Cold Spell - General Discussion

[jean91]

just the best day of cold spell here in Paris :

This morning coldest morning for all areas of Greater Paris -10c just right on for my location. Some locations way more cold ( several -15c were recorded where snow is on ground) A cold and beautiful perfect blue sky day .Wind increasing by midafternoon making it feel so cold with top temp at -2c and wind fairly strong up to now.

-5c at 1900 hours

Now cloudy with snow flurries and -7.1c with a vigorous Northeasterly wind.Max temp tomorrow -4 to -5c max!!!

Could not ask for more cold wise!!!!!!!!

Look here :

http://www.infoclima...orly-07149.html -7c and snowing now have not seen it snowing with such a cold temp!!and still temp falling a bit.

Edited February 7, 2012 by jean91

[damianslaw]

Turning into a good cold spell for central, eastern and southeastern england in particular. For northern england quite a good cold spell - but we have seen many better. For Wales and SW England - again a fairly good cold spell but lack of snow. E/S Scotland - an average spell of winter weather. W/N Scot and N Ireland a poor cold spell with limited frost and no snow with average/slightly above average maxima. When cold comes from the near continent it is generally always the SE which sees the coldest weather relative to average, with the NW seeing generally much more average conditions. Its the reverse of Dec 2010 which saw NW parts experience the greatest degree of cold thanks to a greenland high and shelter from the E/NE winds enabling the cold pool to embed itself.

For this part of Cumbria the current spell is reminding me very much of the cold weather of early Feb 2009, which saw some snow on the 2nd but then plenty of dry sunny weather with cold nights but the sun thawing the snow.

[johnholmes]

Turning into a good cold spell for central, eastern and southeastern england in particular. For northern england quite a good cold spell - but we have seen many better. For Wales and SW England - again a fairly good cold spell but lack of snow. E/S Scotland - an average spell of winter weather. W/N Scot and N Ireland a poor cold spell with limited frost and no snow with average/slightly above average maxima. When cold comes from the near continent it is generally always the SE which sees the coldest weather relative to average, with the NW seeing generally much more average conditions. Its the reverse of Dec 2010 which saw NW parts experience the greatest degree of cold thanks to a greenland high and shelter from the E/NE winds enabling the cold pool to embed itself.

For this part of Cumbria the current spell is reminding me very much of the cold weather of early Feb 2009, which saw some snow on the 2nd but then plenty of dry sunny weather with cold nights but the sun thawing the snow.

yes its a similar memory for here, certainly pretty cold, now 8 consecutive air frosts, its already nearly -4C and snow covering over half the ground. I suspect that will largely go in the thaw tomorrow with plenty of sun. Will it last for 2 weeks is the question-the jury is out in my view but possibly a majority verdict being returned for it to just about make it?

[95 Degrees]

just the best day of cold spell here in Paris :

This morning coldest morning for all areas of Greater Paris -10c just right on for my location. Some locations way more cold ( several -15c were recorded where snow is on ground) A cold and beautiful perfect blue sky day .Wind increasing by midafternoon making it feel so cold with top temp at -2c and wind fairly strong up to now.

-5c at 1900 hours

Now cloudy with snow flurries and -7.1c with a vigorous Northeasterly wind.Max temp tomorrow -4 to -5c max!!!

Could not ask for more cold wise!!!!!!!!

Look here :

http://www.infoclima...orly-07149.html -7c and snowing now have not seen it snowing with such a cold temp!!and still temp falling a bit.

Some of my college went on a trip to Disneyland Paris this week, wish i'd gone now with such cold temps and snow although would've be frigid on the rides! looks like more snow coming your way from the east as well, c'est vraiment froid en France cette semaine!

[johnholmes]

just the best day of cold spell here in Paris :

This morning coldest morning for all areas of Greater Paris -10c just right on for my location. Some locations way more cold ( several -15c were recorded where snow is on ground) A cold and beautiful perfect blue sky day .Wind increasing by midafternoon making it feel so cold with top temp at -2c and wind fairly strong up to now.

-5c at 1900 hours

Now cloudy with snow flurries and -7.1c with a vigorous Northeasterly wind.Max temp tomorrow -4 to -5c max!!!

Could not ask for more cold wise!!!!!!!!

Look here :

http://www.infoclima...orly-07149.html -7c and snowing now have not seen it snowing with such a cold temp!!and still temp falling a bit.

a somewhat different memory to what a good many of us have of your lovely city, strolling around in warm sunshine and enjoying the outdoor cafes along with the wonderful buildings?

[Aaron]

the last time I visited Paris it rained so heavily, it was unbelievable. Had to hide in the Metro!

