Spring moans, ramps, chat and banter

[snow freak]

3 hours ago, Azazel said:

I'm not a coldie by any stretch of the imagination, but this is just ridiculous. I can't believe Christmas is just 2 weeks away and its almost warm enough to go out in a t-shirt:/

For me down here, 2015 has just been one big perpetual Autumn. Absolutely atrocious year devoid of any interesting weather bar about 3 days overall. I was hoping for a cold/snowy winter to break the monotony and chain of wet/windy/mild winters but no sign of that until at least January. We all know the synoptics we all want will come along in April when its too late to really tap into long-lived cold and when everyone is looking for heat/storms.

 

Dross.

it really it nothing like I have experienced to be honest.  a few nights ago I was outside with just a short sleeved shirt on at midnight and it felt as mild as a normal summer evening.  very scary indeed.

[Liam J]

We are only 9 days into winter and even if December comes off mild then there is still potentially another 3 whole months for a decent cold spell to occur, OK March is the start of the meteorological spring but the past has shown it can produce some notable periods of cold & snow. 

23rd March 2013, yeah it was exceptional but shows what is possible!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdWGv_0M2mw

Edited December 9, 2015 by *Sub*Zero*

[carinthian]

Horrible mild start to winter across much of Europe.Latest UKMO update today firms up very much the same for the rest of this month. Wet for you and dry for us. Day after day of sun here under Euro high and snow starved comes to mind. Bleak news for the ski-ing season and more rain for the NW of UK and much of Ireland. Hate this set up, I find relief in drinking more beer !

 C

[Gavin Hannah]

5 minutes ago, carinthian said:

Horrible mild start to winter across much of Europe.Latest UKMO update today firms up very much the same for the rest of this month. Wet for you and dry for us. Day after day of sun here under Euro high and snow starved comes to mind. Bleak news for the ski-ing season and more rain for the NW of UK and much of Ireland. Hate this set up, I find relief in drinking more beer !

 C

I have aquired a new snowboard today so there had better be some damn snow soon!

[phil nw.]

3 minutes ago, carinthian said:

Horrible mild start to winter across much of Europe.Latest UKMO update today firms up very much the same for the rest of this month. Wet for you and dry for us. Day after day of sun here under Euro high and snow starved comes to mind. Bleak news for the ski-ing season and more rain for the NW of UK and much of Ireland. Hate this set up, I find relief in drinking more beer !

 C

Yes fully agree C.Those Bern pressure ens.i posted in the MOD thread underline the persistence of the Euro high ongoing.

Not good at all for Winter cold lovers and this pattern dampens model discussion-we could do with something different to discuss.

I think many on here would even welcome a frosty UK high,anything other than more rain ahd these endless south westerlies.

[Walsall Wood Snow]

6 hours ago, Costa Del Fal said:

Yep saw a butterfly here the other day too.

Doesn't surprise me, I saw a small flying insect (not sure of the species) in my bedroom this morning. And to add to that there's a small tree in next doors garden that already has big fat leaf buds on it, in early December of all times. It can't have shed this year's leaves more than a few weeks ago. I'm not really up on my tree species but on my way to Walsall today I saw a couple of small trees with what appeared to be bits of pink blossom on them. This is never right in early Winter and has got to be very exceptional to say the least. Probably has a lot to do with the almost complete absence of frost so far round these parts. Unseasonal would be an understatement to describe current conditions.

[carinthian]

14 minutes ago, Gavin Hannah said:

I have aquired a new snowboard today so there had better be some damn snow soon!

 

14 minutes ago, Gavin Hannah said:

I have aquired a new snowboard today so there had better be some damn snow soon!

Gavin , I would ask for a refund. Not even waxed my skies yet. One thing I do not now do at my age is ski on ice !

[carinthian]

11 minutes ago, phil nw. said:

Yes fully agree C.Those Bern pressure ens.i posted in the MOD thread underline the persistence of the Euro high ongoing.

Not good at all for Winter cold lovers and this pattern dampens model discussion-we could do with something different to discuss.

I think many on here would even welcome a frosty UK high,anything other than more rain ahd these endless south westerlies.

