Jump to content
Snow?
Local
Radar
Cold?
IGNORED

Which Type(s) Of Snowfall Event(s) Are Best In Your Location?


Best Types of Snowfall Events for your Location  

99 members have voted

  1. 1. Which Wind Direction is the Best for snowfall in your Area?

    • Northerly
      9
    • North Westerly
      19
    • Westerly
      2
    • South Westerly
      4
    • Southerly
      1
    • South Easterly
      6
    • Easterly
      27
    • North Easterly
      31
  2. 2. Which of the Types of Events is the best for you?

    • Battleground Snowfall
      35
    • Showers
      13
    • Polar Low
      8
    • Showers
      5
    • Streamers
      35
    • Other
      3
  3. 3. Would you need to be in a Prolonged, Severe Cold Spell for this to Happen?

    • Yes
      26
    • No
      48
    • Maybe
      25
  4. 4. Which Time of Year would you prefer to have this event?

    • November
      2
    • December
      50
    • January
      42
    • Febuary
      3
    • March
      2
  5. 5. Which Region of the UK are you from?

    • Orkney & Shetland
      1
    • Highlands
      3
    • Grampian
      1
    • Strathclyde
      1
    • Central, Tayside & Fife
      4
    • SW Scotland, Lothian Borders
      3
    • Northern Ireland
      7
    • Wales
      8
    • NW England
      12
    • NE England
      8
    • Yorkshire & Humber
      7
    • West Midlands
      6
    • East Midlands
      4
    • East of England
      3
    • SW England
      9
    • London & SE England
      22


Recommended Posts

Posted
  • Location: Barry, South Wales (40M/131ft asl)
  • Weather Preferences: Cold snowy Winters, warm stormy spring & sumemr, cool frosty Autumn!
  • Location: Barry, South Wales (40M/131ft asl)

Hmmm, Conflicting Events in Wales and soon to be in Northern Ireland.

Well how about this.

S Wales: Low Pressure [English Channel, Bristol Channel]

Pembrokeshire: Pembrokeshire Dangler [irish Sea, Preseli Hills]

:w00t:

I live in Bridgend, South East Wales and last year we did very well from a streamer moving up the Bristol Channel! Had around 5inches of snow in 2hrs 30mins! Battle ground snow is very good for here most the time and infact at times snow showers can be good here! Its only when its coming from the North East that we don't see much in the was of snow normally! :smiliz19:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: winscombe north somerset
  • Weather Preferences: action weather
  • Location: winscombe north somerset

winscombe ,edge of mendips about 7 miles inland .95 mtrs a s l . did very well last yr from heavy streemers off bristol channel about 12cm during daylight in dec and about 8cm overnight from a small low . i prefer a good frontal event , only been at winscombe for 11 yrs , previouse bristol , winscombe did very well in 78/79 with feb 78 seeing a full bliz . 81 very good . also in 63 it did better than bristol as it was closer to lows ,further south . bring it on , regards legritter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Lincoln, Lincolnshire
  • Weather Preferences: Sunshine, convective precipitation, snow, thunderstorms, "episodic" months.
  • Location: Lincoln, Lincolnshire

In the Tyne and Wear area it's easy as fronts rarely deliver much here (they tend to lose most of their precipitation over the Pennines if aligned N-S, while if aligned W-E, given the marginality of most frontal events, the winds off the North Sea tend to translate to sleety stuff at low levels and snowstorms on high ground). The optimal setup is pretty much what we had during the period 24th November-2nd December 2010, north-easterly winds associated with a very cold airmass generating heavy snow showers over the North Sea. For coastal fringes northerlies are more reliable during the early part of the season as snow showers tend to hug the coast and the winds aren't straight off the North Sea, hence less warming at the coast, but the north-easterlies during the aforementioned spell were so cold that snow fell and accumulated even out to the seaside.

As for other areas that I've lived in, I think Norwich is similar to Tyne and Wear except that easterlies and north-easterlies are more reliably cold enough than northerlies because northerlies have to pass over a larger expanse of the North Sea. I lived in Leeds for a while and I found that frontal battleground events and convective easterlies are most reliable there (as the snow showers off the North Sea often made it all the way across) but as Summer Blizzard noted you can get snow from pretty much any direction (northerlies are unreliable though due to the shelter of the North York Moors). In Lancaster and Exeter, the optimal synoptic setups are frontal battleground events, though polar/arctic maritime north-westerly types are not far behind- take the 20cm snowfall in the Exeter area last December for instance.

