Jump to content
Snow?
Local
Radar
Cold?
IGNORED

The Twenty Years Without A Winter


Summer of 95

Recommended Posts

Posted
  • Location: Shrewsbury
  • Location: Shrewsbury

Published 27th November 2049

As Britain experiences its first widespread snowfalls of the 2049-50 winter and prepares for -10C temperatures, us older folk always feel compelled to laugh at what these 20-something weathergirls call a "mild winter". I heard the phrase all too often last year, describing temperatures of 4C as "mild" and saying how "unusual" it was for nowhere in England to experience snow for two whole weeks last January (despite the fact that December had snow cover on 20 days, and January on 10).

These youngsters really have no idea what a true "mild winter" is. They never lived through the Twenty Years Without a Winter which began in December 1988 and lasted for, surprisingly enough, twenty years. If 4C for two weeks is "mild", what on earth would they make of a January when the temperature reached 10C on more than half the days, as happened several times, or a temperature of 19C in February as happened in 1998, surely the nadir of the Twenty Winterless Years.

An average winter these days seems to mean snow lying here in the Midlands for between twenty and forty days, and Central England temperatures in January between -1 and 2C. 10 days and 3C in the 1990s and 2000s was considered a cold winter, and CETs as high as 7C in January and February were experienced. By the turn of the millennium many of us in the southern half of Britain had all but forgotten what lying snow looked like, it being seen only on Christmas cards in several years. Four years ago I travelled to Lisbon during the month of January, and felt strangely at home despite not having been to the city before. I soon realised that this was because the weather- 11C with an incessant westerly wind and showers, was what January used to provide in England when I was in my teens and twenties.

Remember how "global warming" was supposed to be the greatest danger mankind had ever faced? How rising sea levels would drown London by 2100? How successive governments declared war on the car in the name of "climate change" (while strangely letting planes pollute as they pleased)? No, it was just an atmospheric blip like the "Year without a Summer" of 1816, only longer. Now at 70 I must go out and skate on that canal, as I could never do it when I was 17.

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Hessen, GERMANY
  • Location: Hessen, GERMANY

Published 27th November 2049

As Britain experiences its first widespread snowfalls of the 2049-50 winter and prepares for -10C temperatures, us older folk always feel compelled to laugh at what these 20-something weathergirls call a "mild winter". I heard the phrase all too often last year, describing temperatures of 4C as "mild" and saying how "unusual" it was for nowhere in England to experience snow for two whole weeks last January (despite the fact that December had snow cover on 20 days, and January on 10).

These youngsters really have no idea what a true "mild winter" is. They never lived through the Twenty Years Without a Winter which began in December 1988 and lasted for, surprisingly enough, twenty years. If 4C for two weeks is "mild", what on earth would they make of a January when the temperature reached 10C on more than half the days, as happened several times, or a temperature of 19C in February as happened in 1998, surely the nadir of the Twenty Winterless Years.

An average winter these days seems to mean snow lying here in the Midlands for between twenty and forty days, and Central England temperatures in January between -1 and 2C. 10 days and 3C in the 1990s and 2000s was considered a cold winter, and CETs as high as 7C in January and February were experienced. By the turn of the millennium many of us in the southern half of Britain had all but forgotten what lying snow looked like, it being seen only on Christmas cards in several years. Four years ago I travelled to Lisbon during the month of January, and felt strangely at home despite not having been to the city before. I soon realised that this was because the weather- 11C with an incessant westerly wind and showers, was what January used to provide in England when I was in my teens and twenties.

Remember how "global warming" was supposed to be the greatest danger mankind had ever faced? How rising sea levels would drown London by 2100? How successive governments declared war on the car in the name of "climate change" (while strangely letting planes pollute as they pleased)? No, it was just an atmospheric blip like the "Year without a Summer" of 1816, only longer. Now at 70 I must go out and skate on that canal, as I could never do it when I was 17.

:whistling: Careful, you'll jinx it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Cheddington, Buckinghamshire
  • Weather Preferences: Winter: Cold & Snowy, Summer: Just not hot
  • Location: Cheddington, Buckinghamshire

In the 1988-2008 period what was the highest CET value recorded for any of the winter months. Also, which winter was the mildest?

