Blackie
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Posts posted by Blackie
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Heavy snow in Shoebury for a little while now. Settling on my office skylight, cars, roofs and grass verges.
The temperature suddenly dropped from 4C to 0C about 30 minutes ago and the dew point is now also 0C, with 100% humidity.
I think a lot of people have been caught unaware it would be as snowy as it is now and there will be some very long rush hour commutes home...
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Snowing in Shoebury - finally!
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Good for summer though!
We are in the best spot for summer.
And East Beach is less than a five-minute walk away
On that note, I shall bid you all goodnight and dream of warmer weather. Unless we get the fabled "Return of the Cold" sequel in February. Coming to a window/lamppost near you...
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Bugger all here now, too. Everything is bone dry. The North Kent deflector shield is doing its job again, stopping us from getting any ppn. But then South East Essex is the driest part of the country, so I guess it's no surprise...
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Just seen a few small flakes falling. Odd that it has started as snow here, as I am right by the Thames and just a few feet asl. Bet it won't last, though
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Gosh the wind has really picked up now, had to put the garden brolly down!
It must have been balmy in Kingston today if you had the garden brolly up. Get a nice tan...?
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Been at the sherry to celebrate a successful interview today, John...?
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Told you we'd get a metre somewhere
A Kentimetre, perhaps...
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As we're on a bit of a lull in here, I just thought I'd write a little something....
Firstly, whilst I have scored this winter (so far) fairly low on Paul S's scale, what it hasn't taken into account is the excitement factor. I'm just an enthusiast, so whilst I realise that the synoptics have been incredible, what has really made this winter so good is this forum.
The mods have all been incredible and YOU lot have been everything from informative, funny, cheerful, sarcastic to depressed and even argumentative (which I see mainly as passion) at times.
It's nice to have such a warm place to go to on a frosty day, somewhere to share my (some say irrational) love of snow and cold weather. A place where no one judges me, because you're all as nuts as I am (some of you more so......). You happily share your information, pictures and enthusiasm, and for that, I thank you!
And whilst I also appreciate this is a weather related thread, it's been nice to share some laughs and banter without getting shouted down for it.
I know we are currently awaiting some mild weather but I'm still intrigued to watch it unfold. Will the North get walloped? Will the snow make it to the South East? Will we have the heaviest snowfall that suddenly veers towards us without being forecast to? Will the rain be hammering on my window whilst the wind gusts? Who knows.....? But that is the beauty of our unpredictable British weather. This winter so far has thrown up so many surprises, I wonder how anyone doesn't have any interest in what will happen next.
So thank you to all of you for making me feel welcome, putting up with my inane questions and banter. I have been a member for a few yrs but it's really only this year that I have contributed (nonsense) to this London and SE thread. If there are any other lurkers out there (yeah, you know who you are....), I'd highly recommend you come and get involved and up the excitement factor of your winter (we still have plenty left).
A word of advice though, don't ask if it's going to snow IYBY (In Your Backyard) because that is what we have radars for. Read the fantastic posts from the experienced members and make the decision for yourself, because at the end of the day......no-one ever really knows for sure!
So bring on the wind and rain, bring on the mad change that we'll see unfold in the next 48hrs and keep smiling because who knows what we'll get next in this funny little corner we know and love as the South East.
Very well said, Nikki - and I would totally endorse all of that.
I must admit, although I have been a member of NW for about eight years, I rarely post these days unless it is on the regional thread. I have always loved the weather, the more extreme the better. If it is cold, I want it to be in the freezer with blizzards. Likewise in summer, I want it scorching. And as for storms, give me a full-blooded supercell complete with lightning fest.
I was lucky enough to be able to go on one of the NW storm-chasing tours several years ago, and spent 10 fabulous days in the company of Paul Sherman, Nick F, Anyweather and a bunch of other weather nuts, along with the great man himself, Michael Fish. I would heartily recommend anyone who is contemplating signing up for one of those to do so. Even if you don't see a tornado, and we didn't although we did manage a funnel cloud and saw the aftermath of the devastating Greensburg EF5 on the first anniversary of it, you will have a blast.
