Another winter to chalk up in the 'utterly shite' column,
Not the first time a winter's started off with promise, but essentially been over before we've even got to Xmas.
I was hoping that 2009-2013 period would be a new era, but instead it was just a  false dawn.
 

I think it takes a new mindset these days.

Don't be annoyed at what you've lost, be thankful that you had it at all.

(Just think of the youngsters these days, missing out on the 80s, 90s, and the faint echo of those decades in the 09-13 period you mention. Faint echo down here, anyway, it was a louder echo up where you are!)

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Been a odd one. Thick snow 5 inches laid for a week in December.  Best snow in over 10 years. Other than that not a flake.

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Been a odd one. Thick snow 5 inches laid for a week in December.  Best snow in over 10 years. Other than that not a flake.

Least that is something that people will have in their memories for many years.

Only the lightest of dustings here on a couple of occasions , a few days with sleet or snow falling but nothing lying.  So the 2nd snowless winter in my records after 13/14. Can't remember any other winters back to the early 90's with zero snow depth. 

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Least that is something that people will have in their memories for many years.

Only the lightest of dustings here on a couple of occasions , a few days with sleet or snow falling but nothing lying.  So the 2nd snowless winter in my records after 13/14. Can't remember any other winters back to the early 90's with zero snow depth. 

That's pretty remarkable for your location and altitude.  Maybe March will change your fortunes. 
 

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Least that is something that people will have in their memories for many years.

Only the lightest of dustings here on a couple of occasions , a few days with sleet or snow falling but nothing lying.  So the 2nd snowless winter in my records after 13/14. Can't remember any other winters back to the early 90's with zero snow depth. 

The first two rule out the third - you've not had a snowless winter!

Actual snowless winters (as in not even a flake of sleet) are far more common down here, mind you. 2015/6, 19/20, 21/22 were all completely snowless here. And we had a brief dusting this year, but that counts as a pretty snowy winter these days... some years (such as 13/14, 18/19 just have a sleet shower and that's the lot!

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Yay! The Manchester Winter Index is back!!

😀

Doesn't surprise me it's close to 2001/2. A similar feel to it. 

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Thanks for that Kevin - really fascinating dataset

If you scrape Kevin's Manchester Winter Index into a graph over time since 1973-4 it is stunning how winters have declined in index value just over that period

We have lost about 40 points in value (trend line) since then

The graph shows have winters have generally deteriorated in classic winter weather since then and the really cr*p 1990's winter show up clearly in the middle

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Winter is Wonderless without the snow.

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Least that is something that people will have in their memories for many years.

Only the lightest of dustings here on a couple of occasions , a few days with sleet or snow falling but nothing lying.  So the 2nd snowless winter in my records after 13/14. Can't remember any other winters back to the early 90's with zero snow depth. 

Been snowless here for 2 years too and cant see why there excitement about the cold weather as it only giving maxes boring 7C to 8C cloudy and outbreak of rain not showers as shower wording only occurs when there blue skies and avril clouds tops. 

Good news: The models seem to be backing away from the idea of a cold northerly or easterly in early March.

Bad news: More anticyclonic gloom forecast for the next week by the Met Office. Still it's nowhere near as bad as the thought of a cold spell though.

Why did I open my mouth?

Yet again, another generally poor winter for wintry weather (with the exception of the December spell which was very decent), yet as soon as spring arrives, all the northerlies and easterlies come streaming in. It's so, so frustrating, yet so predictable like clockwork! I just hope this area avoids the worst of the overnight frosts and snow. 😖

After mid February, cold and snow needs to F off.

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You are right Retron, we should just give up and remember the winters we were privileged enough to enjoy.

We have been on TWO since the start in 2002 and seen a few great snow and cold events but now I feel I am chasing ghosts, it was fun for many years but now in my retirement I am tired of it all, watching the models for months only to be let down in the final few days of yet another failed ghost easterly.

For this and other reasons I moved to Spain last year and its a relief that the chase has gone, yes I still look at the models but as another mild, snowless uk winter ends I am glad I didn't waste months of my life on a wild goose chase.

The irony is that here in Southern Spain it's been a cold winter, but of course cold means 12c during the day and 3c at night, a bit like recent UK winters!

