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Past winters discussion


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Posted
  • Location: Failsworth, Manchester - alt: 93m
  • Weather Preferences: Hot sunshine and thunderstorms. Mild in winter.
  • Location: Failsworth, Manchester - alt: 93m

Use this thread to discuss past winters and other winter weather events that you have found interesting or have been very memorable to you.

Edited by Thunderbolt_
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Posted
  • Location: The North Kent countryside
  • Weather Preferences: Hot summers, snowy winters and thunderstorms!
  • Location: The North Kent countryside

I was only ickle, but I think Winter 90 was pretty good. All I know is that there's a family video where I'm throwing a paddy because my Dad brought me in from the snow because I was cold, but I wanted to play. In the video they are talking about how much snow they had this winter.

 

I can't remember much about other winters. But the snow of Winter 2009 and 2010 was pretty spectacular. 2009 went on for longer but 2010 was deeper. We went for a walk in it on the fields at the back of my house and it was up over me knees!

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Posted
  • Location: Cleeve, North Somerset
  • Weather Preferences: Continental winters & summers.
  • Location: Cleeve, North Somerset

Good idea for a thread, Scott. Might help declutter other threads of reminiscing over previous winters. Here's a list of winter weather that sticks out in my memory:

 

1995/1996 - I was very small at the time but I think my first memory of snow is Feb 6th 1996 when there was a considerable amount imby.

1997/1998 - The last day of term before Christmas it was snowing but can't remember with temporary accumulation, the holidays themselves were not wintry at all though.

1999 - Technically not winter, but one of the best surprise snowfalls was April 14th - snow lay on the ground for the whole day and into the 15th.

2000/2001 - I was away for the Christmas cold spell, but remember the frequency of snow flurries in Jan-March; there was a good fall of snow on March 20th before it turned milder.

2001/2002 - Walking up the Mendip at the end of December after snowfall (29th/30th I think) and sunny skies. There was snow up there until at least Jan 5th.

2002/2003 - Snow fell and settled marginally on December 10th from the whimperish easterly. Snow flurries on January 8th but this period was more notable for cold temperatures than snow here.

2003/2004 - Thundersnow on January 28th and a good snowfall on February 26th which left snow on the ground until March 3rd. There was also snow on March 11th/12th ahead of a stormy spell.

2004/2005 - Surprise snowfall on December 19th as a slider low turned rain to snow overnight to leave a good covering. Will also never forget the frustrating cold spell in late Feb that brought days of snow showers but very little accumulation.

2005/2006 - The early snow of November 25th with more showers on 28th; snowy breakdown on December 29th; the cold spell in late Feb was similar to 2005 but actually brought lying snow on 28th Feb / 01st Mar. Snowy battleground scenario brought a covering on March 12th too.

2006/2007 - Surprise dusting early on January 24th and an equally rubbish dusting on February 08th but otherwise very poor winter for snow.

2007/2008 - Heavy rain turned to snow on January 11th. Flooding caused by the rain was followed by snow settling on the likes of cars, unwaterlogged grass - total surprise but must have been evaporative cooling.

2008/2009 - Unforgettable wintry spell in early Feb with snowfall on 02nd, 03rd, 05th, 06th and 08th. Snow lay for over a week.

2009/2010 - Say no more. Snow in all three winter months. Snow streamer of the Severn on December 21st; heavy fall of snow on January 06th; heavy battleground snow on January 13th; snow falling on January 20th; snow showers from a northerly on January 29th; snow showers from an easterly in the second week of Feb; snow falling on February 18th while I was doing my driving test; further snow falling but not settling February 22nd/23rd

2010/2011 - Superb late November-December spell. First snow at home on 26th November but I was in Egham where there was no snow that actually settled until December 2nd. Best snow was on December 17th/18th and lay until just after Christmas. No more winter after that.

2011/2012 - Surprisingly decent snowfall on February 05th in Egham. Lasted a day.

2014/2015 - Snow showers on January 14th which settled in the Mendip area. Had a lovely walk in the snow in an otherwise quite Atlantic spell.

