Winter 2020/21 chat, ramps, moans and banter

[AderynCoch]

On 25/02/2021 at 14:44, AderynCoch said:

Even warmer than yesterday. 18.3C here, 20.7C in the town of Hurbanovo. That has to be some sort of record. 

Turns out that it was the highest temperature ever recorded in Slovakia in any of the three winter months. The previous record of 20.6C was from only two years ago. Amazing how easy it is to get these sort of ridiculous temperatures in February, even when just recently the outlook was nothing but cold (nowhere near record-breaking of course).

Warm again today (17.9C) though there was a slight air frost in the morning. Feels very much like spring with the temperatures falling away as soon as the sun sets. 

[Weather-history]

Frosty, moonlit night on Chat Moss last night. Interesting how the mists wax and wane

 

[damianslaw]

On 26/02/2021 at 07:48, Weather-history said:

Manchester Winter Indices

1978-79: 262

2009-10: 197

1981-82: 149

1976-77: 141

1984-85: 140

1995-96: 135

1990-91: 126

2010-11: 119

2020-21: 116 (up to 25th Feb)

2008-09: 105

2012-13: 102

1986-87: 100

Thanks for this, wondered where we were on the ranking  a little higher than expected, benchmarks for me are 08-09 and 12-13 so not surprised to see it being close to them, but was thinking we would end up below these given how Feb has panned out.

I suspect the ranking is skewed by number if snowfalls rarger than cold?

Of the two the winter has had more in common in 08-09 I feel.

I'm going to start a thread to allow thoughts on winter as a whole.

[Weather-history]

5 minutes ago, damianslaw said:

Thanks for this, wondered where we were on the ranking  a little higher than expected, benchmarks for me are 08-09 and 12-13 so not surprised to see it being close to them, but was thinking we would end up below these given how Feb has panned out.

I suspect the ranking is skewed by number if snowfalls rarger than cold?

Of the two the winter has had more in common in 08-09 I feel.

I'm going to start a thread to allow thoughts on winter as a whole.

Lying days of snow has made the difference, there was only 5 days of lying snow during winter 2008-09 but this winter it is 16. Odd thing, the snow cover lasted longer under less favourable uppers than they did in what you thought were more favourable uppers during February. 

Some say its probably due to the strength of  sun but we are lot further north than say Texas, so how come they can have snow lying but we struggle? Maritime influence despite the frigid airmass?

[damianslaw]

18 minutes ago, Weather-history said:

Lying days of snow has made the difference, there was only 5 days of lying snow during winter 2008-09 but this winter it is 16. Odd thing, the snow cover lasted longer under less favourable uppers than they did in what you thought were more favourable uppers during February. 

Some say its probably due to the strength of  sun but we are lot further north than say Texas, so how come they can have snow lying but we struggle? Maritime influence despite the frigid airmass?

Thanks. Yes 08-09 was often cold and dry, we had a run of snow cover mornings early Dec 08 and again early  Feb 09.

This winter has been a poor show for snow cover here, only a handful with light coverings.

[RJBingham]

5 hours since the last post in the MAD forum, bliss, can only mean one thing, this miserable winter is nearly over.  

[Don]

4 minutes ago, RJBingham said:

5 hours since the last post in the MAD forum, bliss, can only mean one thing, this miserable winter is nearly over.  

You'd better hope you haven't spoken too soon! 

[Frost HoIIow]

9 hours ago, Weather-history said:

Lying days of snow has made the difference, there was only 5 days of lying snow during winter 2008-09 but this winter it is 16. Odd thing, the snow cover lasted longer under less favourable uppers than they did in what you thought were more favourable uppers during February. 

Some say its probably due to the strength of  sun but we are lot further north than say Texas, so how come they can have snow lying but we struggle? Maritime influence despite the frigid airmass?

More than half of Texas is high up as well. A lot of the state is high plain country above 2000ft. The city of Amarillo for instance is about 3000ft so can easily retain snow cover despite it's southerly location and have these crazy swings of hot one day blizzard the next, there's nothing to the north to stop Canadian air. But in places like south Asia the Himalayas protect India, Pakistan & Bangladesh from cold Russian air. A similar thing happens in California, Oregon & Washington states because the mountains to their east filters out a lot of the cold air. 

Edited February 27, 2021 by Frost HoIIow

[lassie23]

33 minutes ago, D.V.R said:

 

I'll always be on a lookout for snowy weather right up to the point where it's physically impossible.  

I throw in the towel in June usually.

[Gowon]

1 minute ago, lassie23 said:

I throw in the towel in June usually.

Sounds about right 

[Don]

1 minute ago, Mike Poole said:

Very sensible!  Snow happened in June 1975:

One of the most remarkable weather events of my lifetime actually, even though I was 4 at the time! Marginal, I hear you cry?  But it happened.  

15 months before I entered this world, but my mum was in hospital at the time in London and recalls looking out of the window watching heavy snow coming down!  She also said two days later after being discharged, there was a heatwave and she was sunbathing!

[Mike Poole]

11 minutes ago, Don said:

15 months before I entered this world, but my mum was in hospital at the time in London and recalls looking out of the window watching heavy snow coming down!  She also said two days later after being discharged, there was a heatwave and she was sunbathing!

Yes, absolutely, because 1975 was a great summer, overshadowed by 1976 of course, but actually part of the cause of it.  The drought built up over the two years.  The snow in June 1975 was ridiculous!  Doubt that will happen again!

[Don]

13 minutes ago, Mike Poole said:

Yes, absolutely, because 1975 was a great summer, overshadowed by 1976 of course, but actually part of the cause of it.  The drought built up over the two years.  The snow in June 1975 was ridiculous!  Doubt that will happen again!