As an aside, "best" is quite a subjective term. The above descriptions relate to the setups for the biggest snowfalls, but for me personally, "the deeper the snow the better" is only one of two major factors, the other being my being a fan of convective sunshine-and-showers type weather (regardless of precipitation type) and not being a fan of dull weather with persistent rain or sleet. Thus, unless a showery setup was likely to deliver a lot less snow than a frontal one I would tend to opt for the showery setup, particularly if conditions were marginal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire
  • Location: Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire

UPDATED:

Forth-Clyde Valley, Borders and Fife: Forth-Clyde Streamer [Firth of Forth, Firth of Clyde, North Sea]

SW Wales [Pembrokeshire]: Pembrokeshire Dangler [Irish Sea, Preseli Hills]

East of England: Convective Easterly [North Sea]

London and SE England: Convective Easterly; Thames Streamer [North Sea; Thames]

County Tyrone: Nly/NWly Showers [Lough Foyle, Atlantic]

S Wales: Low Pressure; Bristol Channel Streamer [Bristol Channel, English Channel]

NE England: Convective Ely/NEly [North Sea]

NW England: Showers [Pennines, River Humber, Ladybower Res; Irish Sea, Fells]

Republic of Ireland: Ely/NEly Showers [irish Sea]

Yorkshire & The Humber: Frontal Snowfall [...]

County Down: Convective/Polar Lows [Irish Sea, Belfast Hills]

SW England: Bristol Channel Streamers [Bristol Channel]

Edited by A Winter's Tale
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Whitkirk, Leeds 86m asl
  • Weather Preferences: Anything but mild south-westeries in winter
  • Location: Whitkirk, Leeds 86m asl

North-easterly showers from the North Sea, that is where most my snow came from during November/December 2010. Battleground snowfalls are good too, especially during mild months (such as February 2011)

North-westerlies are utter pants for this area (well, they were during December).

As summer blizzard said, Leeds can get snow from any wind direction, on 1 December 2010 a decaying snow streamer moved northwards to deliver around 5 inches of snowfall in the morning/afternoon on top of the 4/5 inches already settled, resulting in this

Edited by Aaron
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Live:West London, Work:Essex
  • Weather Preferences: Winter: Snow, Storms. Summer: Heat, Thunder
  • Location: Live:West London, Work:Essex

Im in the Rebublic of Ireland but on the north coast in Donegal, a straight forward northerly is typically our best bet for snow.

North Westerlies usually deliver for higher ground but not widespread snowfall, North Easterlys give a few light showers but Scotland blocks out any decent shower development. Easterlies are usually just dry and clear

Best widespread event in my memory was this last December which gave us 28cm in 24 hours.

gfs-2010121606-0-24bad0_mini.png

This storm in March last year gave 7 foot drifts in places and proper blizzard conditions on high ground

gfs-2010033006-0-18ezf7_mini.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire
  • Location: Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire

So let's have a look at the current types and the Met Office warning areas they effect.

Bristol Channel Streamer - Wales & SW England

Thames Estuary Streamer - London & SE England

Pembrokeshire Dangler - Wales

Forth-Clyde Streamer - Strathclyde, SW Scotland & Lothians Borders, Central, Tayside & Fife

Polar Lows - Almost Anywhere

Frontal - Almost Anywhere

Convective Easterlies - Most Areas

Now let's look at the Met Office warnings areas and the type(s) of events that is the best in that region (could be more than one depending on local geographical):

Strathclyde - Forth-Clyde Streamer [Forth, Clyde, North Sea]

Northern Ireland - Convective Showers; Polar Lows [irish Sea]

NW England - Showers [irish Sea]

NE England - Convective Easterly [North Sea]

Wales - Pembrokeshire Dangler; Bristol Channel Streamer; Lows [irish Sea, Preseli Hills; Bristol Channel]

Yorkshire & Humber - Frontal Snowfall; Convective Easterlies [; North Sea]

East of England - Convective Easterly [North Sea]

London & SE England - Convective Easterly; Thames Estuary Streamer [North Sea, Thames Estuary]

SW England - Bristol Channel Streamer [bristol Channel]

Keep these entries coming in and let's see how many types of snowfalls are THE BEST in the same district for different members. So for different parts of the Highlands, Midlands, NI, Wales and local Coastal and Land Features it will be interesting so the differences in the best type for these areas and the influential local geography.

