South East, London and East Anglia regional discussion - 8th February onwards

[Jackski4]

Still light to moderate small grains of snow here. Radar in the north sea really pepping up, I’m hoping for something memorable this evening!!

[throwoff]

1 minute ago, Mizzle said:

I'm a little off topic here,  but your ppst reminded me of a lecture I went to on Antarctica. They did an experiment to show how water won't freeze at 0°C if it is completely pure. The moment an impurity hits the water it freezes instantly. They had some cups of this super cooled water and the moment your lips touched the water to drink it instantly crackled and turned to ice. Incredible and almost magical!

That is so cool!

[Snowman31]

But last night was -2. Would that not be enough for ground temperatures? 

[NYCSnow]

1 minute ago, danm said:

I do too. It hasn't updated since then. Happened a couple of times over the last day or so. 

First time I’ve noticed it. Annoying as I really hate the metoffice one. 

[NewEra21]

Clouds now beginning to break in my location, can actually see some blue sky. Another sign that convection will be starting to fire up soon!

[throwoff]

My window is next to our flue pipe, everytime I look out for a second I think we have white out snow, then realise it's steam.

[Eastbourneguy]

2 minutes ago, Mizzle said:

I'm a little off topic here,  but your ppst reminded me of a lecture I went to on Antarctica. They did an experiment to show how water won't freeze at 0°C if it is completely pure. The moment an impurity hits the water it freezes instantly. They had some cups of this super cooled water and the moment your lips touched the water to drink it instantly crackled and turned to ice. Incredible and almost magical!

This is true. Water doesn't freeze homogeneously in the atmosphere until as low as -37C without cloud condensation nuclei  in the atmosphere or a surface haha.  

Edited February 8, 2021 by Eastbourneguy

[Mr Brown]

The brighter yellows are fading within that complex system.

[craigore]

I reckon I've seen the best of this latest snowy spell.

Not really expecting a lot more other than a few flurries.

Today has been grey wth light flurries on and off 

Top temp was -1.4

Currently -1.9

Grey skies , biting wind.

All my snow from yesterday intact

[Uxbridge90]

Light to moderate snow over the last hour or so. Certainly picked up a bit but as soon as it hits the ground it seems to melt and then turn dry very quickly. Nothing special at the moment but hopefully tonight delivere something more worthwhile.

[Gowon]

4 minutes ago, Brocken Spectre said:

This is the explanation of melting snow in below freezing temperatures:

Even when the air temperature is below freezing snow can melt on the ground due to heat from the ground (ground temperature may be higher that air temperature). Also, snow can disappear due to sublimation. In this case, due to low humidity and/or low air pressure, it turns from a solid state directly to a gas without going through the liquid state.

Must be the ground temps then.. he's got wet patches where the snow was.

[steve86]

14 minutes ago, Eastbourneguy said:

This is true. Water doesn't freeze homogeneously until -37C without cloud condensation nuclei.  

Fun fact for the day also..........water is used as a refrigerant.....R718 is the ashrae number.

[kold weather]

12z AROME coming through, it has the steering current just a touch more northerly for a little longer. That makes it borderline for a classic thames streamer it has to be said, though there is plenty of convection flowing through and it will probably benefit anyhows.

However as MwB said earlier the models probably aren't going to be having a great grip on the set-up at the moment based on what we've seen this afternoon. It will be a case of just watching the radar and watching out into the Estuary, especially south of Clacton where these things often really crank up. 

[Southender]

1 minute ago, D.V.R said:

Must be the ground temps then.. he's got wet patches where the snow was.

Wind can actually assist with sublimation also. Plenty of that about!

[stainesbloke]

47 minutes ago, Polaris said:

These big fat flakes have caused snow melt of the beautiful powder snow earlier.

My patio was covered 3 hours earlier 

Not sure it’s the snow that melting it, more likely to be the ground very slowly melting the snow, as it wasn’t cold at all before yesterday. Should stop soon as air temperatures are below freezing and it’ll turn to ice (and any subsequent snow should settle). 

Edited February 8, 2021 by stainesbloke

[Kentspur]

12 minutes ago, mb018538 said:

Ive just got to accept I live in one of the very worst spots for snow in the UK. It just never hits here hard. Always too Far East, north, south or west. Oh well!

Don't worry not much more here either tonight could change that though

[Polaris]

Heavy snow has turned to moderate Steady snow with temps at -2c yet a slow melt is continuing to take place. 
 

The most strangest minus temperature easterly here ever. 

[Htid]

Moderate snow for the last few hrs in Eastbourne. Its topping up what we got overnight which was only a dusting really. Temp has not risen above -1.6 today. 

[Snowycam]

13 minutes ago, mb018538 said:

Ive just got to accept I live in one of the very worst spots for snow in the UK. It just never hits here hard. Always too Far East, north, south or west. Oh well!

Unfortunately, you are right. CB24 here, what little we had has now completely melted.

[Brocken Spectre]

Just now, D.V.R said:

Must be the ground temps then.. he's got wet patches where the snow was.

That's what I think, it's the more likely of the two possibilities.  The lead up to the cold spell was mild, with temps going to almost 13c Friday, that with waterlogged ground, I just think that ground temps are a degree or two above air temps.   I have an accurate Davis weather station and have most add ons and sensors except a ground temperature sensor, otherwise I could confirm.

[KT]

Reports from this morning and this afternoon in Hertford Hertfordshire (North London). 

      

[Kentspur]

6 minutes ago, Jackski4 said:

Still light to moderate small grains of snow here. Radar in the north sea really pepping up, I’m hoping for something memorable this evening!!

Def more flakes than grains here today not stopped all day feels like somethings brewing doesn't it. This is what we all love

[stainesbloke]

Just now, Brocken Spectre said:

That's what I think, it's the more likely of the two possibilities.  The lead up to the cold spell was mild, with temps going to almost 13c Friday, that with waterlogged ground, I just think that ground temps are a degree or two above air temps.   I have an accurate Davis weather station and have most add ons and sensors except a ground temperature sensor, otherwise I could confirm.

Most likely explanation The ground hasn’t cooled off as quickly as the air, hence a little bit of melting. 

[Dr cat]

Still little flakes slowly coming down still. Not much hope for later here

[Mark]

2 minutes ago, Mizzle said:

I'm a little off topic here,  but your ppst reminded me of a lecture I went to on Antarctica. They did an experiment to show how water won't freeze at 0°C if it is completely pure. The moment an impurity hits the water it freezes instantly. They had some cups of this super cooled water and the moment your lips touched the water to drink it instantly crackled and turned to ice. Incredible and almost magical!

That's very cool (no pun intended). That's like the super cooled bottles of water that are liquid until you tap them on something and they then freeze.

My pure comment was more about there being solids in whatever the snow landed on bringing the temperature up, instead of it just landing on snow. Completely unqualified and just my basic science brain working overtime.

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