I have also been fortunate in that my job takes me around the world and has allowed me to experience some incredible extremes of weather. Only last year I was in Death Valley, California, when they endured the hottest-ever April in US history. It got up to 112F while I was there, and I even managed to play golf at Furnace Creek - the world's lowest golf course - with the thermometer over the 100F mark. I once played golf in 115F heat for five days in Palm Springs, too!
As for cold, I have been to the Arctic a few times and have experienced cold down to a bone-chilling -40C (which is also -40F) in Nunavut, Canada. It was so cold I had to give up trying to photograph the Northern Lights, which were an amazing sight, and go back indoors.
Yet despite all my travels, nothing is more exciting than sitting at home watching the radar to see snow approaching, being online on NW and seeing who is getting snow and then standing by the back door waiting for the first flakes to gently waft down. Like everyone else on here, I'm just a big kid at heart and always will be. And I will keep watching those lampposts!
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Still snowing but everything wet and not settling at all
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Looks like that line of showers is starting to tilt a bit more easterly. Where it is streaming off the French coast, it is going farther north and edging into Belgium. Wonder if we could end up with a surprise, full-on Thames Streamer? The winds are meant to go more ENE in the North Sea overnight. However, with temps holding above freezing I still don't expect much from it even with -1C dewpoint.
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Wow
Big old Fat Flakes Here Peter! Surprised you have the snizzly flakes! Strong old easterly wind as well blowing it horizontally
I can see from the raintoday radar that the heavier stuff has been just west of me, Paul. Hence why you have been getting bigger flakes and more of them. Just about sums up winter here...
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Slightly bigger flakes now, but too wet to settle
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Snowing here - tiny, snizzly flakes but being blown by a strong east wind. Could be snizzlemageddon after all
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Hello London and the South East. Here are the scores as given by the jury in Shoeburyness:
Synoptics 5/10 - nothing that looked as if it would deliver much for South East Essex
Snowfall 4/10 - less than other areas and far less than memorable winters past
Frosts 3/10 - the odd few this winter, although by the time the cold snap ends at the weekend we will have had two weeks of very low daytime max temps
Total 4/10
As for snowmaggedon later on, I think sleetmaggedon or possibly snizzlemaggedon is nearer the mark. Then again, cloudmaggedon would be my hunch..
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i don't know what people are moaning about the rain band is about to engage colder dew points from the east, this is a very fluid situation and could give surprises to a lot in the west and north west London areas, maybe worse further east but that would only be due to lack of precipitation, which could still come your way as the triple point has now formed over cherbourg and the system is much more organised, both in terms of moisture and colder dew points being dragged into the mix, far from over in my opinion
Nothing personal, SS, but I thought rain always is a fluid situation...
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Edit: N1 Pete you must have got a lot heavier than us over here then, as we only registered about 3cm from that event, the problem with the 5th December was that the snow started at 730am and screwed with the traffic in Rayleigh (Daughter got sent home as bus would not go down Crown Hill so the School Closed)
Was all but gone by the evening as well
Yes, we did seem to get more here. My son also lives in Shoebury and works in Basildon. He said the snow was worse here but he goes in early and got hit by the mayhem at the Rayleigh Weir Underpants. Cars just couldn't get up the slope and were sliding into the barrier. I think it took him two or three hours to do what normally takes half an hour.
Looking more closely at the photos I took that morning, I guess we probably had 4-5cm, so maybe a bit less than yesterday. But not bad from such a short event. But, yes, it had gone by later in the day. I am not expecting what we have left here to last more than a couple of days, either. Being so close to the sea, once those temps get much above freezing as I think they will here from tomorrow the melt will speed up.
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Same as you Nick, not once even seen Moderate Snow this winter, most has been snow grains and not really seen any big flakes either, all a bit dissapointing really.