Phil, its truly depressing. I like the sun but not day after day at this time of year. The other way round for you lot in Blighty. Those sludge pump charts are never ending. We might as well be a million miles away instead of a mere 700 miles. God, there is no silver lining for snow lovers again.

 C

[Nick L]

10 minutes ago, Walsall Wood Snow said:

Doesn't surprise me, I saw a small flying insect (not sure of the species) in my bedroom this morning. And to add to that there's a small tree in next doors garden that already has big fat leaf buds on it, in early December of all times. It can't have shed this year's leaves more than a few weeks ago. I'm not really up on my tree species but on my way to Walsall today I saw a couple of small trees with what appeared to be bits of pink blossom on them. This is never right in early Winter and has got to be very exceptional to say the least. Probably has a lot to do with the almost complete absence of frost so far round these parts. Unseasonal would be an understatement to describe current conditions.

I'm no botanist, but don't trees base their cycle on daylight amounts? 

[Walsall Wood Snow]

6 hours ago, Costa Del Fal said:

Yep saw a butterfly here the other day too.

Doesn't surprise me, I saw a small flying insect (not sure of the species) in my bedroom this morning. And to add to that there's a small tree in next doors garden that already has big fat leaf buds on it, in early December of all times. It can't have shed this year's leaves more than a few weeks ago. I'm not really up on my tree species but on my way to Walsall today I saw a couple of small trees with what appeared to be bits of pink blossom on them. This is never right in early Winter and has got to be very exceptional to say the least. Probably has a lot to do with the almost complete absence of frost so far round these parts. Unseasonal would be an understatement to describe current conditions.

 

5 minutes ago, Nick L said:

I'm no botanist, but don't trees base their cycle on daylight amounts? 

Well I'm not really sure. As a general rule I think they do but I think temperatures can play a big part in their cycles. I know that shedding and blooming can differ from year to year so it can't be daylight hours alone that effects them. Saying that sunshine round these parts has been pretty low (today's been quite sunny though) so I don't really understand it. The vast majority of trees are now completely bare however, though some have got a few Autumn leaves still attached, though I suppose that's not too unusual for early Winter.

[Methuselah]

12 minutes ago, Nick L said:

I'm no botanist, but don't trees base their cycle on daylight amounts? 

Temperature too, Nick; in December 1974, some trees were already starting to grow new leaves. I have started to see a similar thing happening, this year. Scary, innit!

[Nick L]

4 minutes ago, Ed Stone said:

Temperature too, Nick; in December 1974, some trees were already starting to grow new leaves. I have started to see a similar thing happening, this year. Scary, innit!

 

7 minutes ago, Walsall Wood Snow said:

Doesn't surprise me, I saw a small flying insect (not sure of the species) in my bedroom this morning. And to add to that there's a small tree in next doors garden that already has big fat leaf buds on it, in early December of all times. It can't have shed this year's leaves more than a few weeks ago. I'm not really up on my tree species but on my way to Walsall today I saw a couple of small trees with what appeared to be bits of pink blossom on them. This is never right in early Winter and has got to be very exceptional to say the least. Probably has a lot to do with the almost complete absence of frost so far round these parts. Unseasonal would be an understatement to describe current conditions.

 

Well I'm not really sure. As a general rule I think they do but I think temperatures can play a big part in their cycles. I know that shedding and blooming can differ from year to year so it can't be daylight hours alone that effects them. Saying that sunshine round these parts has been pretty low (today's been quite sunny though) so I don't really understand it. The vast majority of trees are now completely bare however, though some have got a few Autumn leaves still attached, though I suppose that's not too unusual for early Winter.

Like I said, I'm no botanist! It has been a crazily mild start to winter though, that's for sure.

[Walsall Wood Snow]

3 minutes ago, Ed Stone said:

Temperature too, Nick; in December 1974, some trees were already starting to grow new leaves. I have started to see a similar thing happening, this year. Scary, innit!

Yes and to add to that I think in Spring 2013 trees started blossoming exceptionally late to usual because of how cold it was.