Feb 1990 & 1998 recorded 7.3c :bad:

And I might be wrong, but the absolute horror winter of 2006/07 was the mildest I think, with 6.5c, 7.0c and 5.8c for the 3 winter months :bad::bad:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Eden Valley, Cumbria
  • Location: Eden Valley, Cumbria

Feb 1990 & 1998 recorded 7.3c :bad:

And I might be wrong, but the absolute horror winter of 2006/07 was the mildest I think, with 6.5c, 7.0c and 5.8c for the 3 winter months :bad::bad:

7.3, blimey. I was thinking 2006/07 had to be up there. I can remember, on one of the many (many many many) breezy, grey, damp mornings that winter on the way to work thinking to myself how rare frost had become. Probably the most notable feature for me of the last 2 winters and the start of this one is how common frost is. Since the middle of November I'd say you could count the number of frostless mornings on one hand round here. By this time in December 2006 I'd have needed to be wearing sandles. And as for snowcover lasting longer than a week, well, I'd have had to eaten a lot of cheese before bed time to dream up that kind of carry on.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest mycroft

Published 27th November 2049

As Britain experiences its first widespread snowfalls of the 2049-50 winter and prepares for -10C temperatures, us older folk always feel compelled to laugh at what these 20-something weathergirls call a "mild winter". I heard the phrase all too often last year, describing temperatures of 4C as "mild" and saying how "unusual" it was for nowhere in England to experience snow for two whole weeks last January (despite the fact that December had snow cover on 20 days, and January on 10).

These youngsters really have no idea what a true "mild winter" is. They never lived through the Twenty Years Without a Winter which began in December 1988 and lasted for, surprisingly enough, twenty years. If 4C for two weeks is "mild", what on earth would they make of a January when the temperature reached 10C on more than half the days, as happened several times, or a temperature of 19C in February as happened in 1998, surely the nadir of the Twenty Winterless Years.

An average winter these days seems to mean snow lying here in the Midlands for between twenty and forty days, and Central England temperatures in January between -1 and 2C. 10 days and 3C in the 1990s and 2000s was considered a cold winter, and CETs as high as 7C in January and February were experienced. By the turn of the millennium many of us in the southern half of Britain had all but forgotten what lying snow looked like, it being seen only on Christmas cards in several years. Four years ago I travelled to Lisbon during the month of January, and felt strangely at home despite not having been to the city before. I soon realised that this was because the weather- 11C with an incessant westerly wind and showers, was what January used to provide in England when I was in my teens and twenties.

Remember how "global warming" was supposed to be the greatest danger mankind had ever faced? How rising sea levels would drown London by 2100? How successive governments declared war on the car in the name of "climate change" (while strangely letting planes pollute as they pleased)? No, it was just an atmospheric blip like the "Year without a Summer" of 1816, only longer. Now at 70 I must go out and skate on that canal, as I could never do it when I was 17.

be careful for what you wish for!! -ve PDO and AMO due to go -ve :hi:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Shrewsbury
  • Location: Shrewsbury

The mildest of them was indeed 2006/7, though oddly it wasn't by any means the least snowy, thanks to the snow in the second week of Feb. 1991/2 was definitely the worst for snow, though it was frostier than many of them.

Overall the worst ones in this region were probably 1998/99 and 1999/2000; which were mild, wet and practically snowless; AND didn't have any lengthy spells of frosty nights either. 1992/3 and 2007/8 were devoid of lying snow here too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Motherwell, Lanarkshire
  • Location: Motherwell, Lanarkshire

2006/7 was easily the least snowy winter across the Scottish Highlands in living memory, and by general consensus the worst Scottish ski season ever. 2007/08 offered an embarassment of riches in comparison!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Bratislava, Slovakia
  • Location: Bratislava, Slovakia

Being born in 1985, I'm of that select generation whose earliest memories coincide with the start of the mild era, so I've had to wait longer than anyone to see winter cold become the norm again. That's not to say I don't have any other memories to look back on (I can remember many snow events, but it's hard dating some of them), but by the time the sucker punch winter of 2007/08 came round, hot on the heels of 2006/07, I really did wonder if I would ever see cold like this again.

6th April 2008 was the turning point for me - a late surprise fall of snow following a snowless winter. The winter of 2008/09 was then a relief from the mild madness which had become endemic in our winters, but I wondered if that was as good as it could get (it was supposed to be a fabled Hale winter, wasn't it?). Thankfully, 2009/10 put those fears to bed and now 2010/11 has got off to a flying start - whatever December's CET turns out as, it's looking very likely that a month-long period from late-November to late-December will average below 0C, and that really is exceptional.

