South East and East Anglia Weather Discussion January 2021 onwards

[Frostbite1980]

30 minutes ago, winterfreak said:

Depressingly dire thought isn’t it?

Sure is

[Hurricane Debby]

A bit late to the party I know but I'm really surprised to hear about Steve Murr. He always came across as a really lovely guy and I'll miss his posts, jeeze he's been on here for years ! Something doesn't add up.

 

If anyone sees him on any other forums, can you let me know ?!!

[Tom Quintavalle]

1 hour ago, TomSE12 said:

Hi wHf,

That's an easy one for Yours Truly, has to be Sat/Sun 30th/31st December 1978. See archive charts below, at the height of that event:

     500hPa Sunday 00z 31st Dec.                  850hPa Sunday 00z 31st Dec.

      

         Ppn Sunday 00z 31st Dec.

I was 23 at the time and working for a Credit Bookmaker in East Dulwich, S.E. London.

A few Days before Christmas, pressure rose strongly over Greenland and Atlantic Lows were forced on a track, further and further South, The Wintry Weather arrived in Scotland first, giving northern parts there, a White Christmas.

During the following few Days, Lows tracked further and further South, across the Atlantic and with it the Wintry Weather, edged further South.

The Morning Forecast for Saturday 30th Dec, suggested a Rain > Snow event, later in the Day.

Went to work that Morning, full of anticipation. I ventured out during my Lunch Break, and couldn't help notice that the wind, had a Continental bite to it.

Watching the Racing from Market Rasen, Lincs that Afternoon.(We received the Live pictures and Commentary from each Racecourse, every Afternoon). During the last Race (about 3.30, at that time), I noticed a few Snowflakes amongst the Rain, that was falling at the time.

After having our usual treat, Skate and Chips, myself and 3 colleagues went for a drink, in our local to work, in Lordship Lane, East Dulwich. The Pub door kept being blown open, by the ever strengthening and bitterly cold wind.

A little while later, during a trip to the Gents, I noticed a line of white on the floor of the loo, not to uncommon a sight in S.E. London at the time, I remember thinking to myself. On closer inspection, it turned out to be some powder Snow that had been blown through a grate in the Loo wall, and piled into a small drift.

Myself and my colleagues left the Pub around 8.30 and walked into an Easterly gale, the temperature of which literally took your breath away. Fine, powdery Snow, with the appearance of Icing Sugar, was blowing across the Roads, and was beginning to collect in the gutters, in drifts.

We headed to another Pub, around the corner in Camberwell.

We left the 2nd Pub around 10.30, by this time Snow was piling up above the edge of pavement level, quite impressive for an Inner London Borough (Southwark).

One of my colleagues offered to run me to my home in Bromley, a little over 8 Miles to the S.E.

There are a few hills between the 2 locations, and we carefully avoided them.

My colleagues car, was sliding all over the place but we finally arrived safely, at my home.

It was unrecognisable, from the place I'd left in the Morning. 

The drifting was so bad at this time (around Midnight), that I couldn't make out the path to my front door.

It was actually painful to breath in, with the combination of fine powdery Snow, and an Easterly gale.

It still remains the most potent combination of Wind, Cold and Snow I've witnessed, in my 55 Years of being interested in Meteorology.

I like to refer to the event, as a reverse Channel Low.

This particular Low found itself in the Channel, after the Jet Stream was forced further and further South, by the rise in Pressure, over Greenland.

My understanding of a Channel Low, is one that has approached from the S,W. and tries to dislodge entrenched, bitter cold, rather than being the catalyst, that introduces it.

In a short while, I will post up another example of a potent Channel Low, that caused my Father a problem.

Regards,

Tom.   

Just thought I would post up a couple of visual postscripts, regarding the above event.

Although the photo below was taken in the January, I would think the majority of the Snow, fell on 30th/31st December.

It depicts a car stuck in a Snowdrift near the Village of Grain, on the Hoo Peninsular, East Kent. 

A 65 Bus making its way along the icy A243 at Hook, on Sunday 31st December 1978.

These images are reproduced from the Kent and Surrey County Weather Books, with the kind permission of Co-Author, Ian Currie.

I'm hoping to speak to Ian Currie, in the next couple of Days and will ask him how he thinks the Weather will pan out, in the next couple of Weeks. I will ask him what effect he thinks, if any, will the recent Sudden Stratospheric Warming event have on our Region's Weather. 

I also need to pay him some Subscription Fees for his excellent Quarterly Magazine -                

 

I know he's been pretty busy lately, presenting his Weather Talks, via Zoom.

Regards,

Tom.  

[Daniel*]

A transition to a wintry mixture down to London and Home Counties has gained large momentum in last 24 hours.  Seems quite likely a fair swathe of East Anglia is going to see a nice spell of snow, 2-5cm accumulating for some? I’m surprised snow warnings for Thursday haven’t been extended quite a far bit SE to include East Midlands and a big chunk of East Anglia. 
 

