harrythefish

Just had one rumble of thunder in Sale.

A couple of distant flashes pretty much due West of here within the last 10 mins, and a long way away too as I waited for a minute but still couldn't hear the thunder. It's gone very windy too.

The first storm here since last August and it's a cracker. I counted 15 strikes a minute from the first cell over to the west about 40 mins ago and 22 a minute from this second one that's just gone overhead. There must have been many many hundreds in total, more than the last couple of years put together.

I used to think there was a link but no, there isn't. Obviously 2007 and 2011 had hot Aprils and poor summers but I remember the spring of 2003, before the record heatwave, had day after day of cloudless skies in March with temperatures of 16 or 17, and it reached 25 in April round here (I think it broke the record in Scotland).

It's when snow showers come down from the North, hit Scotland and split either side of the country so Wales and the Yorkshire coast get shedloads of snow but we're in the shadow of Scotland and get nothing. Looks like a huge wishbone on the satellite.

That next lot of showers looks good for a top up. Nearly two inches here, thawing but slowly.

I'm impressed by the streamer on the radar. It's stretching from here well over half way to Northern Ireland so should be good for 2 more hours at least.

It's like something out of the 1980s out there, it's just not letting up. Nothing even on the roofs at 8 and suddenly by 8.40 a covering and whenever it looks like dying down. off it goes again. Biggish flakes and visibility down to less than half a mile.

Heavy shower with snow flakes in it this time and wind very gusty. All coming along nicely and looking forward to tomorrow morning.

Next Mon and Tues look fine though with troughs in the northerly airflow according to the latest GFS maps

I got the impression the city centre was having lots of interesting weather like huge gusts this morning whereas this street only had one bin blown over even though it's bin day

It's surprising there's been proper snow in Manchester - just a few snow pellets in among the hail here. The clouds look wintry though.

Snow now a bit heavier but not sticking to anything yet.

Round here it's so light even the streetlight is no use. You've literally got to go outside and count individual snowflakes.

First few flakes starting to fall here. If you look at the radar there is quite a big chunk of dark blue south of Knutsford heading straight for us and should get here for 9 I reckon.