Here's to the next 1683/84. :ph34r:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Eden Valley, Cumbria
  • Location: Eden Valley, Cumbria

Being born in 1985, I'm of that select generation whose earliest memories coincide with the start of the mild era, so I've had to wait longer than anyone to see winter cold become the norm again. That's not to say I don't have any other memories to look back on (I can remember many snow events, but it's hard dating some of them), but by the time the sucker punch winter of 2007/08 came round, hot on the heels of 2006/07, I really did wonder if I would ever see cold like this again.

I forgot about 07/08, i jumped straight from April 2007 to October 2008! I was born in 1984 so I've had to wait even longer than you and like you through those 2 mild horror shows, 06/07 & 07/08, I began to think I would be waiting forever! What a relief, all I need now is for Liverpool to win the League and I'll be complete!

Edited by trickydicky
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted
  • Location: solihull...west mids
  • Location: solihull...west mids

I forgot about 07/08, i jumped straight from April 2007 to October 2008! I was born in 1984 so I've had to wait even longer than you and like you through those 2 mild horror shows, 06/07 & 07/08, I began to think I would be waiting forever! What a relief, all I need now is for Liverpool to win the League and I'll be complete!

true optimism at its best :yahoo:
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Windermere 120m asl
  • Location: Windermere 120m asl

Snowless mild winters in the past 25 years often came in twos and threes - 87/88, 88/89 and 89/90, 91/92 and 92/93, 97/98 and 98/99 and 99/00, 06/07 and 07/08.

Cold snowy winters have come in twos and threes, 84/85, 85/86 and 86/87, 95/96 and 96/97, 08/09 and 09/10 and 10/11...

We have had runs in twos and threes of indifferent winters as well 93/94 and 94/95 (this was very mild but quite snowy at times), 00/01 and 01/02 (this saw a major switcharound early Jan), 03/04 and 04/05 and 05/06.

One winter sandwiched between mild winters was 90/91 very much an anomaly in a sea of mildness..

Have to say winter 97/98 was exceptionally painful with very little snow indeed, just one day in January felt wintry. Feb 98 the least wintry month in my lifetime.

Dec 10 is up there now as one of my most memorable wintry months..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Ossett, West Yorkshire
  • Location: Ossett, West Yorkshire

Snowless mild winters in the past 25 years often came in twos and threes - 87/88, 88/89 and 89/90, 91/92 and 92/93, 97/98 and 98/99 and 99/00, 06/07 and 07/08.

Cold snowy winters have come in twos and threes, 84/85, 85/86 and 86/87, 95/96 and 96/97, 08/09 and 09/10 and 10/11...

We have had runs in twos and threes of indifferent winters as well 93/94 and 94/95 (this was very mild but quite snowy at times), 00/01 and 01/02 (this saw a major switcharound early Jan), 03/04 and 04/05 and 05/06.

One winter sandwiched between mild winters was 90/91 very much an anomaly in a sea of mildness..

Have to say winter 97/98 was exceptionally painful with very little snow indeed, just one day in January felt wintry. Feb 98 the least wintry month in my lifetime.

Dec 10 is up there now as one of my most memorable wintry months..

The winter of 1996-97 actually saw relatively little snowfall for many places. December and January were both reasonably cold, although it was mainly due to anticylconic blocks rather than deep cold Arctic air. The high pressure area did actually move far enough north in late December to allow a few days of a real easterly into the opening days of January, which did give heavy snow showers to the eastern side of the UK on Dec 30th/ 31st and Jan 1st, and north-eastern parts of England saw a covering, although there was also a short lived snowfall for some areas overnight from Dec 26th / 27th, but apart from that the winter of 1996-97 had little snow for most I think; although in addition to this there was an early snowfall across the Pennines / North Wales / Staffs on November 19th.

I would not classify winter 2008-09 as Snowy. I would say that for most areas that winter saw near average snowfall. The main focus on snow for most areas that winter was during the first half of February, where there were fairly widespread and heavy snowfalls, but it then turned very mild after mid-month. Apart from this some areas in northern Britain saw snow in early December, and the cold spell in late December and the first part of January was dominated by high pressure and largely Rex blocking, and saw little in the way of snow.

