Hampshire Hillbilly

Significantly colder here today than forecasted. Currently sitting at 1.0c which is the high for the day so far.

Interesting to see the ‘Basingstoke Blizzard’ of 2009 being brought up on the MAD thread in terms of snowfalls that pop up out of the blue. Much more surprising was 2019- we had a couple of inches first thing and by 11am had finished snowploughing. It was getting slushy anyway and nothing more was forecasted. I took the snowplough off the tractor and went in for a sandwich with a view to catching up with cattle jobs. I noticed it started to snow lightly while I was having lunch. Within half an hour it was dumping down, totally unforecasted, and carried on snowing until midnight until we had 10 inches level. The met office issued one of the geographically smallest amber warnings I’ve ever seen, a strip from just south of Newbury down to Alton. The A339 was mayhem- blocked by hundreds of stranded cars. I’m pretty sure I live in one of the snowiest parts of the South of England. Very , very rarely do we get a winter without a covering of snow. BFTE in 2018 we had enormous drifts. 10ft high in places. The one in my profile picture was not the biggest!

-5 near Alton just now while out on my shepherding rounds. Truck is new so I imagine fairly accurate

Back to heavy settling snow now. Temperature back down to 1c from a high of 2c

A decent fall here. Has recently got heavier

About two inches here. Still lightly snowing.

1c here already. I can’t keep up with the Model thread but N Hampshire at 200m now seems to possibly be in line for three separate snowfalls in the next few days?

We had a short period of heavy snow this morning 6.30-7am which just started to lie before it petered out. Hants council have just asked us to fit the snowplough on the tractor.

Indeed. In 2018 we had drifts at least 10ft high here, probably higher in places. Some were over the top of the roof of the tractor. The Four Marks-Shalden-Farleigh Wallop triangle is very snowy compared to other areas nearby. A little bit of elevation makes a massive difference. Also far enough from the coast plus no urban heat island effect. This our third falling and second laying snow of the winter.

Light covering of snow in Four Marks, NE Hants 200m asl.

Covering of snow on all surfaces here in Four Marks. temp 0.1c Rain turned to sleet c3.30. Snow from 4pm

After a few grains in the air all morning continuous light snow now falling, Medstead, Hants.

Light snow in Shalden, near Alton

A few flakes in the wind in Four Marks, East Hants

I am on the edge of the snow band here in East Hants, though the met app has continuous light snow for me from 1am-8pm. Some are worrying how far west the snow will get but surely with a 40mph+ North east wind as forecast on the BBC the chances of showers not reaching East Hants, Surrey, W Sussex is pretty unlikely? They won’t have time to fizzle out! The snowplough is on the tractor now anyway. My prediction is 2inches here, but fairly academic due to the drifting.

Any thoughts on the strength of the wind in North East Hants? During BFTE it didn’t feel like we had that much settled snow but the wind caused 10ft drifts blocking every road out of the village for ten days. Just trying to plan farm jobs and be prepared! I’m 650ft here so when it blows, it really blows!

Met Office now going for a spell of heavy snow here in N Hants. The last remnants of last weekends snowmen/igloos only melted yesterday!

Beautiful morning to be shepherding today. Low of -4 overnight, probably lower in the valley as I live on the hill. Still about 2 inches of cover. Dogs loving life.

3pm here.

Still full cover up here Wield/Medstead/Four Marks. An inch and a half now. Went to check my sheep over at Shalden in the high ground north of Alton at 2pm and there was even more snow there. Still a bit powdery too.

Just stopped here. About 3 inches. Feels colder now it has stopped. Hampshire looking beautiful! Just sorting all the electric fencing out now ? It doesn’t like snow!

Moderate/heavy snow now in Four Marks. Readily settling.

Four Marks 17cm- bit more height. Possibly the snowiest place in the central south/South East?

Put the snowplough on the tractor for tomorrow. It'll not snow now! Give us a wave if you're in the hilly bit between Basingstoke and Alton!