Snowstorm Of Dec. 30th/31st 1978

[Tom Quintavalle]

It was 33 years to the day, last evening, when the southern half of the UK was swept by severe snowstorm brought about by low pressure moving directly along the Channel.

As Christmas approached, high pressure began building over Greenland, which eventually forced the jet-stream and attendant low pressure further and further south, over the UK.

http://www.wetterzen...00119781225.gif

A few days after Christmas, bitter easterly winds started to develop over Scotland as low pressure tried to move into central portions of the UK.

http://www.wetterzen...00119781228.gif

At the same time bitter Arctic air swept south over Scandinavia and this started to be pulled westwards towards the UK.

http://www.wetterzen...00119781229.gif

http://www.wetterzen...00219781229.gif

By the 30th more and more parts of Northern Britain were reporting snow and falling temps.

http://www.wetterzen...00119781230.gif

http://www.wetterzen...00219781230.gif

On the evening of the 30th, low pressure moved east towards the English Channel ,and as it did, it engaged that very cold air on its northern flank. This resulted in a snowstorm for many parts of Southern Britain, driven on by those biting easterly winds.

http://www.wetterzen...00119781231.gif One of mine and Peterboro Dave (TEITS), all time fav charts!

http://www.wetterzen...00219781231.gif

For me, it has to be the ( worst/best) snowfall I've seen, when you take into account the very strong winds, in fact it's the most severe drifting I've seen for my area (Kent/London border and low lying).

Very difficult to calculate depths of level snow, because there wasnt much level snow to be seen! Drifts were up to 18 to24 inches, very unusual for this area.

The following day the low responsible moved ESE into the Continent, leaving most of the UK in a frigid E/NE air flow.

http://www.wetterzen...00119790101.gif

http://www.wetterzen...00219790101.gif

Although the falling snow had stopped, the still very strong winds whipped the lying snow into mini blizzards and filled in roadways after ploughs (very rare sight here), had cleared them.

Having been through the archives on several occassions I have yet to find a better example of a Channel Low, move along that body of water, with near slide rule precision and giving so many parts such widespread severe conditions.

Surely "The King of all Channel Lows"!

This is one example.

http://www.wetterzen...00119271226.gif

http://www.wetterzen...00219271226.gif

Although, in the south, this event started as rain and indeed stayed as rain in E.Kent.

Would love to see other examples of this kind of synoptic set-up, if any members can find some.

Also would love to hear your stories of Dec.30th/31st 1978 and how it affected you.

It would certainly be a welcome event after all the dross we've seen so far this winter but who knows whats around the corner.......

Happy New Year to all NW members and families. Many thanks to all the team for making this forum so enjoyable.

Best Wishes,

Tom.

Edited December 31, 2011 by TomSE20

[Bristawl Si]

Remember it v well. I was 17 at the time.

Probably Bristol's most severe blizzard in my lifetime (well, i was here in 62/63 but was only 1) - the only blizzard to come anywhere near was mid-Jan '87.

Anyway the New Years blizzard of 78/79 was awesome. Even in the Bristol suburbs it produced huge drifts - and just outside BTL in the country drifts of over 6 foot were recorded.

I remember going sledging on the 31st and it started to snow again for about half an hour - and coming home early hours of New Year's Day with a few friends it was bl##dy freezing and vast amounts of snow lay everywhere - we walked home from a friend's house and one of my mates decided to climb a wall into a nearby farm, he jumped off the wall into a field and was basically buried in a 6 foot snow drift!

Then during January '79 we got hit by a succession of weekend blizzards, if i remember rightly - Winter 78/79 was probably the best winter i can remember.

[damianslaw]

Those charts from 31 dec 78 are superb would love to see a repeat, I was 6 months old at the time so obviously have no recollections of the event.

Channel lows tend to deliver the goods to southern britain midlands and south wales. I think another classic example was 18 Feb 1978, two events in the space of less than a year!

Another good example though not quite on the same scale as the two events above was the 8/9 jan 82 which delivered the goods to wales.

In recent years we have seen no such examples, the last three winters though very snowy at times saw snow borne from northerlies and northeasterlies as opposed to channel lows.

[Tom Quintavalle]

Evening B.B and Damian,

B.B, the snowfall of mid-Jan '87 was more substantial than that of Dec 78, as it snowed on a number of days during that spell but wasnt accompanied by such a strong wind, which caused such notable drifting.

Damian, those charts are something to treasure, arent they. On the evening of the 30th I went out with colleagues after work, in an Inner London borough, and even there the snow started to accumulate rapidly. But when I finally got back home to Bromley (Kent/London border) after midnight, the snow was at its heaviest and driven on by a very strong easterly wind, it was almost impossible to look into the wind as the snow was of the fine, granular type, as temps were a few degrees below freezing by that time. It was impossible to make out kerbs from roads and pathways, due to the severe drifting.