[jean91]

a somewhat different memory to what a good many of us have of your lovely city, strolling around in warm sunshine and enjoying the outdoor cafes along with the wonderful buildings?

Mind you , you could have almost done that in December 2011!!!!!!!

[jean91]

the last time I visited Paris it rained so heavily, it was unbelievable. Had to hide in the Metro!

Aaron sure you will get your turn of a cold wave.

Ps you would have preffered a visit now, i bet?

[damianslaw]

a somewhat different memory to what a good many of us have of your lovely city, strolling around in warm sunshine and enjoying the outdoor cafes along with the wonderful buildings?

Yes the only time I visited Paris was in mid April 2007 during the 'heatwave' - I had friends taking part in the marathon and temps we up to 27 degrees with high humidity. Visiting Paris right now would be very different indeed!

[jean91]

Some of my college went on a trip to Disneyland Paris this week, wish i'd gone now with such cold temps and snow although would've be frigid on the rides! looks like more snow coming your way from the east as well, c'est vraiment froid en France cette semaine!

Oui et qu'ils oublient pas les écharpes et les gants!!

Yes and let them not forget scarfs and gloves!!!

Am off now to warm sleep!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited February 7, 2012 by jean91

[greybing]

Pretty average cold snap here in west manchester.Not bad ,but not great ,yet.I'm in the suburbs so temps are that bit higher but it is still cold ,last night I'll bet parts of manchester saw -8 ,in my local -2.2c so not that cold.Bits of snow are left it has but mostly all thawed.Canals ,[apart from the ship canal which is massive,which did begin to freeze in the last 2 winters,i have seen that happen 3 times in 20 years] have been frozen for a while [this happens every winter ] but again you only have to travel a few miles up the road or less to find dramatically different conditions.Manchester seems very varied in its weather conditions in the context of not only climate but where you are within it.Obviously this is the same for anywhere[localised differences in weather conditions] but I think with Manchester stradling the pennines this adds to that effect.Maybe I'm mistaken and it is no different than anywhere else ,but it seems the contrary.

I hope the cold lovers in the far west and north of Britain and also Ireland get what they want.

Edited February 7, 2012 by greybing

[I Cumbria Marra I]

Not sure if this even counts as a cold spell here, its been average, temps around 4/5c max -1,-2 min, rain, so yeah still waiting for my first cold spell in 2012

[TEITS]

A bitter -7C here at the moment.

Pretty good spell for my area so far.We had around 15cm of snow on Saturday night and still have a relatively good cover outside. My max temps since 23rd Jan are below.

[feb1991blizzard]

Here is a straw to clutch regarding the possible Greeny block next week, it doesnt always need a long lasting high to produce a dumping, as long as any trough tracks through the spine of the country or down the east rather than in the North sea / Scandi, run the sequence through from the start, ring any bells?, that spell gave 8 inches in the midlands (where i lived then) and drifts many feet high where i live now.

http://www.meteociel.fr/modeles/archives/archives.php?day=2&month=12&hour=0&year=1990&map=0&mode=2

[Cheese Rice]

I thought average maxes were around 6.c?

Anyway around 50% snow cover here, some streets thick with snow on all surfaces while others patchy. 8-14cm fell from Saturdays cold front, so I'd say around 4-5cm left. 100% snow cover in my garden, shaded by the trees.

Temperatures since the 27th have been below average.

27th: 4/0.c

28th: 4/-1.c

29th: 1/-1.c

30th: 2/-1.c

31st: 0/-1.c

1st: 2/-1.c

2nd: 0/-2.c

3rd: 1/-4.c

4th: -1/-3/c

5th: 3/0.c

6th: 5/-1.c

7th: 2/-5.c

It seems we have had quite a run of cold temperatures, three ice days, eight days managed maxes no higher than 2.c.

All eyes on what Friday brings, GFS says yes for the south east. ECM says yes for Yorkshire/Midlands/NW England etc.

Will have to wait for the NAE. I don't trust the GFS one bit so until the we are 48 hours out there will be many more changes to come.

Edited February 8, 2012 by Cheese Rice

[Cheese Rice]

I thought average maxes were around 6.c?

Anyway around 50% snow cover here, some streets thick with snow on all surfaces while others patchy. 8-14cm fell from Saturdays cold front, so I'd say around 4-5cm left. 100% snow cover in my garden, shaded by the trees.

Temperatures since the 27th have been below average.