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Posted
  • Location: Edmonton Alberta(via Chelmsford, Exeter & Calgary)
  • Weather Preferences: Sunshine and 15-25c
  • Location: Edmonton Alberta(via Chelmsford, Exeter & Calgary)

Good winters if you like cold and snow in my lifetime I have experienced are as follows:

 

77/78 back end of winter esp Feb was cold and snowy...great time to live in SW England worst blizzard in 100 years!

78/79 nothing more to be said here one of the holy grail winters of the 20th C

85/86 sub zero Feb cet

90/91 early snow in Dec followed by a cold snowy first 2 weeks of Feb..decent

 

and finally 2010/2011 in Edmonton Canada..imagine the coldest winters of 1684 and 1740 and times that by 10..snoweist winter there for over 40 years.

 

personally in mot a huge fan of 86/87 or 95/96 or 2008/9 for that matter.

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Posted
  • Location: Beccles, Suffolk.
  • Weather Preferences: Thunder, snow, heat, sunshine...
  • Location: Beccles, Suffolk.

I guess the obvious one I recall was 1962-63: non-stop freezing temperatures, scraping ice from the windows, and my day having his duodenal ulcer removed. But, apart from around New Year, there wasn't a great deal of falling snow...

 

1965 had some big falls, in Jan. and Feb., but I can't really remember all that well...

 

1968-69 had a White Christmas, a stonking polar low and a blizzard that came up from France, but turned to rain after 12 hours.

 

1969-70 went from 27C on October 1st to snow on November 5th, lying snow before December and two notable blizzard, Feb. and March.

 

After that, there was sod-all until 1977! :D

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Posted
  • Location: Liversedge, West Yorkshire ASL : 74m
  • Location: Liversedge, West Yorkshire ASL : 74m

Best snow drifts in my lifetime were a couple of years ago in March when the drifts were many feet high.  I went up to the local golf course with my son to jump into the snow filled bunkers.  Quite an experience jumping into such huge piles of snow!  Rubbish for sledging but great for snow "bombing".

 

I also vividly remember a few years back (09/10 perhaps) when we had freezing rain and everything became covered in thick ice.  Virtually impossible to walk and car doors frozen shut.  The ice in that winter lasted for weeks as snow became compacted and refroze.  There were also a couple of days where the maximum temperature was a chilly -6C.  Never experienced cold like that before - actually hurt to breath.

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Posted
  • Location: Llanharan, South Wales
  • Location: Llanharan, South Wales

Was either 78/79 or 79/80 I was living in Birmingham and only 4 years old - monumental snowfall over night 1 night and I have pctures of me and my cousins with snowballs rolled about 6ft high

 

remember one when living in Petersfield, Hants - think it was 1986 - possibly January where we had decent snowfall.

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Posted
  • Location: NW LONDON
  • Weather Preferences: Sun, sleet, Snow
  • Location: NW LONDON

My most recent memory of a decent snow fall was the week before Christmas 2010. I heard that there was a blizzard approaching so I didn't take the car and went out on foot instead. I left home with a dusting of snow on the ground and came home in a foot. There was a huge traffic jam as far as the eye can see :oops:  as the snow was really intense and it was blocking the roads. :vava:  I think a foot fell in four hours, I got home and couldn't see my car as it was under a blanket of snow! :shok: The snow was still on the floor come Christmas day, but it started to melt come New Year :cray:It was the most snow I've seen in London since 2009 :D

Edited by lassie23
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Posted
  • Location: Irlam
  • Location: Irlam

One of my favourite snowfalls was post Christmas 2000. That came down in a couple of hours in the early hours and the landscape was transformed from a dull lifeless world into a magical winter wonderland. That Saturday was beautiful, brilliant blue skies and a white mantle.

Edited by Weather-history
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Posted
  • Location: Wildwood, Stafford 104m asl
  • Weather Preferences: obviously snow!
  • Location: Wildwood, Stafford 104m asl

One of my favourite snowfalls was post Christmas 2000. That came down in a couple of hours in the early hours and the landscape was transformed from a dull lifeless world into a magical winter wonderland. That Saturday was beautiful, brilliant blue skies and a white mantle.

