Staggering Duration Of This Cold Spell.

[Osbourne One-Nil]

Only just noticed, but this is easily the longest spell of consecutive frosts we've had, and the coldest fortnight I've recorded.

Tonight is our 15th consecutive night of air frost....a record.

Even before tonight's out, the first week of December has returned an average temperature of just -4.6C....a record.

Today has been the 6th ice day this month (there was one at the end of November)....a record, and it's only December 7th!. In fact, this month, so far, alone beats not only many years in terms of ice days, but some years combined.

Truly staggering statistics.

[Bottesford]

Coldest temp I've ever recorded since I got my station (yes only 4-5 years but still!).

I can't remember anything like it, especially this early in winter.

[Thunder Snow]

Ive enjoyed this cold spell, and have had quite alot of snow from this, as for coldness i think last year seemed colder. However im not saying its not cold lol.

Roll on the next cold spell.

[spindrift1980]

The average daily low here for the first 7 days of December is in the region of -10C - incredible! (sorry for laziness in failing to work out exact figure through mental arithmetic). Currently on -13C and assured of 12th consecutive morning of snow cover.

Mean temp for first week of December is currently sitting at -5C!

Edited December 7, 2010 by spindrift1980

[andy_leics22]

Indeed it has been an exceptional cold spell, here in Leicester we haven't had much snow but we have had exceptional cold. -9.6 recorded on the 28th December and -9.4 last night. For low ground in the Midlands that is severe cold. It's not unusual for us to record maybe a -5 a few times in a Winter but to record lower than -9 twice in the space of 10 days is incredible.

[Mesoscale]

havent really had any really low nights mainly around the 0 to -3C mark and not much snow about 3Cm over the course of the cold spell so i can say ive not enjoyed it as much as some!

[4wd]

It would seem less exceptional if it occurred late January/early February.

To have started in November has no modern parallell.

Last winter we only scraped the first air frost of season on the 30th of November!

The cold+snow didn't set in until the 18th December.

[scott_anthony_glasgow]

Astonishinly low temperatures progged for tonight up here in central belt possibly minus 20 and it is only the start of December staggering.Cheers

Scott

[Thunder Snow]

I think it has been a remarkable event for all areas of the UK, if not for snow then for cold

[johnholmes]

I think for many areas of the country, all 4, it is a very unusual spell. As has been suggested for depth and length of the cold, snow for many as well, and yes, its only 7 December. I cannot recall in my 71 years experiencing anything like this so early.

In Doncaster we have already had the lowest ever (1943-now) November minimum, the 2nd lowest December minimum, the largest recorded snowfall in any month in that period. 13 consecutive air frosts, 12 with snow covering the entire ground, varying from 1-34cm, its currently 13cm deep a week after the last main snowfall. Two consecutive ice days.

Yes truly astonishing for this area at any time of the winter period.

[Arctic Hare]

My min on 3-4 Dec was dead on zero, which is a right pain as (I think) that doesn't quite count. Apart from that, the last time I didn't have one here was the night of 22-23 Nov. So 14/15 consecutive air frosts, counting tonight, but 15 consecutive zeros or below!

I also can't recall a recent spell containing, as this one has done, four ice days (and a 0.0 °C max) - at any time of the winter.

Snow cover hasn't been so startling. Seven consecutive mornings with snow lying by the Met Office definition; ten in terms of any sort of cover.

My 14-day mean is now -1.41 °C. That's quite exceptional for this location at any time of the year - I didn't get close to that in January - and absolutely amazing for a spell that started in November.

Edited December 7, 2010 by Arctic Hare

[John Cox]

I think another measure of this cold spell for you guys in the UK is how cold a spell we have had here in the Rep. of Ireland (John H has already eluded to this a few days ago)

You over there can get lots of very cold weather but we dont as a rule. Perhaps some NAD slowing down

This spell that began on Friday week last has been exceptional here on the East coast. 11 days of lying snow, regular snow falls, ice days, and packed ice. This was on par with Jan 2010 but had more extremes.

My joke to my wife is : Its January and at least the winter is almost over.

[phil nw.]

The average daily low here for the first 7 days of December is in the region of -10C - incredible! (sorry for laziness in failing to work out exact figure through mental arithmetic). Currently on -13C and assured of 12th consecutive morning of snow cover.

Mean temp for first week of December is currently sitting at -5C!

Yes i just looked on here

http://www.xcweather.co.uk/

to see the very low temps.currently in Glasgow,Edinburgh and Belfast airports--guess the deep snowcover and calm conditions are very helpfull this evening.

We are cetainly having a remarkable spell of prolonged cold.

I have recorded mins as low as -9 and -10c these last few nights with virtually all my snowcover gone.

[Essan]

Only just noticed, but this is easily the longest spell of consecutive frosts we've had, and the coldest fortnight I've recorded.

