Media Round - Up
Looks like the chances of another really cold spell are going
ECM 32 day now on-board with above average temperatures signaled for the final week of Feb given a mild or very SW'ly air mass
A varied 4 week outlook is evident with initial NW'lies being replaced by much milder SW'ly before high pressure perhaps builds over the UK
Without shooting myself in the foot, looking at the ECM 32 which takes us towards mid-March the threat of significant cold returning is low
For 'straw clutching' purposes only, 8 of the 51 ECM ENS members brings back a cold E or SE'ly flow between 25th and 29th of Feb ;-D
All from Matt Hugo's twitter page this morning
Edited by user 14 February 2012 10:16:14(UTC) | Reason: Not specified
Ah, the ECM 32 dayer. A fickle beast it has proved and were we not supposed to have significant NW or N based blocking by now?It is possibly a tad more reliable than it's peers but I won't be selling my rock salt just yet on the basis of this mornings effort.
Me too BUT haven't we just had N blocking, with the HP to the N East , didnt Darren say something about 'us' assuming N blocking would be a huge Geenie high?
It wasn't just us assuming it. For many days at the end of Jan/first week of Feb the ECM 32 day was indicating significant height rises to the NW of the UK with a Scandy trough. There was much talk of retrogression and the Scandy block being just the start of the cold period, the main event being a northerly flow. I am certain the ECM 32 dayer failed in this respect.
If that is what was supposed to happen then yes, it did fail. I do remember reading Matts updates and thinking another decent cold spell was more than possible, sadly it didn't happen that way
Droughtastic Express today
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/302039/Britain-faces-drought-crisis-Water-shortage-worst-for-90-years
Latest from the met office
Much of the UK will be dry and cold at the start of the period, with some sunny intervals. Scattered snow showers are expected across Scotland though, with gales in exposure. Rain is expected to spread form the west later on Monday (20th) turning to snow as it hits the cold air over the UK, giving some temporary accumulations. The rest of the period then shows signs of turning generally more unsettled and windy, especially in the northwest of the country, with bands of rain interspersed with cooler, more showery weather. The south and southeast look to be driest but there will be some rain here at times. Temperatures should recover to nearer normal but overnight frosts cannot be ruled out during clearer periods of weather.
Updated: 1200 on Tue 14 Feb 2012
The end of February and first part of March are likely to see changeable weather. Temperatures are probably going to be around average for the time of year. Being late February/early March, this suggests that overnight frosts are still likely almost anywhere, especially during any quieter interludes. Showers and longer spells of rain are possible, with an ongoing risk of transient snow, mainly in the north. Rainfall amounts across southern and central England may end up being slightly above average in places by the end of this period.
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/uk_forecast_weather.html
Thanks Gavin. A snow event is possible early next week then!
Yes looks like a possible battleground scenario on Monday giving temporary accumulations the question of course will be where the battleground lies.
The snow headlines are gone, time to move on to the next disaster headline
Indeed
Well that has popped out of nowhere
Doesn't look any great shakes to me and hasn't really been progged to be anything othe rthan a brief waft before teh Atlantic returns again next week. I think the MetO are over-doing the snow risk IMO.
lol the Daily Express get worse,
WINTER is set to return with a vengeance next week with more snow and even colder temperatures. Forecasters said last night that the mild spell will give way by the weekend to another Arctic blast that could last until the end of the month. Temperatures could even fall below the -18C (-0.4F) recorded in Chesham, Bucks, last weekend.
Experts (That happens to be James Madden who ever he is) warned that frequent and heavy snow could disrupt journeys home from the half-term break and close schools. Long-range forecaster James Madden, of Exacta Weather, said: “Any periods of moderation are likely to be very brief and will be rapidly replaced by colder and snowier conditions.” He said temperatures were likely to stay “well below average” into the first week of March with “every chance of some records being toppled”. The extreme cold is expected to arrive on Sunday or Monday, although parts of the north and east may see wintry showers in the next few days.
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/302208/Big-freeze-to-return-and-it-ll-be-even-colder
FFS
You may find it funny but sadly the public does not and take it seriously and went for it. Some staff still wearing winter hats that designed for temperatures found in the Alps or N America. I went to work yesterday without a jacket only jumper on and then take it off inside. Many staff still wear jumpers and hats indoors.
Oh no I must rush down to the shops and lay in some winter stores of food and fuel in case I am cut off from the rest of humanity
Thanks for the warning