The same is true of 1986-87. Around mid January there may have been an exceptional cold spell with widespread snowfalls, and for some areas very heavy falls, but that was mostly it for that winter, as December was largely snowless bar a short northerly toppler just before Xmas which brought slight falls to the Pennines and a few other favoured spots, and the cold spell in mid to late Feb 1987 was dominated by high pressure and there was not much snow about for most places.

Winter 1993-94 was reasonable by 90s standards anyway. A number of areas saw quite a bit of wet snow at times from cold zonality in December, and most areas saw snowfall from the easterly spells in the February. Winter 1994-95 although very mild still saw a few short lived snow events for some.

2001-02 was also mostly snowless for most of the UK. December 2001 was mostly rather cold with frequent frosts, mainly dry and anticyclonic, with little snow, although some areas saw slight falls on the 29th in a short lived northerly before high pressure moved in and sat over the UK, and a slight cover persisted especially over higher ground for around a week but apart from this the winter 2001-02 was devoid of snow for almost the whole country, and it was then a horror show of very mild zonal / Bartlett High after the second week of January; February was then one of the warmest on record.

2003-04 although quite mild overall wasn't without its moments of snow, as some places did see snow around New Year's Eve / Day, and in late January and again in late February. The winter was again similar in 2004-05 too, largely mild overall, although a few places saw snow around Christmas, and a number of places again in the second half of February.

2005-06 was one of the colder winters in the 2000s although it was close to average for temperature overall. There was some snow in the last week of December, but January and February were mostly devoid of snow, and March saw snow at times for some. 2000-01 was also one of the colder winters of the 2000s although it was still average or even slightly above.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Shrewsbury
  • Location: Shrewsbury

The winter of 1996-97 actually saw relatively little snowfall for many places. December and January were both reasonably cold, although it was mainly due to anticylconic blocks rather than deep cold Arctic air. The high pressure area did actually move far enough north in late December to allow a few days of a real easterly into the opening days of January, which did give heavy snow showers to the eastern side of the UK on Dec 30th/ 31st and Jan 1st, and north-eastern parts of England saw a covering, although there was also a short lived snowfall for some areas overnight from Dec 26th / 27th, but apart from that the winter of 1996-97 had little snow for most I think; although in addition to this there was an early snowfall across the Pennines / North Wales / Staffs on November 19th.

I would not classify winter 2008-09 as Snowy. I would say that for most areas that winter saw near average snowfall. The main focus on snow for most areas that winter was during the first half of February, where there were fairly widespread and heavy snowfalls, but it then turned very mild after mid-month. Apart from this some areas in northern Britain saw snow in early December, and the cold spell in late December and the first part of January was dominated by high pressure and largely Rex blocking, and saw little in the way of snow.

The same is true of 1986-87. Around mid January there may have been an exceptional cold spell with widespread snowfalls, and for some areas very heavy falls, but that was mostly it for that winter, as December was largely snowless bar a short northerly toppler just before Xmas which brought slight falls to the Pennines and a few other favoured spots, and the cold spell in mid to late Feb 1987 was dominated by high pressure and there was not much snow about for most places.

Winter 1993-94 was reasonable by 90s standards anyway. A number of areas saw quite a bit of wet snow at times from cold zonality in December, and most areas saw snowfall from the easterly spells in the February. Winter 1994-95 although very mild still saw a few short lived snow events for some.

2001-02 was also mostly snowless for most of the UK. December 2001 was mostly rather cold with frequent frosts, mainly dry and anticyclonic, with little snow, although some areas saw slight falls on the 29th in a short lived northerly before high pressure moved in and sat over the UK, and a slight cover persisted especially over higher ground for around a week but apart from this the winter 2001-02 was devoid of snow for almost the whole country, and it was then a horror show of very mild zonal / Bartlett High after the second week of January; February was then one of the warmest on record.

2003-04 although quite mild overall wasn't without its moments of snow, as some places did see snow around New Year's Eve / Day, and in late January and again in late February. The winter was again similar in 2004-05 too, largely mild overall, although a few places saw snow around Christmas, and a number of places again in the second half of February.

2005-06 was one of the colder winters in the 2000s although it was close to average for temperature overall. There was some snow in the last week of December, but January and February were mostly devoid of snow, and March saw snow at times for some. 2000-01 was also one of the colder winters of the 2000s although it was still average or even slightly above.

