SE England and EA Regional Weather Discussion

[alexisj9]

5 hours ago, Dami said:

Back to school and the school run. Chilly as you would expect, but not icy. No wind and some cloud. 

Had quite a heavy shower an hour ago haha missed me. Still quite dark here and the odd spot.

Not worried if we don't get any snow now. My cosy socks got lost in the postmoney refunded.

Postal service has been really sharp lemons the pass few months, worst than last

 

That sounds like good news for cold.

[stainesbloke]

2 hours ago, Ben Lewis said:

I would usually agree. But with what looks to be the 4th consecutive winter without decent Snow (No not wishing for Narnia or winter wonderland) 1 week of snow cover will do, I think the the moaning and crying is called for this time around.

Agree about the boring climate, yes its changeable and unpredictable - but its a boring changeable and unpredictable. - Nothing extreme, not talking about a boring atlantic weather system bringing 70mph winds and buckets of rain either... Yawn Zzzzzzz

 

Is it called for though? This is the UK, not Canada. There were plenty of winters in the 90's and 00's that didn't see any snow in this part of the country. Was a bit strange and disappointing after the late 70's and 80's but no one knows really what is going on. My personal opinion is that everything is cyclical and we are going through milder winters. Saying that, we are just a 1/3rd way through this winter and we've have had more frosts (and decent ones at that) than the last 3 winters combined. 

You'd look a bit silly writing off summer on July 4, yet everyone's already writing off this winter and we are nearly 2 weeks away from the midpoint.  Some of our best cold and snow has come in February so I still say, all to play for. 

If snow is that important to people, why don't they fly to the Alps or Norway for a few days? Millions of us fly out to warmer climes in summer. Why not in winter? 

Edited January 4, 2017 by stainesbloke

[slater]

1 hour ago, Surrey said:

I'm confused though. It's almost like people want the cake,  cherry, sauce and then coffee and cream after. 

Again I appreciate that comparing winter so far to previous its been very dry and you could say "boring". But on the flip side we have had cold conditions and frosts etc with some even lasting all day! When was the last time that happened? 

I think I have had at least 2 frosts a week for the last month which to be fair, ain't bad given the previous winters. 

The problem people forget is our position on earth and the fact we have the gulf stream immediately to our left. Adding to this we are also not "land locked" like a lot of countries to our east which experience much colder winters. 

You can't compare though each winter and you certainly can't use the likes of 2010 for any comparison.  That was a special winter. 

Now, I love snow as much as everyone else does, but the UK is not the place for it (away from obvious areas) we simply need so much to fall in line for it to happen. We also have the biggest fetch of open water on the planet as well.  All these factors that influence our weather daily that people forget. 

Our climate is changing, 2010 winter was 6/7 years ago which ever way you want to look at it, and in terms of global weather patterns etc a lot has and will continue to change. I've been talking to a few people with more knowledge and one has worked for the met and he agrees when I say the UK we slowly see a change to much dryer and warmer summers with wetter and warmer winters. It's already happening.. 

I've never in the history of watching and studying weather though known a dry period like we are seeing now.  On going from summer!! It's fascinating which ever way you look at it. 

Of course it's all well and good saying all this I appreciate that winters "back in the day" were a lot different. But so to was the atmosphere above you and the global weather patterns etc. 

If we get no snow this winter so be it. That's the weather that's what it does and nobody on earth controls it (thankfully) we can say though it was different dryer than average and very much high pressure dominated so far. 

I'll end after this paragraph I promise. We are only 34ish days into winter with February and March to come in terms of winter. Given we can't get past 144+ hours, saying no snow within the next 1000+ hours is a little silly, no? 

And on that note - 5 tonight perhaps even - 6 - 7 in any frost hollows the 2nd or 3rd time this winter it has got down to that temperature... 

 

I agree, however typically had heavy showers here today that would have been snow on a raw north east wind here in east Norfolk,. too much cloud and wind with me seeing any chance of frost. We all just know as soon as spring arrive, it will be low after low after low. We have to make it up for the very dry winter so far. I can also see summer 2017 already a right off!!