ANyhow the 7cm from yesterday is doing just fine and has receded back but only to 6cm and is still great for snowballs and snowmen building, no really cold nights yet to really compact that snow.
Looking forward to some really cold frosty nights and with the snow still plentifull in the trees down here some great rime frosts could be had first thing in the mornings if we can get some freezing fog overnight later this week.
We had huge 60p flakes (bigger than 50p ones!) on the morning of December 5, and it gave at least as much snow as we had yesterday - in just a couple of hours or less.
The NAE is nae use to us here in Essex - too far south and west. Looks like that swirling cloud is giving Suffolk a surprise pasting at the moment, and parts of Northern England and Scotland are getting what looks like a North Sea Streamer with showers continuing to pour in off the sea and likely to carry on for some time yet. I bet they could end up with impressive totals by the time it finishes.
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Tom
Snow depth stands at 18.2 imby.
Thanks
Snow Depth Cup report from Shoeburyness - 6cm taken from various points in the back garden. I was being unduly pessimistic with my estimate yesterday.
Temp: 0C
DP (not got my weather station up yet, so this is externally sourced): -3C
Drip, drip, drip so I expect it will thaw through the day.
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Scum! At least your snowman wasn't demeaned..... mine was p urinated issed on.
Well the Met Office did have us under a yellow snow warning!
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Right official Southend depth is an average 6cm.
Crazy Diamond how did you do?
Can't believe it just stayed as pathetic snizzle all day in Shoebury. Just a few miles east of you yet I doubt there is 3cm in total. Not even enough to make me want to go down to East Beach and use my new camera. Well, that and the fact that I am still reading the manual! Will have a measure in the back garden in the morning, but not looking hopeful...
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0 Leigh-on-Sea (E) (PAUL SHERMAN) v. Wickford (E) (DANUK) 0 (DUST)
N.M.R No location? (CWT2012) v. Reigate (Sur) (GREAT PLUM) N.M.R
0.1 Southend (E) (SHRIMPER) v. South Ockenden (E) (CRAZY DIAMOND) 0.5
N.M.R Epping (E) (SWASH) v. Little Wakering (E) (ESSEXGOONER) N.M.R
0.6 Ashford (K) (PAUL ASHFORD) v. Bellingham (L) (NANU) N.M.R
N.M.R Ewell (Sur) (AMANZI) v.Hailsham (Sus) (LAWRENK) 3.5
0.2 Gravesend (K) (ICEBOX) v. Shorne (K) (SHUNTER) 1
0.5 Bexleyheath (K) (SNOW RAVEN) v. Romford (E) (ROADRUNNER) 2
0 Sittingbourne (K) (JRIGHT35) v.Rayleigh (E) (VESUVIUS) 0
N.M.R Dartford (K) (CHARLTON KERRY) v.Pollards Hills (Sus) (SHANICE) N.M.R
N.M.R No Location ? (CRAIG23) v. Surrey? (SNOWBOB) 5
9 Thorpe (Sur) (SURREY) v. Uxbridge (L) (TIGHT ISOBAR) N.M.R
2.2 Tonbridge (K) (TONBRIDGEMOLE) v. Kent ? (KENT BLIZZARD) N.M.R
N.M.R Silver End (E) (ANITA) v. Shoeburyness (E) (BLACKIE) N.M.R
5 Twickenham (BUZZIT) v. Beckenham (K) (JIMMYH) N.M.R
0.5 Grays (E) (LEIGHD) v. Barnet (H) (SUBURBAN STREAMER) N.M.R
N.M.R Strood (K) (HARDCJ) v.Benfleet (E) (SNOWPRO) N.M.R
10 New Haw (Sur) (JEZZER) v. Surrey ? (LONDON SNOW) 12.6
0.5 Basildon (E) (LEWIS028) v. Faversham (K) (TILLY) N.M.R
4.5 Bromley (K) (LUPIEJAN) v. Rochester (K) (BOAR WINKELSTORM) N.M.R
N.M.R Dagenham (E) (GOONERGREG) v. Uckfield (Sus) (TOM JARVIS) 6.5
N.M.R Burgess Hill (Sus) (CHIONOMANIAC) v. Kent ? (THROWOFF) 0
N.M.R Croydon (Sur) (POINTE LA RUE) v. Waltham Abbey (E) (JOHN MAC) 8
O.K, here are the depths from the match-ups in the first half of the draw, totals are in cms.
