Smiffish Winter Weather Watch

[Smiffy]

Early warnings out from the Met Office for Heavy Snow here Thursday-Saturday, and I wouldn't bet against it happening.

Will be interesting to see if Radio 2's cold January materialises. Will be good if th winters in this country start turning colder like they should do. People complain about the cold, saying it shouldn't be happening here, but I disagree. For a country this far north, snow and cold weather in the winter should be the norm. Mild winters of the last 40 years have been wholly unnatural IMO.

Maybe predictions from a few years ago of the Gulf Stream/NAO shifting slightly westwards are true?

Yep, I agree with that. It will probably start as rain, then turning to snow quite rapidly as colder air digs in.

Good chance that we will see some laying snow by Saturday morning, putting the Wycombe game at risk.

 

[Medway Blue]

Yep, I agree with that. It will probably start as rain, then turning to snow quite rapidly as colder air digs in.

Good chance that we will see some laying snow by Saturday morning, putting the Wycombe game at risk.

Indeed. If the air temperature drops as low as they think it will, any rain that moves across the region will just turn to snow as soon as it hits the cold air. That's what caused a lot of the snow in January. The precipitation actually moved up from the south, but it was originally rain and as soon as it hit the cold air hovering over East Anglia and the south-east, it turned to snow and they weren't really able to predict the extent of it.

Looks like cold winters might be making a comeback!

Are you a weather enthusiast too then, Smiffy? I'd have liked to become a meterologist and might well have done had the GCSE Geography course at school not been so heavily based around Human Geography. I like talking weather and meterology with people, it interests me.

 

[Smiffy]

Indeed. If the air temperature drops as low as they think it will, any rain that moves across the region will just turn to snow as soon as it hits the cold air. That's what caused a lot of the snow in January. The precipitation actually moved up from the south, but it was originally rain and as soon as it hit the cold air hovering over East Anglia and the south-east, it turned to snow and they weren't really able to predict the extent of it.

Looks like cold winters might be making a comeback!

Are you a weather enthusiast too then, Smiffy? I'd have liked to become a meterologist and might well have done had the GCSE Geography course at school not been so heavily based around Human Geography. I like talking weather and meterology with people, it interests me.

I am indeed mate. I too would of liked to become a meteorologist, but could not be arsed to take the degree.

Anyway, looks like an Arctic cold front moving down from the North (Svalbard, Arctic Ocean) will give rain on the leading edge, but turning to snow as the colder 850hPa (Upper air) temps dig in.

The drop in air temps also could be remarkable in a very short timeframe.

Saturday into next week really looks nasty on the weather models at the minute and could really grind a lot of the UK to a halt, as the Polar Vortex drops right over us, which in itself is a very rare and quite worrying event.

Drop me a PM mate, if you want to chat more...

 

[Dick Bate's Protege]

Being as you two lovebirds seem to be in the know; what's the possibility of travel problems christmas eve/day? I have to make trips on both days between rayleigh and corringham and don't much like the idea of being stranded at either.

And what is this Polar Vortex you speak of? It sounds like the end of the world.

 

[EastStandBlue]

Bugger... Sounds like I shouldn't have used my last three days annual leave for the year in the lead up to Christmas, as I'll probably be working from home anyway.

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

Drop me a PM mate, if you want to chat more...

I despair at you Smiffish i really do :nope:

 

[MrB]

And what is this Polar Vortex you speak of? It sounds like the end of the world.

Wasn't that the bit at the end of The Adventure Game?

 

[* ORM *]

Hmmm, my drive up to the Lake District on Friday morning for a very long weekend is looking 'interesting'. I'm looking forward to the police advice about only travelling if it is necessary. Well I need a complete break and a wind down for a few days does that count ?

 

[osymandus]

Just mentioned on Radio 2: Month long "ice-age" expected in January - cold enough to freeze the River Thames.

Be nice to bring back those old Thames Ice fares of Victorian era's , skating contests ahhh.

 

[Kent Shrimper]

Wasn't that the bit at the end of The Adventure Game?

Good shout, loved the talking plant!!

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

Be nice to bring back those old Thames Ice fares of Victorian era's , skating contests ahhh.

Yeah Cricko was talking about them yesterday, and how he used to win prizes nearly every year

 

[Smiffy]

Saturday's game is really at risk according to my weather models. We could be seeing a fair bit of snow overnight Friday and throughout Saturday.

Not to mention odds on of a frozen pitch beneath any snow, should it fall.

Will give a more detailed update later tonight/tomorrow.

To be on the safe side, I would advise buying some supplies asap, as this weekend does look pretty severe.

It could all change of course, but as we stand this morning, be prepared.

 

[Uncle Leo]

Saturday's game is really at risk according to my weather models.

I googled 'weather models' and got this picture. Marvellous.

 

[EastStandBlue]

I googled 'weather models' and got this picture. Marvellous.

Is that some kind of metaphor for the country's **** poor efforts to combat frozen water falling from the sky?

 

[EastStandBlue]

Severe weather warnings for the South East extended from tonight through to Saturday... Any update from your end Smiffy? The BBC seem to think differently to the Met Office.

 

[Smiffy]

Severe weather warnings for the South East extended from tonight through to Saturday... Any update from your end Smiffy? The BBC seem to think differently to the Met Office.

Ignore the BBC, especially the online graphics, they are useless.

The BBC get their info from the Met Office and are usually well behind.

The BBC will also fail to ramp up any threat of snow, as they do not like to cause panic.

There is the chance of a little snow this evening as the cold front clears through. Nothing much though and slushy at best due to this morning/afternoons rain.

Friday I expect to remain mostly dry, but with the threat of some snow showers.

It is Saturday where the confusion begins. We could have a spell of significant snow from mid morning, right through until the evening, which could dump in excess of 6" on our region. But the weather models are all over the place at the minute with the snow distribution and the main action could head out over N.France instead. This is down to the Polar Vortex sweeping over us. Which is basically an Arctic cyclone, that does not normally venture outside the North Pole! This is causing headaches for the super computers, as they really don't know how to handle it.

I will have a better indication later today/early tomorrow, with regards to Saturday.

 

[Firestorm]

for SS1 , Met office showing light snow, and sleet , but not a lot, just a bit cold, The beeb is showing a bit warmer and no sleet

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Dunno about the weekend, but I can tell you it's not half dark outside at the moment.

 

[EastStandBlue]

Dunno about the weekend, but I can tell you it's not half dark outside at the moment.

Been dark all day really... I woke up at 4 to watch the cricket before heading to work and there wasn't much difference between 4am and 8am.

Sounds like we're set to miss the worst of it then, latest Met office warnings put it at 60% chance.

 

[Smiffy]

Been dark all day really... I woke up at 4 to watch the cricket before heading to work and there wasn't much difference between 4am and 8am.

Sounds like we're set to miss the worst of it then, latest Met office warnings put it at 60% chance.

Don't be fooled. That could easily get upgraded to a Flash Warning at very short notice. It is only Thursday. IF we are in for a spell of severe weather on Sat, I would expect the Met to upgrade their warnings by tomorrow afternoon...Like the BBC, they are reluctant to release warnings too early.

We should know for certain what will happen by tomorrow. Of course I will keep you all in the loop.

Keep an eye out for some snow as we move into the evening. May not amount to much, but it will readily freeze overnight. So be careful in the morning. Temperatures are dropping like a stone now as the cold front moves through...