 

 

 

[Delka]

We had an allmighty sleety rain shower just after sunset, it went dark and then just hammered it down.. First hand witnessed it because I was down at the beach -.- My 10 day forecast is showing snow chance tomorrow o.o 

[Delka]

Just now, Delka said:

We had an allmighty sleety rain shower just after sunset, it went dark and then just hammered it down.. First hand witnessed it because I was down at the beach -.- My 10 day forecast is showing snow chance tomorrow o.o 

Also, can't tell how heavy it really was or if the radar shows it as a rain/snow mix as the radar has a big chunk missing covering the northern half of east anglia.. tried both the app and website version and both are broken 

[NO LONGER POSTING]

@slater. 

I think given that the flow wasn't cold enough hence why the showers where a mix and not of snow. Give it time, if by mid March we are still yet to see snow then I will start looking for any early spring warmth. 

@stainesbloke

Looks like we are on the same wave length. Typically for me winter in the UK don't even start till mid Jan anyway! 

Given the GFS 12Z today its all to play for. Be prepared for some ups and some downs. 

[Kent Blizzard]

Yep its the pub run however it gives us an absolute snowfest and a very chilling NE'ly in FI

Oh well let's get ready for another knockdown lol, still it makes interesting chart viewing for the next few days.

 

Edited January 5, 2017 by Kent Blizzard

[Katrine Basso]

A very frosty morning with a clear sky.  The temperature is -2.4 °C and the apparent temperature is -4.7 °C. Barometer 1036.0 mb and the 1036.0 mb.  Rising 0.7 mb/hr.

[Blessed Weather]

Nice start with a frost and now blue sky. Got down to -0.9C overnight, not as cold as I expected.

Here's the Met Office anomaly charts for December 2016. So for our part of the UK you can see that overall Mean Temps were slightly above the longer-term average, but the Minimum Grass Temps suggest lowish overnight temps (so frostier than normal?), but the big story is the continuing drought for our Region:

Overall Mean Temps Grass Minimum Temps

Rainfall

[alexisj9]

Another nice frost this morning.

[seaside 60]

Now most are looking for snow.

However yet another sunny start with a frost over night, lovely after the last 2/3 winters

I am very happy and like Ben, much prefer this dry weather.

It may be boring but you can keep the wind and rain

[Ben Lewis]

20 hours ago, stainesbloke said:

Is it called for though? This is the UK, not Canada. There were plenty of winters in the 90's and 00's that didn't see any snow in this part of the country. Was a bit strange and disappointing after the late 70's and 80's but no one knows really what is going on. My personal opinion is that everything is cyclical and we are going through milder winters. Saying that, we are just a 1/3rd way through this winter and we've have had more frosts (and decent ones at that) than the last 3 winters combined. 

You'd look a bit silly writing off summer on July 4, yet everyone's already writing off this winter and we are nearly 2 weeks away from the midpoint.  Some of our best cold and snow has come in February so I still say, all to play for. 

If snow is that important to people, why don't they fly to the Alps or Norway for a few days? Millions of us fly out to warmer climes in summer. Why not in winter? 

I think we have our own different versions of what a UK winter should offer and that's fine. If we all had the same opinions the world would be a boring place.

Regardless if we are going through mild winters or not, this will not have any bearing on how us ''Snow Lovers'' cravings are affected, if indeed we are in a mild cycle than why are we all wasting our time on here hunting for snow?

As for 1/3rd way through winter, ''its only January'' etc... That means nothing to me, we are in the UK and the clock ticks pretty quickly a lost cold spells or bouts of Euro influenced High pressure. It was ''only January'' the past 4 winters.... The rest was History!!!

Indeed, you would look silly writing off summer on July 4th - But sunny and warm conditions are a lot easier to achieve in this country especially the South East than a weeks snow cover in Mid Winter and given how the past winters have panned out and the UK possibly being located in one of the worst places in the Northern Hemisphere to achieve snow I completely disagree that its to early to right off winter.

I try to get back to Montreal as often as I can for my snow fix.