N.M.R. (No measurement registered), come on people put 4 layers on and get out there and have a measure up.
Chart Viewer, suggested that if a competitor doesnt register a depth at this half way stage, they should forfeit the tie!
I'm tempted but thats a bit harsh but if they DONT REGISTER A DEPTH BY 9 a.m MONDAY, (IF NO MORE SNOW IS FALLING IN THE REGION,I SUPPOSE I COULD EXTEND THAT TO NOON), THEY WILL FORFEIT THE TIE AND THEIR OPPONENT WILL MOVE INTO THE NEXT ROUND. (I'm not shouting really).
A comment on those scores above, I'd wished I'd had a bet the overs in total snow depth JEZZER v.LONDON SNOW.
To think they were matched randomly from Paul S's list, spooky eh.
I will post the scores on the doors in the 2nd half of the draw, in a wee while, too much to take in all at once.
If I've missed anybody's total let me know.
Cheers,
Tom
Hi Tom - I did report 0.001cm for Shoebury earlier but that was on page 5,671 of the previous thread so you may have missed it unless you are a speed reader! Actually, where it is still laying it might scrape 0.5cm. My neighbour's grandkids made four snowmen in their front garden. Well, snowmidgets. But I already went for a big fat zero as most of last night's dusting has now gone.
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Not sure if anyone has posted this already, but did anybody else notice that Ridley Scott was credited as designer on the "The Big Freeze" film from 1963?!
No, I missed that - but I chuckled every time there was a sequence showing people stuck in snow, digging out cars or trains, or just snowy scenes. Even though the scene kept changing, the soundtrack carried on without a break...and sounded like a howling banshee as if it had been recorded at the top of Mont Blanc or Everest!
Must have been very cold Pete! Did your dad not think about buying a house would have been much warmer!
Very droll, Paul. We lived in what is now the Camelia Hotel, along Eastern Esplanade. It belonged to my uncle at the time.
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Just back on here having watched the programme about the 1963 winter. Brilliant, and brought loads of memories back. I was eight at the time and lived right on the seafront at Southend.
The BBC programme showed some footage of the sea frozen at the end of Southend Pier, which would have been filmed by my dad. He was a freelance cine cameraman and photographer was the main one the BBC used for Essex and East London. He did a lot of filming of the snow in this area, including when the sea froze over off Thorpe Bay and Southend. I remember him filming me and my two brothers clambering over ice chunks on the beach near our house. That was broadcast on the main BBC news that evening, and when we went to school next day we felt like film stars as everybody had watched it! I was hoping they might have shown that clip tonight, but sadly they didn't. Wonder if we ended up on the cutting room floor...
Interesting how they also showed the weather charts, with those slider lows coming along the Channel. Very similar to yesterday. I don't think this current cold spell will anywhere near match that, and quite honestly I think the whole country would come to a standstill if we had it that bad again. We just wouldn't be able to cope. But living through that instilled my love of winter and snow in me.
Just for the record in the Snow Cup, the snow that is left in a few patches from last night's flurries would probably measure 0.001cm. As long as I don't breathe on it and melt it. So I guess I am 1-0 down at half-time. Just having a team talk with the snow gods about tomorrow's second half - and telling them they have to up their game and deliver or they go on the transfer list. I won't have slackers on my team!
SE & East Anglia Regional Weather Discussion 12/1/2017 11z ---->
in Regional
Posted
Egyptian snow...? 2-10, come on...
I'll get my coat...