[Misc] The Award-winning official "More Snow Tomorrow?" Thread [2024-25 Season]

[dazzer6666]

Worst winter I remember was 1978 when I was a kid in Devon (where we got even less snow than Sussex), and the real snow was latish Feb as it coincided with our half term, as the planned 3 days off turned into 2 weeks of school closure. The north-facing hedges still had the remnants of snowdrifts under them in May. The road I lived in was closed for a week by a snowdrift that reached the guttering on the houses, and was eventually opened by a JCB being driven through it.

Would LOVE to see something like that again......

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Hi Papa,

Surely it is possible to have freezing temperatures by day in late Feb / early March in Sussex to allow snow to settle? I seem to remember such conditions 45 years ago from my childhood. Many people are making the point about the strength of the sun, but aren't there two scenarios that would trump that:

1. a continuous feed of cloud cover from the east, thereby negating any solar impact
2. air coming from deep in the Russian landmass and through Europe.

Either of these scenarios appear unlikely, but I am interested in your opinion as to the feasibility of my thinking.

Yes, I think it was Feb or March 1985. I lived on Shoreham Beach and I remember days of sub-zero temps.

It is possible, but as I suggested above a key requirement is very low upper air temps, combined with a cold continent and a favourable wind direction.

So, ideally, we need -12 or -13C at 850hpa, a strong ENE feed (to reduce the journey over the sea, but still allow convection) and as you rightly say reduced sunshine.

Interestingly this afternoon's GFS ensemble does show some signs of hitting these marks. If you see below a couple of runs later on take the upper temps down to -13C.

Which results a daily max of 1 or 2C and -2C at night.

This is a chart from Pert 12, the lime green one, which shows exactly what I was talking about, with cold uppers, and a strong E ish feed off the cold continent.

 

[Dr Bandler]

Yes, I think it was Feb or March 1985. I lived on Shoreham Beach and I remember days of sub-zero temps.

I remember Hove weatherman, Ken Woodhams (?), saying in The Argus that Hove had its coldest recorded night around that time. It was freezing.

Thanks for your explanations - I am sure may of us are hoping for the easterly and some snow.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

It is, we are talking late feb / early mar, that is too late as the sun is much warmer, average temps are 9-10 c, so a cold day with be considered 5 c, the window of opportunity for cold days around freezing or just above and lying snow is mid dec - mid feb

I've seen snow at Easter in Sussex. In fact, I've seen more white Easters than white Christmases.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

I've seen snow at Easter in Sussex. In fact, I've seen more white Easters than white Christmases.

It's always possible.

Sunday 6th April 2008 we had a heavy fall of snow in Worthing (and across Sussex).



The Friday before the temperature had been up to 15c here and it was feeling almost summer like.

I went toboganning with the kids in the afternoon at Cissbury Ring and it was still snowing at about 2pm, with temps about 1c.

That actually came about from a NNE wind which is a little unusual

 

[Giraffe]

It's always possible.

Sunday 6th April 2008 we had a heavy fall of snow in Worthing (and across Sussex).



The Friday before the temperature had been up to 15c here and it was feeling almost summer like.

I went toboganning with the kids in the afternoon at Cissbury Ring and it was still snowing at about 2pm, with temps about 1c.

That actually came about from a NNE wind which is a little unusual

View attachment 94111

Those were lovely days, I remember it well. Did the same up the Ring with the kids that day as well.

 

[Djmiles]

It's always possible.

Sunday 6th April 2008 we had a heavy fall of snow in Worthing (and across Sussex).



The Friday before the temperature had been up to 15c here and it was feeling almost summer like.

I went toboganning with the kids in the afternoon at Cissbury Ring and it was still snowing at about 2pm, with temps about 1c.

That actually came about from a NNE wind which is a little unusual

View attachment 94111

There was an evening around then, about Easter time where we had around 3-4 inches of snow overnight and it all melted by the morning. Not many people believed it had snowed. One of the weirdest weather events I’ve ever seen. Might have been the year before?

 

[Papa Lazarou]

There was an evening around then, about Easter time where we had around 3-4 inches of snow overnight and it all melted by the morning. Not many people believed it had snowed. One of the weirdest weather events I’ve ever seen. Might have been the year before?

I know that April 2007 was one of the warmest and sunniest on record down here. Day after day of glorious warm sunshine, and fyi the rest of the actual summer was shit.

