North East England Cold Spell Discussion

[Rollo]

TWS - can i get your opinion on the propects for the NE if the current synopsis comes off?

If it delivers a strong NE'ly wind, then normally anyone 50 miles of the east coast gets a pasting. However, in the model discussion thread, people are talking about midlands/wales etc. What am I missing?

Until Ian gives a definitive answer my take is they are talking about continuous heavy snow rather than the heavy snow showers we would receive but with breaks inbetween.

[izi]

Until Ian gives a definitive answer my take is they are talking about continuous heavy snow rather than the heavy snow showers we would receive but with breaks inbetween.

i see. the heavy snow showers from easterlies past have given more than a ft of snow in places so I'll be happy with that prospect

[Thundery wintry showers]

The setup as we head towards the end of December has an easterly with an area of precipitation stalling somewhere over England and Wales, most likely just to the south of us. Areas away from the east coast would probably get snow on its northern flank, but with sleet or rain near the east coast and on its southern flank. Just to the north of the band it would be dry & cloudy.

There's a lot of uncertainty at this stage but there is general model agreement for the low pressure to the south to move off to the east introducing a north-easterly. This would bring heavy wintry showers to this region, a boisterous wintry mix along the coast (due to 850s falling short of the -10 mark) and significant snowfalls further inland, these most likely transferring to the coast later on as winds slackened and/or swung around to the north. Think of the NE'ly outbreak of 17th/18th December, but toned up somewhat, if the current model outputs are near the mark.

Another factor being overlooked is the possibility of some sleet/snow showers affecting this region from a northerly as early as the 27th/28th.

So certainly a tantalising possibility for snow lovers in this area of the country but the north-easterly is out in FI and could change nearer the time to something less wintry.

Edited December 24, 2009 by Thundery wintry showers

[izi]

thanks.

on a side not, temp has dropped back from 1.5oC to 0.8oC in newcastle, and looks like some showers are packing in... this wasnt forecast was it?

[Thundery wintry showers]

Seemingly not, except by the GFS and... er, me. Not sure how far inland those showers are going to get, and there's always the risk of them turning to sleet or even rain near the coast if the wind picks up off the North Sea, but they have potential to provide topups of snow cover overnight to those areas that badly need one if they are to see a real white Christmas.

[izi]

Seemingly not, except by the GFS and... er, me. Not sure how far inland those showers are going to get, and there's always the risk of them turning to sleet or even rain near the coast if the wind picks up off the North Sea, but they have potential to provide topups of snow cover overnight to those areas that badly need one if they are to see a real white Christmas.

ive just spoken to my parents who live 20 miles west of newcastle, 170m ASL and they say that they are getting some heavy snow shows. whiteout conditions and fog... i'm going out soon for xmas so that should be fun.

[Alex95]

Still raining lightly, though it has tended to turn a bit sleety again just recently. Paths are treacherous with a thin layer of water on top of the ice. Interestingly, the GFS keeps most of the area (away from the coast) at 3°C on Saturday, and that was supposed to be the milder day! Then the uppers get colder again on Sunday, but the surface temperature doesn't really change. The uppers on Sunday would allow for wintry precipitation.

Edited December 24, 2009 by alza

[topsweep1506]

Been raining for the past 20 mins here in Cramlington, temps are +1c dewpoint -0.5c and the snow is steadily dissappering

TONY

[recklessabandon]

ive just spoken to my parents who live 20 miles west of newcastle, 170m ASL and they say that they are getting some heavy snow shows. whiteout conditions and fog... i'm going out soon for xmas so that should be fun.

Now snowing steadily again in Shotley Bridge (375ft) after a 2 hour slight thaw with drizzle. Temp dropped to 0.5C from 1.5C

[Alex95]

Heavy sleet started again, I'd say 60% large snowflakes, 40% drizzle. Starting to settle.

[Geordiesnow]

Well, apparently it snowed this morning and going by this thread it did but i overslept and missed it(obviously it was nothing much but would still be nice to see) and it would seem the band fizzled as it reached us which was no surprises to say the least.

Regarding next week's potential, i think for us, we want that band as far South as possible therefore we don't get left with the residual cloud cover and we will be in brighter skies with the risk of more showery activity.

Hopefully if we do get a cold shot next week, it will deliver more than this one did, this one was okay but snow showers were never that frequent and when they did get going, pressure was rising too quick thus showers were starting die away. At least air pressure should not be a problem next week.

[Alex95]

Well, apparently it snowed this morning and going by this thread it did but i overslept and missed it(obviously it was nothing much but would still be nice to see) and it would seem the band fizzled as it reached us which was no surprises to say the least.

Regarding next week's potential, i think for us, we want that band as far South as possible therefore we don't get left with the residual cloud cover and we will be in brighter skies with the risk of more showery activity.