Having said that Barcelona is currently snow covered, unlike Birmingham which awaits I understand its first winter covering.

That says it all really.

Andy

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You are right Retron, we should just give up and remember the winters we were privileged enough to enjoy.

We have been on TWO since the start in 2002 and seen a few great snow and cold events but now I feel I am chasing ghosts, it was fun for many years but now in my retirement I am tired of it all, watching the models for months only to be let down in the final few days of yet another failed ghost easterly.

For this and other reasons I moved to Spain last year and its a relief that the chase has gone, yes I still look at the models but as another mild, snowless uk winter ends I am glad I didn't waste months of my life on a wild goose chase.

The irony is that here in Southern Spain it's been a cold winter, but of course cold means 12c during the day and 3c at night, a bit like recent UK winters!

Having said that Barcelona is currently snow covered, unlike Birmingham which awaits I understand its first winter covering.

That says it all really.

Andy

Did you get any snow in your area when Madrid got over 1ft of snow 2 years ago? It a right thing to do and Spain offer more variety than here.  if I had a chance to retire in Nicosia, Cyprus, Furnace Creek CA or Toronto.  I still keep my bank account here but go there every 3 month each to enjoy away from here.  

So on the marginal side this morning. Spells of snow but sometimes wet and sometimes sleety. Barely a covering. Been a dour march so far and looks to continue with wet, cold, and grey with perhaps further marginal short lived snow events.
As my dad used to say "No use to man nor beast" !

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I think the government should bring back a full lockdown with everyone being made to stay indoors, it may be the only way to bring on proper Spring-like weather like in Spring 2020. 😅
 

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You wait decades for a Channel low, then two turn up at once. Except in those decades temperatures have risen enough that it's just a crapfest of rain! Even areas inland which would have had powder have ended up with slushy wet snow.

It's amazing, though, like a magic show. Watch those -8C 850s disappear before your eyes! Gasp in amazement as the snow melts before it appears! And be astonished at the amazing Met Office, who write "maximum temperature 6 °C" for tomorrow, yet have automated forecasts saying 10C!

(And I know which one will be closest to reality, call it an incredible sense of clairvoyance... yes, the 10C automated will be accurate!)

Don't forget to laugh at the GFS' poor handling of snow on your way out.

No refunds. 🤣

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To put a positive spin on snow at this time of year, the daffodils that look great and brighten the front and back weren't flattened by snow.
People further north in the county wouldn't have fared so well. And the depressing drip drip drip of melting snow turning grey and slushy hasn't been a negative feature here either.

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(from snow reports thread) That just shows yet again that it is usually always the southerners who get the most interesting weather overall, even though the will usually go out of their way to tell us otherwise during those relatively brief periods when that isn't happening and be very adamant about that at the same time.

 

From your Scottish vantage point you're confusing the English Midlands with the true south where it never snows at all, at least speaking for Chichester.

Mind you, as a Kentish man, I was brought up to think of Manchester as a town on the Scottish border ... gets coat ...

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From your Scottish vantage point you're confusing the English Midlands with the true south where it never snows at all, at least speaking for Chichester.

Mind you, as a Kentish man, I was brought up to think of Manchester as a town on the Scottish border ... gets coat ...

If you look through the snow reports thread though, you will see that there has actually been a number of recent reports of snow even in what refer to as the "true" south even though it has now turned a bit milder down there, so I believe that it is wrong to say that it never snows in the true south. You are entitled to your own opinion on that though even if I don't actually agree with it and so, I am not going to argue with you in any way on that point.

My question to you though is why is everyone still posting here in the old winter moaning thread, even though there is now a spring moaning thread? I would have though that as a mod, you have known better and would also be able to sort that out.
 

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FWIW I would genuinely have been happy to swap the snow of the last 48 hours for a couple of big hail showers in April. They would be far more exciting than this. Even though we've done quite "well" here by southern standards it has been a slushy mess. 

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It's one thing not getting snow when places the other end/side of the country are.

Quite another level of torture when places that are figuratively up the road get snow. 

The BBC still running its hysteria reporting on what is, away from hills, a non-event. 

 

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