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What's your fantasy winter?


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Posted
  • Location: Leeds
  • Weather Preferences: snow, heat, thunderstorms
  • Location: Leeds

I'd like snow to fall about 3 days before Christmas - around 10-15cm or so - which would be the start of a sustained snow pack lasting until the early days of March. No major snowfalls every day - maybe once a month or so, typically 20-30cm. Average depths of around 30-40cm, so some thaws in between.

 

Every other winter would be very snowy and feature many deep falls, sometimes in excess of 40cm, but that wouldn't be the norm.

 

I think my dream climate is Estonia or Belarus. I like snow to be present in winter without melting entirely, but I don't  want depths getting too high because that would take longer to melt - and I don't want snow to linger too long in March.

Edited by cheese
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Posted
  • Location: South Norfolk, 44 m ASL.
  • Weather Preferences: Varied and not extreme.
  • Location: South Norfolk, 44 m ASL.

Atlantic-dominated weather during the first half of December, but more Polar Maritime air than Tropical Maritime, so there would be brighter, showery conditions following the cold fronts.   Nothing too extreme, though.  Perhaps a few mild, dry, sunny days in between, but preferably from brief ridges over the UK rather than the limpet Euro High to our SE so we don't have a SW feed bringing dull, drizzly conditions.  Small amount of snow on Christmas Eve, thawing after Boxing Day with a milder spell from around the 28th through to a few days after the return to work.  Another couple of spells of snowy weather, each lasting around 10-14 days, with plenty of cold, dry, frosty days between them, and a few wet days to keep groundwater reserves high enough to last a potential dry summer.  Warming-up from Mid-March  In other words, seasonal, with a bit of everything (except anticyclonic gloom) and no one pattern lasting for an excessive length of time.

Edited by chrisbell-nottheweatherman
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Posted
  • Location: Northwich south cheshire 35m or 114ft above sea le
  • Weather Preferences: snowy winters,warm summers and Storms
  • Location: Northwich south cheshire 35m or 114ft above sea le

First of all for this relentless rain to sod of

Secondly a week of HP to dry out,with some frosty nights

Thirdly a nice snowy spell leading up to christmas,followed by

Big 2 week freeze for the whole country with plenty of snow

And ice days for the beginning of January,anything else a

Bonus.

C.S

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Posted
  • Location: Haute Vienne, Limousin, France (404m ASL)
  • Weather Preferences: Warm and sunny with night time t-storms
  • Location: Haute Vienne, Limousin, France (404m ASL)

The "mildest on record" or so much snow we can't move! A snowy Christmas is very romantic, but let it snow on Christmas day when we're all inside. Otherwise it's a horrible for us travellers trying to get home or have folks home (I remember spending most of Christmas day in Glasgow Prestwick airport many years ago after my flight to Dublin was diverted due to gales and snow). Everyone's fantasy is someone's nightmare

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Posted
  • Location: South Norfolk, 44 m ASL.
  • Weather Preferences: Varied and not extreme.
  • Location: South Norfolk, 44 m ASL.

 Everyone's fantasy is someone's nightmare

 

I often think this is forgotten by certain mild rampers.  I don't mind in the slightest someone who prefers mild Atlantic-dominated winter conditions as it's a matter of personal preference, but I have seen cold fans criticised on here in past winters for their preference due to the mildies pointing-out how disruptive snow is and how many people have legitimate reasons to hate it.  As a wheelchair user, I should be one of them, yet I found myself disagreeing with the lecture as they seem to forget that endless cloud, wind and rain poses problems for people with S.A.D. and has other deleterious consequences (increased pests during the following summer, for example).  Given that every weather type has its downsides, we should all be more tolerant of those whose preferences differ from our own, in particular as the alternative is to not take any interest in the weather at all except as a purely academic exercise.

Edited by chrisbell-nottheweatherman
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Posted
  • Location: bingley,west yorks. 100 asl
  • Location: bingley,west yorks. 100 asl

I miss the heavy snow showers interspersed with crisp short dry intervals set up.80,s and early to mid 90,s were good for that at times here.Snow accumulating through the day with temps around freezing with heavier showers overnight giving a thick blanket.

I like it when the sun is out and a big shower slowly moves in.A bright yellowy anvil then slowly turning darker as it approaches.By now fairly dim with a dark grey sky oncoming.Then the first large snowflakes fall and you know what's coming lol.

Edited by joggs
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Posted
  • Location: South Norfolk, 44 m ASL.
  • Weather Preferences: Varied and not extreme.
  • Location: South Norfolk, 44 m ASL.

