How bad is your snow addiction ?

[March Blizzard]

December 2010...will we ever see its like again? A magical month that was. Stunning photos there WH.

I know it sounds ridiculous now, but I was actually slightly disappointed with December 2010 at the time, after what I'd experienced in January 2010.

Locally, Jan 2010 recorded lower temperatures and deeper snow than Dec 2010. Yes, it wasn't as prolonged as the spell in December, but for me Jan 2010 is still the benchmark for winter weather in the UK.

I sum it up by saying my recollection of Jan 2010 is of wading through snow, while Dec 2010 it was slipping on ice.

In Jan 2010 nearby Woodford was sub -17C for 2 nights in a row, and nearly as cold for a while longer. The -14C or-so achieved the following December seemed like a letdown! I couldn't figure out why it didn't get colder, despite the favourable conditions.

Edited July 30, 2015 by March Blizzard

[on the coast]

Snow is only good when the dreaded grit put down has no effect and the powder keeps blowing. I have seen only a couple of winters like this on the coast but boy are they memorable when they happen.

[gsteruk]

Ah yes,good old Dec 2010, an amazing time. I remember getting caught in the first snow spell, really unexpected and so severe! I went from driving in it to being totally stuck in what seemed like a really short time, it was awesome to see everywhere just go quiet and still as everyone ran for home. Really do hope to see the likes again!

[hillbilly]

I know it sounds ridiculous now, but I was actually slightly disappointed with December 2010 at the time, after what I'd experienced in January 2010.

Locally, Jan 2010 recorded lower temperatures and deeper snow than Dec 2010. Yes, it wasn't as prolonged as the spell in December, but for me Jan 2010 is still the benchmark for winter weather in the UK.

I sum it up by saying my recollection of Jan 2010 is of wading through snow, while Dec 2010 it was slipping on ice.

In Jan 2010 nearby Woodford was sub -17C for 2 nights in a row, and nearly as cold for a while longer. The -14C or-so achieved the following December seemed like a letdown! I couldn't figure out why it didn't get colder, despite the favourable conditions.

Winters 1978/79 and 1981/82 certainly put 2010 in its place in this area!

[I remember Atlantic 252]

I know it sounds ridiculous now, but I was actually slightly disappointed with December 2010 at the time, after what I'd experienced in January 2010.

Locally, Jan 2010 recorded lower temperatures and deeper snow than Dec 2010. Yes, it wasn't as prolonged as the spell in December, but for me Jan 2010 is still the benchmark for winter weather in the UK.

I sum it up by saying my recollection of Jan 2010 is of wading through snow, while Dec 2010 it was slipping on ice.

In Jan 2010 nearby Woodford was sub -17C for 2 nights in a row, and nearly as cold for a while longer. The -14C or-so achieved the following December seemed like a letdown! I couldn't figure out why it didn't get colder, despite the favourable conditions.

 

yes, i heard Stockport got less than here in Dec '10, they had more in Dec '09, 12 inches on 20th and 22nd, and 5th Jan '10

Edited July 31, 2015 by Ilovethesnow

[Methuselah]

I thought my snow-addiction had gone into remission but, it seems not: I've been watching Swedish detective series on telly, and keep finding myself concentrating on car headlights and lampposts...  

[IanR]

Watching it thaw is much more fun for me because by that point, I know that the misery is nearly over as that soft mild air rushes in across the land. When it's falling, my spirits fall with it as I have to mentally prepare myself for disruption and my arthritic knee causing me a lot of pain, which I hardly enjoy. Yeah... snow sucks, in all honesty.

lol  my feelings , horrible stuff , I even hate it on christmas cards, the real stuff is worse,  december 2010 was horrific,  weeks of that monotonous looking white stuff which was taking on a more grey appearance as it was going through the freezing partial melting cyles and temps barely above freezing day after day, I forgot what colour was,    I jumped for joy after the new year when the mild air swamped in and vanished the now grey compacted messy slush which had dirty road grit embedded in to nothing, then heavy rain  then washed the remaining filth away    

[hillbilly]

At least December 2010 occurred during the middle of winter so it wasn't completely out of place like March 2013 was. I hate snow in winter, but I absolutely detest it when it drags on into spring. That's one of the many reasons why I consider March 2013 as one of the most vile and depressing months I have ever had the misfortune of experiencing. Thank God it led onto a hot summer and a warm autumn.

