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In light of the recent snowfall event on the other side of the "Pond", namely at the eastern end of Lake Erie, around the Buffalo area, I thought it would be interesting for members to share their own experiences of "Snow Streamer" events. You may well have experienced this type of convective snowfall, in areas adjacent to the Cheshire Gap, The Wash, Forth-Clyde Valley, Pembrokeshire Coast (aka The Dangler), etc, etc. For some NW members, they have been responsible for some of our most impressive snowfall events and again for some, in some instances, give us our best shot of recording a decent snow depth. Focusing in on my own area of SE England, a flow from between N and E during our coldest months of the year can result in a convective snow streamer setting up in certain areas of Essex, Surrey, Kent, Sussex, London and can indeed affect areas further afield. A NNE flow can result in a train of snow showers affecting the extreme east of Kent A NE streamer in the southeastern part of our area, normally results in a line of showers running in from the NE coast of Kent and exiting around about the eastern part of the East Sussex coast. Coming much closer to home, namely the eastern part of the Thames Corridor (South Essex, N/NW Kent, E/S.London and on into Surrey), an ENE flow can result in the "much fabled" Thames Streamer. Below I've detailed some of my own experiences of Thames Streamer events, having lived for most of my life on the border of NW.Kent/SE.London, I've seen a few! 25th DEC.1970. Although not having the benefit, obviously, of being able to view radar returns from that time, this almost certainly was a Thames streamer type event, which gave 4 ins of snow, in this area, and a couple of cracks of thunder,in the early hours of Xmas morning and snow showers on Boxing Day too, giving a very festive feel to the holiday period. Remember listening to the Shipping Forecast at half midnight, whilst watching big fat snowflakes falling against the light of the lamppost, at the bottom of our garden. 2nd FEB.2009. An unusual Thames Streamer event this with areas west of the meridian recording greater depths of snow than those further east. I know from own local experience that Bromley (live) would normally have a greater depth than Croydon (work). The reality was very different to the norm, with around 6" in Bromley but nearer 9", further SW in Croydon. I did, of course fair much better than areas further east, notably around Southend where the event is still referred to as "The Great Polystyrene Ball Conspiracy", poor Paul Shermans' still in therapy! Paul, bless him, plucked up the courage to put together a brilliant analysis of explaining why this streamer behaved so differently, than other such Thames events. This event was also accompanied by four very loud cracks of thunder, in my area, and I unashamedly post up "that" video clip again, recorded at Dartford, North Kents' equivalent of Buffalo. 22nd FEB 2005 The chart above depicts the synoptic situation a few days into this amazing spell, indeed the weather stayed wintry well into the 2nd week of March. It also shows the perfect angle of flow for a Thames snow streamer, which indeed was occurring at the time. Had soil temps not been so anomalously high, due to a very mild Winter up to that time, depths would probably have accumulated a bit more than 2 to 3 inches that fell, in this 6 hour event. My area went on to record snow falling on consecutive days for nearly 2 weeks, albeit mostly in flurry form, apart from the 2 streamer events we experienced, incredible for this locale. The chart below, shows the situation during the 2nd streamer event. The situation just an hour or two before the end of the 2nd streamer, another 2 to 3 inch fall. I'd waited years to experience this type of snowfall, brought about by an ENE flow, lo and behold two occur, within four days, amazing! 8th JAN.2003. Perhaps doesnt look much at face value but 6 hours later a convergence zone developed in the Thames Estuary and a snow streamer began around the Southend area and developed further WSW, towards N.W. Kent and S.E. London. Started snowing here, on the Kent/London border, around 7 a.m. and finally petered out in the early afternoon, depositing around 4 inches. Worst hit areas reported around 8/9 inches, between Southend and Dartford, also places with a bit of elevation over N.W.Kent. BBC Forecast 8th Jan 2003 There's no doubt that the type of streamer event that affects the Thames Corridor area is partly due to the topography of the Kent and Essex coast aiding convergence, funnelling the flow as it enters the mouth of the Thames and fuelling further instability, combining with that caused by deeply cold Continental upper air flowing out from the Low Countries over the S.North Sea and on into the Thames Estuary. I, for one, start to take note when the METO draw up a FAX chart with a tell-tale trough indicating convergence, stretching down the mouth of the Thames and out into the N.Sea, as was the case in Feb 2009, a forecast which they nailed perfectly. Having moved to my new location in April 2013 and like a lot of NW members, I failed to see a single snowflake last Winter, I will be hoping for an ENE flow with bitter cold uppers at some point during the Winter months, with luck I'll then experience my locales own version of "Lake Effect" snowfall. I understand from locals that these snowfall events are accentuated by a very localised pnenomenon, that being P.E.S. (Pond Effect Snow). I live barely half a mile to the west of Chislehurst Ponds and apparently depths can be a couple of inches deeper, a little to the west of the Ponds, than areas just to the east! As residents on the eastern shore of Lake Erie can atest to, these streamer type snow events can be very localised indeed and result in wildly varying distribution, over very short distances. I would love to hear members own "Snow Streamer" event experiences, from whichever part of the country you live in. Regards, Tom.