Edited January 5, 2017 by Ben Lewis

[Ben Lewis]

1 hour ago, Blessed Weather said:

Nice start with a frost and now blue sky. Got down to -0.9C overnight, not as cold as I expected.

Here's the Met Office anomaly charts for December 2016. So for our part of the UK you can see that overall Mean Temps were slightly above the longer-term average, but the Minimum Grass Temps suggest lowish overnight temps (so frostier than normal?), but the big story is the continuing drought for our Region:

Overall Mean Temps Grass Minimum Temps

Rainfall

Its been lovely walking the dogs and running without having to tackle deep puddles and soaking wet ground. Even though it is still fairly boggy out there, hardly dry!

If it isnt dry conditions then its Atlantic wind & rain with flooding possible.. Think this dry weather is much better to be honest.

The wind and soaking rains will soon come and everything will get balanced out anyway... Always does!

[Kent Blizzard]

Spring will either make up for the dry weather and it'll be the usual gloom and rain or it'll bring us snow.

I for one want longer nice sunny warm days throughout Spring, yes I know we have and do get decent snowfalls in Spring but it doesn't float my boat like it does in Winter.

Anyway was it May last year that was poor or was it throughout April? I remember going a couple of weeks before I could get out into the garden and enjoy it.

[MAF]

13 minutes ago, Kent Blizzard said:

Spring will either make up for the dry weather and it'll be the usual gloom and rain or it'll bring us snow.

I for one want longer nice sunny warm days throughout Spring, yes I know we have and do get decent snowfalls in Spring but it doesn't float my boat like it does in Winter.

Anyway was it May last year that was poor or was it throughout April? I remember going a couple of weeks before I could get out into the garden and enjoy it.

This might help > http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/news/releases/2016/2016-a-year-in-weather-statistics 2016 stats from MetO

 

Not too sure about Ben's statement that "everything will get balanced out..." statistically a month of rain might make the overall figure of rainfall equate for the yearly average, but the months without rain must have an adverse effect on things. As an example, I hardly saw any berries the last autumn. I walk my dog every day of the week and notice the slight changes over the seasons, but last autumn was quite barren following a dry summer.

as already said, its been a dry winter so far; periods of below average cold mixed with average temps, but no real rain to talk about. To me this doesn't bode well for spring, as even if it is wetter than average over spring, surely the flora will already be stinted from a poor start to growing in dry conditions.

[m1chaels]

2 hours ago, Blessed Weather said:

Nice start with a frost and now blue sky. Got down to -0.9C overnight, not as cold as I expected.

Here's the Met Office anomaly charts for December 2016. So for our part of the UK you can see that overall Mean Temps were slightly above the longer-term average, but the Minimum Grass Temps suggest lowish overnight temps (so frostier than normal?), but the big story is the continuing drought for our Region:

Overall Mean Temps Grass Minimum Temps

Rainfall

Despite the low rainfall our garden remains 'damp' and I suspect the slugs will still be thriving. I wonder why the low rainfall doesn't seem more linked to a drying out of the top layers of soil?

[Kent Blizzard]

52 minutes ago, MAF said:

This might help > http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/news/releases/2016/2016-a-year-in-weather-statistics 2016 stats from MetO

Thank you, yep must of been April that was so poor for early Spring Warmth.

[Rob Deacon]

Must admit it does seem a bit odd to me that my garden is so wet and muddy, but yet we have had below average rainfall for months now?

 

 

[alexisj9]

3 hours ago, m1chaels said:

Despite the low rainfall our garden remains 'damp' and I suspect the slugs will still be thriving. I wonder why the low rainfall doesn't seem more linked to a drying out of the top layers of soil?

The air was very damp under the high with wet mists and DP's close to the temp. So it kept the ground quite wet but that doesn't make up for rainfall, the river here is low.

[lassie23]

Everyone has thrown the towel in, in the MOD thread, the rest of winter will see us stuck in no man's land, which should mean a lot of dry weather, with sun mixed with gloom. If we are all still here come 2020, that's when the fun will begin.

[stainesbloke]

5 hours ago, Ben Lewis said:

I think we have our own different versions of what a UK winter should offer and that's fine. If we all had the same opinions the world would be a boring place.