2001-2 was truly vile from mid-January onwards, but the snow that lay here from 31 Dec-5 Jan was the longest cover between 1996/7 and January 2010. In 1996/7 there was snow on the 30th and 31st Dec which lay through the first week of Jan; then we got a few weeks of anticyclonic gloom/fog before that wretched snowless zonal February which spoilt the winter. Apart from the fact that in the former the westerlies set in a couple of weeks later, 96/7 and 01/2 were remarkably similar winters. And neither was anywhere near as snowless as 91/2, 92/3, 98/9, 99/0, 07/8.

Although 2005/6 wasn't especially mild it barely snowed at all till March, that winter was notable for its lack of really mild days more than anything.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Ossett, West Yorkshire
  • Location: Ossett, West Yorkshire

2002/2003 was a fairly good winter. January 2003 had some persistant snow from an Easterly.

2002-03 saw hardly any snow for most areas except a few short lived events for the SE. For areas away from the SE it bore similarity with 1992-93 or even 1991-92; not as mild as some other winters in the 90s / 00s, but lacking snow overall.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Shrewsbury
  • Location: Shrewsbury

2002-03 saw hardly any snow for most areas except a few short lived events for the SE. For areas away from the SE it bore similarity with 1992-93 or even 1991-92; not as mild as some other winters in the 90s / 00s, but lacking snow overall.

Luckily I was living in Newcastle for winter 2002/3 and so got the snowfall from the 30 Jan event as well as seeing some snow around 8-10 Jan and the first week of Feb; however acquaintances back in Shrewsbury and in Wales and NW Scotland all told me what a snowless winter it had been. Snow did settle on 3-4 Feb in the Shrewsbury area (which makes it snowier than 1991/92 or 2007/8 here) but people I know who had been in Snowdonia and NW Scotland said it was indeed one of the most snowless winters those areas had seen in years.

2001/2: virtually snowless in SE; just about passable elsewhere. 2002/3: OK in SE and near E coast, largely snowless elsewhere.

My outstanding weather memory of 2003 however is not the snow in Newcastle in late Jan, or anything in August (not a patch on July 2006 or July/Aug 1995), but basking in 25C temperatures around Fort William in mid-April.

Edited by Summer of 95
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Cleeve, North Somerset
  • Weather Preferences: Continental winters & summers.
  • Location: Cleeve, North Somerset

Although 2005/6 wasn't especially mild it barely snowed at all till March, that winter was notable for its lack of really mild days more than anything.

Yes, the western side of the UK had snow on 25th November from the northerly but here there was nothing until 1st March after that event. There was a slight dusting later on the 29th December but was all gone by after midnight.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
Posted
  • Location: Powys Mid Wales borders.
  • Location: Powys Mid Wales borders.

In the 1988-2008 period what was the highest CET value recorded for any of the winter months. Also, which winter was the mildest?

December 1988 at 7.5c and 1988-89 was the mildest winter...19.5c

2006-07...19.3c

1987-88 winter was the turning point nothing memorable that winter only odd days which stood out.

Edited by Snowyowl9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • UK Storm and Severe Convective Forecast

    UK Severe Convective & Storm Forecast - Issued 2024-03-28 09:16:06 Valid: 28/03/2024 0800 - 29/03/2024 0600 SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH - THURS 28 MARCH 2024 Click here for the full forecast

    Nick F
    Nick F
    Latest weather updates from Netweather

    More rain on the way: Storm Nelson brings gales Thursday, but rain and wind easing for Easter

    Spells of rain or showers with sunshine in between affecting most areas today, snow over northern hills. Storm Nelson arrives tomorrow, bringing gales to southern coasts and windy elsewhere with further showers. Showers and wind easing somewhat into the Easter Weekend. Read the full update here

    Netweather forecasts
    Netweather forecasts
    Latest weather updates from Netweather

    UK Storm and Severe Convective Forecast

    UK Severe Convective & Storm Forecast - Issued 2024-03-27 09:35:27 Valid: 27/03/2024 0900 - 28/03/2024 0600 THUNDERSTORM WATCH - WEDS 27 MARCH 2024 Click here for the full forecast

    Nick F
    Nick F
    Latest weather updates from Netweather
×
×
  • Create New...