 

very good this for me, only thing is I saw no daytime snow, but had around 10cms of thick snow overnight 27th into 28th, less cold air arrived though on new years eve after transient snow, all while listening to the 'new' Atlantic 252, '12 in a row' non stop rhythm and dance, childhood days rule!

 

got my first phone as well this day! motorola with ariel

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Posted
  • Location: Bedfordshire 33m above mean sea level
  • Weather Preferences: Snowy and thundery.
  • Location: Bedfordshire 33m above mean sea level

My most recent memory of a decent snow fall was the week before Christmas 2010. I heard that there was a blizzard approaching so I didn't take the car and went out on foot instead. I left home with a dusting of snow on the ground and came home in a foot. There was a huge traffic jam as far as the eye can see :oops:  as the snow was really intense and it was blocking the roads. :vava:  I think a foot fell in four hours, I got home and couldn't see my car as it was under a blanket of snow! :shok: The snow was still on the floor come Christmas day, but it started to melt come New Year :cray:It was the most snow I've seen in London since 2009 :D

I remember this well, Bubs was just a newborn and we were planning to go on a walk round the village to see the Christmas trees, and when I peaked at the weather there was a red warning for snow! We got ready quickly and as we started off there was already a few flakes falling with really added to the Christmassy feel and it was a hour later it was really going down and what had fallen was still around here on Christmas day. Quite a covering for december, but a week early :(

But the best snow I have ever had was one New years eve, I can't remember the year, but my parents and I had been to the panto and when we came out there was snow on the ground, we had missed it falling though.

Edited by Dami
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Posted
  • Location: Bacup Lancashire, 1000ft up in the South Pennines
  • Weather Preferences: Summer heat and winter cold, and a bit of snow when on offer
  • Location: Bacup Lancashire, 1000ft up in the South Pennines

For me New Year's Eve 1978 sticks out with blowing snow that fine it came through the gaps in the back door and covered the kitchen floor.

It also heralded the worst winter I've seen with blizzards throughout January, February and well into March.

At one stage the snow was drifted higher than the top of the downstairs windows and with little thawing taking place, we still had snow in the garden at the end of April.

After that the blizzard of late April 1981, still one of the heaviest single falls I've ever seen.

Since then we had decent snowy winters in 1982 and 83 but then pretty much had to wait until 1991 for anything special.

The mid 90's gave a couple of memorable snowy spells as did the early noughties.

However I had to wait until March 2013 to see a proper full blown blizzard again, not a vast amount of snow fell here but it was fine and the wind piled it up into the sort of drifts I hadn't seen since early 1979.

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Posted
  • Location: Near King's Lynn 13.68m ASL
  • Weather Preferences: Hoar Frost, Snow, Misty Autumn mornings
  • Location: Near King's Lynn 13.68m ASL

very good this for me, only thing is I saw no daytime snow, but had around 10cms of thick snow overnight 27th into 28th, less cold air arrived though on new years eve after transient snow, all while listening to the 'new' Atlantic 252, '12 in a row' non stop rhythm and dance, childhood days rule!

 

got my first phone as well this day! motorola with ariel

 

Remember that one well, because I flew out of JFK with my girlfriend just a few hours before a big Nor'easter hit the eastern seaboard and grounded all the flights.

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Posted
  • Location: Irlam
  • Location: Irlam

One of my favourite snowfalls was post Christmas 2000. That came down in a couple of hours in the early hours and the landscape was transformed from a dull lifeless world into a magical winter wonderland. That Saturday was beautiful, brilliant blue skies and a white mantle.

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Posted
  • Location: Failsworth, Manchester - alt: 93m
  • Weather Preferences: Hot sunshine and thunderstorms. Mild in winter.
  • Location: Failsworth, Manchester - alt: 93m

I suppose the most notable wintry spell for me was early January 2010, when I had continuous heavy snow from around 20:30 on Monday 4 January to about 10:30 on Tuesday 5 January. I remember it started snowing quite lightly at first, but just got heavier and heavier and by around minight it was almost a whiteout outside. That then continued on throughout the rest of the night.