Hopefully if we do get a cold shot next week, it will deliver more than this one did, this one was okay but snow showers were never that frequent and when they did get going, pressure was rising too quick thus showers were starting die away. At least air pressure should not be a problem next week.

I think this has been a great cold snap, the best spell in December since 2000, and the longest spell of lying snow without any real top ups since 1995! Admittedly there could have been more snow, but it looked really festive and the temperature has been low. There was a burst water main around the corner from me, unfortunately that meant a water cut this morning, and then a power cut as they cut the cable whilst trying to fix the water main.

I don't just judge cold snaps by the quantity of snow, last February saw more snow, but it always melted soon after it fell, and the December 2005 cold snap was good and had deeper snow, but it only lasted for a few days.

[dave79]

Hi, how are things looking for tonight in our region, will we be waking up to fresh snow or slush?

[Alex95]

Thankfully the remaining snow cover has completely frozen up. -1.1°C here with freezing fog, though you can see clear sky so the fog must be thin. I reckon it will look more wintry in the morning than it did today because of frost on the roofs.

The next puzzle is will the band of rain tomorrow night turn to snow for long, or will it stay as rain/sleet? I reckon if it is still sub-zero by lunchtime there will be a few hours of wet snow before a substantial thaw sets in properly.

[Snowstorm1]

Well it will be a white christmas with snow lying but how about it falling?

[Cloud 10]

There is a chance of some of those showers just to the north of us spreading down and affecting us in the early hours as the wind is forecast to turn northerly/north easterly.

A bit of a long shot as to wether they will reach us at all,let alone if they will fall as snow,but still a chance.

[ScottSnow]

I think this has been an excellent cold spell. We have had a full week of lying snow here and at least a couple of ice days. We received numerous snow showers off the initial easterly, a good snowfall off the frontal snow event on saturday night and although we didn't get much after that we did get a good few cms off the heavy snow earlier today (which I thought might be rain). The cold just seems to be lingering and another cold blast doesn't look to be far around the corner.

There will be a good covering of snow on the ground on Christmas day here in Gateshead, the first white christmas in many a year. :lol:

[peterf]

well iv'e got very light flutters of snow around the lamp post.shame i dont gamble lol.

[Rollo]

No fresh snow here but the ground is white with snow-just like a chrissy card-have a great chistmas and dream of next weeks snowstorms,currently -2c here

[multi cellular thunderstorm]

Merry Christmas!

We had a fresh dusting of snow in the early hours so an official white Christmas here.

Hoping for a top up tonight before a thaw over the weekend, then more next week hopefully.

[Geordiesnow]

Merry xmas too you Mark and too all the other folk from this region.

I'm not too sure what to make of the front, normally they don't tend to cross the Pennines and the beeb forecasts appear to show that but i'm hopeful it will and it will fall as snow and hopefully before midnight so i can class it as a true white christmas.

[Thundery wintry showers]

Merry Christmas all!

2cm of cover still left in Cleadon, covering 80-90% of the ground. The covering consists of slippery ice unfortunately, but it's still easily enough to make it count as a white Christmas, for the first time since 1995, and it's pretty picturesque out there.

I think some snow is definitely possible tonight but probably won't amount to much before it turns back to sleet/rain, except near the Pennines and high up.

[Snowstorm1]

Merry Christmas all What a wonderful day today has been will there be any snow tonight to make it magical? will the covering of snow last till to tommorrow or will it go tonight ?

Edited December 25, 2009 by Snowstorm1

[Thundery wintry showers]

Was anyone observing in the Tyne & Wear area between 6 and 7am? The radar shows that some snow showers worked their way south (strangely they seemed to develop just inland from the coast- hence reports of a topup in County Durham) and Cleadon may or may not have caught their eastern flank. If it did snow here, though, it must have just been a few flakes as the coating on previously-thawed surfaces this morning looked like frost rather than snow.

Looking at the postcode zoom it looks like it narrowly missed here.

Edited December 25, 2009 by Thundery wintry showers

[Cloud 10]

Was anyone observing in the Tyne & Wear area between 6 and 7am? The radar shows that some snow showers worked their way south (strangely they seemed to develop just inland from the coast- hence reports of a topup in County Durham) and Cleadon may or may not have caught their eastern flank. If it did snow here, though, it must have just been a few flakes as the coating on previously-thawed surfaces this morning looked like frost rather than snow.

Looking at the postcode zoom it looks like it narrowly missed here.

Pretty much a direct hit here which was very fortunate,and as you say it seemed to develop inland.

Still,christmas is the time for miracles!

Only left a dusting of snow which was most noticeable on cars,and is still there due to a very cold day.

Going to be some real fun and games next week the way the models are looking at the moment with a cold north-easterly setting up.