You would have loved the cold springs in the 80s then and the crazy blizzard on 24th April 1981!

[Summer of 95]

I know it sounds ridiculous now, but I was actually slightly disappointed with December 2010 at the time, after what I'd experienced in January 2010.

Locally, Jan 2010 recorded lower temperatures and deeper snow than Dec 2010. Yes, it wasn't as prolonged as the spell in December, but for me Jan 2010 is still the benchmark for winter weather in the UK.

I sum it up by saying my recollection of Jan 2010 is of wading through snow, while Dec 2010 it was slipping on ice.

In Jan 2010 nearby Woodford was sub -17C for 2 nights in a row, and nearly as cold for a while longer. The -14C or-so achieved the following December seemed like a letdown! I couldn't figure out why it didn't get colder, despite the favourable conditions.

My recollection is exactly the opposite- 2009/10 constantly watching snow fall everywhere except a 20-30 mile radius of here, even getting rain one day in December which was supposed to be snow. And December 2010 making up for it- snow arriving when forecast and even when not, no melting in between falls, the Severn freezing over in town.

January 2013 was pretty good as well (snow cover for 10 days), but was let down by its lack of really low temperatures compared to Dec 2010 and even other spells like Dec 1995 or early Jan 1997. In fact it spent 5 days not going below -3 or above +1.5; a couple of degrees warmer and it would have been a Feb 2005 style failure.

[IanR]

At least December 2010 occurred during the middle of winter so it wasn't completely out of place like March 2013 was. I hate snow in winter, but I absolutely detest it when it drags on into spring. That's one of the many reasons why I consider March 2013 as one of the most vile and depressing months I have ever had the misfortune of experiencing. Thank God it led onto a hot summer and a warm autumn.

to be honest march2013 did not bother me, as you know the winter is almost done and the evenings  are much lighter , and anything cold and snowy is on its last legs by then , and the sun tends to vanish it rapidly as it gets stronger each day,    but dec 2010 was dark, cold , no greenery just bland grey/white for a couple of weeks not only that my waste pipes froze.  and my thought were ....oh god,  january and febuary are still to get through  ,  which a statistically even more wintery ,   however I loved the mild wild winter of  2013/14 some spectacular seas I witnessed on the coast , even though many suffered in the floods at somerset 

[ThundersnowDays]

I would say Im a 4 on the scale as I don't mind snow falling but when it settles it becomes a nuisance.

Im also not a big fan of the cold

 

[Polar Maritime]

At least December 2010 occurred during the middle of winter so it wasn't completely out of place like March 2013 was. I hate snow in winter, but I absolutely detest it when it drags on into spring. That's one of the many reasons why I consider March 2013 as one of the most vile and depressing months I have ever had the misfortune of experiencing. Thank God it led onto a hot summer and a warm autumn.

 

March 3013 saw me snowed in for around 7/8 days with the lanes filled with snow wall to wall. Whole areas where cut-off round here due to drifting and moving snow. Was quite an event to say the least..

Edited August 1, 2015 by Polar Maritime

[Polar Maritime]

Damn really? I didn't think there was that much snow. There was quite a but in Manchester, but only a few inches or so.

 

It was the drifting that coursed the problems, Snow in the Fields East facing was just lifted and dumped into any sheltered areas. The middle shot is my driveway..

Edited August 1, 2015 by Polar Maritime

[ThundersnowDays]

You wouldn't think that from your username.