I try not to use the disruption and death argument when it comes to snow because it can be used against anyone. After all, all severe weather kills people, sadly. Heat waves have taken people's lives, so have thunderstorms, gales and cold waves etc. If we all used that argument, then should that mean that we all have to like non-descript average weather? Of course not.

 

People often whinge at me for not liking cold and snow, and I'll be honest I can be a bit of a prat at the best of times. I can completely understand why people have found this November horrid and depressing, but if we had had a severely cold one I'd be screaming SAD by this point, whilst all of the coldies would be whinging at me for not enjoying a cold month. In winter I'm only bothered about it being mild. Had this November have had a few more sunny days, then it would have been perfect.

 

The sad thing is, whatever the weather does, some are always going to be happy with it whilst others will be on the ar'se end of it, like I was in March 2013.

 

 

I tend to agree, and would like to take this opportunity to state that you were not one of the small number of people I was referring to in my comment.  Your preferences would certainly not be mine (I'm not a raging coldie but I hate day after day of gloomy midwinter half-light), but I don't consider your posts inflammatory or critical of those whose preferences differ from yours.

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Posted
  • Location: Bedfordshire 33m above mean sea level
  • Weather Preferences: Snowy and thundery.
  • Location: Bedfordshire 33m above mean sea level

perfect for me is some flurries a week and up to christmas day, evening time, to make it feel christmassy and cosy.  I love snow falling, but hate it when any laying snow becomes icy, dirty and dangerous.

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Posted
  • Location: Edmonton Alberta(via Chelmsford, Exeter & Calgary)
  • Weather Preferences: Sunshine and 15-25c
  • Location: Edmonton Alberta(via Chelmsford, Exeter & Calgary)
15 hours ago, Thunderbolt_ said:

1-4 December 1985, 5 December 2014, 6-17 December 2006, 18-24 December 2013, 25-31 December 2011.

1-8 January 1990, 9 January 2015, 10-12 January 1998, 13-31 January 1990.

1-7 February 1998, 8-12 February 2008, 13-20 February 1998, 21-28 February 2012.

 

Nice and mild with the odd gale thrown in and some sunshine, especially in February! :)

I remember January and February 1990 being particularly mild and windy

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Posted
  • Location: Powys Mid Wales borders.
  • Location: Powys Mid Wales borders.
On ‎11‎/‎29‎/‎2015 at 0:02 AM, Don said:

'Probably' not a 2015/16 winter......

2005 November and December to this one so far.

I`m not ruling this month completely out yet as optimism is always higher around the festive season just because its Christmas.

Weather gets chucked out of the window more.

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Posted
  • Location: Jordanstown, Co. Antrim
  • Weather Preferences: Cold winters, warm sunny summers.
  • Location: Jordanstown, Co. Antrim

My fantasy winter would be a repeat of the following:

1962/63

1978/79

1981/82

Mike Tullet's summary of the 1962/63 winter makes for some interesting reading.

The synoptic charts are good too.

Oh for a winter like that one again:

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/mtullett/1962-63/

 

 

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Posted
  • Location: chellaston, derby
  • Weather Preferences: The Actual Weather ..... not fantasy.
  • Location: chellaston, derby

strange that so many want just one weather type for 3 months, are they the same ones moaning about 3 months of zonality? lol

my fantasy winter would be another 81-2.  nice early deep cold with loads of snow, frost and ice, lasting about 6 weeks before it goes and leaves us with a nice mild february . thats my ideal winter, cold gone by mid jan!

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Posted
  • Location: Newton in Bowland
  • Location: Newton in Bowland

1978/79 was ideal for me with plenty of cold snowy spells interspersed with milder wetter ones. A real meteorological  delight with plenty for everyone and of course back then we had to rely of the farming weekly weather updates which made it even more exciting.

A 62/63 winter would become very tiresome really, around these parts from what I can gather there was snow on boxing day and that was about it bar the odd flurries here and there. It was the persistent biting cold  which made it notable, or infamous depending on your point of view.

Edited by Hocus Pocus
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Posted
  • Location: Wrexham, North East Wales 80m asl
  • Weather Preferences: Snow and thunderstorms
  • Location: Wrexham, North East Wales 80m asl

Yep 1978/79 for me as well. Honourable mentions to 1981/82 and 2009/10 winters.

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Posted
  • Location: Wythall, Worcestershire, 150m asl
  • Weather Preferences: Continental climate, snow winter, sunny summers
  • Location: Wythall, Worcestershire, 150m asl

My ideal winter would be as follows:

December would start on a cold note with pressure high over Greenland bringing a sharp northerly blast and several troughs bringing longer periods of snow north to south. After further frosts and snow showers in the north, milder Atlantic weather sweeps in for a couple of weeks.

A week before xmas high pressure sits over the country bringing severe freezing fog and ice days. By the 23rd the high pressure has drifted northeast over Scandinavia bringing even colder easterly weather. A front moving up from the south west on xmas eve will bring a severe winter storm and blizzards. The front stalls over the Midlands bringing hours of heavy snow for central and northern England in particular. Snow depth around 1 foot in these areas. 

Xmas day and Boxing Day brings further snow as troughs move east to west on strong easterly gales. Max temps of -3 to -5 in England. The cold weather persists with a further stalling front on New Year's Eve. Conditions across the country are appalling, with motorways, A roads and public transport shutdown. Average depths of snow of 1-2 feet across England, even more on higher ground. December CET of -1.1c

January continues where December left off. A channel low on the 4th brings a further 10-15 inches of snow across the south and south west. Snow showers in the east. The high pressure drifts towards Greenland in week 2 bringing more northerly winds and heavy snow for Scotland. Weeks 3 and 4 see further fronts cross the country bringing cyclonic weather and yet more snowfall. A slight thaw in the far south and south west by the end of the month with temps climbing above freezing finally. Jan CET of -3.0c.

February starts with more high pressure over Scandinavia, easterly winds and snow showers. Depths of 2-3 feet of snow countrywide. Further fronts attempt to move in from the south west bringing heavy snow and several blizzard events in the first half of the month. Finally the Atlantic breaks through and pressure rises from the south in week 3. Temps steadily rise and we see very mild conditions by the end of the month with temps into the mid teens. By March the snow has all gone and the country is bathed in warm early spring sunshine. Feb CET 1.5c

 

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Posted
  • Location: Beccles, Suffolk.
  • Weather Preferences: Thunder, snow, heat, sunshine...
  • Location: Beccles, Suffolk.

Any winter in which 'upstream amplification' translates into heavy snowfall...:santa-emoji:

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Posted
  • Location: Wildwood, Stafford 104m asl
  • Weather Preferences: obviously snow!
  • Location: Wildwood, Stafford 104m asl

archives-2014-12-31-0-0.png

may look 'mild' but this had an amazing frost, looked like snow, complete white over (with still boxing day's snow on the ground)

but of course typical even larger teapot spell, next day new years day, felt tropical, must have reached 14C, then that was it, winter over for many in the South

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Posted
  • Location: Peterborough
  • Weather Preferences: Snow and frost in the winter. Hot and sunny, thunderstorms in the summer.
  • Location: Peterborough

I would prefer a front loaded cold winter with the main events occurring in December and January with February becoming settled with a large diurnal range (frosty nights but pleasant sunny days like 2008).

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Posted
  • Location: Lincoln, Lincolnshire
  • Weather Preferences: Sunshine, convective precipitation, snow, thunderstorms, "episodic" months.
  • Location: Lincoln, Lincolnshire

My "Paradise Weather Sequence" (giving the weather that we'd have on each day if I could control the weather for a year) has a mild dry sunny run-up to Christmas, and then a "switch-around" occurs with frequent snowfalls from 25 December to 5 January.  The snowy spell starts up in just after midnight on 24/25 December, to maximise the impact of the White Christmas.  This would mean no trouble travelling to where we want to go for Christmas, but admittedly it could make getting back tricky, since the aggregate snow depth peaks at around 30cm just after the New Year.

I would like it if we had an inverse association between precipitation, and sunshine and temperature, all year around, i.e. let mild spells be mainly dry and sunny with an emphasis on high daytime maxima, and cold spells be mainly bright and showery interspersed with occasional frontal snowfalls.  I say this, well aware of how grey our recent mild weather has been for most of the UK.

Edited by Thundery wintry showers
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Posted
  • Location: Edmonton Alberta(via Chelmsford, Exeter & Calgary)
  • Weather Preferences: Sunshine and 15-25c
  • Location: Edmonton Alberta(via Chelmsford, Exeter & Calgary)
On ‎19‎/‎12‎/‎2015 at 9:27 PM, Greenland1080 said:

My fav 1991 plus 87 both dream winters

image.png

image.png

I think 1987 was overrated 1985 and 1986 were better than both 87 and 1991 in my book...1985 is rarely mentioned though..strange? 

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Bog standard start to the fantasy Winter season, nothing untoward with the usual highs and lows, a few gales, odd frosts and foggy spells not forgetting some glorious sunshine bunged in for good measure.