Here are those charts of the dates ,you mention:

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/1978/Rrea00119780218.gif

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/1978/Rrea00219780218.gif

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/1982/Rrea00119820109.gif

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/1982/Rrea00219820109.gif

A few more examples:

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/1962/Rrea00119621230.gif

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/1962/Rrea00219621230.gif

A few days into that notorious winter. Although strictly not a Channel Low, more northern Bay of Biscay, it affected a similar area to Dec '78.

My father worked on the railways at the time and trains were only running as far as Elmers End (About 4 miles from Bromley), because of the drifting snow and it took him 3 hours to walk the 4 miles home, due to the snow being virtually up to his knees at times.

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/1981/Rrea00119811216.gif

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/1981/Rrea00119811222.gif

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/1981/Rrea00119811224.gif

Smaller scale features this time but allowed southern England to rejoin the party after losing our snow cover a few days into that classic Dec '81 cold spell, whilst some parts of the north kept their snow cover from the 8th until a few days after Xmas.

Keep the examples coming please. The challenge, to find a finer example of a Channel Low, than that of of Dec 30th/31st 1978, for such widespread, disruptive snow.

Mr.Data, TWS, etc, no doubt you'll find something!

Regards,

Tom.

[Weather-history]

Keep the examples coming please. The challenge, to find a finer example of a Channel Low, than that of of Dec 30th/31st 1978, for such widespread, disruptive snow.

Mr.Data, TWS, etc, no doubt you'll find something!

Well it has to be the 1881 one

And this one is often forgotten

[damianslaw]

Other example or near example was the 28 Feb 86/1 March 86 I think.. not sure. Off the top of my head I can't recall any other examples that have beaten 30/31 Dec 78 since.. but suspect there are a good few more before 1978.

On a similiar note - I'd like to see some classic polar low charts as well - these are rare beasts but can pack an almighty punch. Most tend to hit the north more than the south and can often occur during spring as well as winter. Dec 24 1995 was a classic hitting northern isles but because it affected so few people many people don't make comment on it.

[Tom Quintavalle]

Thanks Mr. Data for those examples.

Dont have any info re.1881.

Jan 1939 is a very good example. Heavy snowstorm over the high ground of S.W.England on 25th/26th, also 50 cms of snow in Berks, Wilts and Hants, with 35 cms recorded on Hampstead Heath. (Stats courtesy of Trevor Harleys excellent site).

Damian,

Just for you, some examples of polar low synoptics:

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/1967/Rrea00119671208.gif

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/1967/Rrea00219671208.gif

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/1967/Rrea00119671209.gif

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/1967/Rrea00219671209.gif

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/1970/Rrea00119700304.gif

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/1970/Rrea00219700304.gif

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/1970/Rrea00119700305.gif

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/1970/Rrea00219700305.gif

Finally, the one you mention:

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/1995/Rrea00119951224.gif

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/1995/Rrea00219951224.gif

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/1995/Rrea00119951225.gif

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/1995/Rrea00219951225.gif

Regards,

Tom

[Weather-history]

Thanks Mr. Data for those examples.

Dont have any info re.1881.

http://www.ukweatherworld.co.uk/forum/index.php?/topic/49788-the-times-the-great-blizzard-of-january-1881/

[Tom Quintavalle]

http://www.ukweather...f-january-1881/

Thanks Mr D, very interesting reports there!

I see Jan started mild that year......

Regards,

Tom

[Kirkcaldy Weather]

1979: Huge waves batter Kirkcaldy - Fife Today

WWW.FIFETODAY.CO.UK

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As 1978 came to an end the new year arrived with Fife subjected to some of the worst winter weather for may years.

[Chesil View]

Remember it well. Was in Bournemouth for the wknd seeing my girlfriend we went to see Pete’s dragon at the cinema Went in the on a very cold but relatively clear evening and came out to a raging snowstorm. Managed to find a taxi willing to fight the snowstorm and dropped my girlfriend home before getting back to my digs. On the sunday evening I headed back towards Swanage because lower level roads had been cleared but then had to walk from Swanage up through Langton Matravers to Worth Matravers around midnight. It’s was a bitterly cold clear night and I managed to dodge round the snowdrifts because the moonlight lit the way. 
‘The drifts were about 4 to 5 feet deep. This was a tremendous snowstorm under normal circumstances, but just ten months earlier we’d had the Feb blizzard of 78.when the drifts were 20 to 30 feet deep. So this was almost trivial by comparison. But today would be something to write home about. Great memories though of the fab snowfall of that 1977-1985 period.