Saturday offering greater interest for SE with more established cold in east given recent events have backed west perhaps the same would be repeated here.

[East_England_Stormchaser91]

The Arome now going for snow roughly from Essex through East Herts all the way up to Rutland by tomorrow lunchtime. Some areas east of there getting in on the action in the small hours of tomorrow morning! 

[Dami]

metO has me down for heavy rain to light snow for tomorrow.

\o/

[snowblind]

5 minutes ago, East_England_Stormchaser91 said:

The Arome now going for snow roughly from Essex through East Herts all the way up to Rutland by tomorrow lunchtime. Some areas east of there getting in on the action in the small hours of tomorrow morning! 

Sleet for southern and western East Anglia looking at the Orange lines on that

[PLANET THANET]

16 hours ago, Paul Sherman said:

For our younger members just watch this Video from about 1 min onwards to see just what a true beast from the east can do. Whole Trains bu

 

I was one of those people digging out that snow plough as I worked on the railway and was stationed at Maidstone west at that time. It was incredible to see but not quite so jolly having to be out in it for twelve hours wet through and cold. I do have my own cine film of the event in the loft somewhere. Lenham is at a very high point and always got the winter weather before anywhere else but that was exceptional and never really been seen since to such magnitude but I am still a coldie and always will be .

[East_England_Stormchaser91]

4 minutes ago, snowblind said:

Sleet for southern and western East Anglia looking at the Orange lines on that

Too close to call this one. On a knife edge once again! 

[Daniel*]

MetO updated now has sleet for me.

[snowspotter]

let’s dust down the sledges  

[Flash bang flash bang etc]

17 hours ago, Paul Sherman said:

For our younger members just watch this Video from about 1 min onwards to see just what a true beast from the east can do. Whole Trains buried.

 

So glad they moved the train just in time to avoid it being chopped up by that choppy thing  

[PLANET THANET]

6 minutes ago, Flash bang flash bang etc said:

So glad they moved the train just in time to avoid it being chopped up by that choppy thing  

that "choppy thing" is actually the snowblower that was driven down from inverness, I know , I was there...

[Froze were the Days]

1 hour ago, Frostbite1980 said:

Sure is

So then back to the -10's?...how is it going?

[Frostbite1980]

10 minutes ago, Froze were the Days said:

So then back to the -10's?...how is it going?

Rubbish

Ask me again next winter

Edited January 13, 2021 by Frostbite1980

[Darkcloud]

1 hour ago, Hurricane Debby said:

A bit late to the party I know but I'm really surprised to hear about Steve Murr. He always came across as a really lovely guy and I'll miss his posts, jeeze he's been on here for years ! Something doesn't add up.

 

If anyone sees him on any other forums, can you let me know ?!!

What have I missed? Doesn't sound good....I've always looked out for his posts and love his enthusiasm for cold. A knowledgeable guy that we need!

[snowblind]

Latest met office forecast now only a brief period of sleet mentioned for tomorrow but Saturday sounds more encouraging, inline with Paul's thoughts.

 

"Cold on Friday, with early sharp frost, mainly dry with broken cloud. Windy with rain and snow on Saturday, and possible disruptive accumulations. "

They've now taken a slight step back on the further outlook from yesterday but could still be interesting for some of us, if we get a bit of luck.

Edited January 13, 2021 by snowblind

[yamkin]

7 minutes ago, Darkcloud said:

What have I missed? Doesn't sound good....I've always looked out for his posts and love his enthusiasm for cold. A knowledgeable guy that we need!

If you were to do the following search: 'steve murr, New Ash Green Kent, twitter', the second one down looks promising

[Eagle Eye]

1 minute ago, yamkin said:

If you were to do the following search: 'steve murr, New Ash Green Kent, twitter', the second one down looks promising

Double post I think

[snowray]

Has Steve M left netweather then?

[Eagle Eye]

2 minutes ago, snowray said:

Has Steve M left netweather then?

As far as I know temporarily we'll see in a few months probably. 

[yamkin]

10 minutes ago, Sheldon Cooper said:

Double post I think

Looks like many are searching Steve M on twitter as his search info is now at the top 

Edited January 13, 2021 by yamkin

[Easily sled]

Its looking 'marginal' again for TW13 for Saturday so i shall expect nothing (with fingers crossed of course), tomorrow doesn't even look marginal to me unfortunately. Post the 20th was the period that caught my eye but even that is not looking as good now but plenty of time for things to change around. #Muststaypositive  

[Bogman]

Looks like we're back in the game then, especially for Satdee.

[HammerJack]

Dire day here today. Light to moderate rain and Misty all day! ... Days like this I’m glad to be working from home....