A notable stormy period duly arrives as the jet cranks up once again, very mild air floods in with some record high temperatures recorded both by day and by night in the run up to the festive period. In fact t-shirt weather conditions reaches dizzying levels, albeit it stays extremely blowy at times!  Then the changes begin, a very potent cold front swings north to south bringing with it initially squally rain then hail, thunder, lightning and of course plunging temperatures mean back edge snow that lasts for several hours leaving several inches right down to sea  level. This big switch around continues the theme with increasingly colder air digging south wards from the polar regions, hefty snow showers becoming widespread and packing in quite a punch. More accumulations for many and at times severe nighttime frosts turning the once green landscape into a spectacularly wintry looking one with thick rime on trees and deep powdery snow. No slush in sight! 

A brief respite from the northerlies as winds slacken, crisp prolonged sunshine and a slight thaw sets in to help get things moving again. Winds begin to steadily swing in from a more north easterly direction, sleet and snow showers confined to coastal regions at first, mainly dry inland. The showery activity peps up as disturbances over the North Sea creates more organised bands of heavy snow, increasingly gale force north easterly gusts driving these well inland adding to any snow still remaining. This continues for several days with drifting snow in many places. Snow showers only replaced by a succession of polar lows, dumping several feet of snow in places, drifting only adding to the problems. With frigid air locked firmly in place a meandering frontal system attempts to push in from the usual westerly direction. The typical battleground scenario as heavy snowfalls continue with only far western areas seeing temps recover to nearer normal although thundery showers with hail are never too far away. Fronts grind to a halt for days on end with only some eastern parts seeing record nighttime low temperatures as skies clear overnight. By day thundery snow showers move in at times.

Safe to say the snowfest manages to ease its grip as March beckons. Milder air finally wins out as high pressure builds and remains firm, nil rainfall amounts for a week or so and a return to record warmth for the time of year. This makes for quite a shock to the system after the coldest Winter for many decades. Out come the daffs again.

Edited by four seasons in one day
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Posted
  • Location: Yorkshire Puddin' aka Kirkham, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom
  • Weather Preferences: cold winters, cold springs, cold summers and cold autumns
  • Location: Yorkshire Puddin' aka Kirkham, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom

My fantasy winter would be the complete opposite of most winters in my life which are the mild garbage dominated ones.  You know 1987/1988, 1988/1989, 1989/1990, 1991/1992, 1992/1993, 1993/1994, 1996/1997, 1997/1998, 1998/1999, 1999/2000, 2000/2001, 2001/2002, 2002/2003, 2003/2004, 2004/2005, 2005/2006, 2006/2007, 2007/2008, 2011/2012, 2013/2014, 2014/2015 and 2015/2016.

My fantasy winter would be as cold as 1986/1987, 1990/1991, 1995/1996, 2008/2009, 2009/2010, 2010/2011 and 2012/2013 if not colder.

My fantasy winter would also be dominated by 1 or more if not all of the following charts:-

-http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/2010/Rrea00120101201.gif (December Continental Polar Easterly)

-http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/1987/Rrea00119870112.gif (January Continental Polar Easterly)

-http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/1986/Rrea00119860210.gif (February Continental Polar Easterly)

-http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/1981/Rrea00119811212.gif (December Continental Polar Northerly)

-http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/1958/Rrea00119580122.gif (January Continental Polar Northerly)

-http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/1969/Rrea00119690208.gif (February Continental Polar Northerly)

-http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/1914/Rrea00119141219.gif (December Maritime Polar Cold Zonality)

-http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/1984/Rrea00119840115.gif (January Maritime Polar Cold Zonality)

-http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/1996/Rrea00119960225.gif (February Maritime Polar Cold Zonality)

I would also like the above cool/cold charts to dominate spring, summer and autumn however the Continental Polar Easterly never occurs in the late May through mid October period and is as rare as hens teeth in the mid October through late November period and the early March through late May period.

Edited by IHaveNoTrueFriendsNow!
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Posted
  • Location: Buckley, Flintshire, 94m ASL
  • Location: Buckley, Flintshire, 94m ASL

1962/63 was epic for me as a 13 year old without a worry in the world. Not so much for my dad though who was constantly repairing bursts, shoveling mountains of snow, taking an hour to get to and from work and facing massive fuel bills so I for one would not like a repeat. However, I still love the snow so ideally, a 3 or 4 inch fall around Christmas then clear blue skies and temperatures hovering around zero for 10 days or so. Then in late January, early February a blizzard with 4 to 5 foot drifts then a gradual thaw.  There hasn't been a blizzard here since the two we had in the winter of 81/82.

 

Pete

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