Of Course there are other regions which haven't had an entry yet so it would be great to see some members in these regions taking part and of course there are some more localized snowfalls in the Highlands where there may be no members there so it would be great if some weather experts can put their knowledge to the test to answer what would be the best snowfall in the W Highlands.

The Other regions include:

Orkney & Shetland - [We've got a member from Shetland] - I would imagine Polar Lows and showers would be the best.

Highlands and Eilean Siar - [some members in the Highlands; I'd like to see how many different events are best in different areas in the Highlands]

Grampian - [We've got some Members there and I'd imagine that Moray may see some more local differences to Aberdeen] - Probably Ely/NEly the best here.

Central, Tayside, Fife - [Plenty of Members here and plenty of different events I'd imagine] - Ely/NEly the best with Tay Streamer and Forth-Clyde Streamer

SW Scotland & Lothians Borders - [Plenty of Memebers here but differences between SW and the Lothians] - Forth-Clyde Streamer for Lothians and NWly for SW?

West Midlands - [should be quite a few from this part] - Difficult to call because of lack of water and hills having an impact. Frontal, Convection from the Wash?

East Midlands - [simular to West Midlands with some local differences - should be plenty of members] - Perhaps a convective easterly depending on geography?

I'm also keen to find out Local Geographical Influences:

Firth of Clyde - Clyde-Forth Streamer [strathclyde, SW Scotland & Lothians Borders, Central, Tayside and Fife]

Firth of Forth - Forth-Clyde Streamer [same as Firth of Clyde]

Firth of Tay - Tay-Clyde Streamer? [strathclyde, Tayside, Central, Fife]

Moray Firth - Streamers and Beauly, Dornoch [Highlands, Grampian]

Loch Linnhe - Great Glen Streamer [Highlands]

Loch Fyne/Loch Lomond? [strathclyde]

Lough Neagh - Convection [NI]

Lough Foyle and other Loughs.

The Humber - Streamer? [Yorkshire]

The Wash - Streamer [East of England and East Midlands]

Thames - Thames Estuary Streamer [London and SE...]

English Channel

Severn Estuary

Bristol Channel

Irish Sea

Morcambe Bay

North Sea

etc

Also Hills such as the Campsie Fells, Ochils, Kilpatricks for easterlies and Argyll Hills for westerlies for snowfall in my location.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
  • Weather Preferences: Thunderstorms and heat, North Sea snow
  • Location: Newcastle upon Tyne

Usually NE'lies with snow showers, but last November there was a frontal snowfall (with thundersnow) on the 29th November which gave 15cm of fresh snow, and another frontal snowfall on the 1st December gave 10cm. Total depths were 30-60cm in NE England from the prolonged NE'lies last November/December, with much of the snow coming from snow showers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Lee, London. SE12, 41 mts. 134.5 ft asl.
  • Weather Preferences: Cold, Snowy Weather
  • Location: Lee, London. SE12, 41 mts. 134.5 ft asl.

Great Thread AWT,

Just whats needed to dispel the gloom on the Model Thread!

It will be a surprise to no-one to know what I've voted for, if they've read my posts prattling on about Thames Streamers!

Having lived most of my life on the N.W.Kent/S.E.London border, a convective easterly (specifically ENE) rarely fails to deliver in these parts.

In their most prolonged and heavy form they can produce snowfalls of around 4" to 6" and even more on the tops of the North Downs in N.W.Kent and extreme S.London.

It can be very frustrating for members of NW who live in the Thames corridor, as Streamers by their very nature are localised affairs and a few miles can mean the difference between a really good snowfall and hardly a dusting from a flurry.

