Midlands Regional Weather Discussion

[Terminal Moraine]

Heavy snow here at the moment with the temperature at 0.2c.  Just under 2cm lying.

[Staffmoorlands]

We are not high enough for sticking snow here. I'm guessing Mow Cop may be white

[MattStoke]

On 06/12/2021 at 11:06, Wingman Blue said:

Understand STB, but it may be dross atm, but it’s mid-morning in early December. Even south westerlies aren’t going to warm the earth, and in fact rain at 3 degrees will chill the earth still further.

Give it another fortnight of this and even sou-westerlies may accumulate decent snow cover, and then if we get northerlies or easterlies we’ll get ice fields that subsequent precipitation blowing over will produce more snow.

What the models may have produced on the ground in years past may not be the case this winter.

This relatively cool/cold pattern should also cool the anomalously warm SSTs around the UK, which may beneficial for less moderation of any imported cold air mass later in winter.

[shunthebartlett92]

31 minutes ago, Wingman Blue said:

Understand STB, but it may be dross atm, but it’s mid-morning in early December. Even south westerlies aren’t going to warm the earth, and in fact rain at 3 degrees will chill the earth still further.

Give it another fortnight of this and even sou-westerlies may accumulate decent snow cover, and then if we get northerlies or easterlies we’ll get ice fields that subsequent precipitation blowing over will produce more snow.

What the models may have produced on the ground in years past may not be the case this winter.

Of course, it's still early december, a lot of winter yet to play for, all im saying is it may take a couple of weeks to see a monumental shift in pressure patterns in the north atlantic and continent from where we are, as its about as raging positive NAO as it can be. No way SWesterlies will produce any decent snow cover away from the highest ground in the west mids. A W/NW may well do but not SW wind, far too much tropical air mixed in. 

Glad to hear a few snow reports coming in for those fortunate enough to live in the peaks! Very much icy rain here and dark/windy. Was hoping to get out on my bike later but i'll be waiting a while. 

Edited December 6, 2021 by shunthebartlett92

[AltonMatthew]

Heavy Snow in Alton. Staffs Moors has provided a light covering but thinning now and turning back to rain. Was nice to see though!

[MattStoke]

Turned to sleet/very wet snow at my work in Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent. This is one of the lowest lying, most urbanised parts of Stoke. Always less snow here than the rest of Stoke-on-Trent, including at my home in Longton.

Edited December 6, 2021 by MattStoke

[davehsug]

Can't add the link at the moment, but The Winking Man webcam is great fun!

[Wingman Blue]

Good call Dave!  

Understand your frustration, STB, guess you’re just unlucky to be sandwiched between the Severn Valley and the built-up metropolis to your east.

I was delivering spuds right across the West Midlands during the winter of 85-86 and your neck of the woods was always the warmest.

But if there is a nationwide dump you’ll get more than a shovelful!

[shunthebartlett92]

26 minutes ago, Wingman Blue said:

Good call Dave!  

Understand your frustration, STB, guess you’re just unlucky to be sandwiched between the Severn Valley and the built-up metropolis to your east.

I was delivering spuds right across the West Midlands during the winter of 85-86 and your neck of the woods was always the warmest.

But if there is a nationwide dump you’ll get more than a shovelful!

It's not frustration, we do ok here (Although we never have the highest falls west of birmingham, there's always somewhere that will get more) we had several decent days of lying snow last winter which was absolutely brilliant. I went hiking during the snow days last winter up to the sheep walks and shropshire hills and it was superb. I think we fared better than Birmingham itself (less heat island effect though) but not the levels to the north of birmingham up towards stoke. Northwesterlies will always be my preference here as the battleground events either tend to sink too far south (M4 corridor of doom) or be too sleety around here as dewpoints are too high. But that said, last winter was superb for this area, one of the best i can remember save December 2010!

Edited December 6, 2021 by shunthebartlett92

[Wingman Blue]

Looks like you had a better winter than we did!

[nobble]

Was sleeting in harborne earlier passing through

icy rain is the worst

[weirpig]

29 minutes ago, shunthebartlett92 said:

It's not frustration, we do ok here (Although we never have the highest falls west of birmingham, there's always somewhere that will get more) we had several decent days of lying snow last winter which was absolutely brilliant. I went hiking during the snow days last winter up to the sheep walks and shropshire hills and it was superb. I think we fared better than Birmingham itself (less heat island effect though) but not the levels to the north of birmingham up towards stoke. Northwesterlies will always be my preference here as the battleground events either tend to sink too far south (M4 corridor of doom) or be too sleety around here as dewpoints are too high. But that said, last winter was superb for this area, one of the best i can remember save December 2010!

