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Best and worst winters


Leo97t

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Which are your favourite and least winters from your personal standpoint and you must have lived through them.  Due to being relatively young I don't have a huge selection personally as I don't think the 2000s recorded a single sub 3C month:

Mine are

Best

5. 2001/02 (entirely due to dec 2001)

4.2012/13

3. 2008/09

2. 2009/10

1. 2010/11

Worst

5. 2011-12

4. 2006-07

3. 2016-17

2. 2015-16

1. 1999-00

 

 

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Posted
  • Location: Shrewsbury
  • Location: Shrewsbury

Best:

2017/18

For: December gave deepest snow here in over 30 years. Record low March max. Spectacularly ended a run of completely rubbish winters.

Against: although not snowless, Jan and Feb were not particularly memorable.

2010/11

For: subfreezing December coldest month here since 1963. 26 days with lying snow in total.

Against: No snow at all after Jan 7th. Rubbish February.

1995/96

For: all months from Dec-Mar had lying snow, plenty of cold weather.

Against: First 20 days of Jan were horrid, and odd mild days ruining cold snaps (22-23 Dec in particular)

1990/91

For: The snowy snap in Feb and snow on 8th Dec (though nowhere near as much here as Birmingham)

Against: I remember jack all of the January or March (or Nov or April) so they can't have been that memorable

2012/13

For: Plenty of cold days and regular snow after mid-Jan

Against; late starting, lack of low minima was strange and very disappointing given how many low maxima and snow lying days it had.

Bad:

2015/16 

Probably the worst though it was a close thing. Almost completely snowless in the three winter months, horribly mild especially in Dec. Unlike 13-14 had no storms/floods to keep us interested in the weather. It was just a non-season.

2013/14 

Almost though not quite as snowless as 15/16, ridiculous number of wet days, lack of frosts even though it did have quite a few clear nights. Any attempt at cold (there were a few) was just blasted out the way by another 950mb low before it could properly get going.

1999/2000

As bad as any of those mid-2010s shockers this- mild, almost snowless, very boring Jan and Feb in particular. Remember a couple of times snow was forecast but gave nothing.

1991/2 and 1992/3

A pair of winters with about 6 flakes of snow between them. They don't come higher up the list because they weren't especially mild, in fact they had some decent frosty spells. Just for some reason no snow, even when it was cold enough.

Other contenders 2014/15 was very frustrating, it started snowing several times but either turned to rain for no reason or melted as soon as it stopped. 2007/8 was another snowless one though it was quite sunny. 2016/17 had one slight snowfall in Jan but was otherwise boring and rubbish. Second half of 2001/2 was vile, but Dec and early Jan were wintry enough.

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Posted
  • Location: Perth, Scotland
  • Location: Perth, Scotland

Best

2009/10: Absolutely spectacular winter, deep snow, very low temperatures and many crisp sunny days. Can remember being out on New Years Eve and the temperature fell to -14.C, there was also the crisp weather in March where although cold light winds in the sunshine made it feel really nice.

2017/18: It had a bit of everything other than heavy prolonged rain. A good cold snap in December although we didn’t get much snow but beautiful crisp, cold sunshine with a -5.C maximum, January brought some very cold weather the week after new year but again no snow, before a very snowy spell in the middle of the month. February was generally dry and sunny with frosty nights before the famous beast from the east.

2012/13: Had a cold and sunny start to December before some very stormy weather just before Christmas. January had a prolonged cold snap in the middle after a very mild start and February was very sunny and crisp.

Worst:

2001/02: Minus December was a one huge bore fest with constant mildness, rain, cloud and wind.

2013/14: Wet, although never enough to have floods and not exceptionally mild like England and very windy.

2011/12: Boring other than a very warm spell in February

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Posted
  • Location: Windermere 120m asl
  • Location: Windermere 120m asl

Best overall from my recollection Winter 09/10, a rather mild start but it soon turned from 10 Dec with frost, and thereafter remained preety cold sometimes very cold throughout, with lots of snow, especially second half Dec and first half of Jan, feb brought episodic snowy cold periods.

Second place - winter 95/96 mainly for the freezing last week of December, and the very heavy snow in early Feb. Not the consistent cold that 09/10 brought, but more often cold than mild, the first 3 weeks of Jan were mild and dull though.

Third place - I don't remember winters pre 86-87 particularly well, so will have to go with 10/11 but only because of the exceptional December, January increasingly brought milder conditions, and Feb was a washout and complete mild fest.

