April Cold/Snowy Spells

[MP-R]

 

As we know, March can be as wintry if not more so than December, resulting in some fantastic wintry conditions at times. However, proper cold spells are that bit harder to achieve come April, at least in longevity, with emphasis normally no snowfall (particularly overnight), fast melting in the day's light. I'd be interested to hear from people of their memories of snow in April. Living in the south, mine are fairly limited but almost stand out more for that reason.

06th-07th April 2008

 

This event brought a dusting of snow overnight, which quickly melted throughout the morning of the 06th. In fact, it was the only time snow lay here at 09:00 in the whole extended 2007/2008 period. Although snow fell and temporarily settled on January 11th, it didn't hang around for long. There was ample snow on the Mendips however when I went walking around midday. It was great to caught in a heavy snow shower too. I woke to snow falling again on the 07th though none settled and showers turned increasingly to rain/hail as the day wore on.

10th April 2003

I think this spell is often forgotten about as it wasn't particularly disruptive, but I remember snow falling on the morning of the 10th with the lightest of accumulations on the grass. It had been nice and dry with low dewpoints on the days preceding it. The following days however were cold and rather damp. Incredibly, the following Thursday at temperatures around 24-25C, agai from an easterly wind.

04th April 2000

@jethro will remember this event well. This brought heaps of snow to the Mendips but little lying where I live. I do remember, however, snow falling heavily for a while on this day.

14th April 1999

This is my favourite memory of snow in April. We got loads of the stuff overnight into the 14th as what appeared to be a polar low within the northerly flow moved southwards with a wedge of -8C uppers. A good 12cm+ fell imby and at least half was still lying by the end of the day. A frigid night followed into a sparkling day on the 15th. I remember, being quite young at the time, being amazed at how so much snow could fall so late in the year. Haven't seen snow so late in the season since.

Unfortunately I was no in the country for a lot of April 1998 so do not remember a snow from then.

Something to note - not all of these spells required high pressure in the Atlantic.

So there are my April snow memories, please add more.

[I remember Atlantic 252]

6th April 2008 one I know, very deep for a time, but full thaw as expected as late as Apr 6th

[Weather-history]

Easter 1998. 

Rain turned to wet snow Good Friday night, snow and hail showers, Saturday and Sunday afternoon. Snow showers early Easter Monday then largely dry until evening when heavy snow showers moved in from Irish Sea giving a covering. That night was more like January than mid April. Then Tuesday afternoon, wet snow moved in from Irish Sea and continued all evening getting heavier and heavier leaving yet another covering. That was the heaviest snowfall in April that I remember.

5 consecutive days with snow falling and two with lying snow under Met Office rules. Mid April was a complete contrast to mid February of that same year.

I reckon that was the snowiest period here between January 1997 and December 2000, in terms of either snow quantity or frequency of snow falling.

[Thundery wintry showers]

In the South Tyneside area:

• 18-21 April 1995- Snow showers early on the 18th.  Otherwise the spell was more notable for potent wintry convection with rain, sleet and hail, especially on the 20th when one hailstorm produced 2cm of lying hail around mid-afternoon.
• 9-16 April 1998, snow falling on 6 days and 1 morning of lying snow from east-coast snow showers overnight 11th/12th (Easter Sunday).  Some impressive convection, especially on the 13th (Easter Monday). 
• 13-15 April 1999.  Prolonged snow gave a dusting on the morning of the 13th, and snow showers that evening (just) produced enough snow cover to qualify the 14th as a snow lying day under Met Office rules.  More snow showers late on the 14th.  Snow early on the 15th too, but it did not settle and the rest of the cold snap had just rain showers.
• 3/4 April 2000.  Frontal snow on 3rd, sunshine and snow showers on 4th, although none of the snow settled.
• 18-20 April 2001.  Some wet snow in heavier showers, but nothing amazing.
• 8 April 2005.  Snow and hail showers from a northerly, some brief dustings (mainly of hail) on the ground.
• 8 April 2006.  Mostly rain and hail showers, but one heavy snowstorm caused Sunderland's football match to be called off, with an abrupt drop in temperature from 5C to 0.6C in about half an hour, also thunder locally in the region.
• 6/7 April 2008.  Wet snow on the 6th, and lying snow early on the 7th due to east-coast snow showers.
• 3/4 April 2012.  Following the record-breaking warm sunny spell at the end of March, frontal snow on the 3rd followed by snow showers on the 4th, but none of it settled.

