Snow Or Thunderstorms? Which Better?

[I remember Atlantic 252]

Definitely the 2 most interesting weather types, radar watching etc, but wonering what members prefer?

I am more of a snow fan, just great and a novelty, even when snow stops, its still there after, but missing it by 5 miles or so would be heartbreak

Thunderstorms great, even missing by 5 miles or so, will still see a good lightning display, but after ground just wet

ajpoolshark more of a thunderstorm fan I think, what about anyone else?

[Aaron]

Historically, I have always preferred snow to anything else. I will always sacrifice a thundery summer for a snowy winter. Probably because snow is just more reliable in the UK than thunderstorms.

During the late 1990's and early 2000's, though, I preferred thunderstorms to snow, probably because they were occurring in higher frequency back then when snow was less common than it was in some previous winters.

At the end of the day though, I just adore snow, always have done, while as a young child I was quite scared of thunderstorms at night.

Both are awesome though, and they're my two favourite weather phenomenons.

Edited May 9, 2012 by Aaron

[A.J]

Definitely the 2 most interesting weather types, radar watching etc, but wonering what members prefer?

I am more of a snow fan, just great and a novelty, even when snow stops, its still there after, but missing it by 5 miles or so would be heartbreak

Thunderstorms great, even missing by 5 miles or so, will still see a good lightning display, but after ground just wet

ajpoolshark more of a thunderstorm fan I think, what about anyone else?

Thundersnow Mark, or am I just being greedy...lol

Snow is nice, especially the anticipation it arouses, but for instant "wham bam, it's making the hair on the back of my neck stand up" satisfaction, then it's a thunderstorm all the way, plus you get the anticipation especially during a plume scenario!

[I remember Atlantic 252]

Yes of course thundersnow, but Ive only seen that once, just 1 flash, during a wet snow shower

[A Winter's Tale]

I enjoy British weather in general but when it comes to autumn and into winter I always look get excited about the prospects of snowfall during the coming months as it's my favourite type of weather out of the rest of the weather that I enjoy and appreciate (except when it's very dull and wet for a long period with little sunshine).

Thunderstorms are one of my least favourite types of weather as I do find it uncomfortable to go around doing things normally but I enjoy it as it's a unique characteristic of our weather and like snow, it isn't a weather type you'd expect to see everyday. A thunder storm in the distance but with lightning visible from my house would be something I would enjoy watching.

I'm not a fan of severe gales or VERY HOT summer days but I tend to enjoy varied, often pleasant, occasionally extreme and very seasonal weather and I can come to appreciate thunderstorms, gales, heavy rain and very hot days as they are varied types of seasonal weather.

[syed2878]

Thunderstorms or snow if i had to pick1 then it would haf to be snow.

[Thundery wintry showers]

For me snow narrowly edges it, but I tend to get pretty excited by both.

[conor123]

Thundersnow

[Radiating Dendrite]

Snow..........but thunderstorms do come a close second.

[sunny scunny]

Snow just edges it for me.

[Radiating Dendrite]

You should have had a poll attached to the topic

[Polar Maritime]

Snow.

[Evening thunder]

Snow in the winter and thunderstorms in the summer!

Probably thunderstorms for me at the moment but it's a close one. I think down here thunderstorms are more reliable than snow (or at least they're meant to be, going on average statistics!) but haven't necessarily been in the last few years. We had 0 days of lying snow here in winter 2011/12 (did see some in the Blackdown hills though)

Shame we don't get more of each really.