Below a few charts from some notable Thames Streamer events.

http://www.wetterzen...00120050222.gif

http://www.wetterzen...00220050222.gif

Gave around 2"/3" in a 6 hour fall, if the temps in the preceeding weeks hadnt been so mild snow depth would almost certainly have been greater, as it seemed to take forever to start to settle despite the snowfall being pretty intense. Then a few days later this:

http://www.wetterzen...00120050225.gif

http://www.wetterzen...00220050225.gif

Gave similar snow depth to above and you could suggest the same remarks apply.

http://www.wetterzen...00120090202.gif

http://www.wetterzen...00220090202.gif

Certainly one of the heaviest snowfalls I have witnessed in the Bromley/Croydon area and quite an unusual distribution of snowfall in terms of a Thames Streamer event, which Paul Sherman superbly analysed a short while after the event. A must read, if you havnt read it already and are interested in this type of snowfall event.

You would normally expect the heaviest falls of snow in a typical TS event to be towards the east of the affected area, say Southend, other parts of S.E.Essex, Gravesend, Dartford and on the Downs in the extreme N.W of Kent. But some of the deepest snow was reported in S.W.Surrey towards Leatherhead and Guildford.

From my own perpspective, it was unusual to see a greater depth of snow in Croydon (around 8"/9"), where I work, to Bromleys' (6"/7"), as I say its normally the reverse. In my experience a typical TS tends to run out of steam WSW of Bromley.

Finally the Holy Grail of all ENEs, Jan 1987:

http://www.wetterzen...00119870112.gif

http://www.wetterzen...00219870112.gif

http://www.wetterzen...00119870113.gif

http://www.wetterzen...00219870113.gif

The snowfall from this event occurred over a few days and deposited around 10"/12" in some parts of N.W.Kent/S.E.london, and as has been well documented, a lot more further east, with much drifting. Not so much a Streamer more a "Great Lake" of snow over large areas of the East and S.E.

Probably for another Thread but why was the snowfall so widespread and heavy over such a large area, I would imagine the culprit would be the exceptionally cold 850 temps and the contrast with the not so cold temps of the N.Sea and Thames Estruary.

Regards,

Tom

Edited by TomSE20
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Whitkirk, Leeds 86m asl
  • Weather Preferences: Anything but mild south-westeries in winter
  • Location: Whitkirk, Leeds 86m asl

I don't think there is such a thing as a Humber Streamer, it isn't wide enough like the Bristol Channel or Firth of Forth.

The streamer that affected south Yorkshire and north Midlands last winter (which dumped 2 feet of snow on some places) originated from the North Sea.

Edited by Aaron
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Lincoln, Lincolnshire
  • Weather Preferences: Sunshine, convective precipitation, snow, thunderstorms, "episodic" months.
  • Location: Lincoln, Lincolnshire

Usually NE'lies with snow showers, but last November there was a frontal snowfall (with thundersnow) on the 29th November which gave 15cm of fresh snow, and another frontal snowfall on the 1st December gave 10cm. Total depths were 30-60cm in NE England from the prolonged NE'lies last November/December, with much of the snow coming from snow showers.

I doubt that they would classify fully as "frontal snowfalls" but it's interesting that you make that point, as it illustrates that the distinction between convective and "large scale"/frontal snowfalls isn't always clear-cut. The snowfalls that you refer to came mostly from showery east to north-easterlies but with the occasional trough or remnant of an old front which helped to merge the showers together into more organised, frontal type snowfall. The reverse happens sometimes with cold fronts where the frontal cloud breaks up and we're left with sunshine and showers.

This process caused the "dry corridor" stretching from Lowestoft to Abingdon- organised bands of snowfall to the north and south with a slot of suppressed convection in between. In NE England the organised snow belts were mostly organised NW-SE rather than W-E, and thus most places got their fair share.

The widespread snowfalls in the January 1987 example represent an interesting question. My guess is that either pronounced streamers didn't form in that situation (for instance there were no major "streamers" in NE England during 28 November to 2 December 2010, mostly a random scattering of snow showers with the occasional organised band moving NE-SW) or perhaps subtle changes in wind direction shifted the position of any streamers, resulting in big snowfalls over a wider area.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Irlam
  • Location: Irlam

Type: Polar low

Region: Greater Manchester

Geographical Features Involved: Irish Sea

Suitable Conditions: Convection, NWly wind

Duration: Single event = a couple of hours

Depths: Perfect Event = 10-30cm+

Effects: Major routes: M56,M60, M62

Example: 9th December 1981

A polar low in a NWly flow can deliver sizeable snowfalls in a short time here. Sometimes streamers can deliver such as that of early January 2010 but polar lows can really give a dumping.

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/1981/Rrea00119811209.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Whitkirk, Leeds 86m asl
  • Weather Preferences: Anything but mild south-westeries in winter
  • Location: Whitkirk, Leeds 86m asl

Type: Showers, battleground snowfall, frontal snowfall

Region: Yorkshire & Humber

Geographical Features Involved: North Sea

Suitable Conditions: Convection, easterly/north easterly wind

Duration: Single event. Snow showers over a few days can give good snow totals (26 Nov - 1 Dec 2010)

Depths: Perfect event = 5 - 40cm

Effects: Disruption to M1, M62, M621, Leeds Inner Ring Road (M64)

Example: November 2010, December 2010, January 1995, February 2011, January 2011

Edited by Aaron
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I doubt that they would classify fully as "frontal snowfalls" but it's interesting that you make that point, as it illustrates that the distinction between convective and "large scale"/frontal snowfalls isn't always clear-cut. The snowfalls that you refer to came mostly from showery east to north-easterlies but with the occasional trough or remnant of an old front which helped to merge the showers together into more organised, frontal type snowfall. The reverse happens sometimes with cold fronts where the frontal cloud breaks up and we're left with sunshine and showers.

This process caused the "dry corridor" stretching from Lowestoft to Abingdon- organised bands of snowfall to the north and south with a slot of suppressed convection in between. In NE England the organised snow belts were mostly organised NW-SE rather than W-E, and thus most places got their fair share.

The widespread snowfalls in the January 1987 example represent an interesting question. My guess is that either pronounced streamers didn't form in that situation (for instance there were no major "streamers" in NE England during 28 November to 2 December 2010, mostly a random scattering of snow showers with the occasional organised band moving NE-SW) or perhaps subtle changes in wind direction shifted the position of any streamers, resulting in big snowfalls over a wider area.

These charts show how the N Half of NE took the brunt of snowfall

Here's the achieve fax charts

http://www.wetterzen...cka20101127.gif

http://www.wetterzen...cka20101128.gif

http://www.wetterzen...cka20101129.gif

Here it was only till the winds turned to a more Eastlery direction that the snow really started here.

http://www.wetterzen...cka20101130.gif

Prob around 20/30cm fell on this day

more snow on the 2nd

http://www.wetterzen.../brac101202.gif

A few shrs on the friday then that was it really for Dec

Same sort of depth here as areas further to NE but depths were comparable with 08/9 and 09/10 winters. Classic snowfall for most of NE England but less anomalous for here, only really a couple of days when snowfall was heavy.

To achieve depths and distrubtion associated with the great winters of the past in this area, the charts would show a more Easterly flow. Snow depths in 47/63/79 wouldn't have been much different for more lowland NE England than the Nov 10 event but here depth would have been 2 to 4 times as deep due orgraphic enhancement and less melting inbetween snowfalls

Edited by Teesdale
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

YATTON, North Somerset, Southwest England

Best Direction(s)

- N (Embedded Troughs / e.g. 17th December 2010, 06th January 2010, 01st March 2006, 26th February 2004)

- NW (Streamer or Widespread Showers / e.g. 18th December 2010)

- W (Severn Streamer / e.g. 21st December 2009)

- S (Channel Lows, easterly flow around the northern side / e.g. 05th & 06th February 2009) (rare)

- SW (Battleground, very heavy snow only after cold enough cold spells / e.g. 13th January 2010, 08th February 2009, 12th March 2006)

Length of Spell

- N (not long)

- NW (long enough for the wind to change to a westerly component)

- W (long enough for the wind to change to a westerly component)

- S (not long)

- SW (normally borderline, long enough for cold to be embedded)

Preferred Time of Spell

- N (all winter)

- NW (all winter)

- W (all winter)

- S (all winter)

- SW (preferably late winter due to marginality but impressive if successful)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In South West Wales, the most reliable snowfalls come from NNW winds and snow streamers. In a very similar way to the Pembrokeshire dangler.

