East Anglia & South East Cold Spell Discussion Part 19

[spayne]

errrr.......just checked BBC forecast for here and they are saying snow from 3am, then sleet till 9am?????? Is this right???

[rmc1987]

errrr.......just checked BBC forecast for here and they are saying snow from 3am, then sleet till 9am?????? Is this right???

Mmmm, I think it'll be rain....maybe a bit of sleet mixed in at times, if lucky. Although it may actually, at times, be snowy.

Edited December 29, 2009 by rmc1987

[spayne]

frost on cars and grass.......another coffee I think!!!

[kold weather]

I'm quite content about this spell, I never expected any snow from this set-up anyway so its not a big deal to me, besides will be good to get a potent front through again, not really had that for a while now...

FWIW looks like we are about to enter a very prolonged cold spell, I suspect though it won't be the snowiest spell though of course in these set-ups those things can pop up at fairly short notice, the general trend though is for high pressure to exert its way southwards.

[Sno' problem]

Well the BBC News 24 weather just said that anywhere above the M4 corridor could see sleet or snow, with the graphics showing white patches over Bucks and W Herts over the next day or so. Haven't seen any BBc forecasts for a while so is that an upgrade?

[frozencanals]

Morning All

Siting here in France I can see that the cold air does not push south across the channel until Saturday according the the French Meteo, indeed today we have a predicted high of 16 degrees near Bordeaux, then the cold air comes barrelling south on Sunday just as I am driving back up to London. So for the south coast regions I can't see the real cold hitting before Friday, somewhat remenicent of New Years days of the 70's and 80's (been snowed in at many a New Years party in the 80's).

Happy New Year everyone, I'm looking forward to a cold January...

Cheers

FC

[Archie_Lewis]

Morning Gang,

A positively barmy 5 degrees driving into work this morning.

No chance in hell of snow here today in West hertfordshire. About as much chance as me being given the day off work today.

Enjoy the cold rain.

[nwales]

2.5c and raining lightly on what's left of my snow cover

[runboy]

Morning Gang,

A positively barmy 5 degrees driving into work this morning.

No chance in hell of snow here today in West hertfordshire. About as much chance as me being given the day off work today.

Enjoy the cold rain.

Interesting - up here in the frozen north (Norwich), I was trying my very best at Torvill and Dean this morning - it was like an ice rink outside, the car was like an ice cube and traffic on the side roads were not able to make it up any hills (we do have hills in Norwich).

I wonder if this bodes well for any PPN to fall as snow earlier in the week?

[GoonerGregg]

I don't mean to be downbeat, but I think the SE will just be drenched in Rain, Rain, Rain this evening and overnight, it's predicted, and that's what it will be.

I am though expecting a suprise with maybe some heavy wet snow to the far W-NW of London as a;ready outlined and mentioned.

Over the coming days, I think it will be a case of Sleet & Rain, with PPN being restricted to costal regions of the SE, EA . Despite a cold E-NE wind, I don't think it will be enough until at least Friday when the SE will see something from this developing cold spell, and that will probably be hit and miss Sleet & Snow showers giving dusting coverings, but then melting back. I think next week will be interesting, as the south is expected to become less cold at times, and that will most likely herald the famous Cold/Mild battlezone, and cause frontal snow etc, etc.

Not great for us I'm afraid.

[Archie_Lewis]

I don't mean to be downbeat, but I think the SE will just be drenched in Rain, Rain, Rain this evening and overnight, it's predicted, and that's what it will be.

I am though expecting a suprise with maybe some heavy wet snow to the far W-NW of London as a;ready outlined and mentioned.

Over the coming days, I think it will be a case of Sleet & Rain, with PPN being restricted to costal regions of the SE, EA . Despite a cold E-NE wind, I don't think it will be enough until at least Friday when the SE will see something from this developing cold spell, and that will probably be hit and miss Sleet & Snow showers giving dusting coverings, but then melting back. I think next week will be interesting, as the south is expected to become less cold at times, and that will most likely herald the famous Cold/Mild battlezone, and cause frontal snow etc, etc.

Not great for us I'm afraid.

I agree to a point.

I think the SE will see snow Thursday/ Friday as this low pulls away.

As for snow to the NW of London like I am. No Chance today. Its just to warm. 5c this morning while driving to work

[GoonerGregg]

5c this morning, but come this evening and overnight, your temps will drop back a wee bit and it could produce in the heavier rain, wet snow for a time. Straw clutching I know. I bet you'll be lamp post watching tonight!

[Roadrunner]

Am trying to remain upbeat here. As Kold says, we was never really expecting anything big in terms of snowfall from the initial event. Our best chance for snow in this region would seem to be on Friday/Saturday i think.

Try to stay positive as has been stated before, we first must get the cold before the snow can arrive. Good things come to those who wait!

Must admit though i would love to be standing in a blizzard seeing the new year in! Does anyone care to wager if this is a possibility?

[Guest North Sea Snow Convection]

I don't know why so many of you are wringing your hands about lack of snow through the middle part of this week. Apart from a little sleet or wet snow at first in the northern most regions (mostly on higher ground) there has never been any prediction of snow for the area - especially south of London till late this week. The best chance comes on Friday when snow showers are quite likely for many. From there lets wait and see, it is too far off atm but try and actually look at what has been forecast and not have expectations beyond that.

