Rob125

The sun is out in Midsomer Norton but thunder has been rumbling in the distance for quite some time.

I'm certain that one of the problems of the model thread relates to IMBYism (if such a word exists). Posters are bound to relate to where they live and we all know that UK wide snow is extremely unusual - I seem to recall a famous satellite image form many years ago when just about the whole of the UK had snow cover. That was very unusual. We all know that some parts can have extreme conditions whilst others remain snowless - we don't seem to have many posters who live in the better off areas as most tell of snowless winters. I remember in March 2013 there was the very heavy snow in the Channel Islands - roughly 100 miles south as the crow flies and a week later a similar event in North Wales - 100 miles north. Hardly a flake fell here in Somerset. Conversely this area was hit by the February 1978 blizzard and I can actually see some similarity to the set up we have now to that of then. High pressure built over Scandinavia, an easterly was produced and then some warm air encroached from Biscay and dumped 30cm plus of snow over Devon/Dorset/Somerset but nothing much north of the M4 corridor - it is more usual for the snow to fall north of that infamous corridor! I actually believe that there were be moans if we had a month of -10C daytime temperatures if no snow resulted, so talk of cold pools etc is not really what people want if it is a dry mass associated with it. Let's just wait and see what comes and accept that we have little control over the weather and it will continue to fascinate us.

All about Richard on his web site - doing the weather for Al Jazeera in Qatar http://www.richardangwin.com/1.html

Also snowing (very wet and at slightly lower level to Mullender) in Midsomer Norton

Out of interest, assuming you are involved with a weather reporting "station" for Peasedown St John that can be accessed on Weather Underground, I note your monthly rain total is only 112.8mm. This is much lower than other local reports - Roundhill (Gibby) at 192.5, Midsomer Norton at 177.3, Radstock 184.9, Writhlington 222.5. Clearly you do get some local variation but can't believe you've got away with it that much (some doubt on the Paulton 145.5 figure and Timsbury clearly incorrect at 355.6!) If tomorrow is as forecast it will have been a 200mm+ month (with December not having been far behind and February likely to start out heading in the same direction.

Guess there will always be an IMBY perspective to this but the period 5 -26 July last year met all my requirements for a great summer - OK only 3 weeks but if we had an equivalent 3 week spell of "winter" (snow, ice days etc) then most cold seekers would be happier than they are at present. During that spell in July we were able to eat our evening meal outside with only problem being wasps. There aren't many UK summers that allow that. Ultimately I have to consider 26 December 1962 onwards as the worst winter in memory for longevity and summer 1976 is going to be very difficult to beat for heat and lack of rain. Clearly those of a later generation have different views.

I am a regular visitor to this forum and enjoy reading the various opinions that are expressed. Clearly the majority favour cold solutions but the reality is that this is the UK and extreme cold spells are rare. Particularly in this part of the country - North East Somerset (I've known Gibby for 30+ years) we miss nearly every snow event - either 100 miles to our east - Kent on many occasions, 100 miles to the south - rare, but Channel Islands March 2013 an example or 100 miles to the north - late March 2013 in North Wales for example. One of these days we may get a repeat of the Feb 1978 West Country blizzard - but that of course was also a "local event" I still have more faith (generally) in what the BBC forecasts state but one thing I would wish to correct in the above post is that minor changes to the models will not make any difference at all to the weather we actually get - it may change the forecasts but Mother Nature/laws of physics/meteorology will make the final decison (as we all know) on the weather. Apologies for not being model related - I'll continue to make my own conclusions as to what may be around the corner whilst assessing all the options on offer.

Midsomer Norton a few minutes ago - snow has just stopped falling at the intensity it had been

You must have missed Sunday - clear blue skies, lovely walk around Chew Valley Lake - but it is only half full according to the board in the information office.

You should have brought your sledge a few miles down the road on the morning of 18 December as there was 11cm of snow in Midsomer Norton - strange you only had 3/4cm further up the Mendips.

First time I've posted on here but have been following the discussions with interest. Looking at historical weather records (Weather Underground) it could have been either 1998 or 1999 as both show snow on 14 April at Lulsgate and Lyneham No actual records for 2000 for these places but a general Bristol enquiry shows 12C on 14 April that year. My best snow memory for April in Midsomer Norton was 25 April 1981 and within a week it was like mid summer (excuse the pun).