April snowfalls yesteryear - discuss!

[cheese]

Since 2010 we’ve had settling snow in April 2021, April 2016 and April 2012, off the top of my head. 
 

2016 actually delivered the latest settling snow I’ve ever seen - a few cm on the morning of April 29th. So close to being a very rare May snowfall. 

Edited March 7, 2023 by cheese

[I remember Atlantic 252]

6th Apr 2008, thick heavy snow fell overnight, bright sun and blue skies to start Sunday, Arctic air but full thaw by 1pm

[Billy Hicks]

These are two of my photos from Wembley, NW London on that very notable 06/04/2008, the new stadium only a year old at the time. April 2013 and 2021 also brought snow showers here but I don’t think they settled like this one.

[Summer of 95]

Lying snow in April at 09Z* since 1987 here:

1989, 1998, 2012, 2021

All 1 day and 1-3 cm, So about once a decade on average. But has happened twice since the last November lying snow in 2010.

*Remember that's 10am BST in April! Have seen a few other years with sticking snow in April but not lying at the right time, it has to stay till well past sunrise

[StretfordEnd1996]

There's a few that stick out in my location

16th April 2005 - snow showers bring accumulations of around 2-4cm
6th(?) April 2008 - similar scenario
3rd-5th April 2012 - some balmy accumulations for me for the time of year (specifically on the hills around me) with drifting and Pennine routes closed. This barely a week after mild sunny weather.
29th April 2016 - ridiculously late in the month but I woke up to a thin covering that did cause some issues on higher routes around rush hour. 
2021 - cool April in general and I can't remember the date but we did get a few hours of snowfall one morning AM bringing some temporary accumulations even to lower levels. 

 

^nr Oldham 280m asl 4th April 2012

Edited March 15, 2023 by StretfordEnd1996

[Summer8906]

My main memories of April snow are (in Sussex/Hampshire unless noted otherwise):

Monday 10th April 1978 (Cheshire). I was very young back then, but I do have this abiding memory of proper, lying snow when I woke up that morning, and strangely, the date has stuck in my mind. The lateness of the snow was what I think surprised me, this was likely my first experience of spring snow. I doubtless thought "April? Snow? This doesn't make sense!" Apparently a northerly in a generally cold, northerly month.

The next is a non-memory: Sunday 26 April 1981. The biggest April snow event by far of recent times, from 1951 onwards, causing blizzard conditions and heavy lying snow in the north, Midlands and west. However the SE completely missed out and, being still of primary school age, I was blissfully unaware the event had even happened. Oddly I do remember that day, and it started bright before becoming wet with occasional thunder. Apparently the SE was subject to the dreaded cyclonic SW-lies that day due to the position of the low; if I had been older I am sure I would have been immensely frustrated; a few weak thundery showers would not compensate for an epic late April snow event!

(With this month perhaps looking to be the wettest March since 1981, maybe we'll get a repeat this year and the S and SE won't miss out this time...)

Next one is of thundery snow showers early in April 1986, in a northeasterly. This setup persisted for several days, though there was no lying snow where I was.

Then April 1988. This was a classic example of the "sudden change from warm and sunny to cold and snowy" which April used to deliver frequently, though not so much recently. The 2nd to the 8th had been warm and sunny with temps approaching 20, before a sudden overnight change 8th (Fri) - 9th (Sat) on a southward moving cold front. The 9th produced wet snow where I was in NW Sussex and I do seem to remember lying snow on the tops of the 200m hills in the area.

Next is one of the most famous examples, April 1989. Rather like 1988 there was a rather sudden transition from warm and sunny to cold and snowy; the 1st was warm and sunny, then a somewhat chilly NW-ly (?) intervened for a day or two, before a really cold easterly kicked in on Tues 4th. This produced some lying snow, albeit not thick, in the NW Sussex/SW Surrey/E Hampshire area that evening, and the following day also, IIRC, produced some wet snow.

Sudden changes in April were a feature of this era, for the next example was April 1991, though this didn't produce lying snow this time. 1991 was rather like 1988, an example of the "classic changeable April" featuring both warm/sunny weather and sleet/snow. The second week had been warm and sunny, exceeding 21C, before a small low produced thundery skies on the evening of Fri 12th. There were no storms but there was a change, initially to slightly cooler (if still warm) sunny weather with NE winds, and then a more definite change with a southward moving cold front and N-ly plunge the following week. I can't remember the exact day but there was a period, during midweek (so 16th-18th or so), of cold showery weather with N-ly winds and some of the showers produced snow.

April 1994 and 1995 both produced northerly plunges, the former around the 8th/9th and the latter just after Easter, from the 18th to the 21st. The latter was again a rather sudden change from warm and sunny weather which had prevailed until, I think, Easter Saturday (15th). Following a brief cloudy and dry period, the N-ly arrived and there were a couple of days (19th and 20th) of clear starts followed by shower development, some of which featured sleet and snow.

