23/1/84 Leeds Blizzard

[Schnee]

Just found this on the front of the Leeds Skyrack from Friday 27th January 1984. It's interesting to say the least.

It reports a big snowstorm on Monday, January the 23rd 1984 affecting a wide area.

I've scanned the article:

[Thundery wintry showers]

Looks pretty impressive for the middle of Leeds!

Although January '84 for N England was predominantly a polar maritime month with frequent wintry showers and even thunder at times (e.g. on the 14th at Leeds according to T Harley), the snowfalls around the 23rd were caused by a February 1996 style frontal battleground between polar W/NW'lys and continental air. Correspondingly, Lancaster was heavily hit as well, making the month the third snowiest January on record there for lying snow (beaten only by 1979 and 1985).

23 January 1984:

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/archive/ra/19...00119840123.gif

and the similar event in February 1996:

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/archive/ra/19...00119960206.gif

Interesting article, thanks for posting it up!

[Schnee]

Thanks for them charts. I was curious to what sort of set up caused the event. Wonder why it doesn;t happen these days?

There's classified ads in the back of the paper. Makes quite interesting reading as well......

[Thundery wintry showers]

A similar setup arose as recently as 12 March 2006:

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/archive/ra/20...00120060312.gif

True, it was a cold vs mild battleground rather than cold vs slightly less cold, but it had similar results. I think the main difference with respect to the January 1984 event is that the front stalled over the west rather then moving east across the country, so it was mainly the west that got a dumping on the March 2006 occasion- but even so, there was a good 5cm at Leeds (I know this because I was there!)

Also, if it had moved east it would have introduced milder air. We don't get cold zonality as often these days because of the jet being further north and "spoiling" secondary lows often forcing the coldest air to "return" a longer distance across the Atlantic, but even so January '84 was a very extreme case for the intensity of cold air that came out of Canada/Alaska straight across to the UK.

Edited November 5, 2008 by Thundery wintry showers

[Snowyowl9]

The next day would`ve produced snow further south too.

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/archive/ra/19...00119840124.gif

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/archive/ra/19...00219840124.gif

If ever there was a month to see again this would be it near the top of the list, as sadly I remember very little of January 1984 from the cold zonality and snow from this month, but I wouldn`t of heard of that phrase then.

[Yeti]

A similar setup arose as recently as 12 March 2006:

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/archive/ra/20...00120060312.gif

True, it was a cold vs mild battleground rather than cold vs slightly less cold, but it had similar results. I think the main difference with respect to the January 1984 event is that the front stalled over the west rather then moving east across the country, so it was mainly the west that got a dumping on the March 2006 occasion- but even so, there was a good 5cm at Leeds (I know this because I was there!)

Also, if it had moved east it would have introduced milder air. We don't get cold zonality as often these days because of the jet being further north and "spoiling" secondary lows often forcing the coldest air to "return" a longer distance across the Atlantic, but even so January '84 was a very extreme case for the intensity of cold air that came out of Canada/Alaska straight across to the UK.

I remember March 2006 bitterly. What a disappointment that day was. A total non-event, snow all day with easily an ice day but with the tiniest flakes you have ever seen. 7cm in Harrogate and 5cm in Leeds; I had been expecting a real dumping but it was so light and pathetic!

[I remember Atlantic 252]

I remember March 2006 bitterly. What a disappointment that day was. A total non-event, snow all day with easily an ice day but with the tiniest flakes you have ever seen. 7cm in Harrogate and 5cm in Leeds; I had been expecting a real dumping but it was so light and pathetic!

biggest disappointment of my weather memories, exactly same here just with tiniest of flakes, the main snow stayed out to the west, bbc weather were saying a few inches even low levels, then countryfile on sunday 12th at midday had it completely fizzled out