Meanwhile there was 6" of snow with drifting continuing all day over the moors yesterday, and roads are still covered in packed ice even lower down this morning.

https://twitter.com/northyorkswx/status/1206249533870628865?s=20 

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This was sent in yesterday by christianw78: The Lion Inn, Blakey Ridge, North York Moors

https://www.theweatheroutlook.com/twoother/sky-eye-gallery.aspx?id=20191215193402_20191215&user=christianw78&ut=Castleton&uc=North%20Yorkshire&ucr=England&ud=The%20Lion%20Inn,%20Blakey%20Ridge,%20North%20York%20Moors&lat=54.6&lon=-1.1

 

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It's no bloody use on top on hills & mountains!!

 

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The question which I have to ask just now is whether or not, low lying parts of the north of Edinburgh where I am will ever get to see another frost, or whether that has now become something from the past.

Richard from Aberdeen complains on virtually a daily basis about not getting any frosts in his neck of the woods in Aberdeen but until this morning, I was actually running neck and neck with him on that front here in the north of Edinburgh.

Richard then complained in today's CC thread about there not being frost around when he woke up this morning and yet he at least, managed to get an official air frost this morning which technically speaking, ended the frost free period up there. Here in the north of Edinburgh though, I didn't even get that joy because although last night was our second coldest night of the winter so far, that still wasn't enough to give us an official air frost which means that our frost free horror show goes on here in Edinburgh.

Last night was now our 15th night in a row without a frost. We are halfway through what is supposed to be a winter month and so, the fact that last night was our second coldest night of this winter so far despite being frost is just absolutely ridiculous, for this stage of the month. So far, we have had just one official air frost during this month but then, I can't think of anywhere which didn't get a frost on the very first day of this month when we had our last frost. Because of that, where I live here in Edinburgh surely has to be the most frost-free part of the UK now during this winter so far given that even Richard from Aberdeen has now reported more official air frosts than what I have been able to.

That is just gone completely beyond a joke now, and I'm completely sick and tired of that. Furthermore, it has clouded over a bit after a fairly sunny day and it is also windy which means that the temperatures will undoubtedly be refusing to drop yet again during tonight, thus resulting in yet another frost free night. On top of that, today also wasn't the least bit cold either with temperatures rising to no less than 6°C at all three of of my local stations.

I'm looking at the latest forecasts as well, and seeing nothing but a complete and utter borefest ahead over the next few days with virtually nothing actually happening in terms of our weather, and not even much (if any) in the way of rainfall to at the very least, make everything a bit more interesting. Temperatures are still not looking all that cold here over the next few days and it wouldn't surprise me if the nights continue to be frost free here as a result of there being too much cloud and/or too much wind around whilst other parts of the UK get their frost.

Beyond that, it is then forecast to get milder again by the end of the week which for here, often brings back that nightmare scenario of double figures temperatures with that happening even during the night. That will no doubt bring a bit more rain but at the same time, any chance of a frost will have disappeared altogether by then. This means that if we don't get a frost up until around Wednesday night, I don't think that we will be getting a single frost on this side of Christmas which to me, just sums up this complete nightmare of a so-called "winter" which we have been experiencing so far.

 

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I dunno about y'all but after a day of overcast skies and incessant light rain, all it's done is to make me look forward to the first bit of warm Spring-like sunshine where I am happy to have shorts and short-sleeved shirt on and spend a couple of hours pottering around in the garden. 

But have to face at least two months of wind and rain to get to that, and even March can be a wintry month.  I'm already bored of this Autumn 2019/20.

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Mid December, and we're still getting warnings for thunder/lightning.