April 1996 produced cold rain on the 12th, but I think some areas had snow.

April 1998 was another famous example, and was the first of three consecutive years in which I experienced lying April snow, though none were "at home". 1998 was of course extremely wet, and had started with a long period of dull, cyclonic weather with slow-moving lows. A notable flooding event occurred early in the Easter weekend as cold northerlies tried to displace the humid, cyclonic weather further south but a battleground ensued with a near stationary front. Eventually however the cold air moved south, and on the afternoon/evening of the 13th there was a heavy snowfall over Cheshire, including low levels. It remained cold for a few days however as it was April, it thawed steadily the following day. Then it turned dull and wet with unremarkable temperatures for the remainder of the month.

April 1999 also featured late snow, this time experienced in the Bath area during the week of the 12th (again, I can't remember the exact day). A mild, fairly dry, but dull first 10 days or so once again suddenly switched with a N-ly plunge.

April 2000 featured lying late snow in the first week in the Bath area. Again this suddenly arrived behind one day of warm sunny weather on the 2nd, though the end of March had been rather cold and changeable. There was a gradual warm up during the week and Sat 8th was warm and sunny, before a further sudden change to cold and wet (with no snow) and with lows then retrogressing westward, very wet with unremarkable temperatures.

April snow then markedly lessened in frequency. However one final classic example occurred in April 2008, again following a sudden change. The first 4 days or so of April had been warm and sunny, before a sudden change on Sat 5th to chilly northerlies and single-figure temps. The well-known period of snow occurred early morning on Sun 6th and produced extensive lying snow, though the sun then came out and despite low temps, strong sun and a late sunset resulted in an almost total thaw by the end of the day. Northerlies then continued for a few days before low retrogression produced NW-lies and lower pressure, resulting in heavier showers but without snow.

The first week of April 2013 produced some really silly low temperatures for April, with maxima below 5C on some days, and this was combined with very dry weather - an extremely rare combination. One day mid week featured some very light, non-settling snow but the extreme cold was the noteworthy feature. Furthermore nature was well-behind and it really didn't seem spring-like, despite the long days and late sunsets. The cold ended on Sun 7th and a week of very dull, chilly damp weather followed but the second half of the month was much warmer and sunnier; spring finally arrived.

It does seem that classic spring weather of "week of warm and sunny, sudden change, week of cold with often wintry showers, gradual warm up, and repeat" doesn't happen so much these days - which is a shame.

Edited March 16, 2023 by Summer8906

[Rob 79812010]

20 minutes ago, Summer8906 said:

My main memories of April snow are:

Monday 10th April 1978. I was very young back then, but I do have this abiding memory of proper, lying snow when I woke up that morning. The lateness of the snow was what I think surprised me, this was likely my first experience of spring snow. Apparently a northerly in a generally cold, northerly month.

The next is a non-memory: Sunday 26 April 1981. The biggest April snow event by far of recent times, causing blizzard conditions and heavy lying snow in the north, Midlands and west. However the SE completely missed out and, being still of primary school age, I was blissfully unaware the event had even happened. Oddly I do remember that day, and it started bright before becoming wet with occasional thunder. Apparently the SE was subject to the dreaded cyclonic SW-lies that day due to the position of the low; if I had been older I am sure I would have been immensely frustrated; a few weak thundery showers would not compensate for an epic late April snow event!

(With this month perhaps looking to be the wettest March since 1981, maybe we'll get a repeat this year and the S and SE won't miss out this time...)

Next one is of thundery snow showers early in April 1986, in a northeasterly. This setup persisted for several days, though there was no lying snow where I was.

Then April 1988. This was a classic example of the "sudden change from warm and sunny to cold and snowy" which April used to deliver frequently, though not so much recently. The 2nd to the 8th had been warm and sunny with temps approaching 20, before a sudden overnight change 8th (Fri) - 9th (Sat) on a southward moving cold front. The 9th produced wet snow where I was in NW Sussex and I do seem to remember lying snow on the tops of the 200m hills in the area.

Next is one of the most famous examples, April 1989. Rather like 1988 there was a rather sudden transition from warm and sunny to cold and snowy; the 1st was warm and sunny, then a somewhat chilly NW-ly (?) intervened for a day or two, before a really cold easterly kicked in on Tues 4th. This produced some lying snow, albeit not thick, in the NW Sussex/SW Surrey/E Hampshire area that evening, and the following day also, IIRC, produced some wet snow.

Sudden changes in April were a feature of this era, for the next example was April 1991, though this didn't produce lying snow this time. 1991 was rather like 1988, an example of the "classic changeable April" featuring both warm/sunny weather and sleet/snow. The second week had been warm and sunny, exceeding 21C, before a small low produced thundery skies on the evening of Fri 12th. There were no storms but there was a change, initially to slightly cooler (if still warm) sunny weather with NE winds, and then a more definite change with a southward moving cold front and N-ly plunge the following week. I can't remember the exact day but there was a period, during midweek (so 16th-18th or so), of cold showery weather with N-ly winds and some of the showers produced snow.