Worst:

15/16, mainly because of the exceptionally wet December, and apart from a 2 day cold snowy spell in mid Jan was devoid of anything of note in Jan and Feb, and also 13/14 - no frost, just endless wind and rain - awful stuff!

 

Edited by damianslaw
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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)

lets be honest they are all pretty drab

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Posted
  • Location: Shepton Mallet Somerset
  • Weather Preferences: Seasonal
  • Location: Shepton Mallet Somerset

Best that I can really recall was 78/79, closely followed by 81/2, I can remember 62/3 ,but not with the same detail,

The worst, too many to mention, but 87/88 and 13/14 spring to mind as being particularly crap,

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Posted
  • Location: Irlam
  • Location: Irlam
On 3 October 2018 at 13:44, Leo97t said:

Which are your favourite and least winters from your personal standpoint and you must have lived through them.  Due to being relatively young I don't have a huge selection personally as I don't think the 2000s recorded a single sub 3C month:

Mine are

Best

5. 2001/02 (entirely due to dec 2001)

4.2012/13

3. 2008/09

2. 2009/10

1. 2010/11

Worst

5. 2011-12

4. 2006-07

3. 2016-17

2. 2015-16

1. 1999-00

 

 

2001-02, your best, seriously? Why?

Even December 2001 wasn't especially brilliant, December 2010 massacres that in terms of cold alone. As for January and February 2002, after mid January, it was nothing but raging zonality, often very mild with only very occasional polar maritime blasts.

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Posted
  • Location: Dublin, Ireland
  • Weather Preferences: Cold, snowy winters and warm, sunny summers
  • Location: Dublin, Ireland
3 hours ago, Weather-history said:

2001-02, your best, seriously? Why?

Even December 2001 wasn't especially brilliant, December 2010 massacres that in terms of cold alone. As for January and February 2002, after mid January, it was nothing but raging zonality, often very mild with only very occasional polar maritime blasts.

He put it as 5th best, not #1 best. December 2001 was the sunniest on record.

Mine:

Best

2010-11: No other competition comes even close to this. Among the sunniest on record, even February was sunny here compared to many. -10c was achieved on more than 5 days through December in Ireland, same with ice days including Ireland's record low max temperature for any month of -9.8c on the 21st. The December record low for Ireland was smashed quite a few times from -14.8c on Dec 13 1961 to -17.5c on Dec 25 2010. January had a lot of frost too and was another sunny month. Easily the best and such a nostalgic Winter to me that was followed by my favourite Spring I've experienced too - 2011.

Worst

2012-13: Quite a controversial opinion of mine. A lot of frustration this Winter with me missing out on not only the March snowfalls largely, also the January snowfalls. It was just a damp and unremarkably cool season that I wish I could forget and erase from my memories.

Edited by BruenSryan
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Posted
  • Location: Powys Mid Wales borders.
  • Location: Powys Mid Wales borders.
On ‎06‎/‎10‎/‎2018 at 11:00, I remember Atlantic 252 said:

worst day, Dec 8th 2017, smattering here, over foot Telford/Shrews

This is the best or worst winter years not days.

But I would count the whole snow season from late October to May.

 

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Posted
  • Location: Irlam
  • Location: Irlam
On 06/10/2018 at 10:11, BruenSryan said:

He put it as 5th best, not #1 best. December 2001 was the sunniest on record.

 

Stand corrected but even so, that doesn't really explain the choice because to me January and February 2002 just overrides December 2001. 

2000-01 is easily above 2001-02.

It would help if we knew Leo's location at the time of these winters

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2 hours ago, Weather-history said:

Stand corrected but even so, that doesn't really explain the choice because to me January and February 2002 just overrides December 2001. 

2000-01 is easily above 2001-02.

It would help if we knew Leo's location at the time of these winters

London and its my personal opinion as I can remember the lovely unbroken sunshine which is uncommon for December. 

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Posted
  • Location: Efford, Plymouth
  • Weather Preferences: Misty Autumn Mornings, Thunderstorms and snow
  • Location: Efford, Plymouth

Best

1986-87

1978-79

2010-11

2013-14 

1984-85

 

1986-7 was a stunner here. From that long drawn Easterly in January which saw that epic low in France pump wave after wave of snow across Southern England. As much as we talk about the cold from March this year- this was real bone chilling stuff and there’s the BBC weather forecast to remind us years later. Just stunning the snow was around for weeks in mounds.

1978-79, started around the New Year and continued to build into January and February from memory. The last true time places on Dartmoor were utterly cut off for weeks.