Edited March 5, 2016 by Thundery wintry showers

[marksp]

4th April 2012 on way to work between 8 and 9am plenty deep snow, but all gone by lunchtime

[marksp]

[jethro]

Yes MP, I remember it well, much as I adore snow it was a bleeding nightmare! Anyone unaware of the topography around these parts....it's narrow lanes, high hedgerows and steep hills and on that day I was moving house from one part of the Mendips to another part. Pickfords size lorries and deep, drifting snow in steep, narrow lanes isn't the best of combinations. The farmers around here lost a lot of lambs during that spell too.

 

Another memorable one for me is 1975. I was living in the Cotswolds and the snow started on 27th March, really getting going on the 28th, it got deeper and deeper until all the conifer and yew trees were bent almost in half with the weight of it, great fun legging it around the graveyard pinging the snowy branches at each other  It's probably the snowiest Easter I can remember with the snow continuing to fall on and off for at least a week so qualifying for an April entry. 

Quoted from:    http://www.booty.org.uk/booty.weather/metinfo/NFL/Easter58_89.htm#1975
1975: (28th - 31st March)
COLD/NORTHERLY - DESPITE THE SUNSHINE. SNOW FOR MANY.
Warmest: 10degC (St.Mary's [Isles of Scilly]/29th and Hurn [Bournemouth], Thorney Island [Chichester Harbour/Hampshire], St.Mary's [Isles of Scilly], Culdrose [Cornwall], Valley [Anglesey], Ronaldsway [Isle of Man], Glasgow/31st):
Sunniest: 11.3h (Squires Gate [Liverpool]/30th).
SUNINDEX=91

This is the Easter famous for some widespread snowfall. On the Maundy Thursday, traffic was severely affected in Birmingham, where a reported 6 inches (or some 15cm) of snow fell in under 6 hours. Further snow showers (or showers of a 'wintry' nature), fell almost every day from the 26th March (Wednesday) until well into April, in other words, right accross the whole of the Easter weekend. N or NW winds had become established for the last week of March. On Good Friday, 5 to 8 cm of lying SNOW was reported by 0900 on the morning of 28th at Bracknell. Clear or sunny periods occurred (some lengthy spells of sun where well sheltered - Glasgow did fairly well) and snowfall amounts were generally small at low levels (but see above for Maundy Thursday & Good Friday). The air mass was essentially 'Arctic maritime' for the majority of the weekend. The snow was accompanied by thunder in places. For many spots, it was a good deal colder over Easter than over the previous Christmas - not an unusual event mind you (previous Christmas temperatures were around ….. 13 in London, and 11 in Glasgow … one of our now quite common 'mild and stormy' festive seasons!)
The coldest nights of the month recorded at the following stations: 28th:Ringway [Manchester] (-1.8degC); Watnall [Nottingham] (-1.9degC); Finningley [Doncaster] (-2.4degC); Tynemouth (-2.0degC); Eskdalemuir [Dumfries& Galloway] (-5.7degC); Leuchars [Fife] (-3.0degC) 29th:Boscombe Down [Wiltshire] (-3.0degC); Mount Batten [Plymouth] (-1.0degC); 30th:Gorleston [Norfolk] (-0.2degC); 31st: Cardington [Bedfordshire] (-2.8degC);
The sunniest days of the month recorded at the following stations; 28th:Cardington [Bedfordshire] (7.9h); Boscombe Down [Wiltshire] (8.8h); Ringway [Manchester] (9.8h); Watnall [Nottingham] (8.3h); Finningley [Doncaster] (9.7h); 29th:Rhoose [Cardiff] (10.0h); Mount Batten [Plymouth] (10.9h); 30th: Gorleston [Norfolk] (8.1h); Abbotsinch [Glasgow] (10.0h);
[ *** MIND YOU, THE REST OF THE SUMMER MADE UP FOR THE DISAPPOINTMENT! ***]

[hillbilly]

We have had a couple of wintery spells in recent years Aprils as that of 2013 and 2012.Another one I remember was the snowfall of 1999.I also recall the very cold and wintery 1986 with frequent snow and the coldest in 100 years,there has not been a colder one since.All these are put to one side compared to April 1981,although nothing special earlier in the month was unbelievable towards the end.The last week of the month gave snow with blizzard like conditions to give enormous drifts only seen in the worst of winters .To see this at the end of April has no comparison in the 20th century.It melted quickly with rain causing severe flooding !

[Richard2901]

The two heaviest April snowfalls I can recall were in recent years. 6cm on 3rd April 2012 and last year was even more remarkable when around 5-6cm accumulated during the late afternoon and evening of the 26th. One of the deepest snowfalls on record for so late in the year. It may have been the latest date since 1967 that as much as 5cm lay. There was still a complete cover by the observation hour at 10am on the 27th though it had thawed to 1cm in the sun.

Both occurred following prolonged periods of very warm and sunny weather with temperatures reaching over 18-20C. I truly despair when I read rubbish about the Arctic being too warm for northerlies to deliver in winter nowadays 

 

Edited March 7, 2016 by Richard2901

[Snowyowl9]

April 1986 being the snowiest and long lasting remember the snowdrifting from the east lasting well into april as they froze over so were hard.

April 1989 was a cold easterly but brought some snow showers.

April 1998 two very heavy snowfalls and blizzards,one similar very heavy snowfall and blizzard in 2000 into the 9inches range.

A long gap for the next very heavy april snowfall and blizzard of yet again 9 inches in 2012.

2013 well well well the long awaited april very cold easterly.

I`ve missed a good many april ah 2008 was pleasant, but these others were the real shocks to the system,don`t remember late april 1981.

April tends to bring the heaviest snows of the winter with el nino.

2008 did have a brief cold easterly too in terms of -5uppers.

 

Edited March 7, 2016 by Snowyowl9

[Weather-history]

Put this in this thread as Easter is more often than not during April.

Once again I have just read that snow is more like at Easter than at Christmas but the stats just don't back this up at least not here (my location) and not since at least 1985.

If we compare Easter Day with Christmas Day since and including 1985 for my location.

Number of days with falling sleet/ snow (Bookmakers' White Christmas)

Christmas Day: 1993, 1995, 1999, 2000, 2004 (it could have snowed 1996 and 2001 but I didn't see it, Manchester Airport, a few miles to the south recorded wintry preciptation that day for those years)

Easter Day: 1998, 2008

Days with lying snow 

Christmas Day: 1995, 2004, 2009, 2010

Easter Day: none

The only time I have seen any lying snow during any part of the Easter period ( Good Friday-Easter Monday) was Easter Monday night of 1998. I know it snowed and it laid to my east not far away on Easter Day 2008. 

Interesting to compare other locations around the UK.

[damianslaw]

We had snow on the 30 April last year and it settled for a few hours.. during the middle of the day, indeed temps dropped through the morning and were hovering around freezing in the snowfall. It quickly melted later on, but was very surprising all the same. Who says once we get to March it can't snow... 

[Matthew.]

Yes we had snow at the end of April last year and it settled about a cm for a few hours. That was the biggest event locally from that date Up to now

[Northernlights]

22nd March  to 8th April  1968 18 inches of snow accumulated with frequent falls mostly at night with second coldest night of the winter at -7c on the 2nd of April. Sowing barley prior to the snowfall half a field done  which germinated and grew under the snow blanket before the rest of the field could be sown. Strange to see a half green field when the snow melted. We still have a lot of winter to go up here.

[Weather-history]

Heavy snow shower on the 28th April 2016, left a slight covering

 

[cheeky_monkey]

what about the late April snowfall/blizzard of 1981?

[hillbilly]

On ‎21‎/‎02‎/‎2017 at 21:08, cheeky_monkey said:

what about the late April snowfall/blizzard of 1981?

1981 It was quite sunny in the first half, particularly in the north. In some places it was the warmest first half of April for twenty years, but the second half as the coldest of the century; hence temperatures overall were not too far off average. It was cloudier at times in the south, with some rain. Thunderstorms gave 83.6 mm of rain at Horsham on the 14th, leading to severe flooding. 86 mm of rain fell at Horsham (Sussex) on the 14th. Around Easter most of the country was cloudless. Cold weather came south from the Arctic on Easter Monday, the 20th, as northerly winds set in. Then very cold air swept south on the 22nd, interacting with a complex low moving east across the Midlands to bring snow. It was -11C at Dalwhinnie (Highland) on the night of the 23rd. There was a maximum of only 1C at Leeming (Yorks.) and Nottingham on the 24th. From Birmingham to Nottingham the afternoon maxima did not exceed 3C from the 24-26th. In hilly districts the temperature remained permanently subzero. There was a great blizzard with thunder on the 24th and 26th; particularly affecting the Pennines, the west, southwest, and even Salisbury Plain and the Cotswolds. Thunder and northerly winds of 40 mph. There was 20 cm of snow on the night of the 25th across southern and western England and Wales: 66 cm was reported in Gloucestershire. Level snow of 60 cm around the Peak District with 20' drifts reported. The snow was wet and drifted in very strong winds: 20' high drifts were recorded in Derbyshire and Staffordshire. The Snake Pass in Derbyshire was closed because of the risk of an avalanche. There was widespread disruption to power supplies, farming (particularly on Dartmoor), particularly livestock, and traffic. The thaw led to serious flooding in the east Midlands, in some places the worst since 1947  An extract from Britweather from April 1981,just as I remember it

[Norrance]

Going back a bit further here is a report from the local Perthshire paper re a snow storm in early April 1917,

1917 Sunday Perthshire Advertiser - Snowstorm in Atholl and Strathtay-After a spell of severe frost, registering up to nearly 20 degrees, a renewal of the snow storm experienced throughout Mid-Atholl and Strathtay overnight on Sunday and a good coating of snow lay in the valley. Farmers have been severely handicapped with the backward weather which has been experienced throughout the past month, and ploughing operations have again been indefinitely postponed. It was thought that once April opened more genial weather conditions would be experienced but judging from the cold atmospheric conditions which still prevail more snow will fall before warmer weather can be expected. Farmers will have some difficulty in undertaking the acreage they intend ploughing but it is still hoped that no effort will be spared to get the acreage under crop. Lambs are suffering from the continued cold weather and the shortage of food for the ewes limits their milk supply. The percentage of losses is somewhat large as the season is one of the worst experienced for a long period of years. It is eagerly hoped that genial weather conditions will soon again be experienced throughout the country. [With thanks to The British Newspaper Archive]

April 1917 was the coldest on record and followed a cold Winter and  a very cold March.

[Nick L]

April 2008 I was living at home in Staffordshire, we got impressively deep snow overnight, must have been around 5-6 inches. But in the strong sunshine (as strong as the start of September!) it was pretty much all gone by afternoon.

[cheese]

We had about a cm on the morning of the 29th of April last year. I think it's probably the latest settling snow I've personally seen. Wish it had occurred 2 days later though - having settling snow in May would have been even weirder. 

Also had 2-3cm on the morning of the 4th of April 2012.

Edited April 2, 2017 by cheese

[I remember Atlantic 252]

4 hours ago, Nick L said:

April 2008 I was living at home in Staffordshire, we got impressively deep snow overnight, must have been around 5-6 inches. But in the strong sunshine (as strong as the start of September!) it was pretty much all gone by afternoon.

yes, remember it, same would happen nowadays in Jan, although that amount becoming very rare

[Northernlights]

3 April  2012 over a foot of snow

[Norrance]

1975. 9thApril. 45 cms at valley level in the Highlands. I was driving a delivery van up to Speyside as an Easter job and could see the snow getting deeper and deeper as I drove up the A9 from Highland Perthshire into The Spey valley. Great Spring skiing that year as it stayed cool right up to early June when there was the famous low ground snowfall on the 1st / 2nd. Then followed a warm sunny Summer.

Edited April 2, 2017 by Norrance

[Thundery wintry showers]

I think the "white Easters more common than white Christmasses" was a quirk which held true over most of the country between 1971 and 1992 inclusive.  But it generally hasn't been the case since 1993, and it wasn't generally the case between 1950 and 1970 either, when snow fell and/or lay quite widely on Christmas Day in 1950, 1956, 1962, 1964, 1968 and 1970.

In the South Shields/Sunderland area there was falling sleet/snow on Christmas Day in 1993, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2001 and 2010.  Snow lay at 0900 in 1995, 2009 and 2010 and I also remember that snow lay for a while during the afternoon and evening of Christmas Day 1993.  In contrast, the only white Easters were in 1998 and 2008 (both had snow falling and lying at 0900, but it soon melted).  Easter Day 2013 was notably cold but with only isolated flurries.

Both of the past two years have had wintry spells near the end of April, although in 2015 it was mostly confined to north-east Scotland, where there were reports of lying snow from the Aberdeen area.  In 2016 snow fell quite widely between the 26th and 29th inclusive and I recall that on the 29th the Leeds city webcams showed lying snow even in the central part of the city.

[damianslaw]

16 hours ago, cheese said:

We had about a cm on the morning of the 29th of April last year. I think it's probably the latest settling snow I've personally seen. Wish it had occurred 2 days later though - having settling snow in May would have been even weirder. 

Also had 2-3cm on the morning of the 4th of April 2012.

Last time I recall settling snow in May was 1997, one morning with snow cover at 9am, it quickly melted but was a rare sight.