfall was at least interesting.

[summer blizzard]

What winter? No settling snow for the first time i can remember.

[Weather-history]

Probably the worst season I've ever had the displeasure of experiencing.

For weeks on end, I couldn't remember not walking to lectures resembling a drowned rat.

It wasn't that wet and to me it wasn't that stormy here. I have seen wetter and/or stormier winters than this one. I think that is what made it even worse. It was just tedious. There was a good part of that January when not a lot happen, so to speak in this area.

This is borne out in the Met Office rainfall anomaly. Note southern half of northern England is not that wet, it's even drier than average in a few spots.

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/media/image/g/t/Rain_Winter20141.gif

Edited July 22, 2015 by Weather-history

[Nick L]

It wasn't that wet and to me it wasn't that stormy here. I have seen wetter and/or stormier winters than this one. I think that is what made it even worse. It was just tedious. There was a good part of that January when not a lot happen, so to speak in this area.

This is borne out in the Met Office rainfall anomaly. Note southern half of northern England is not that wet, it's even drier than average in a few spots.

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/media/image/g/t/Rain_Winter20141.gif

 

I was in Reading, and that graphic explains my memories! It was the misery of getting soaked nearly every time I was out and about that really grated. The complete lack of snow was a minor issue in comparison.

[philglossop]

It's a winter work wise I'll never forget. 

 

It was just frightening the sheer amount of power of wind and water during the spell in mid February. It was as close to January 1990 storm as it's likely to get here, with roads closed damage around Plymouth Hoe.

 

I was in charge of all pay and display machines at the time, and we lost 3 in total. 2 to damage from falling buildings and 1 which when opened was a solid block of seasalt. I then spent an interesting meeting with my cabinet member for transport asking if I could claim for new machines. He didn't believe me when I showed him the damage.

 

As much as I love winter storms, even I by the end was sick to death of them. That high pressure was so welcomed I recall!

[Methuselah]

The lightning-storm on the 3rd of Jan was better than anything I've seen in years; because of the hail, it was even better than the event of a few weeks' back!

[reef]

It wasn't that wet and to me it wasn't that stormy here. I have seen wetter and/or stormier winters than this one. I think that is what made it even worse. It was just tedious. There was a good part of that January when not a lot happen, so to speak in this area.

This is borne out in the Met Office rainfall anomaly. Note southern half of northern England is not that wet, it's even drier than average in a few spots.

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/media/image/g/t/Rain_Winter20141.gif

 

We were one of those places slightly drier than average. We received 151.6mm of rain in winter 2013/14, 96% of the average.

 

Due to the persistent westerlies we were also much sunnier than average, with all three winter months sunnier then normal.

 

The 'winter' was dire for snowfall and air frosts. We had no days with snow falling or lying at 0900 for the first time ever. December was frostless with a low min of 0.2C and February had just one day below zero. There were 5 air frosts in total with a min of -2.1C. Both January and February had low maximas above 5C.

 

It was just a terrible 'winter' in every sense. Hopefully we'll never see a repeat.

[Nick L]

It was certainly the basement winter for snowlessness. The only silver lining is that I will never see a winter more snow-free!

[Summer of 95]

Probably the worst season I've ever had the displeasure of experiencing.

 

For weeks on end, I couldn't remember not walking to lectures resembling a drowned rat.

One of the most unpleasant weatherwise (along with Autumn 2000 and winter 1989/90) but it did have its noteworthy and memorable moments, especially the gale around the 13th Feb. The worst season would be one that had lots of rubbish weather but nothing exceptional or record breaking. Summer 2011 springs to mind for 4 months of cloudy cold crap, broken only by the odd sunny day and one storm. For winter, there was 1999/2000 which was just as snowless as 13-14, but not as wet or stormy.

[Nick L]

One of the most unpleasant weatherwise (along with Autumn 2000 and winter 1989/90) but it did have its noteworthy and memorable moments, especially the gale around the 13th Feb. The worst season would be one that had lots of rubbish weather but nothing exceptional or record breaking. Summer 2011 springs to mind for 4 months of cloudy cold crap, broken only by the odd sunny day and one storm. For winter, there was 1999/2000 which was just as snowless as 13-14, but not as wet or stormy.

 

In terms of being "interesting" it certainly was decent, incredible amounts of rain down south. But in terms of unpleasantness - it wins by a country mile.

[damianslaw]

A very draining winter it has to be said here, it felt like there was a constant gale force wind blowing, and barely any dry days with temps consistently above average especially at night with hardly any frost or snow - a shocker in all regards.

[Daniel*]

On 25/07/2015 at 16:28, Nick L said:

It was certainly the basement winter for snowlessness. The only silver lining is that I will never see a winter more snow-free!

Are you sure

[Chesil View]

Truly appalling winter for coldies ands snowlovers here in the south.

the only funny thing was the Daily Express headline at the start of the winter with the screaming headline of 100 days of ice and snow forecast by James Madden.

even more laughably wide if the mark than his usual tosh.

[Harry233]

Probably the worst winter from memory imo. In my area it was very wet but we had absolutely no issues with flooding. December was extremely stormy and mild with a few brief spells of cold weather and a snow shower on Christmas Eve  but nothing special. January actually wasn’t overly wet in my area I recorded 137% of average of rainfall that month but like December it was consistently mild and dull. A snowy day on the 11th but that was it. February was consistently mild and wet as well with very little sunshine. A forgettable season. Winter 2015-16 was a lot better we had some heavy snow right at the start of December before flooding just days later before a very brief cold snap before a return of severe flooding and rain in January. January 2016 was also a snowy month in my area I recorded 8 days of lying snow. February had some wet weather at the start but it was a generally cold and frosty month.