[BlueHedgehog074]

Although I like thunderstorms, personally, for me, I enjoy snowy weather the best. There is just something about snow that makes it so beautiful to watch. I can literally watch snow falling outside for hours on end seeing snowflakes hurry past each other before hitting the ground. It's almost as though I am watching a movie that's entertaining. It has a beginning (the snow starts to fall), a middle (snow varying in intensity, whether it settles easily on the ground and whether it remains as snow or turns to rain), and then an end (the snow either slowly or suddenly clears, whether clear skies follow behind, or whether it turned completely into rain). If it turns entirely to rain, I call that an unhappy ending. :lol:

Despite this, there are one/two advantages about thunderstorms that I like over non-electrified snow - flashes of lightning followed by loud rumbly bangs. Like Aaron, though, I used to be fearful of thunderstorms because I was worried that I was going to get torched by lightning. Over the years, I have realised that it is extremely rare to get struck by lightning. And I have learnt to really appreciate the dazzling displays these 'beasts'offer, not to mention the cloud structures can be rather spectacular. It is just a shame just as I have got used to electrified storms, they seemed to have become more obselete here recently. However, the rest of 2012 may just fix this.

But if there was one particular snowy setup I like the best out of all the wintry types we can achieve, it would have to be sunshine and snow showers. My most treasured weather of the lot. While this type would deliver snow in short bursts, I just love the dramatic surprise snow showers can yield. One minute it is snowing, the next minute it is sunny. Does not appear to be a particularly common setup during our Winter (unless I suppose you are near the coast, or if we can source in cold enough uppers from anywhere between the North-West and East.

What I also really like about this setup is the amazing structures and appearances these showers yeild apon their arrival. I love how the sky suddenly goes a dark, yellowy, brown. A warm, excited feeling erupts from within me knowing the it is going to pound down with snow at any minute. Should I not be looking at the radar at the time, it's the curiosity of how heavy the precipitation will be, how long it will last and how much wind is blowing about during a shower, that make them so very exciting. It would be lovely to see if next Winter can deliver one of these beauties with long-drawn potent Easterly winds bringing uppers of -15, along with very low heights stirring up some serious snowy convection. That would be heaven.

Considering we are in Spring anyway, then, for now, I am looking forward to some great big juicy thunderstorms.

Edited May 10, 2012 by DiagonalRedLine

[Norrance]

Overall heavy snow just edges it for me but for an immediate "hit" a good thunderstorm takes some beating.

Nov 28th 2010 was one of the best here. Twelve hours of thundersnow.

[Village]

I prefer thunder snow

[cheeky_monkey]

To be brutally honest i am fed up of both...i now prefer wall to wall sunshine all year round.

[Aaron]

To be brutally honest i am fed up of both...i now prefer wall to wall sunshine all year round.

That's a shame.. you've chosen to idolise the dullest weather of all. We've lost him!

Edited May 10, 2012 by Aaron

[Alex95]

In the UK, it would have to be snow, but my ideal weather would be a tropical thunderstorm. Or a Midwest supercell probably, but I've never been to the Midwest.

If I lived somewhere like London or Southampton it would be thunderstorms because I can't stand two inches of slushy snow, but the snow in the NE is sometimes quite good. Similarly, Kent gets good thunderstorms from time to time from the Continent, whereas they tend to be a bit disappointing elsewhere in Britain.

Edited May 10, 2012 by Alza

[Weather-history]

Snow ahead of thunderstorms.

Thunderstorms have been marked by their absence in the last 30 odd months

[cheeky_monkey]

That's a shame.. you've chosen to idolise the dullest weather of all. We've lost him!

when you get snow all winter and lots of summer thunderstorms..they tend to lose their appeal.

[Gowon]

To be brutally honest i am fed up of both...i now prefer wall to wall sunshine all year round.

The Sahara dersert would be a good place for you then

My preference would have to be snow.

[cheeky_monkey]

The Sahara dersert would be a good place for you then

My preference would have to be snow.

I was thinking more Cyprus.

[Bottesford]

Thunderstorms for me as they generally come off the back of warm & humid weather.

Snow is nice a few times in winter yes but can quickly become a complete pain in the backside.

[Gowon]

I was thinking more Cyprus.

Yeah, that's probably a better option, it's a bit more habitable than the Sahara.