In this case, the winds follow over the Irish Sea, and we are far enough away from the West coast, so that snow is very likely given decent conditions.

Examples

http://www.wetterzen...00120051125.gif

http://www.wetterzen...00220051125.gif

The above example gave around 4-5 inches of lying snow into the 25th.

If we get cold sticks around for long enough that snow can come from a variety of directions, inclining Bristol Channel streamer but is very rare indeed, as usually that is too mild.

Low Pressures can bring heavy snow, but those events are equally marginal and shortwave events such as channel lows are more productive.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

Morecambe Bay and Solway Firth have very little influence on precipitation in Cumbria. The Solway Firth is surrounded by much low ground and Morecambe Bay and hence local topography doesn't come into play. However, the events of 21 dec 2009 proved that under a very unstable polar outbreak the warm SST's of Morecambe Bay probably helped to produce the thundersnow which is rare for these parts.

For me the fells and local relief have the biggest influence on our weather and the length and intensity of precipitation - it is very difficult predicting where snow will fall in the Lake District, one valley can catch a deluge under showery airstream whilst the other stays dry. The Central and eastern part of the Lakes tends to do very well for snow, the fells aid evaporative cooling. We are just far enough inland and high enough to receive good snowfalls.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire
  • Location: Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire

UPDATED:

I've decided to stick with the Met Office region and just use square brackets for differences in the regions:

Strathclyde [East Dunbartonshire]: Forth-Clyde Streamer [Firths of Forth/Clyde, North Sea] - AWT

Wales [Pembrokeshire]: Pembrokeshire Dangler [irish Sea, Preseli Hills] - Snowmadsam

Wales [south West]: Irish Sea Streamers [Irish Sea] - JACKONE

Wales [south]: Low Pressure [English Channel] - Snowy36

Wales [south East]: Bristol Channel Streamer [Bristol Channel] - Deepsnow

West Midlands [stafford]: Convective Easterly [North Sea] - Snow? Norfolk n Chance

London & SE England [Kent/Essex]: Convective Easterly [North Sea] - Teamjollie

London & SE England [surrey, SE London]: Thames Estuary Streamer [North Sea, Thames Estuary] - Electric Snow Storm, TomSE20

Northern Ireland [County Tyrone]: Showers [Irish Sea, Atlantic] - Pomeroysnow

Northern Ireland [County Down]: Convective Northerly [irish Sea, Belfast Hills] - The watcher

NE England [Durham, Tyne and Wear, Newcastle]: Convective Showers [North Sea] - Isolated Frost, Thundery Wintry Showers, alza

NW England [Whaley Bridge; Lake District]: Showers [irish Sea, Ladybower Res, River Humber, Pennines; Fells] - Snow_Joke, damianslaw

NW England [Greater Manchester]: Polar Low [irish Sea] - Mr_Data

Republic of Ireland [Co. Meath]: Convective NEly/Ely [irish Sea] - sundog

Republic of Ireland [Co. Donegal]: Convective/Showery Nly [Atlantic] - Harps

Yorkshire & the Humber [Leeds/Bradford, Leeds]: Frontal Snowfall [...] - summer blizzard, Aaron

SW England [somerset]: Bristol Channel Streamer [Bristol Channel] - legritter

:w00t:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: South Kilkenny Ireland
  • Weather Preferences: Snow, Frost, Thunder and Storms
  • Location: South Kilkenny Ireland

In Kilkenny in South-East Ireland our best snowfalls come from easterly or northeasterly winds blowing showers in off the Irish Sea. If just a gentle breeze these showers tend to hug the coastal counties of Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford but once the wind is fresh to strong these showers penetrate further inland and Kilkenny is often in the firing line such as Feb 09, Jan 10 and Nov / Dec 2010. Kilkenny is also one of the coldest spots in Ireland during winter so if conditions are a bit sleety near the coast in more marginal situations we tend to get snow.

Northerlies are not much good for here unless a trough comes down in the flow like 26th Feb 2004 for exmple.

In polar westerlies or west to northwesterlies we have often received snowfall in the form of snow showers even though we are on the opposite side of the island mainly because the showers have less of a landmass to travel over than when the winds are from the north.

Frontal snowfall has been recorded here such as Jan 1982 but this is rare as the south-east winds often blow slightly warmer air in off the sea giving us rain and sleet while further north gets the snow.

EWS

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Lichfield
  • Location: Lichfield

Really there are a few different ways I could get a decent amount of snow, a Cheshire streamer maybe or a wash streamer or of a course a through like December 22nd last year. But what gives me the most personally are battleground scenarios, under the right conditions I can receive a fair amount just as long as the cold air wins out the battle :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Deeside, Flintshire 20m asl
  • Location: Deeside, Flintshire 20m asl

In North Wales the amount of snow you can expect varies massively with both altitude and proximity to the coast. It can be raining here on the banks of the Dee and snowing in higher parts of the same town (about 100m difference in altitude). For this specific location, north westerly winds are probably best... A true northerly can bring lots of snow a little further west (which would mean a large portion of North Wales) but a north westerly means the showers can come straight up the estuary off the Irish Sea. Sometimes this set up can even mean the low lying areas end up with more as the showers hug the estuary, but that's almost unheard of! Generally this is not a good spot for snow as we're not often exposed to the wind bringing in showers and frontal snow is very much weakened by the hills and mountains further west.

Edited by nwales
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Stoke Gifford, nr Bristol, SGlos
  • Location: Stoke Gifford, nr Bristol, SGlos

Bristol born, bred and still there! Approaching my 50th :help::rofl:

So for BTL, IMO it's the channel low that decides to venture just far enough north to blast us! Usually if one appears after a few days of a biting easterly/southeasterly. I think 78/79 and some of the early 80s winters produced these - i'm sure someone can verify.

2nd has to be the classic atlantic system battleground scenario with a stalling front.

3rd - Pressure- falling over the continent against HP with easterlies - a slow burn, not producing a classic channel low but a system comes up against entrenched cold air (subject to limited push north - the boundary of that push being BTL, of course) - did we have a couple of these in winter 2009/2010 in our neck of the woods?

4th - Bristol channel streamer - i think this happened Dec 09 - 1st time i'd really noticed this local influence to be honest

5th - Polar air from the NW, frontal - sometimes delivers but usually the Cotswolds, just to the north of BTL do better out of these

Well, that's my take on our area

Regards

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Dundee
  • Weather Preferences: Snow, thunderstorms, gales. All extremes except humidity.
  • Location: Dundee

Convectional Easterly is best here. Like Nov 28th last year to 3rd December. Feb 1978, Feb 1986 and Mid Jan 1987 also delivered from this direction. Too much NE and showers are lighter as they have to come over a bit of land. If wind further round to the North, unless there is a trough all we get are flurries as the mountains take all the moisture.

Can get battleground snow here also as on 12/2/2009 or 12/3/2006 but this is usually better inland towards Perthshire, West Fife and Central.

Lows that tracked just to the South of us as in Jan 1984 also delivered but these have been more hit and miss near the coast in more recent years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Glasgow, Scotland (Charing Cross, 40m asl)
  • Weather Preferences: cold and snowy in winter, a good mix of weather the rest of the time
  • Location: Glasgow, Scotland (Charing Cross, 40m asl)

Fife can do well out of almost any setup really. In my own location, around 50-100m asl with the Lomond Hills to the southwest, anything between due east and northeasterly or ESEerly convective showers tend to be the most productive. When the wind is due east the showers tend to hug the Tay and Forth estuaries with the Lothians, West Fife, Falkirk, Perth and Dundee doing best but with an infuriating gap in the middle. These streamers are probably the most reliable bringers of snow at least, with -8C being the maximum 'guaranteed' upper air temperature for widespread settling convective snowfall, though this can be slightly higher if the airmass has an Arctic rather than just a Polar profile. Best snowfall event of this type in my lifetime would be this one - 27th November - 2nd December 2010, the same event that produced that Forth-Clyde streamer. It perhaps seems rather long to be defined as a single 'event' but from around 10pm on the 27th to the evening of the 2nd December the snowfall was almost continuous. The first evening was perhaps the best part of it for me, coming home from -9C in central Glasgow to -3C with 2 inches of fresh snow and blizzard conditions in Fife. http://www.meteociel.fr/modeles/archives/archives.php?mode=0&month=11&day=28&year=2010&map=0&hour=0