[nick sussex]

I don't know why so many of you are wringing your hands about lack of snow through the middle part of this week. Apart from a little sleet or wet snow at first in the northern most regions (mostly on higher ground) there has never been any prediction of snow for the area - especially south of London till late this week. The best chance comes on Friday when snow showers are quite likely for many. From there lets wait and see, it is too far off atm but try and actually look at what has been forecast and not have expectations beyond that.

Agree Tamara

No model ever forecast any proper snow until much later in the week, i think people are just getting impatient but the colder air will dig se later on, theres a good chance that the rain will turn to snow as the colder undercut continues, at the moment much of the precip falling on the colder side of the low is still rain as theres not the surface cold just yet to sustain snow at lower levels. We should see more reports of snow to the north as the precip begins to head se later in the week.

[Archie_Lewis]

I don't know why so many of you are wringing your hands about lack of snow through the middle part of this week. Apart from a little sleet or wet snow at first in the northern most regions (mostly on higher ground) there has never been any prediction of snow for the area - especially south of London till late this week. The best chance comes on Friday when snow showers are quite likely for many. From there lets wait and see, it is too far off atm but try and actually look at what has been forecast and not have expectations beyond that.

Good morning,

I agree.

I was just shocked to see a temp if 5.5c this morning on the drive to work, it actually felt mild as well.

Having heard on my local radio that wet snow could fall to the NW of London and the home counties today seems ridiculous. Unless its due to turn colder today which I wasnt aware of, I thought it would turn milder if anything.

As for snow falling in my area the middle part of this week, there has been prediction of snowfall from various sources, including net weather members.

As you say I think Friday will be a good day to see our first snowflake.

[londonsnow]

I don't know why so many of you are wringing your hands about lack of snow through the middle part of this week. Apart from a little sleet or wet snow at first in the northern most regions (mostly on higher ground) there has never been any prediction of snow for the area - especially south of London till late this week. The best chance comes on Friday when snow showers are quite likely for many. From there lets wait and see, it is too far off atm but try and actually look at what has been forecast and not have expectations beyond that.

very wise words

[Ben_Cambs]

Excellent 06z GFS run IMO. This weekend is going to be very interesting.

[chionomaniac]

I don't know why so many of you are wringing your hands about lack of snow through the middle part of this week. Apart from a little sleet or wet snow at first in the northern most regions (mostly on higher ground) there has never been any prediction of snow for the area - especially south of London till late this week. The best chance comes on Friday when snow showers are quite likely for many. From there lets wait and see, it is too far off atm but try and actually look at what has been forecast and not have expectations beyond that.

When you consider some of the Decembers and January's that we have had to endure over the last 15 years we all should be rubbing our hands in glee at this kind of synoptic set up. Even though I may not get much snow, even at the end of the week, it is so great to see a classic battleground scenario set up across the heart of England and Wales that is slowly getting nudged south. When we have had to endure years of mild southwesterlies and a strong PV over Greenland you certainly won't find me moaning about not having the right amount of snow in my back garden. And as long as this pattern persists neither should anyone else because whilst the cold air is above us it is very difficult to predict where it is going to snow sometimes hours nevermind days in advance. I will be patient and enjoy the synoptics!

[SnowJoke]

Hoping to see something a little wintry today. Currently temp is 2'c DP 0.8'c. I'd expect those to get lower with any heavy rainfall and evaporative cooling. A day of window watching followed by lamppost watch this evening.

[nwales]

Temp is 2.7c here, down from 2.9c earlier and the moderate rain has become a bit sleety

[Guest North Sea Snow Convection]

When you consider some of the Decembers and January's that we have had to endure over the last 15 years we all should be rubbing our hands in glee at this kind of synoptic set up. Even though I may not get much snow, even at the end of the week, it is so great to see a classic battleground scenario set up across the heart of England and Wales that is slowly getting nudged south. When we have had to endure years of mild southwesterlies and a strong PV over Greenland you certainly won't find me moaning about not having the right amount of snow in my back garden. And as long as this pattern persists neither should anyone else because whilst the cold air is above us it is very difficult to predict where it is going to snow sometimes hours nevermind days in advance. I will be patient and enjoy the synoptics!

That is the right perspective. I will admit to getting a little impatient regarding the end of the week, which may not deliver what it appeared to promise - but compared to the tripe often served up to us from the south west this is a godsend indeed!

Edited December 29, 2009 by North Sea Snow Convection

[dallas]

This from Ian Fergusson on the S/W forum,

Thursday remains subject to considerable uncertainty - primarily, how quickly the frontal zone decays as it sinks southwards, having (we expect) lost the principal upper forcing off westwards. The likely result - on present balance - is a spell of fairly widespread but generally light and increasingly fragmented snowfall into southern-central England, with the focus ever towards the SE, but crucially some EPS members (a not insignificant minority) want to spin things up somewhat down in the SE and increase the heavy snow risk. But present consensus is for ligher snow, a very cold evening (New Year's Eve) and widespread ice risk

[fine wine]

I am quite surprised to see temp has rapidly dropped from 4.7c to just 2.1c since the rain started 20 mins ago. Its not heavy but then its also pure rain, not even sleety. Can't say I was expecting anything and thats why the temperature has surprised me. I am currently under the -1c isotherm so it will be interesting to see what happens.

Edited December 29, 2009 by fine wine

[chilly milly]

Ooh time to pop in here again, with the prospects for Friday. Definitely not expecting anything before then.

Temps here today currently 3.8c

Dewpoint 2.7c

I would put the chance of snow at 10% for today.