Channel 5 documentary on the white Christmas of 1981

[Walsall Wood Snow]

Did anybody watch the 'White Christmas of 1981' documentary on Channel 5 last night? 

It was on between 9 and 10:30pm. It was fairly interesting featuring interviews from several tv, political, sport and music personalities from the era, including Brian Keating I think his name is (well known weather personality from the era and later).

Also included loads of archival footage of the time which was fascinating to see, as well as highlighting the hardship it caused for many as well as the joy.

It did go into the January 1982 cold as well.

Was a bit disappointed how the narrator pointed out CORRECTLY that 1981 didn't officially count as a white Christmas because not a single flake of snow fell on the met office building in London that day. But then INCORRECTLY said the last such one was in 2010. Then annoyingly played down that month describing it as a sloppy dusting. Think 2004 is the year they should have said. December 1981 was probably more snowy than 2010 but I wouldn't describe it as a wet dusting. 2010 certainly returned a lower CET in the end but hey ho.

All round though it was fairly insightful, especially for someone like myself who wasn't even born at the time.

Edited December 10, 2023 by Walsall Wood Snow

[Froze were the Days]

It wasn't technically a white Xmas...a lot of snow (drifting) from the 8th to the 24th in various parts of the country, we had about 10 inches or so at the deepest on the 13th (24th coastal parts of Kent and East Sussex saw the last of any light December snow falling)...here in Essex on Xmas day we just had patchy snow on the ground and what was left of the drifts that was slowly melting. The day itself here was misty and rather dull.

As you stated another cold spell arrived in January for a week with up to 6 inches...

[Walsall Wood Snow]

10 minutes ago, Froze were the Days said:

here in Essex on Xmas day we just had patchy snow on the ground and what was left of the drifts that was slowly melting. The day itself here was misty and rather dull.

That actually reminds me a bit of Christmas Eve 09 here (minus the drifts). We had snow fall on the evening of the 23rd but Christmas Eve was dull and misty with the snow slowly thawing. Come Christmas Day it was sunny but there was no snow left save for the very odd tiniest of tiny patches on the grass here or there if you looked hard enough. Christmas Day 2010 made up for it though with deep crisp snow on the ground which had a good topping up from the 22nd after the not so deep (here at least) more widespread dumping of the 18th.

I'm starting to think December's like that can only be expected once every 30 years or so. Who knows maybe 2040 or a December near it might be a classic?

[Weather-history]

3 hours ago, Walsall Wood Snow said:

Did anybody watch the 'White Christmas of 1981' documentary on Channel 5 last night? 

It was on between 9 and 10:30pm. It was fairly interesting featuring interviews from several tv, political, sport and music personalities from the era, including Brian Keating I think his name is (well known weather personality from the era and later).

Also included loads of archival footage of the time which was fascinating to see, as well as highlighting the hardship it caused for many as well as the joy.

It did go into the January 1982 cold as well.

Was a bit disappointed how the narrator pointed out CORRECTLY that 1981 didn't officially count as a white Christmas because not a single flake of snow fell on the met office building in London that day. But then INCORRECTLY said the last such one was in 2010. Then annoyingly played down that month describing it as a sloppy dusting. Think 2004 is the year they should have said. December 1981 was probably more snowy than 2010 but I wouldn't describe it as a wet dusting. 2010 certainly returned a lower CET in the end but hey ho.

All round though it was fairly insightful, especially for someone like myself who wasn't even born at the time.

It was on earlier this year as Big Snow of 82. Bit disingenuous of channel 5 not to say this was a repeat. All they did was retitled it. 

 

Edited December 10, 2023 by Weather-history

[damianslaw]

Didn't watch it. Here I believe snow lay on the ground from the 8th until month's end. Most of the snow fell by the 20th though, although I've seen bbc weather forecast footage from the 28th suggesting more snow fell then. I've seen photos from 1 Jan 82 with slushy snow still on the pavements. Early Jan brought a thaw and milder weather before the cold came back with avengence by the 7th, but Cumbria saw little further snow, just many ice days.

The 8-20 Dec was exceptionally snowy here, not beaten in Dec since, though 09 gave it a run for its money. Mind we've just had our biggest single fall of Dec snow since I don't know how long.. don't believe 1981 brought a foot of snow from one fall, though cumulative totals were more. 

I think we had some snow flurries late eve of 25th Dec in 17, our last white christmas. Dec 2010 was our last year with a decent fall, 3 cms late morning.

Edited December 10, 2023 by damianslaw

[Rob 79812010]

43 minutes ago, Weather-history said:

It was on earlier this year as Big Snow of 82. Bit disingenuous of channel 5 not to say this was a repeat. All they did was retitled it. 

 

Absolutely 2004 they should have said. Did they mean London? Stockport had 4 inches of snow in the evening on Christmas day. Absolute better. Dec 2010 was exceptional for its crazy low temp for the month and huge snowfalls in parts of Yorkshire

[Rob 79812010]

17 minutes ago, damianslaw said:

Didn't watch it. Here I believe snow lay on the ground from the 8th until month's end. Most of the snow fell by the 20th though, although I've seen bbc weather forecast footage from the 28th suggesting more snow fell then. I've seen photos from 1 Jan 82 with slushy snow still on the pavements. Early Jan brought a thaw and milder weather before the cold came back with avengence by the 7th, but Cumbria saw little further snow, just many ice days.

The 8-20 Dec was exceptionally snowy here, not beaten in Dec since, though 09 gave it a run for its money. Mind we've just had our biggest single fall of Dec snow since I don't know how long.. don't believe 1981 brought a foot of snow from one fall, though cumulative totals were more. 

I think we had some snow flurries late eve of 25th Dec in 17, our last white christmas. Dec 2010 was our last year with a decent fall, 3 cms late morning.

The calender industry will be rolling out pics of Windermere for years with the snow. What an amazing event by ANY standards. Low altitude made it all the more incredible