Your red warning expires 10am so you're back to Amber unless you're looking at the new red warning that was recently issued for the SW - where I am) :)

Well, I did spend all winter looking for snow but now that it has finally started snowing, it just doesn't seem to want to stop. I guess, that I've probably just fallen that old adage of having to be careful of what I wish for. In the end, I did get what I wished for in that regard but the only problem was that it came too late.

That's just like the same sort of thing which we tend to get a lot with rain because we can get a really dry spell which lasts for long enough for threads to start appearing here in due to concerns about a possible drought. Then all of a sudden, the heavens open, it then never stops raining for quite a long time and then before you know it, there ends up being a lot of flooding.

This scenario with snow is turning out to be no different in that regard.

Though some severe and disruptive conditions will no doubt cause misery for many, it is at the same time quite funny. Just the shear number of warning amendments in itself means that in essence, the MET themselves are effectively nowcasting rather than rely too much on model forecasts.

We may as well throw up an open bag of skittles and see where they land.

I bet Portsmouth will get the dreaded green ones at that.

So we are forecast -Heavy snow, then a blizzard followed by a few hours of freezing rain before more heavy wet snow tomorrow morning with accumulations of 10- 20cms and locally (even at lower level) up to 40 or 50cms over Dartmoor or Exmoor. Temps of -3c and rising to -1c tomorrow morning then up to +1c tomorrow afternoon but windchills of -10c!" - Having looked at the content of the weather over the next 24 to 48 hours! this type of weather (it's contents, temperatures and snowfall amounts) sound like a real nor'easter type weather event you would get up the eastern seaboard of the USA like NYC & DC to Boston etc but in happening in Plymouth, Exeter and Bristol! Classic! - This will be one to remember.

Meanwhile in Montreal Canada, temps are well above freezing:

https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/montreal/h3a/weather-forecast/56186

Proof the Met Office lurk on TWO!

TBH I would much rather they were reactive and fast to amend warning areas "on the fly" as necessary rather than sticking to a forecast even if it turns out to be inaccurate. That way we can refresh the warnings and at least feel like we are kept up to date.

The initial warning area they put out for today, which was back on Monday night I think (?) has turned out to be pretty accurate. Obviously it has had to be refined, but back then some of the models were making it appear to be some kind of joke putting snow warnings for the SW, as they were pushing mild air up towards Scotland!

Cheers Polar!

A stuck clock is right twice a day :-)

http://www.raintoday.co.uk/ 

even the Met office one is down as well as meteoradar.

Working ok:

https://www.theweatheroutlook.com/twodata/uk-rainfall-radar.aspx

It didn't start until 3 pm yesterday although the weather was no better for several hours before that. It ended at 10am this morning yet the showers continue just as often and just as heavy and the wind has, if anything, got stronger which is making the drifting worse. The only positive is the improved visibility in the strong daylight but that been the case since 6.30am. So why pick 10am?

Could there be any element of political/commercial collusion in the timings? It seems to me there is a possibility that there had to be some kind of trade off with public and private sector employers to ensure that working hours weren't too badly affected.

Think about it. Only the red warning actually says do not go out/danger to life etc so the commercial interests know they are on sticky legal ground if they insist and something bad happens. Amber is more ambiguous and suits an agenda to insist people try to make it to work.

Thoughts?

I think if that were the case they would have ended it well before 10am, as with a red warning in place till 10 most people would already have decided not to go to work/school, even if they were open.

Amber freezing rain warnings throughout northern and mid France now

UK Outlook for Tuesday 6 Mar 2018 to Thursday 15 Mar 2018:

Further rain, sleet and snow are expected at times on Tuesday and Wednesday. Northern parts are likely to see the snow, whereas rain or sleet are more likely further south. It will stay very cold in the north with brisk winds. In the south, it will be less cold, but cloud, mist and fog are likely, which may be slow to clear during the day. During the following week, and into mid-March it is likely to stay cold in the north, but temperatures could return nearer normal in the south, though still below average. Rain and strong winds are likely across the UK, perhaps turning to snow across central and northern parts. The best chance of drier conditions will be in the far north and northwest.

UK Outlook for Friday 16 Mar 2018 to Friday 30 Mar 2018:

The predominately easterly wind is likely to persist for a while across the north with colder than average weather here, but it may be a little milder at times in the south and southwest of the UK. There will continue to be a risk of snow across some central and northern areas, but in the far north and northwest it is likely to be drier. Night frost and ice will continue to occur at times. Later in March it may turn more unsettled and lh milder as westerly or southwesterly winds return. The timing of more Spring-like weather remains uncertain.

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/forecast 

Worst SNOW STORM in 50 years to hit in SEVEN HOURS - Killer Storm Emma to SMASH entire UK

https://www.express.co.uk/news/weather/925413/UK-snow-weather-snow-storm-Emma-forecast-Thursday-Friday-latest

UK to run out of gas TODAY: National Grid warns of energy crisis as snow storm Emma rages

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/925663/UK-snow-storm-Gas-runs-out-National-Grid-2018-weather

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5448635/Hundreds-drivers-spend-13-HOURS-trapped-overnight.html 

Perhaps  but maybe there was a compromise to at least delay the rush hour? My partner was told yesterday that the council offices would open at noon today but by 11am that was changed to being closed all day. Also it still doesn't explain why the red warning has it ended here. The weather is no better and the amber was extended from 6pm tonight until 10am tomorrow. Just doesn't make sense.

Same as the roads that were blocked by jack-knifed or otherwise stuck HGVs. After the episode in Dec 2010 they promised legislation to allow the police to order all HGVs to halt and park up in these conditions but no doubt the road transport lobby manager to get that quietly shelved. Now we have the same again.

Anybody who harboured any hope that the new BBC/MeteoGroup tie-up will live up to the Met Office contract will have had them blown away by the abomination of a forecast on Radio 4 at 12.57. The ghastly Louise Lear failed to give any forecast temperatures, any idea of conditions over the East of England and completely failed to give any forecast at all for London and the South East. It was the worst radio forecast I have ever heard.

Just read that second article and they have a slideshow of Storm Emma's impacts across the UK. Nice and misleading as it hasn't actually impacted the UK yet 

The grammar in that piece is concerning. 

Met Office warnings predict up to 2 foot [50cm] of snow will fall across the southeast by Friday with Scotland facing similar amounts.

Should be two feet. 

The Daily Express is a national embarrassment. 

Yes, I think we can now safely conclude that the decision to move to a new – presumably cheaper – supplier was deeply wrongheaded. The BBC have been hopeless of late, using model runs when they have real radar data to draw upon (as I think Quantum and The Beast both pointed out last night). I cannot begin to imagine what the great weathermen of yore – the Fishes, Kettleys and MacAskills (RIP) would make of it all. 

MeteoGroup's Weather Pro app is, on balance, the best out there for medium range. But for real and present weather events you need a decent weatherman who knows his country and what he is doing.  

The Met Office text and radar forecasts, and current radar imagery has been down for 3 days.