White Easter

[A Winter's Tale]

Statistically, apparently we're a more likely to have a White Easter than a White Christmas. Seems a bit strange to me as would expect to have a greater chance of being in a cold spell in Late December than in Spring. I do think that we could potentially see a White Easter this year.

So, what years have there been a White Easter and what was the summer after it and the winter before it like?

[Alex95]

2008 was very white for many, winter 07/08 was largely snowless, and the summer was quite poor apart from a late July heatwave.

[Snowangel-MK]

2008 was very white for many....

Yep, it was here ....enough to shock the daffodils...

and for the kids to make a snow bunny....

It may come as a surprise especially to those of you who know how much I love snow but if I had to choose between a white Easter or a heatwave I would take the latter - once it gets to April I'd much rather it was warm enough have a BBQ and sit in the garden.

[Aaron]

I'm not surprised by that.

The last white easter here was 2008 (I'm sure that's the case with most people), and we all know what followed in summer..

Edited February 19, 2012 by Aaron

[Thundery wintry showers]

The most emphatic "white Easters" in the past 20 years were 1998 (sunshine and snow showers in central and northern areas, dull with persistent rain/sleet/snow in the south) and 2008 (sunshine and snow showers generally). Both followed mild and largely snowless winters, with just one brief south-easterly incursion and a couple of brief northerlies, and were followed by cloudy wet summers.

Easter Day 1994 had sleet and snow showers in many western and northern regions off a polar maritime NW'ly. That one also followed a "westerly" winter but one with a fair number of short-lived wintry spells, particularly during mid to late February when a Scandinavian high temporarily dominated our weather. The summer was pretty average early and late but had a long hot thundery spell from 23 June to 4 August.

Easter Day 1995, a dull wet day marking the "switch-around" from warm sunshine to northerlies and wintry showers (similar to May Day 1997 in this respect), turned snowy in parts of Scotland late on. The winter was generally mild, though January 1995 was quite wintry in the north at times and briefly further south around New Year's Day, and the summer ended up as a scorcher.

I think the notion of white Easters being more common than white Christmasses, though, is a result of the bookies' "sleet/snow falling" definition of the white Christmas. In some parts of the country snow is indeed more likely to fall on Easter Day than it is on Christmas Day, but even in those areas lying snow is considerably less likely.

[Aaron]

Easter 2008 snowfall in Leeds

We got snowfalls in all winter months of 2008 though

[Weather-history]

Starting to download the forecasts from the Easter of 1998 and for this neck of the woods I reckon it was the wintriest spell of weather in terms of falling snow and lying snow between Feb '97 and Dec'00 believe it or not. 2 days of lying snow and snow recorded on 5 consecutiive days.

Easters 1975 and 1983 were on the wintry side and they were followed by superb summers.

Edited February 19, 2012 by Mr_Data

[Guest]

I would much rather have a white Christmas than a white Easter but the difference here is that the timing of Easter can vary as much as 4 weeks since it is set by the lunar cycle whereas Christmas is a fixed date, so not so bad getting snow in March but by the time April comes I really am looking forward to warmer weather.

[knocker]

Easter 1-3 April 1983 - this was the snowiest Easter with Scotland, the Midlands and Kent getting up to 10 cm of snow. Over the past 45+ years, snow has fallen quite regularly, even in lowland areas. Snow fell in 1958, 1965, 1970, 1973, 1975, 1977 and 1978.

[Lauren]

We had a white Easter here in 2010.

[leicsnow]

I just looked back on some old threads, from early March 2008 where people mentioned how early easter was that year and suggested looking out for snow. Well what to you know, a white Easter for many it was!

[philglossop]

Easter Day 1994 had sleet and snow showers in many western and northern regions off a polar maritime NW'ly. That one also followed a "westerly" winter but one with a fair number of short-lived wintry spells, particularly during mid to late February when a Scandinavian high temporarily dominated our weather. The summer was pretty average early and late but had a long hot thundery spell from 23 June to 4 August.

Friday 1st April 1994- a day I remember well. I was at a football match in Liskeard, and it was the coldest Easter holiday day I had until that point watched a football match. It was more like mid winter compared to "Spring".

[sundog]

Friday 1st April 1994- a day I remember well. I was at a football match in Liskeard, and it was the coldest Easter holiday day I had until that point watched a football match. It was more like mid winter compared to "Spring".

Good Friday 1994 i remember was a very cold day with heavy snow showers here although the snow didnt settle.

[damianslaw]

Easter 2008 was the last white easter here. We had an inch covering in the morning and higher ground recieved over 6 inches. It was a lovely crisp sunny day.

I think 1994 delivered some snow showers in some areas. The first 10 days of April were cold with plenty of snow showers especially on Good Friday thanks to northerly/northwesterly airstream.

Easter 1983 was the last time the country saw disruptive snowfall.

Not sure when easter fell in 1975, but it fell in late March or early April I suspect a fair number of places may have seen some snow over the easter holiday period.

1958 brought very cold snowy conditions.

Going way back, 1908 brought conditions reminiscent of deep mid winter with blizzards and huge amounts.

I've a nagging feeling this easter is going to be a cold one - coming on the back of the very mild christmas and new year, just like 2008 and also on the back of the exceptional warmth of last year.

[virtualsphere]

Nobody mentioned 1999, which is hardly surprising as it looks like it was fairly mild and benign.

I'll always remember the Easter holiday that year, though, because driving back home after visiting family for the break, I'd got within half an hour of home when snow started to fall and got heavier and heavier until it started to settle and made driving pretty tricky! I don't remember the exact date but looking at the charts I guess it was from this: