A question about snow in November's 2004 and 2005

[Walsall Wood Snow]

Was just wondering if anybody can confirm to me whether there was a snowy snap on the 18th November 2004. The reason I ask is because I think there was also a snowy snap in November 2005 as well. I think this was later though, the 25th perhaps. The 18th sticks in my mind though because it's my sister's birthday and I remember my Mum speaking on the phone in the evening and whoever it was told her to look out the window. All's I heard her say was 'You're joking' then she pulled the curtain aside, then she exclaimed 'it is as well' and there were big fluffy flakes of snow coming down. The Nov 05 event happened in the day though if I remember right, as I was walking my dog by the canal when it started snowing then. The point is I'm a bit confused about which year was which. I know in 2004 it snowed on Christmas Day. Does anybody else remember it snowing in November 2004?

[MP-R]

48 minutes ago, Walsall Wood Snow said:

Was just wondering if anybody can confirm to me whether there was a snowy snap on the 18th November 2004. The reason I ask is because I think there was also a snowy snap in November 2005 as well. I think this was later though, the 25th perhaps. The 18th sticks in my mind though because it's my sister's birthday and I remember my Mum speaking on the phone in the evening and whoever it was told her to look out the window. All's I heard her say was 'You're joking' then she pulled the curtain aside, then she exclaimed 'it is as well' and there were big fluffy flakes of snow coming down. The Nov 05 event happened in the day though if I remember right, as I was walking my dog by the canal when it started snowing then. The point is I'm a bit confused about which year was which. I know in 2004 it snowed on Christmas Day. Does anybody else remember it snowing in November 2004?

You are right - it did indeed on both respective days you mention. Thursday 18th November 2004 saw a cold front move south across the country which turned to snow on its back edge further north. The Friday 19th was the main northerly plunge with snow showers in places. The 20th then saw weather fronts move in off the Atlantic again, which brought a brief snow to rain event here in Bristol.

A similar scenario took place on Thursday 24th November 2005 when a cold front again moved south followed by the main northerly plunge on Friday 25th with widespread snow showers but mainly in the west. 

Christmas 2004 was the white one in many northern and western areas, and 2005 saw a cold spell develop between Christmas and New Year.

[Walsall Wood Snow]

10 minutes ago, MP-R said:

You are right - it did indeed on both respective days you mention. Thursday 18th November 2004 saw a cold front move south across the country which turned to snow on its back edge further north. The Friday 19th was the main northerly plunge with snow showers in places. The 20th then saw weather fronts move in off the Atlantic again, which brought a brief snow to rain event here in Bristol.

A similar scenario took place on Thursday 24th November 2005 when a cold front again moved south followed by the main northerly plunge on Friday 25th with widespread snow showers but mainly in the west. 

Christmas 2004 was the white one in many northern and western areas, and 2005 saw a cold spell develop between Christmas and New Year.

Thanks MP-R, I was sure I was right. I was starting to get both events muddled up a bit and I was even starting to wonder whether they were in fact separate events. But I did have those separate dates in my head about them, so the dates for them have stuck pretty well in my mind (which is odd as I can't remember specific dates for some more recent and better events, though as I say the 18th Nov is my sister's birthday so that explains that one). It's actually quite rare as well I'd imagine to get a snowy blast in two consecutive years in November (round here at least).

[damianslaw]

The November 2004 event was mostly a higher ground one, in the Lake District the fells were plastered down to about 250 metres, below that the snow quickly melted.

The Nov 2005 event brought much more widespread snow, and was colder and followed by cold weather.

[Weather-history]

 

[AderynCoch]

18th November 2004 was a nice surprise snowfall in Sheffield. It had been a fairly mild day (I was in a T-shirt) but the evening saw a cold plunge and rain turning rapidly to snow. We ended up with about six inches that night, which stuck around for a couple of days. There was an official depth of 18cm in Hathersage seven miles away

[Snowyowl9]

I remember watching the radar that night as the snow was moving south that night,it was a damp snow event.

I was just thinking about this date yesterday as my cousins came on the sunday was it and they went sledging in the afternoon,was wet snow by then.

Covering of snow 19th and extra covering on the 20th.

2.2c and 2.1c max 2004.

Edited November 25, 2017 by Snowyowl9