Regardless if we are going through mild winters or not, this will not have any bearing on how us ''Snow Lovers'' cravings are affected, if are indeed we are in a mild cycle than why are we all wasting our time on here hunting for snow?

As for 1/3rd way through winter, ''its only January'' etc... That means nothing to me, we are in the UK and the clock ticks pretty quickly a lost cold spells or bouts of Euro influenced High pressure. It was ''only January'' the past 4 winters.... The rest was History!!!

Indeed, you would look silly writing off summer on July 4th - But sunny and warm conditions are a lot easier to achieve in this country especially the South East than a weeks snow cover in Mid Winter and given how the past winters have panned out and the UK possibly being located in one of the worst places in the Northern Hemisphere to achieve snow I completely disagree that its to early to right off winter.

I try to get back to Montreal as often as I can for my snow fix.

Good question, why are so many on here endlessly hunting for snow? Literally spending every waking hour on this forum scrutinising every single model output then having mental breakdowns, issuing melodramatic statements etc when things (inevitably) go pear shaped because a cold run of charts at T392 fails to materialise. Happens every winter, surely intelligent people would instead be saying 'sod this!' and just head off to snowy places in winter for a guaranteed 'snow fix' to satisfy their craving? Or is that too sensible? Obviously all the pain, self torture, agonising etc is addictive. Can think of better ways to spend spare time but each to their own I guess.

Might be worth remembering that a week's snow cover is quite a big ask for this country, even the snowy episodes in 80's winters usually barely lasted a week. A big dose of realism would work wonders on here....

On a positive note, it is a lovely crisp day here, the sunshine is back after a decent frost. Can't beat this weather in winter.

[NO LONGER POSTING]

Well another cold day to mark down and frost and ice still in the garden the lake at the back of the garden frozen over for the 6-7 time now this winter. The last time it was that much was back in 2013 so there is a perspective... 

I have a feeling that it could get quite a bit colder than last night if you don't catch any fog. Zero cloud now and temperature hovering around 0c 

Want snow? £120 return train trip to Germany about 2 hours from Paddington,  done. 

 

 

[Ben Lewis]

10 minutes ago, stainesbloke said:

Good question, why are so many on here endlessly hunting for snow? Literally spending every waking hour on this forum scrutinising every single model output then having mental breakdowns, issuing melodramatic statements etc when things (inevitably) go pear shaped because a cold run of charts at T392 fails to materialise. Happens every winter, surely intelligent people would instead be saying 'sod this!' and just head off to snowy places in winter for a guaranteed 'snow fix' to satisfy their craving? Or is that too sensible? Obviously all the pain, self torture, agonising etc is addictive. Can think of better ways to spend spare time but each to their own I guess.

Might be worth remembering that a week's snow cover is quite a big ask for this country, even the snowy episodes in 80's winters usually barely lasted a week. A big dose of realism would work wonders on here....

On a positive note, it is a lovely crisp day here, the sunshine is back after a decent frost. Can't beat this weather in winter.

Yes I agree. The 'pain and torture' and 'toys out of pram' posts on the MOD thread is an addiction for the members in itself.

 

[Ben Lewis]

10 minutes ago, Surrey said:

Well another cold day to mark down and frost and ice still in the garden the lake at the back of the garden frozen over for the 6-7 time now this winter. The last time it was that much was back in 2013 so there is a perspective... 

I have a feeling that it could get quite a bit colder than last night if you don't catch any fog. Zero cloud now and temperature hovering around 0c 

Want snow? £120 return train trip to Germany about 2 hours from Paddington,  done. 

 

 

Cheap return flights to Malta and Crete as well. One of the METO latest tweet ''Snow for Malta and Crete down to low levels' this weekend''

 

[Daniel*]

An exceptionally dry December across London and the Home Counties less than 20% of the average rainfall that's not good. I know most folk do not like the wet stuff - however it is somewhat important as during the winter months it's the time in which replenishment should occur, from the dry spring/summer months. 

A similar story of frost not thawing in the shade, top temp just shy of 4C so cold.