2010-11- not for snow but cold however not as cold as 1987 in all fairness. Little snow here in Plymouth compared to rest of country. 

2013-14. May be an odd pick but from a personal point it was the winter I’ll always gauge rainfall and storms against work wise. Storm on storm/ I remember going to Gatwick through Somerset in 4th Jan and the fields were flooded then. But it kept o coming. By mid January all machines for work on Plymouth Hoe were covered, and didn’t come out again until March. My 40th birthday was washed out, and then we lost the main train line at Dawlish and the infamous Valentine’s Day storm hit. Just amazing on reflection.

1984-85/ nice snow in December before February blizzard hit us . First time sent home from school so memorable :) 

 

Ill do my worst later but some Bartlett winters were up there was the mild rubbish  of Xmas 1992!

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15 hours ago, Weather-history said:

Stand corrected but even so, that doesn't really explain the choice because to me January and February 2002 just overrides December 2001. 

2000-01 is easily above 2001-02.

It would help if we knew Leo's location at the time of these winters

What made 2000-01 so much better than the following year? There was the snowy spell between Christmas and New Year, but other than that I seem to remember mainly mild weather. Can remember a lot of sunny weather in February and a sunny and cold spell in early March.

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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)
12 hours ago, philglossop said:

Best

1986-87

1978-79

2010-11

2013-14 

1984-85

 

1986-7 was a stunner here. From that long drawn Easterly in January which saw that epic low in France pump wave after wave of snow across Southern England. As much as we talk about the cold from March this year- this was real bone chilling stuff and there’s the BBC weather forecast to remind us years later. Just stunning the snow was around for weeks in mounds.

1978-79, started around the New Year and continued to build into January and February from memory. The last true time places on Dartmoor were utterly cut off for weeks.

2010-11- not for snow but cold however not as cold as 1987 in all fairness. Little snow here in Plymouth compared to rest of country. 

2013-14. May be an odd pick but from a personal point it was the winter I’ll always gauge rainfall and storms against work wise. Storm on storm/ I remember going to Gatwick through Somerset in 4th Jan and the fields were flooded then. But it kept o coming. By mid January all machines for work on Plymouth Hoe were covered, and didn’t come out again until March. My 40th birthday was washed out, and then we lost the main train line at Dawlish and the infamous Valentine’s Day storm hit. Just amazing on reflection.

1984-85/ nice snow in December before February blizzard hit us . First time sent home from school so memorable :) 

 

Ill do my worst later but some Bartlett winters were up there was the mild rubbish  of Xmas 1992!

i lived in Exeter in 1978-79 i think i was still there in 1987..i moved backed to Essex in either 1986 or 1987...from  SW point in terms of volumes of Snow nothing comes close to Feb 1978..we had a lot of snow just before Xmas 1978 and around new year..then it was kind of hit and miss the rest of that winter..don't remember any snow in Dec 1984 in fact it was particularly Mild with one of the mildest Xmas day on record..was very cold off and on in January and February 1985 with snow..Jan 1987 had a very cold middle two weeks with some snow and that was it for the winter of 86-87

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

1963-70 were all okay; 1971-1977 were all crap; 1978 was okay and '79 was very good; 1982, '84, '85 and '87 were also okay. 1988 and '89 were crap but '91, '93 and '96 were better. 2001 was good as were '09, '10 and '13...

Since then, only 2018 had a couple of weeks' useful snowfall...

 

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Posted
  • Location: South Ockendon, Thurrock, SW Essex
  • Weather Preferences: Severe frosts, Heavy snowfall, Thunder and lightning, Stormy weather
  • Location: South Ockendon, Thurrock, SW Essex

When I was living Ashington in Northumberland in the mid 1960's, the most memorable winters were between 1966 to 1969. There were beautiful frosts and a good amount of snow.

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Posted
  • Location: Walsall Wood, Walsall, West Midlands 145m ASL
  • Location: Walsall Wood, Walsall, West Midlands 145m ASL

For me the best so far would be:

1985/86

1986/87: though I have no memory of these two so not really sure I should count them.

1990/91: The earliest good Winter I have any memory of, but only very vaguely really, so again questionable whether it should really count.

1991/92: Plenty of frost I think, but no snow I recall, so not really.

1992/93: Quite a cold and frosty December, but snow wise very poor, so again not really.

1993/94: More for the cold and snow in November than the actual Winter itself.