Tonight is our 15th consecutive night of air frost....a record.

Same here

And coldest Nov night on record, coldest Dec night on record and coldest day on record. And winter has only just begun! :o

[Optimus Prime]

Lets hope this winter doesn't follow 1981/1982 in having a poor ending.

[damianslaw]

Only just noticed, but this is easily the longest spell of consecutive frosts we've had, and the coldest fortnight I've recorded.

Tonight is our 15th consecutive night of air frost....a record.

Even before tonight's out, the first week of December has returned an average temperature of just -4.6C....a record.

Today has been the 6th ice day this month (there was one at the end of November)....a record, and it's only December 7th!. In fact, this month, so far, alone beats not only many years in terms of ice days, but some years combined.

Truly staggering statistics.

Yes it has been an exceptional spell of cold weather for many for so early in the season - very unusual, given late Nov/early dec is renowned for being wet, windy and mild.

I am surprised you say 6 ice days in december is a record. Do you mean 6 ice days in the first week, which sounds right, however, late december 1995 saw a run of 7-8 ice days from the 24th-31st. That was a truly cold spell, but ended very quickly, is a repeat on that spell on the cards for later this month I wonder...late Dec 1995 has been my benchmark in terms of what is a potent cold spell, would be great to see a repeat around the christmas period again but preferably with more snow, we saw -18 degrees on the 28th Dec 95 not bettered since.

Last January we saw 7 consecutive ice days as well between 3-9th.

Nightime minima has been very low, with temps below -10 degrees on Sunday night, and probably tonight, wouldn't normally expect such lows until later in the month at the earliest.

[Osbourne One-Nil]

I should have said, when I say a record, I mean in terms of my records, which only date back to 1997.

-13.6C right now, which means the average minimum for this month so far is -9.9C!

[noggin]

Some reporters on the television are still referring to it as a cold snap. When does a snap become a spell and what should it be referred to after it's been through the snap and spell stages?

I'm lovin' it!

[IanfromNewark]

Coldest temp I've ever recorded since I got my station (yes only 4-5 years but still!).

I can't remember anything like it, especially this early in winter.

Do you live in Bottesford (see you have Nottingham in profile, I live in Newark.

I won't respond to all your data at moment. Monday night minimum was -12.0C. I have recorded in Newark since 1949, That was second coldest December night on Record

Lowest was in 1981 at -12.6C

Average minimum for last two weeks about -5C

1981data.html

[TonyH]

Just worked out the figures for this severe spell to date (November 25th- December 8th= 14 days)

Mean max: +1.0c

Mean min: -8.2c

Mean temp: -3.6c

Highest max: 4.1c

Lowest max: -2.2c

Highest min: -1.9c

Lowest min: -13.7c

A little colder than the 1st- 14th January 2010:

Mean max: +0.6c

Mean min: -6.4c

Mean temp: -2.9

Snow lying over more than half the ground for 13 days, started off as 5cm , now 2-3cm of ice.

[Weather-history]

Manchester maxima and minima rounded to nearest whole number

November

24th: 4C, -4C

25th: 3C, -2C

26th: 2C, -6C

27th: 2C, -6C

28th: 0C, -8C

29th: 2C, -7C

30th: 1C, -4C

December

1st: -1C, -3C

2nd: 0C, -1C

3rd: -1C, -12C

4th: 3C, -2C

5th: 1C, -4C

6th: -3C, -4C

7th: 2C, -8C

8th: 1C, -6C

[englandman]

Dont get me wrong I have loved this cold spell but it will be nice to see my road again amazingly I cannot remember when last seen concreat on the road. There will of course be the after effects lots of pot holes likee last winter.

[Snowyowl9]

Seems like for november that is it the most severe snowiest spell since 1965 that on average for the whole country.

1965 looked very severe to say the least with 2 lots of blizzards.

Yes after seeing a record cold spell in october 2 years ago,now november has broken records for cold as I`ve seen aswell.

What next????

Early december has broken some records too.

15 consecutive air frosts here had 16 last winter so may just pass that with 2 more.

10 ice days so far out of 12 days OH MY!!!

[I remember Atlantic 252]

been amazing, cold arrived here on 24th Nov, my average minimum -5.2C, avg max 0.08C

high max = 2.7C on 5th Dec

lowest max = -3.5C 0n 28th Nov

lowest minimum = -11.0C on 7th Dec

highest min = -1.5C on 4th Dec

snowcover since 27th Nov, 8 ice days, amazing rime, great snow, slippy paths, seem weird on friday morning when I will be walking on snow/ice free paths!

[Norrance]

Five ice days out of the last seven and a maximum temperature of -0.1C in the last full week makes this exceptional here. Still around 28cms snow in the garden on average and the road is a mess of ice and snow despite being dug out by the householders at the weekend.