 

The next day the entire street got together and built a massive snowman, that must have been a good 15-20ft tall:

 

post-21671-0-51139800-1447282232_thumb.j post-21671-0-34103100-1447282241_thumb.j

 

Also quite interestingly, in my neck of the woods January 2010 actually recorded a lower temperature (the lowest I've ever recorded, in fact) and a deeper snow depth (the deepest also) than the entirety of December 2010, even though it was shorter-lived.

Edited by Thunderbolt_
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Posted
  • Location: Windermere 120m asl
  • Location: Windermere 120m asl

The 27th/28th Dec 2000 event delivered about 5 inches here and was followed by 3 ice days. It was a very decent snowy spell albeit relatively shortlived coming to an end on New Years Eve when snow quickly turned to rain and everything turned slushy, I remember a major snowball fight in the early hours. It was particularly welcomed after 3 snow barren winters.

 

Winter 00/01 was fairly decent for cold and snowy weather, though December was largely mild up until Christmas, Jan and Feb were quite chilly with cold conditions at times.

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Posted
  • Location: Solihull, Midlands. (Formerly DRL)
  • Weather Preferences: Sunshine, thunder, hail & heavy snow
  • Location: Solihull, Midlands. (Formerly DRL)

That December 2000 snowfall was a nice surprise. Didn't look at the weather forecasts, so had no idea it was coming. But when I woke up early the next day, was really shocked to see quite a thick coating of snow outside. Really was great to see, especially considering the last few years beforehand gave thin coverings of the white stuff. I remember also during the daytime there were one or two light to moderate snow showers.

Other events from Winter's past that stand out would be some of the snowfalls during January 2013. In fact, as a month, January 2013 was quite decent for snow here. One day of which (can't remember the exact date), produced a depth of upto 16cm. The deepest snow I had in the last 15 years or so. As a Winter, 2012/13 was pretty good for wintry weather, though December was disappointing.

Really also loved the January 28th 2004 snow event. Not really a brilliant Winter overall for snow, but that day in January will be well remembered for the sudden switch from rain to snow. It was when a band of rain spilled in from the West in the late-afternoon followed by a quick undercut of colder air from the North turning the heavy rain into heavy snow within a minute. Was incredible and the snow was so heavy, all the surfaces become white very quickly. Much clearer skies followed behind the front just before nighttime set in and many of the road surfaces become very icy. And the best of all - no School the next day!

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Posted
  • Location: Crewe, Cheshire
  • Weather Preferences: Snow, storms and other extremes
  • Location: Crewe, Cheshire

Best snow drifts in my lifetime were a couple of years ago in March when the drifts were many feet high.  I went up to the local golf course with my son to jump into the snow filled bunkers.  Quite an experience jumping into such huge piles of snow!  Rubbish for sledging but great for snow "bombing".

 

I also vividly remember a few years back (09/10 perhaps) when we had freezing rain and everything became covered in thick ice.  Virtually impossible to walk and car doors frozen shut.  The ice in that winter lasted for weeks as snow became compacted and refroze.  There were also a couple of days where the maximum temperature was a chilly -6C.  Never experienced cold like that before - actually hurt to breath.

 

Yes I think it was '09/'10 which had some very severe freezing rain events. I can remember that around here on a couple of occasions it was nigh on impossible to walk on any surface that was untreated. The thickness of the sheet ice was something I've never witnessed before.

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Posted
  • Location: Kent
  • Weather Preferences: cold and snowy winters
  • Location: Kent

Hi Guy's. I wasn't following the forum in 2010. Regarding the severe cold in December. I remember November was very mild upto the last week. Can anyone remember if there where any signs of the on set of cold. Building blocks, Models ect. Or was it a very sunden flip that we didn't see coming.

Appreciate your response's

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Posted
  • Location: Aviemore
  • Location: Aviemore

Hi Guy's. I wasn't following the forum in 2010. Regarding the severe cold in December. I remember November was very mild upto the last week. Can anyone remember if there where any signs of the on set of cold. Building blocks, Models ect. Or was it a very sunden flip that we didn't see coming.

Appreciate your response's

 

It was pretty well forecast some way in advance :)

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