 

Well I wouldn't mind if there was thundersnow

[Yarmy]

6th December 2010, I flew from Stansted to Aldergrove, hired a car and drove to Cavan. I knew what was coming, but couldn't be sure of the timing so I risked it and drove to Stansted in the morning anyway. Sure enough the flight was delayed, first for an hour, then another, and another. I was on the point of going home when they found a window in the weather and the departure time was brought forward. Landed in Belfast, and it was starting to snow heavily. By the time I'd got my luggage and hired a car, it was a full on blizzard. All the hire cars were buried, so the only way I could find mine was by walking up and down the rows and pressing the key remote. Eventually I found the car and attempted to clear it (not easy without a scraper). It took me over an hour to negotiate the 10-15 miles to the M1 which I hoped would have been cleared. It had been, but it was so cold and the snow so heavy that it was already getting covered again. Treacherous would have been an understatement. Moreover, my windscreen wash squirters were frozen and the combination of snow, grit and the onset of darkness was making it very hard to see properly. I crawled along and tried to stop so I could at least manually clear the windscreen, but all the lay-by's  were piled high with snow so you couldn't pull over. Finally, after a 6 hour journey to travel a 100 or so miles, I got to my hotel in Ballyconnell. Went to work the next morning (clear blue skies and -10C on the car thermometer), much to the astonishment of the person I was meeting.

 

 

It was bloody great.

 

[Norway Nut]

I give myself an '8' ( wifey thinks I should give myself a ten!) but it's complicated! I actually moved 1000 km north from the UK South coast but only to coastal western Norway. I drive on studded tyres from October until Easter the following year but a decent snowfall (50mm+) only happens once or twice a season (normally).

 

We only have 2 lampposts to watch when snow is forecast but as it's dark from about 4 in the afternoon to about 8 the following morning there's not really the need to get up at 4 in the morning to check for snow but I do anyway.

 

BTW, I moved to Norway in December 2009 and a week afterwards experienced a 3 and half month freeze ( didn't see plus temps or grass). I learnt a lot about sledding that winter!

 

I have the Finse railway station webcam on my Favourites list ( Finse railway station is 1222 metres asl) and have spent 4 hours travel time ( one way) just to see the snow. Mostly though, I travel electronically most  winter days there.

Edited August 1, 2015 by Norway Nut

[Relativistic]

Not sure how I rank on a scale of 1 to 10. Like many on here though I'm looking forward to Winter already. If I know snow is coming I'll set my alarm for, say, 3am, get up for a bit and watch it (same with thunderstorms but that comes without setting an alarm!).

I'll also be looking out for it well into May, from a starting point of October. May snow is so rare though

[Walsall Wood Snow]

I would defiantly say I was a 10. I want plenty of blizzards deep snow cover with massive drifts and at least a flurry most days (not every day as bright blue skies with deep snow cover is very picturesque) and sub zero temperatutes from the 1st of November to the 31st of March every year and I wouldn't mind including late October and early April in there either. I wish.

Always look forward to Winter but often get disappointed and sometimes wish I wasn't so bothered as it would save me the frustration. Would love a 1946-47 or 1962-63 or better still a 1683-84 or 1739-40. But I would want such a Winter to start early in time for the 1st of December (Christmas month) and have a classical white Christmas as for me this is when the festive season starts which is the most romantic month for snow like December 2010, but I would want it to last until at least the end of February which was the one major failing of Winter 2010-11, though it was still great for late November-late December alone. Still maybe if we did experience such a Winter I would start craving Spring and warmth and be cured of my fixation with snow and cold, lol. Who knows Winter 2015-16 could turn out to be a snow lovers dream. Here's hoping.

Edited August 1, 2015 by WALSALL SNOW

[feb1991blizzard]

Dec 10 will go down as one of my abiding memories of my lifetime but still Feb 91 and Jan 87 top it for me, greedy I know but there wasn't quite enough snow to top those 2 although temps were at least on a par and unofficially I am told in these parts a bit lower. I still actually preferred 09/10 (I was in Salford then) - only just but if id been here then 09/10 would have won it by landslide over Dec 10.

