Your Ideal Late Jan-March Weather

[Ben_Cambs]

15-20C... man that should not be allowed. Anyone for a traditional snowy Easter this year?

Yes! 2008, but that was a very early Easter. Like Tim Mellors mentioned I would prefer a European continental climate, cold with plenty of snow in the winter and hot in the Summer

[damianslaw]

I'd like a repeat of winter 95/96 to happen. Late Jan delivered plenty of widespread snowfall and cold easterlies for much of the country, then we had a major dumping of snow in the west in early feb 96. The rest of Feb remained largely cold witha cold NE blast later in the month. March saw further cold weather and biting easterlies.

As you can see I'd like the cold weather to generally prevail.

One thing I would definately love is a long spell of north/north westerlies with trough features and a polar low at some stage - would deliver wonderful conditions for the NW.

The rain and winds can stay away for my liking.

[Cookie]

lots of winter storms coming in off the Atlantic bringing mild weather.

that would suit me perfectly

[Thundery wintry showers]

15-20C... man that should not be allowed. Anyone for a traditional snowy Easter this year?

You may have missed the bit about 6-9C and wintry showers during the Arctic outbreaks- there's nothing in my post excluding the possibility of one of those outbreaks coinciding with Easter!

[Stargazer]

I'm probably in a small minority here, but I thought last winter's offering here was pretty good. A couple of good dumpings of snow in January and February preceded by some cold frosty spells, and then the blowtorch was turned on in mid February just as we were getting thoroughly sick of the cold.

Ideal winter - a couple of decent cold spells with some snow, but not more than a few days at a time. And it shouldn't outlast its welcome - some of us still have to commute whatever the weather. I'll get my (thick winter) coat...

Edited January 10, 2010 by Stargazer

[snowbunting]

Im expecting twins in early march so some nice settled non icy weather would be nice....

[Thundery wintry showers]

I'm probably in a small minority here, but I thought last winter's offering here was pretty good. A couple of good dumpings of snow in January and February preceded by some cold frosty spells, and then the blowtorch was turned on in mid February just as we were getting thoroughly sick of the cold.

Or rather, some of us were getting thoroughly sick of the cold. I can't say I was overjoyed when I saw the fortnight of dull dry mild weather that was forthcoming when the blowtorch set in.

However, I do agree that it would be nicer if we had relatively short lived spells of cold snowy weather with much milder weather fore and aft. The problem with Britain's climate is that a large majority of our short lived cold spells tend to be very marginal with most places failing to see any significant snow on the ground, and to get something that isn't marginal and affects most of the country, we typically need something quite prolonged.

I would be much more inclined to welcome a pattern change to milder weather and a thaw following a few days of snow if I could feel confident that we'd probably have another brief snowy episode or two later in the season, instead of the reality that we could end up with no more significant lying snow for another few years.

[Stargazer]

OK - agreed that the second half of February 2009 could have been brighter (although I think we didn't do too badly down here and ended up with near average sunshine overall).

So how about December 2008 (cold and frosty, particularly late in the month) - January 2010 [so far] or 1982 (snowy) - February 2008 (mild and sunny)? We could have a deal here... :lol:

[Lettucing Gutted]

January-March for me should be cold, sunny and snowy remaining cool, sunny and showery for the rest of the whole year.

Edited January 13, 2010 by Craig Evans

[Stargazer]

Does this mean your CET predictions are using some kind of reverse psychology, Craig?

[MP-R]

Having had 95% persisten cold since Dec 11th, a change to cool zonality would be welcome with active weather fronts, some gales and the classic winter sunshine and showers days of hail and strong winds. Then a switch to dry and increasingly cold easterly winds before a good snowy spell for a more lengthy period than last year. A dry and settled period for the second half of February keeping snow cover with frosty nights and some milder days. Renewed cold with easterly snow showers to start March then a few snowy attacks from the Atlantic before a spell of roaring Atlantic from the 10th-20th March. A drier and warmer final third of the month with frost at night and warm sun during the day with perhaps some misty mornings. That would be fabulous!

[Cheese Rice]

Ideal weather would be.

Rest of Jan- Easterly, with big snow showers

Feb- Same

March-Same

April+ Warm and sunny

[damianslaw]

I always think of late jan through to mid feb as deep mid winter when we get our coldest sustained weather, so I would like this period to be cold with some snowfall but also a deep seated easterly allowing for sunny days and severe frosts, plenty of ice days please.

A potent northerly for late feb and early March when the arctic is at its coldest with a possible polar low thrown in for good measure coming down the west of the country would be great to see. The extra heat from the sun only aids convection and development of beefy snow showers.

From mid March I begin to want to feel the first mild spell of the year with sunshine and dry weather.

[LomondSnowstorm]

Ideal weather would be.

Rest of Jan- Easterly, with big snow showers

Feb- Same

March-Same

April+ Warm and sunny

I think I could just about live with that, but perhaps some kind of front stalling over us in late February bringing 72 hour blizzards and 3 feet of snow right across the uk before the cold wins out again. Or did i just take that too far?

[Bottesford]

Well having had the recent cold spell I'm up for some normal British winter weather - mild SWlys and rain. At least for a couple of weeks as I'm sick of the lethal ice & cold conditions that invade everything.

Into Feb a return to cold conditions would be good - so long as it's of the sunny cold not low cloud cold (like this week). So northerlies are reliable for this - or very cold easterlies (i.e. first week of Jan type).

Then I'd like the first hint of spring as the sun gains strength - those magical odd days Feb sometimes provides with temps into the mid teens.

Into March a mixture of cold northerlies (sunny) along with high pressure giving pleasant warm days and freezing nights.

We need rain at some point and I'd much rather see Atlantic storms during Jan-March/April than April/May-August when it can be high pressure & dry/hot non stop for me.

[Milhouse]

A repeat of February 2008 would be great but with some snow at the beginning of the month. March again should be calm and sunny with cold frosty nights leading to pleasantly warm days. I'd also like a week or two of brisk westerlies bringing some beefy showers towards the end of the month and into April.

[jethro]

The title of this thread fills me with gloom, reminds me that we still have a couple of months left of winter. I get as excited as the next person when snow is in the offing but we've had some now, can't we get on with Spring instead?

At least another two months of cold, damp yuk to get through Oh how I long for late April/early May, the Sun shining, plants bursting into life, light evenings, the promise of long, hot summer days to come.

Winter? Move along now please.

[Thundery wintry showers]

I must say I'd be all up for a spell of polar maritime "Atlantic" weather- even the relatively mild "returning polar maritime from the SW" type that we had a lot of in January 1994 and January 1999 for example. However I don't think I could ever bring myself to welcome a spell of mild damp drizzly tropical maritime air, especially after not having seen the sun for over a week.

These dark nights are certainly a pain. The trouble with wanting spring at this time of year is that no matter how mild it gets, it doesn't make the days any longer (it's astonishing how many of the posts at around the time of the switch flick from winter mode to summer mode imply that warm settled weather means longer days!), and most sources of very mild weather tend to be dull and damp. A notable exception is the anticyclonic/southerly type that can bring warm sunny springlike weather to large areas of the country (essentially the winter equiuvalent to July 2006's setup), but then you get the likes of Mushymanrob moaning because the clear skies lead to chilly nights, as I vividly recall happening around mid February 2008.

I have to say, I would find a number of the scenarios people have given above pretty tantalising. It would still be nice in my view to have a lesser range of daylight hours- 10 in winter to 14-15 in summer, say.

[stormforce 10]

continuos blizzards.

[sundog]

My ideal weather late Jan to march would be plenty of northerlies and easterlies. Northerlies for my location in winter usually means mostly sunny,dry and frosty weather which i love. Easterlies for my location in winter usually my best chance of seeing snow. I do like NW winds aswell with their PM air,but any wintry showers in that kind of flow usually die out before they reach me so it remains generally sunny and fairly cold which i dont mind. I suppose basically any weather at this time of yr that does not involve mild weather. Mild weather at this time of yr is nothing but a bore unless you get a good storm. As much as i love winter if we get mild weather this time of yr the way i see it it may aswell be summer because mild and winter=waste of time.

[Terminal Moraine]

I've only just seen this thread. I probably don't need to go into too much detail, as anyone who has been on here for a while will know.

Let's summarise by saying 1947 amounts of snow throughout Feb' and March, an April like early April 1917 followed by a desperately slow thaw into late June.

July and August the temp' climbs to around 10c with frequent rain and gales before mid- September sees the first snows of next winter arriving.

It would make my job as a gardener a bit challenging and do my finances no good at all but I'd freeze to death a happy soul.

[Cheese Rice]

I think I could just about live with that, but perhaps some kind of front stalling over us in late February bringing 72 hour blizzards and 3 feet of snow right across the uk before the cold wins out again. Or did i just take that too far?

Would love that to happen, about time we had a one in a hundred years snowfall event.

I've only just seen this thread. I probably don't need to go into too much detail, as anyone who has been on here for a while will know.

Let's summarise by saying 1947 amounts of snow throughout Feb' and March, an April like early April 1917 followed by a desperately slow thaw into late June.

July and August the temp' climbs to around 10c with frequent rain and gales before mid- September sees the first snows of next winter arriving.

It would make my job as a gardener a bit challenging and do my finances no good at all but I'd freeze to death a happy soul.

I wouldnt mind that, to some extent, at least 2 months of nice warm (20.c) weather with plenty of sunshine.

[MP-R]

One spring progression that I did like was that of 2008. A very stormy March followed by some last-attempt winter outbreaks with snow then a cold-convective start to April and warmer from the second half with plenty of characteristic April showers. May was then super with some early summer and fantastic thunderstorms e.g. 5th, 9th, 23rd and 29th. :lol:

[Lettucing Gutted]

Does this mean your CET predictions are using some kind of reverse psychology, Craig?

Of course. I'd rather be pleasantly surprised if we had a cold year despite me predicting a very mild year than being very disappointed if we had a mild year despite me predicting a cold 'un.

[Thunder Snow]

I would like a few atlantic storm, with another attack from the beast for the end of the Month. And then a battle between mild and cold with loads of heavy snow through febuary, with the cold always winning lmao :o. Into March some early snowfall and then a nice warm up to spring please.