1995/96: Wasn't overly special here from memory, though I recall a couple of snowy episodes, though nothing really deep or long lasting. I remember it snowing on the afternoon we broke up for the Christmas holidays, though Christmas Day itself I remember as sunny and green. Went to Wales just after Christmas though and remember seeing a fair bit of lying snow on the journey. Also a later episode in Jan or Feb which was better, though again I don't think it stuck around for long. There was a lot of frosty morning's that Winter though. So it was ok at best for me.

1996/97: We had a great snow day in November (though again Autumn really) and was the only day during my time at secondary school, it was closed due to snow, though this wasn't decided until we got there. I think I recall some snow in early January as well, just after the New Year, though that was a Winter that got milder afterwards, so another ok one at best.

2000/01: For the great cold and snowy spell between Christmas and New Year. This was very much the highlight, though we did get a good snowy day much later on 21st March.

2001/02: I actually quite liked this Winter, because (though I've since learned uniquely) we had a fair repeat of the previous year here with pretty good snow cover along with sub zero nights, hoar frost and freezing fog just after Christmas which stuck around until just into the New Year. I also witnessed my first ever white Christmas just prior by any measure, when a very brief flurry came down which didn't even really constitute a dusting but was still there until the big dumping on the evening of the 29th. We wern't to get as much snow here again until Jan 04, possibly Feb 07. This event plus the one the previous year were the ones that started my obsession with cold snowy Winters, so it'll always have a special place for me.

2002/03: One decentish snow event in Jan or Feb but thawed quickly so hardly worth a mention.

2003/04: The mini blizzard of late Jan 04, but was unfortunately very short lived and more remembered for the day it fell than for any time it remained lying. 

2004/05: Only for some early snow one November evening and the White Christmas that year. There was that easterly in Feb, but that just resulted in a day of snowfall that failed to settle so ok at best really.

2005/06: Pretty cold but no meaningful snowfall, so not really.

2006/07: A very mild Winter overall, but saved somewhat by those snowy couple of days in early Feb, which seemed the best here since possibly Dec 01. This also made it a better Winter for me than the previous despite its overall mildness.

2008/09: Pretty good and reminded me of a mid 90s type Winter (similarish to 95/96) though better here in my opinion with the early Feb snowy spell and felt quite seasonal overall.

2009/10: I liked it a lot overall, though snow depths here were never huge, there were a fair number of interspersed snow events, especially in Dec and early Jan, though we missed out on a White Christmas here unfortunately. Very cold throughout though.

2010/11: Got to be the best December I've yet witnessed, with snow from late Nov into early Dec then more on the 18th, though the best for here came on the 22nd with proper deep snow cover at last, which stuck around through Christmas, giving me the finest example of a White Christmas I've yet seen, up until the 27th. Apart from a wet slushy dusting in the Jan though, the best of that Winter had all come and gone a bit early for my liking, though one could say Winter 01/02 was a much worse example, by 10/11 my expectations were much greater so come Jan/Feb that Winter I felt a disappointment the previously mentioned Winter never gave me. In retrospect though still a brilliant Winter for the first third alone.

2011/12: Hardly worth a mention, if not for the bit of snow we had in the Feb.

2012/13: For the period in late Jan when we had deep snow, but more especially March, when we had true blizzards with drifting snow. Probably my favourite March so far to be honest.

2017/18: For the great snowy spell we had on the 10th Dec. Also seeing more snow on the 28th on the other side of Brum (fell on Boxing Day though) and again for the Beast of the end of Feb into early March, plus the mini beast around mid March, which like March 13 caused drifting, though neither event was as long lasting as that year. Still very good though.

The worst ones would be all the ones not mentioned at all. Though especially 2013/14 and if I could even really remember it 1988/89 (though I do remember certain things from back then, just not the weather during the Winter as such). Though all the Winters between 2012/13 and 2017/18 were generally poor snow wise apart from maybe the wet slushy mess we had on Boxing Day 14 which was followed by a brief cold snap (once the snow had thawed) in the following few days, and a few snowy spells in Winter 2014/15 which failed to last more than a few hours. All those Winters were fairly frustrating really, especially whilst hearing about some of the great Winters they were getting in eastern North America. Anyway that about sums it up really for my opinion of the Winters I've experienced thus far.

Edited by Walsall Wood Snow
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Posted
  • Location: Walsall Wood, Walsall, West Midlands 145m ASL
  • Location: Walsall Wood, Walsall, West Midlands 145m ASL

I should have added regarding Winter 2005/06 there was a snowy day in late Nov 05 (25th I believe) that I only just remembered. But again from memory that was the best that extended Winter season offered here. So that was actually two November's in succession which saw snowfall here (Nov 04) as well. Both events were short lived though and neither provided deep snow.