 

[Spicy]

There was snow in Gipsy Hill, SE19, one May. Trains were delayed and I arrived in my office in London in a thick coat, scarf, hat and boots and it was positively balmy in SW1. Talk about being overdressed!

 

[Papa Lazarou]

There was snow in Gipsy Hill, SE19, one May. Trains were delayed and I arrived in my office in London in a thick coat, scarf, hat and boots and it was positively balmy in SW1. Talk about being overdressed!

It depends on how old you are, but snow fell across much of the UK in May 1955.

I guess you're probably remembering one of these though:

Meanwhile, a little more recently the Mays of 1979, 1981 and 1982 started with widespread wintry showers whilst May 13th 1993 saw several centimetres of snow settling over the higher ground in central Britain (Pritchard 1997?), including a fall of 30cm at Moor House in County Durham by the 14th (Stirling 1997).

http://www.dandantheweatherman.com/Bereklauw/latesnow.html

 

[Seasidesage]

I had to sleep on the A23 because of the snow on 11th March 2013. That was pretty cold.

You should've stayed in the car...

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

The game is up now. Give it up and let's resume in December

 

[Deleted User X18H]

The FA Cup 5th round tie at Peterborough was played on a snow covered pitch with an orange ball in 1986.
Wouldn’t happen today I doubt.
I remember helping to clear the Goldstone pitch of snow for the replay in early March.
1986 is underrated as one of the coldest winters ever.

Me and a pal made a proper igloo in the drifts on West Blachington school playing fields and the headline in the Brighton & Hove Gazette was ‘Coldest Place on earth.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

The GFS Ensemble still can't make up its mind but the ECMWF delivers The Beast today



That would produce snow here.

 

[knocky1]

It's always possible.

Sunday 6th April 2008 we had a heavy fall of snow in Worthing (and across Sussex).
]

Was doing the Steyning Sprint Triathlon that day. Fine start to the day. Ran out of pool after swim leg in just trunks to find bike covered in a few inches of snow. Bike leg stopped with early starters already on the course and we had to make do with the 5k run in the snow.

 

[Jam The Man]

There was an evening around then, about Easter time where we had around 3-4 inches of snow overnight and it all melted by the morning. Not many people believed it had snowed. One of the weirdest weather events I’ve ever seen. Might have been the year before?

I think it was 2007, but it definitely happened. It started at around 7pm and I can only describe it as a colossal Thunderstorm with snow. It was very odd.

 

[larus]

Lots of chat on NetWeather forums about a SSW and the possible onset of the “Beast From The East”. Even some of the more reasoned posters are getting excited about this.

Saying this is the most extreme splitting/warming of stratosphere in last 40 odd years. The warming is meant to be happening over the next few days, but the models are struggling to know exactly what the impact will be. The main effect is the reversal of the prevailing winds from SW to Easterlies.

Well, that’s what I’ve picked up anyway - could be a load of b*llocks

If it happens, it is far too late now

It is, we are talking late feb / early mar, that is too late as the sun is much warmer, average temps are 9-10 c, so a cold day with be considered 5 c, the window of opportunity for cold days around freezing or just above and lying snow is mid dec - mid feb

The last time we had these conditions in late feb was 30 years ago. We will not see day temps max of lower than 5 c late feb / early mar, no chance

Very much looks like someone will be eating their words (again). The SSW has happened and the models are nearly all pointing to E/NE winds coming in and a substantial drop in temperatures.

Lots of ‘excitement’ on the NetWeather model discussion forums at the moment.

 

[Taybha]

Temps gone from -3 to +4 in 40 mins here , i won't be waxing my skis .

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Very much looks like someone will be eating their words (again). The SSW has happened and the models are nearly all pointing to E/NE winds coming in and a substantial drop in temperatures.

Lots of ‘excitement’ on the NetWeather model discussion forums at the moment.

We ALL know absolutely NOTHING will come of this, when will people learn ! The forecasts show 10c for the rest of the month. As I said even if we get an easterly there is no cold anywhere across europe, it has been another very mild winter so it would result in daytime max's of 6-8 c

 

[Papa Lazarou]

We ALL know absolutely NOTHING will come of this, when will people learn ! The forecasts show 10c for the rest of the month. As I said even if we get an easterly there is no cold anywhere across europe, it has been another very mild winter so it would result in daytime max's of 6-8 c

Ok, we'll just have to see. So, you're forecast is daytime max temps no lower than 6C for the next fortnight (the max range of the ensemble)?