27th: 4/0.c

28th: 4/-1.c

29th: 1/-1.c

30th: 2/-1.c

31st: 0/-1.c

1st: 2/-1.c

2nd: 0/-2.c

3rd: 1/-4.c

4th: -1/-3/c

5th: 3/0.c

6th: 5/-1.c

7th: 2/-5.c

It seems we have had quite a run of cold temperatures, three iced days, eight days managed maxes no higher than 2.c.

All eyes on what Friday brings, GFS says yes for the south east. ECM says yes for Yorkshire/Midlands/NW England etc.

Will have to wait for the NAE. I don't trust the GFS one bit so until the we are 48 hours out there will be many more changes to come.

[summer blizzard]

I wouldn't call it a very cold spell. I'm quite disappointed - the snowfall we got was great, just a shame it's now so patchy. But, I guess, with the near continent being so cold, I just feel cheated

Our daily means have actually been at or below 0C other than Monday.

I think what makes it feel less cold is that it is so dry and there is little wind.

[Cal]

A bitter -7C here at the moment.

Pretty good spell for my area so far.We had around 15cm of snow on Saturday night and still have a relatively good cover outside. My max temps since 23rd Jan are below.

That's the general assesment around here, whilst not quite the 15cm's you have had big boy, we still have around 5-7cm on the ground, generally temps have been well down on the norm for the last week or so and it's set to continue, last year we was spoilt by the low temps and snowfall during late Nov and most of Dec and maybe some have a little empathy for what happened last winter, i dunno, but this for us in the far north east mids it has turned out for the better albeit a reversal of last year!

Why is the entrenched cold so hard to model and predict? Is it that every, single one of the major developed countries find it so hard to forecast due to a lack of data input from certain areas? Is it bliss ignorance that despite ongoing differences, that we cannot share such information from all around the world? Every detail is vital be it from the mid Atlantic or the Siberian Penninsula. Why do the models struggle with a Russian/Siberian high set up so close to mid/west Europe?

Any way back to a possible snow event for some thurs/fri, what is going to happen when the warm front moves across colder continental air?

[johnholmes]

Why is the entrenched cold so hard to model and predict? Is it that every, single one of the major developed countries find it so hard to forecast due to a lack of data input from certain areas? Is it bliss ignorance that despite ongoing differences, that we cannot share such information from all around the world? Every detail is vital be it from the mid Atlantic or the Siberian Penninsula. Why do the models struggle with a Russian/Siberian high set up so close to mid/west Europe?

re sharing data, read about the WMO on their web site to see how almost every country exchange all the data they have with everyone else; the only time its stops is in war time. WMO is perhaps the most successful part of the UN-it actually works with co-operation right around the world.

As to why forecasting some weather patterns is so difficult I have no real idea. Its certainly not through lack of data.

link to WMO site

http://www.wmo.int/pages/index_en.html

Edited February 8, 2012 by johnholmes

[Isolated Frost]

Currently -5.4c, another day where the mean shouldn't pass 0c here, making a below average feb extremely unlikely.

The first 15 days should be sub-zero in SE England, E Anglia, E Midlands and other parts of Central and Eastern England. Even London could see a sub-zero first half which is surely extremely rare!

Second half I favour retrogression and an eventually ridging GL block, perhaps into Iceland and Scandinavia, with north/north-west winds at times bringing less cold weather from the atlantic. Probably a CET of about 2c looks best, below that in some areas.

[sunny scunny]

, i dunno, but this for us in the far north east mids it has turned out for the better albeit a reversal of last year!

I always thought scunny was in N Lincs

[SNOW CRYSTAL]

Hi as a newbie I am very confused about what it takes to get a good fall of snow in the Southwest at this time of year. Is there anybody out there that could explain it layman's terms for us model illiterate people? What's a good set up for snow for us that have only seen 1cm of snow since Dec 2010. running out of time and getting desperate. When posts read that the snow risk is moving West, I get all excited, only to realise that's it's not West enough.

Thanks

[summer blizzard]

Hi as a newbie I am very confused about what it takes to get a good fall of snow in the Southwest at this time of year. Is there anybody out there that could explain it layman's terms for us model illiterate people? What's a good set up for snow for us that have only seen 1cm of snow since Dec 2010. running out of time and getting desperate. When posts read that the snow risk is moving West, I get all excited, only to realise that's it's not West enough.

Thanks

Basically, you need a front bumping into -5C uppers preferably with low heights and SE winds at the surface.

The alternative is a week of so ago with a wave moving south east.

Also if you get a northerly with the low close enough to the UK then like 25th Nov 05 you can get a lot of snow showers.

So for showers a northerly, fronts needs a SE wind ahead at the surface.

[I Cumbria Marra I]

Snow crystal, id say for you a good northerly which we might see next week

[keithlucky]

Weird cloud formation