The Arctic blast of 5th-10th December 1967

[Weather-history]

A real Arctic blast that started in the north on the 5th December 1967 spread down the whole country and lasted to around to the 10th

Polar lows gave large snowfalls to parts of the UK with depths of up 1 1/2 feet for parts of Wales and 9 inches for parts of the Midlands

Manchester Airport

7th Dec Max: 1.2°C Min: -1.8°C

8th Dec Max: 0.6°C Min: -3.8°C

9th Dec Max: 2.3°C Min :-4.8°C

10th Dec Max: 2.4°C Min: -2.6°C

 

 

[LetItSnow]

Back when events that we wait 5-10 years for could occur on a whim in otherwise uneventful months. Quite fantastical really. Thanks for the data and the attached video.

[Weather-history]

          

[Thundery wintry showers]

Certainly a noteworthy cold blast in what otherwise had been a year with few notable snow events. I think Exeter had a considerable fall from that polar low highlighted on the chart for the 8th, and 4 days of lying snow in total from the event. Much of east and north-east England stayed dry and sunny until the 8th, but on the 9th and 10th troughs moving down the North Sea brought substantial snowfalls to this region as well.

It's one of those setups that would probably bring snow only for some today, because although the northerly blast was very cold, the troughs and polar lows tended to have milder air in their circulation, which today might result in sleet or rain for some, especially around the coasts and in places like Exeter, but in the 1967 event the affected areas generally stayed cold enough for both falling and lying snow throughout.

[cheeky_monkey]

reminds me of the start of the Cold Dec 1981..looks very similar and happened in the same part Dec..however the cold hung around in 1981

[Summer8906]

I seem to remember reading that Brighton had a lot of snow from this 1967 event.

One of three moderately snowy winters in a row: strangely, for all three, January was mild while Dec and Feb were cold. Looking at the MWR the whole of the month was generally cold with frequent N-ly or NW-ly outbreaks, though this was the only notable snow event.

It also means that (IIRC) every calendar year of the 60s, bar 1965, featured a significant lying snow event in the south (I did a thread around two years ago reviewing the snowiness of 50s and 60s winters based on the MWR). Not even the 80s could manage that (1980, 1984, 1988 and 1989 all lacked a heavy snow event though all except 1984 featured a thin snow cover at some point).

Edited December 10, 2024 by Summer8906

[StretfordEnd1996]

17 hours ago, cheeky_monkey said:

reminds me of the start of the Cold Dec 1981..looks very similar and happened in the same part Dec

December around 5th-15th ish is always a period that's struck me as a very cold and snow "shy" period in the last 25 years or so, perhaps even longer. I can only think of a handful of examples in that time whereby we've had a notable (even bog-standard) cold spell within that period. 

2022 - a clear example extremely cold at times especially in this day and age although it's lack of snowfall perhaps sees it as not a 'classic'
2010 - another clear example (though actually thinking about it, didn't we have a bit of a thaw throughout this period?) 

the next ones I can think of are before my time.. 

1991 - cold and snowy for some around 9th I believe? 
1981 - this is the one which alluded me to this period - I know someone who runs a local transport photo website and he has extensive photos from 12th December 1981 around my area with substantial wintry conditions. When I first saw these, this is what got my mind going as I struggled to recall another December whereby heavy snowfall occurred around this period.

Late Nov into first week of Dec, I can think of many more examples of a cold snap occurring in this period - same for later on in December.

But this particular period around 5th or so to 15th give or take has not always enjoyed a wintry scene. 

Don't get me wrong I'm sure there's plenty of other periods in Winter months which have often lacked anything notable but this one just stands out to me.

I'm sure I'm missing a fair few events from various years too.

1967 a clear exception, thanks for the thread as ever  Weather-history

[cheeky_monkey]

8 minutes ago, StretfordEnd1996 said:

1991 - cold and snowy for some around 9th I believe? 

i think you mean 1990 not 1991

[StretfordEnd1996]

1 minute ago, cheeky_monkey said:

i think you mean 1990 not 1991

Hi yes that's absolutely correct, my bad! 

[Summer8906]

6 hours ago, StretfordEnd1996 said:

December around 5th-15th ish is always a period that's struck me as a very cold and snow "shy" period in the last 25 years or so, perhaps even longer. I can only think of a handful of examples in that time whereby we've had a notable (even bog-standard) cold spell within that period. 

Mind you to me it seems to be more the last 10 days of December that seem to be difficult to achieve cold, at least recently. In the past 10 years I think only 2020 offered something different to the usual conditions of mild and, in most years, wet.

[StretfordEnd1996]

1 hour ago, Summer8906 said:

Mind you to me it seems to be more the last 10 days of December that seem to be difficult to achieve cold, at least recently. In the past 10 years I think only 2020 offered something different to the usual conditions of mild and, in most years, wet

Oh yes, absolutely. 

Don't want to go too off topic as this probably deserves another thread, but even in the post 80s era of mild Winters, up until 2014 there were a huge bunch of Winters from like 1995 to 2014 that contained something wintry within the last 10 days of December (or into early Jan). That's anything from a brief toppler to something more concrete.

Post 2014 this has quickly disappeared. 2017 had some coolish weather at times in that period, albeit nothing significant. 2020 best example as you say. 

 

But the 5th to 15th December one has long been even more snow free 

To keep this on topic with reference to the 1967 spell, since that year I can think of cold spells in this period in the following - based on research and knowledge 

1975, just a slight brief nly 

1981, already mentioned, very deep cold spell

1990, already mentioned, heavy snowfall for some C and N parts

2010, again quite obvious although the mildest parts of Dec 2010 occurred in this period

2012, was close to getting in something very cold though didn't quite come off

2017, snowfall event

2022, deep but relatively dry cold.

I probably wouldn't really count 2012 myself. So that's 6 examples in getting towards 60 years. Somewhat interesting. 

Aids my belief wintry chances are always so much higher post mid December. 

[Thundery wintry showers]

I can recall a few other snow events in the period 5-15 December although I don't think any of them came to much in the south.

2nd week December 1983 had a northerly followed by quite a widespread frontal snow event on 11th/12th.

2nd week December 1989 turned wintry in Scotland and parts of northern England, mild in the south though.

2nd week December 1993 had some marginal snow events from the Midlands northwards, not generally much lying at low levels though.

5-8 December 1995, easterly which brought snow especially to some southern areas. Kent and Sussex were heavily hit. A dusting over much of N England on the 7th also. This is the most notable one that hasn't been mentioned that sticks out for me.

5-6 December 1998 had a thin snow cover for some of eastern England, a front overnight 4th/5th and east coast snow showers on the 5th. More substantial covering for parts of E and especially NE Scotland, also around Lowestoft in Suffolk.

14/15 December 1999 had a northerly with wintry showers and, for some, thunder, some eastern counties awoke to a covering on 15th.

Otherwise, indeed, not a lot. Around the 10th - which was a snowy day for much of eastern Britain in 1967 - seems to have been especially lean.

 

Edited December 11, 2024 by Thundery wintry showers