This was the period of snow that shut the Forth Road Bridge completely http://www.meteociel.fr/modeles/archives/archives.php?mode=0&month=12&day=1&year=2010&map=0&hour=0

Other events that deliver - West-Northwesterlies. They're pretty hit and miss but given that the marginality tends to be greater on the west coast than the east coast a major convective outbreak or frontal system can seriously deliver the goods - we got 9 inches out of this system when everywhere else in the central belt was left with relatively little http://www.meteociel.fr/modeles/archives/archives.php?mode=0&month=1&day=9&year=2011&map=0&hour=0

Battleground snowfalls can deliver anywhere, and while being so sheltered to southwesterlies can mean precipitation is less than in central areas, we can hold onto the cold air for longer. The worst direction for marginality is SSEsterly, as we end up both with the milder upper air temperatures and the localised maritime flow raising dewpoints. http://www.meteociel.fr/modeles/archives/archives.php?day=3&month=2&year=2009&hour=0&map=0&mode=0

I haven't addressed polar lows really but this system had some Polar low characteristics http://www.meteociel.fr/modeles/archives/archives.php?mode=0&month=11&day=26&year=2010&map=0&hour=12 Very intense snowfall over a short period but nothing compared to the streamers that followed.

And of course there was this infamous shortwave that singlehandedly got rid of a Transport Minister http://www.meteociel.fr/modeles/archives/archives.php?mode=0&month=12&day=6&year=2010&map=0&hour=0 .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire
  • Location: Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire

Central, Tayside, Fife [Dundee]: Convectional Easterly [North Sea, Firth of Tay] - Norrance

Central, Tayside, Fife [Fife]: Convectional Easterly/Forth-Clyde Streamer [North Sea, Firth of Forth, Firth of Tay] - Lomond Snow Storm

Strathclyde [East Dunbartonshire]: Forth-Clyde Streamer [Firths of Forth/Clyde, North Sea] - AWT

Wales [Pembrokeshire]: Pembrokeshire Dangler [irish Sea, Preseli Hills] - Snowmadsam

Wales [south West]: Irish Sea Streamers [Irish Sea] - JACKONE

Wales [south]: Low Pressure [English Channel] - Snowy36

Wales [south East]: Bristol Channel Streamer [Bristol Channel] - Deepsnow

Wales [North]: NWly Showers [irish Sea, Dee Estuary] - nwales

West Midlands [stafford]: Convective Easterly [North Sea] - Snow? Norfolk n Chance

West Midlands [stafford]: Cheshire Streamer; The Wash Streamer; Battlegorund [The Wash, North Sea] - Staffordshire

London & SE England [Kent/Essex]: Convective Easterly [North Sea] - Teamjollie

London & SE England [surrey, SE London]: Thames Estuary Streamer [North Sea, Thames Estuary] - Electric Snow Storm, TomSE20

Northern Ireland [County Tyrone]: Showers [Irish Sea, Atlantic] - Pomeroysnow

Northern Ireland [County Down]: Convective Northerly [irish Sea, Belfast Hills] - The watcher

NE England [Durham, Tyne and Wear, Newcastle]: Convective Showers [North Sea] - Isolated Frost, Thundery Wintry Showers, alza

NW England [Whaley Bridge; Lake District]: Showers [irish Sea, Ladybower Res, River Humber, Pennines; Fells] - Snow_Joke, damianslaw

NW England [Greater Manchester]: Polar Low [irish Sea] - Mr_Data

Republic of Ireland [Co. Meath]: Convective NEly/Ely [irish Sea] - sundog

Republic of Ireland [Co. Donegal]: Convective/Showery Nly [Atlantic] - Harps

Republic of Ireland [south East]: Easterly/North Easterly Showers [Irish Sea] - Earth Wind and Snow

Yorkshire & the Humber [Leeds/Bradford, Leeds]: Frontal Snowfall [...] - summer blizzard, Aaron

SW England [somerset]: Bristol Channel Streamer [Bristol Channel] - legritter

Looking great!

All we need now is for more localized snowfall events inside these locations, to see which type of snowfall event is best for the majority and of course we need some data from the East Midlands, SW Scotland & the Lothians Borders, the Grampians, the Highlands and the Northern Isles.

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
×
×
  • Create New...