[Cheshire Freeze]

Dec 10 will go down as one of my abiding memories of my lifetime but still Feb 91 and Jan 87 top it for me, greedy I know but there wasn't quite enough snow to top those 2 although temps were at least on a par and unofficially I am told in these parts a bit lower. I still actually preferred 09/10 (I was in Salford then) - only just but if id been here then 09/10 would have won it by landslide over Dec 10.

 

I was seeing someone from Stockport at the time of the 09/10 event and I can tell you now I think I'd have preferred that event than that of Dec '10 if I lived there too! I remember her struggling down here early Jan '10 and me being shocked that there was still a solid foot of snow iced on to the top of her car when she got here, never seen anything like it. There was about 3cm lying here!

 

It was an unbelievably potent streamer event and it still cuts me up that I missed it all by about 12 miles!

Edited August 2, 2015 by CreweCold

[feb1991blizzard]

I was seeing someone from Stockport at the time of the 09/10 event and I can tell you now I think I'd have preferred that event than that of Dec '10 if I lived there too! I remember her struggling down here early Jan '10 and me being shocked that there was still a solid foot of snow iced on to the top of her car when she got here, never seen anything like it. There was about 3cm lying here!

 

Yes - this is what I mean - the East got more pounded in Nov / Dec 10 apart from 18th when Liverpool got marmalised, I know Im boring but I will just show you what happened in 09/10 here, I moved here in July 10 so missed it.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHexXG6Yg8k

Edited August 2, 2015 by feb1991blizzard

[Cheshire Freeze]

Yes - this is what I mean - the East got more pounded in Nov / Dec 10 apart from 18th when Liverpool got marmalised, I know Im boring but I will just show you what happened in 09/10 here, I moved here in July 10 so missed it.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHexXG6Yg8k

 

Yeah I've seen that clip before-insane. To be perfectly honest it was an exceptional streamer event, had the winds been slightly more NW'ly it would have given Crewe its deepest fall of snow in my lifetime and perhaps many years before that too. The absolute maximum I've seen here is 10cm and I'm not sure that will even be beaten anytime in the near future as we're in the wrong place geographically. The only the scenario that could produce more than that here would be a perfectly placed slider.

 

Deepest snow I've seen here...Feb 2007 (torrential snow for a few hours but melted soon after!) and Jan 2013 with that slider low!

Edited August 2, 2015 by CreweCold

[feb1991blizzard]

Yeah I've seen that clip before-insane. To be perfectly honest it was an exceptional streamer event, had the winds been slightly more NW'ly it would have given Crewe its deepest fall of snow in my lifetime and perhaps many years before that too. The absolute maximum I've seen here is 10cm and I'm not sure that will even be beaten anytime in the near future as we're in the wrong place geographically. The only the scenario that could produce more than that here would be a perfectly placed slider.

 

You need a frontal system to push up from South West against a Scandi Block, Just get far enough North East to deliver a long period of Juicy big flakes but not too far that it turns to rain, stall for ages, pivot and move away South East giving a Northerly blast to maintain the cold behind it, im not confident this winter but sure we will get another 47 or 63 at the end of this decade, that sun is gonna go quiet.

Edited August 2, 2015 by feb1991blizzard

[feb1991blizzard]

Barring a Feb 91 style Easterly, the only other thing that can cut it for you is a Dec 90 style developing trough - a cyclonic North Easterly, another EG of this is April 81.

[Cheshire Freeze]

You need a frontal system to push up from South West against a Scandi Block, Just get far enough North East to deliver a long period of Juicy big flakes but not too far that it turns to rain, stall for ages, pivot and move away South East giving a Northerly blast to maintain the cold behind it, im not confident this winter but sure we will get another 47 or 63 at the end of this decade, that sun is gonna go quiet.

 

Oh I'm of the same opinion. We'll get a major one at some point IMO but it doesn't guarantee snowfall here. Still, -15C was still some experience in Jan 2010....seeing steam rising from the street drains was like a scene from a thriller film. It hurt to breathe in such was the intensity of the cold! Car batteries dying everywhere!