Really?  My experience is that best of snowfall always favours the west midlands. Mainly due to many hilly areas I also find that 9 out of10 times sliders  battlegrounds are always a direct hit. Cheshire gap are also great  even easterlies deliver due to lack of height right across the eastern side and Europe 

Edited December 6, 2021 by weirpig

[shunthebartlett92]

7 minutes ago, weirpig said:

Really?  My experience is that best of snowfall always favours the west midlands. Mainly due to many hilly areas I also find that 9 out of 29 times sliders  battlegrounds are always a direct hit. Cheshire gap are also great  even easterlies deliver due to lack of height right across the eastern side and Europe 

It depends what youre comparing it to though. Youre also in a more elevated area than here giving you a slight advantage. I'm talking about almost directly west of birmingham city centre which Stourbridge is. On a southern UK level we have a chance with any wind direction (bar SW'lies) depending on the upper air temps. Easterlies can reach here without too much of a battle but you need a good level of convection and some minor troughs to keep the precipitation pepped up, but we've had some great snow days from easterlies that said.

Hmmm im not convinced on the sliders being direct hits, theyre notorious for getting corrected to the south closer to the events. They do sometimes strike the jackpot though.

Edited December 6, 2021 by shunthebartlett92

[weirpig]

1 minute ago, shunthebartlett92 said:

It depends what youre comparing it to though. Youre also in a more elevated area than here giving you a slight advantage. I'm talking about almost directly west of birmingham city centre which Stourbridge is. On a southern UK level we have a chance with any wind direction (bar SW'lies) depending on the upper air temps. Easterlies can reach here but you need a good level of convection and some minor troughs to keep the precipitation pepped up, but we've had some great snow days from easterlies that said.

Hmmm im not convinced on the sliders being direct hits, theyre notorious for getting corrected to the south closer to the events. They do sometimes strike the jackpot though.

I understand the altitude bit. To be honest it's very rarely a winter goes by without me seeing snow. Last winter was good as you say  many snow events  2012 was also decent. It's even snowed today  abeit  wet snow   

[marksp]

mega snow again in North Derbys, altitude needed. A515 was quite bad.

[marksp]

1 vids. A515, Cleared the lorries

[marksp]

last one

 

 

[shunthebartlett92]

1 hour ago, weirpig said:

I understand the altitude bit. To be honest it's very rarely a winter goes by without me seeing snow. Last winter was good as you say  many snow events  2012 was also decent. It's even snowed today  abeit  wet snow   

Thats true! Although 2011 to 2019 didnt bring a great deal of joy bar the odd few days with a bit of snowfall. I'm reasonably confident there's been one or two winters here without a single flake falling.

[shunthebartlett92]

31 minutes ago, marksp said:

1 vids. A515, Cleared the lorries

The ooof in the middle makes it for me 

[MattStoke]

Lovely big flakes in those videos  I think that's my favourite type of snow to watch! Smaller, powdery, dry snow gets blown off surfaces too easily (The downside to more extreme cold).

[high ground birmingham]

44 minutes ago, shunthebartlett92 said:

Thats true! Although 2011 to 2019 didnt bring a great deal of joy bar the odd few days with a bit of snowfall. I'm reasonably confident there's been one or two winters here without a single flake falling.

I think you are forgetting January 2013, March 2013 and the 2017-18 winter

[Terminal Moraine]

6.5 cm of snow in under two hours during the late morning. A slow thaw since it stopped snowing with a current temp' of 1.6c.

[Eskimo]

We had sleet...exciting stuff. 

[shunthebartlett92]

26 minutes ago, high ground birmingham said:

I think you are forgetting January 2013, March 2013 and the 2017-18 winter

Quite possibly. I’m not going to challenge you on this as I lived in Vancouver in 2017-18 so would be dangerous to contradict you  I just remember it being a fairly non descript decade for memorable cold spells, but like any given decade there’ll always be exceptions to the rule.

Edited December 6, 2021 by shunthebartlett92

[nobble]

Sleeting just in pelsall , heavy shower

trying to turn to snow