April 1994 and 1995 both produced northerly plunges, the former around the 8th/9th and the latter just after Easter, from the 18th to the 21st. The latter was again a rather sudden change from warm and sunny weather which had prevailed until, I think, Easter Saturday (15th). Following a brief cloudy and dry period, the N-ly arrived and there were a couple of days (19th and 20th) of clear starts followed by shower development, some of which featured sleet and snow.

April 1996 produced cold rain on the 12th, but I think some areas had snow.

April 1998 was another famous example, and was the first of three consecutive years in which I experienced lying April snow, though none were "at home". 1998 was of course extremely wet, and had started with a long period of dull, cyclonic weather with slow-moving lows. A notable flooding event occurred early in the Easter weekend as cold northerlies tried to displace the humid, cyclonic weather further south but a battleground ensued with a near stationary front. Eventually however the cold air moved south, and on the afternoon/evening of the 13th there was a heavy snowfall over Cheshire, including low levels. It remained cold for a few days however as it was April, it thawed steadily the following day. Then it turned dull and wet with unremarkable temperatures for the remainder of the month.

April 1999 also featured late snow, this time experienced in the Bath area during the week of the 12th (again, I can't remember the exact day). A mild, fairly dry, but dull first 10 days or so once again suddenly switched with a N-ly plunge.

April 2000 featured lying late snow in the first week in the Bath area. Again this suddenly arrived behind one day of warm sunny weather on the 2nd, though the end of March had been rather cold and changeable. There was a gradual warm up during the week and Sat 8th was warm and sunny, before a further sudden change to cold and wet (with no snow) and with lows then retrogressing westward, very wet with unremarkable temperatures.

April snow then markedly lessened in frequency. However one final classic example occurred in April 2008, again following a sudden change. The first 4 days or so of April had been warm and sunny, before a sudden change on Sat 5th to chilly northerlies and single-figure temps. The well-known period of snow occurred early morning on Sun 6th and produced extensive lying snow, though the sun then came out and despite low temps, strong sun and a late sunset resulted in an almost total thaw by the end of the day. Northerlies then continued for a few days before low retrogression produced NW-lies and lower pressure, resulting in heavier showers but without snow.

The first week of April 2013 produced some really silly low temperatures for April, with maxima below 5C on some days, and this was combined with very dry weather - an extremely rare combination. One day mid week featured some very light, non-settling snow but the extreme cold was the noteworthy feature. Furthermore nature was well-behind and it really didn't seem spring-like, despite the long days and late sunsets. The cold ended on Sun 7th and a week of very dull, chilly damp weather followed but the second half of the month was much warmer and sunnier; spring finally arrived.

It does seem that classic spring weather of "week of warm and sunny, sudden change, week of cold with often wintry showers, gradual warm up, and repeat" doesn't happen so much these days - which is a shame.

I remember well the 98 one. 3 inches in Manchester. A cracking snowfall qnd deep for Manchester

[MP-R]

15 minutes ago, Summer8906 said:

 

April 1999 also featured late snow, this time experienced in the Bath area during the week of the 12th (again, I can't remember the exact day). A mild, fairly dry, but dull first 10 days or so once again suddenly switched with a N-ly plunge.

 

This was one of the only times I’ve seen lying snow in April… amazing how late it was too. Skip to about 40 seconds in and this little news clip documents that snowfall well.

 

[Summer8906]

44 minutes ago, MP-R said:

This was one of the only times I’ve seen lying snow in April… amazing how late it was too. Skip to about 40 seconds in and this little news clip documents that snowfall well.

 

Thanks for that.

It was quite a persistent northerly plunge, with several days of bright starts and wintry showers developing, IIRC, though the pressure pattern became increasingly slack later. The same basic pattern was still present on Sun 18th (I recall going to London on the day of the Marathon that year) and at first on Mon 19th, though in the early evening I remember a mass of mid-level cloud advancing from the SW heralding about 5 days of mostly mild, but dull and wet weather. Finally, the month went out with 4 days of warm and sunny from the 27th.

[Don]

On 16/03/2023 at 11:09, MP-R said:

This was one of the only times I’ve seen lying snow in April… amazing how late it was too. Skip to about 40 seconds in and this little news clip documents that snowfall well.

 

Odd month as that April was overall mild with a CET of 9.4C.

[MP-R]

28 minutes ago, Don said:

Odd month as that April was overall mild with a CET of 9.4C.

Yes exactly, yet it brought a considerably better snowfall than 98 and 00 which were both much colder.

[Don]

1 hour ago, MP-R said:

Yes exactly, yet it brought a considerably better snowfall than 98 and 00 which were both much colder.

A bit like April 2018 which brought significant snowfall for some but was overall very mild with a CET of 9.9C!