[cheeky_monkey]

4 minutes ago, Ed Stone said:

Temperature too, Nick; in December 1974, some trees were already starting to grow new leaves. I have started to see a similar thing happening, this year. Scary, innit!

True many same species of trees where I lived in Canada (same latitude as the UK) shed their leaves and come into foliage at totally different times to the UK

[Polar Maritime]

Yes theres a few trees and shrubs round these parts i have noticed with small buds on. Not a nice sight 9 days into Winter i must say. 

[Lake District Blizzards]

fairly sure our climate is becoming more and more monotonous with smaller diurnal ranges

10c in December

10c in January

10c In February

10c in May

10c in June

10c in Auguist

 

 

[The real Lomond snowstorm]

I'm a fan of cold and snow (in winter).

But after six weeks of wind and rain here (near Loch Lomond) I would love some of the weather that people are complaining about.

The only variety we've had is  cold rain or warm rain (4C or 10C) and the strength of the wind.

Flooding on the roads, local river bursting its banks and the worst bit is the endless gloom when day is only seven hours long anyway.

And, being in the 'North' doesn't mean we get much snow here either with the average being 5-10 days a year despite being able to see 3,000 feet mountains in the distance and being surrounded by 1,000 foot hills.

It really could be a lot worse for many of you.

I feel much better now I've had a moan anyway 

[Ravelin]

If the UK hasn't sunk under the weight of water falling from the sky before then, a White Xmas for some.

Yes, I know, FI and all that. Won't verify nada nada...

Got to have some fun despite the forecast rainfest we're looking at currently.

[carinthian]

I think the moan thread is gather a momentum. You can understand why looking at those cold starved forecast models . The cold is always hunted for in FI, a false creek. The ever reliable UKMO brings us back to reality, that being more of the same. Steady she goes, mild and mild for ever... beer time for me as soon as the wife returns from work !

 C

 C

[carinthian]

Heres a ramp to lift the warm hearted spirits. Large iceberg found entering Vancouvers False Creek Harbour on this mornings web cam shot ! Weird that.

 C

[Gustywind]

We've not had the endless heavy rainfall here that we saw in 2013-14 yet, but it's been depressingly damp, cloudy and mild for what seems like weeks.

My concern is with the jetstream moving south we will be getting some of what Cumbria has been enjoying, starting this weekend.

One thing that interests me is why the last few years have seen such a strong polar vortex each year, is this global warming related and thus something we will have to put up with every winter? Think we need bigger flood defences if it is.

 

[Nick L]

One note about nature thinking it's spring, is that when winter eventually does bite it could cause some problems

[Weather-history]

Back to the turgid nothing that largely dominated November

 

[jethro]

1 hour ago, Walsall Wood Snow said:

Doesn't surprise me, I saw a small flying insect (not sure of the species) in my bedroom this morning. And to add to that there's a small tree in next doors garden that already has big fat leaf buds on it, in early December of all times. It can't have shed this year's leaves more than a few weeks ago. I'm not really up on my tree species but on my way to Walsall today I saw a couple of small trees with what appeared to be bits of pink blossom on them. This is never right in early Winter and has got to be very exceptional to say the least. Probably has a lot to do with the almost complete absence of frost so far round these parts. Unseasonal would be an understatement to describe current conditions.

I expect the tree in your neighbours garden is a magnolia - they form their flower buds through the summer months, carry them through the winter ready to burst open in the spring. They're big buds, look like leaf buds but they're flowers. The blossom is likely to be either a viburnum or a winter flowering cherry, both flowering bang on when they should flower.

[Walsall Wood Snow]

33 minutes ago, jethro said:

I expect the tree in your neighbours garden is a magnolia - they form their flower buds through the summer months, carry them through the winter ready to burst open in the spring. They're big buds, look like leaf buds but they're flowers. The blossom is likely to be either a viburnum or a winter flowering cherry, both flowering bang on when they should flower.

Thanks Jethro.  Good to hear it's normal for this species. I thought the tree thought it was Spring. Going to have a look on Wikipedia to make sure.

Looks like your reassuringly right.

Edited December 9, 2015 by Walsall Wood Snow