Well, this is it, I mean to get snow in June, you would at the very least expect it to happen during a cool summer, not a hot one!  Absolutely crazy lol!

[Northernlights]

16 minutes ago, Mike Poole said:

Yes, absolutely, because 1975 was a great summer, overshadowed by 1976 of course, but actually part of the cause of it.  The drought built up over the two years.  The snow in June 1975 was ridiculous!  Doubt that will happen again!

Doing my final exams at Agri College in King Street Aberdeen about four floors up being distracted by powdery snow showers coming in off the North Sea. An abiding memory At home they had huge problems with cows with cracked teats because of the cold and had to cream them every day.

Two weeks later I was home baling hay in 80 degree F heat and we were then able to make hay all summer without having to race to get bales in as every day was dry and we sold a lot of hay at prices it took 40 years to reach again.  People with 30 acres of tatties bought up whole farms for cash and lots of new buidings went up too. Crops took a pasting with drought but not as bad as England so at least my first year farming was  a good one with scarcity driving up prices(My Father had passed away the previous spring )and  our one full time employee carried on with help from me every weekend in my last year at college.

Edited February 27, 2021 by Northernlights

[Mike Poole]

1 minute ago, Don said:

Well, this is it, I mean to get snow in June, you would at the very least expect it to happen during a cool summer, not a hot one!  Absolutely crazy lol!

Watch for it this year, @Don not snow in June obviously, but after the coolish spell modelled in March, a big flip to warm might happen!  

[Don]

2 minutes ago, Mike Poole said:

Watch for it this year, @Don not snow in June obviously, but after the coolish spell modelled in March, a big flip to warm might happen!  

Hmm, I suspect you're correct Mike, but dare I say I'm hoping for a cooler summer this year, albeit not necessarily wet as after lockdown, many of us want to venture out?! 

Edited February 27, 2021 by Don

[Maltonman]

32 minutes ago, Northernlights said:

Doing my final exams at Agri College in King Street Aberdeen about four floors up being distracted by powdery snow showers coming in off the North Sea. An abiding memory At home they had huge problems with cows with cracked teats because of the cold and had to cream them every day.

Two weeks later I was home baling hay in 80 degree F heat and we were then able to make hay all summer without having to race to get bales in as every day was dry and we sold a lot of hay at prices it took 40 years to reach again.  People with 30 acres of tatties bought up whole farms for cash and lots of new buidings went up too. Crops took a pasting with drought but not as bad as England so at least my first year farming was  a good one with scarcity driving up prices(My Father had passed away the previous spring )and  our one full time employee carried on with help from me every weekend in my last year at college.

My dad said the same here in North Yorkshire on their dairy farm,I wasn't born til 80. Seems remarkable these days that you could get snow as late as June. Summer 1995 was my best memory no rain all summer til September cows fed on straw and molasses as grass was brown,would love another summer like that now I'm out of it !!!

[PiscesStar]

5 hours ago, Don said:

Hmm, I suspect you're correct Mike, but dare I say I'm hoping for a cooler summer this year, albeit not necessarily wet as after lockdown, many of us want to venture out?! 

You and me both Don 

[mulzy]

Winter is over!

A low expectation winter at the start but lots of promise through the winter but ultimately failed to deliver.

[Sunny76]

I have a feeling this summer will be a poor one. The last few with 1s at the end were poor, like 2011, 2001, 1991 and 1981.

If we get a poor one, I would like a nice sunny May(although not summer), warm sunny June, poor July and early August, with a thundery and hot spell in mid to late August. 

[Sunny76]

13 hours ago, Don said:

Well, all I can say is I hope you re-consider during the next few days  The last few days have been very spring like and I went for a 12 mile walk today in a t-shirt and wish I'd worn shorts, it was that warm in the sun!  I want a final winter blast before spring proper!

It’s not been that warm lol. People really do exaggerate on this forum sometimes. I’m still wearing my jumper and winter jacket. 
 

Yes I was able to take my jacket off, but put it back on again after a short while. There’s still a chill in the air.

I don’t walk around in a t- shirt until it hits 20c at least. 

[Froze were the Days]

2 hours ago, Sunny76 said:

I have a feeling this summer will be a poor one. The last few with 1s at the end were poor, like 2011, 2001, 1991 and 1981.

Yawn!...nothing changes, at least it won't be cooler/colder than average even if it is more unsettled. It's been a long time in this part of the world we experienced a cool summer, almost getting on for a decade (though not guaranteed).

Edited February 28, 2021 by Froze were the Days

[topo]

What is pretty impressive is that a month that began with such a cold period and prospects, the coldest since 2010 in many places was very easily replaced with the warmest temperatures EVER recorded in lots of places in Europe.

Today we had a warm record in Kristiansand with 16,3 degrees.

It's insane and at the same time very worrying how easily we smash warm records nowadays.

[Weather Enthusiast91]

6 hours ago, Sunny76 said:

It’s not been that warm lol. People really do exaggerate on this forum sometimes. I’m still wearing my jumper and winter jacket. 
 

Yes I was able to take my jacket off, but put it back on again after a short while. There’s still a chill in the air.

I don’t walk around in a t- shirt until it hits 20c at least. 

Ikr? Sure, it has been sunny and more akin to late March than end of Feb, but warm? Definitely not. It may feel warm to some because the sun is out, but the sun is still relatively week at this time of the year and temps have only been around 12 Celsius.

[I remember Atlantic 252]

Well saw someone doing garden work today with no top on, certainly is Spring, not unusual for 2nd half of Feb