Also I believe Winter 1993/94 may have provided more snow (besides from Nov 93) later in the season, though to be honest I can't actually recall and this is only based on what I've learned years later rather than personal memory, so that Winter might have been better here than how I remember. Bear in mind though I wasn't really a snow nut until the early 2000's. Yes I enjoyed it when it happened and do recall most of the events mentioned above I just wasn't overly obsessed by it back then so I can't recall every time it happened or specifically when save for the events in my previous post except for obviously the first couple of Winters which I don't recall at all. 1990/91 I remember a bit, but that is just a fuzzy recollection of playing in it our back garden and there been a lot of it. I didn't know specifically when this would have been until years later. Anyway I think everything I've mentioned from say 1995/96 until now is pretty accurate.

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Posted
  • Location: Dublin, Ireland
  • Weather Preferences: Cold, snowy winters and warm, sunny summers
  • Location: Dublin, Ireland
On 09/10/2018 at 20:31, Philipsfd said:

What made 2000-01 so much better than the following year? There was the snowy spell between Christmas and New Year, but other than that I seem to remember mainly mild weather. Can remember a lot of sunny weather in February and a sunny and cold spell in early March.

It was an amazing Winter considering its time - a long period of largely forgettable or mild Winters from 1997 to 2008. The end of February and early March brought severely cold weather including the March record low maximum before 2018 (and one of the few Marches to reach a minimum of -20c in the UK). There was a blizzard on February 27th for parts including here in the east of Ireland. January was frosty. There was the snowy and cold spell at the end of December which you mentioned. I was only 1 month old in December 2000  so can only go off of stats.

Edited by BruenSryan
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Posted
  • Location: Ski Amade / Pongau Region. Somtimes Skipton UK
  • Weather Preferences: Northeasterly Blizzard and sub zero temperatures.
  • Location: Ski Amade / Pongau Region. Somtimes Skipton UK

During my time in Blighty :

1. 1962/63...by far the best for prolonged snow cover and days of sub zero temps ( probably once in a lifetime winter experience)

2.1978/79.. especially February for bitter winds and blowing snow.

3.1968/69..especially February for Polar Lows and deep snow cover, especially in the Northwest.

To many mild winters to list...

C

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Posted
  • Location: Lincoln, Lincolnshire
  • Weather Preferences: Sunshine, convective precipitation, snow, thunderstorms, "episodic" months.
  • Location: Lincoln, Lincolnshire

Records go back to 1993. 

Best:

1.  2010/11

2.  2009/10

3.  1993/94

4.  2000/01

5.  2017/18

Worst:

1.  2015/16

2.  1997/98

3.  1992/93

4.  2013/14

5.  2004/05

I have taken the Novembers and Marches into account as well as the traditional winter quarter, for as many of us saw this year, they can occasionally produce very notable wintry spells.  It's also a Tyne and Wear-centric stance as that's where I spent the majority of the winters, but as far as I'm aware my top 5 were also pretty good in the Exeter area.

2010/11 edged out 2009/10 as a consequence of the very memorable November (the whole month had a lot of interest, though of course especially the last week) as well as the record-breaking December.  2017/18 only just edged out 2008/09.

Lack of sunshine was the main factor that prevented the winters of 1995/96 and 2012/13 from entering my top 5, and also contributed somewhat to the low ranking of 1992/93.  On the other side of the coin, high sunshine totals saved the largely snowless winters of 1999/00, 2006/07 and 2007/08.

Edited by Thundery wintry showers
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Posted
  • Location: halifax 125m
  • Weather Preferences: extremes the unusual and interesting facts
  • Location: halifax 125m

Am going to base mine on an extended winter to include March and November .March often produces the best of winter and certainly has a big influence.

Best

1. No contest 1978/1979

2.1985/1986 ,the coldest November for a century and february the coldest of any month since 1963

3.1981/1982 What a December,beat 2010 hands down here and January was also great.

4.2012/2013 Snowed in January and got colder each month to give the best blizzard like conditions since 1979 in March

5 2009/2010 Lots of snow and cold,a shame the wind did not pick up,it could have rivalled 1979.

6.Also rans,most of the 1980s,77/78,1990,1995 and 2018,beast from the east 1+2

Worst

Too many to mention!

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