 

http://convectiveweather.co.uk/forecast.php?date=2019-12-17

 

I’m not sure were I read this but Cornwall has the highest probability of lightening in the winter and Norfolk in the summer.
Something to do with the relatively warm ocean, cold upper air and with active troughs we see and hear it a few times in the winter..... usually about 4am !!! as it was yesterday, 03:52am to be precise ( LED alarm clocks seem to be able to laser print on your brain at that time in the morning)

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Utterly ghastly winter with no redeeming qualities. It is beyond vile and I am sick to death of enduring this rot year in year out. The lack of proper snow depths got ridiculous years ago and it is indescribable how awful it is to have got to the stage where it’s looking probable that for the second year in a row we’ll make it to New Year without so much as a flake

At least in the past you could have relied on there being frost when there wasn’t snow. Now we go weeks on end without even getting that but at the same time day temperatures are, if anything, lower with 10C becoming much rarer except of course at night. 5C temps, wind and rain every day is just the worst winter weather imaginable. 

Dipped below freezing yesterday for the first time in a preposterous 15 days but within hours it was raining and the pavements turned into a lethal ice rink. It’s just a nightmare – ice is the one thing I don’t want to see in winter yet it seems to be increasing in frequency while frost and snow decline. It defies belief as does the fact that every evening the temperature is just static from sunset to midnight. It's either wind or cloud or both preventing it dropping. Every single night 

Winter is the absolute pits in this country. I sometimes wonder if I should book a trip to one of the continental Christmas markets for some seasonable weather. Then I see ludicrous forecasts like this and it makes me so glad I didn’t bother:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2761369 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/3094802 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2925533 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/3067696 

 

Looks like North America and Asia are the only continents experiencing winter this year 

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Some parts of Europe got into the low 20s yesterday. The UK was once of the coldest places yesterday.

This along with record breaking heat in Australia and record rainfall in the UK. Things are most certainly changing and at a rapid pace.

Some parts of Europe got into the low 20s yesterday. The UK was once of the coldest places yesterday.

This along with record breaking heat in Australia and record rainfall in the UK. Things are most certainly changing and at a rapid pace.

Indeed.  Troubled and rapidly warming times we are living in.

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Utterly ghastly winter with no redeeming qualities. It is beyond vile and I am sick to death of enduring this rot year in year out. The lack of proper snow depths got ridiculous years ago and it is indescribable how awful it is to have got to the stage where it’s looking probable that for the second year in a row we’ll make it to New Year without so much as a flake

At least in the past you could have relied on there being frost when there wasn’t snow. Now we go weeks on end without even getting that but at the same time day temperatures are, if anything, lower with 10C becoming much rarer except of course at night. 5C temps, wind and rain every day is just the worst winter weather imaginable. 

Dipped below freezing yesterday for the first time in a preposterous 15 days but within hours it was raining and the pavements turned into a lethal ice rink. It’s just a nightmare – ice is the one thing I don’t want to see in winter yet it seems to be increasing in frequency while frost and snow decline. It defies belief as does the fact that every evening the temperature is just static from sunset to midnight. It's either wind or cloud or both preventing it dropping. Every single night 

Winter is the absolute pits in this country. I sometimes wonder if I should book a trip to one of the continental Christmas markets for some seasonable weather. Then I see ludicrous forecasts like this and it makes me so glad I didn’t bother:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2761369 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/3094802 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2925533 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/3067696 

 

Looks like North America and Asia are the only continents experiencing winter this year 

 

You forgot to mention Budapest:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/3054643  -I love the Xmas Markets in Budapest too.

In fact snow has been dire for many parts of Europe so far this Xmas season. There was early snow across Scandinavia but this soon receded same for western Russia - Take Moscow, where the average daytime temps for December should be -5c and they are at +5c which is of course some 10c above seasonal average see below:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/524901

It's the latter stages of the December - It's very mild in Helsinki too - average Dec temp should be -3c but it's +3c with rain and there is no lying snow in Moscow either. Yet, usually by middle of November there is lying snow.- This is despite rapid snow cover in Siberia during September. So I do wonder if an easterly would bring us anything cold anyway? Just reading what Gavin D posted. So I doubt it.

This winter has got off to a horrible start full stop. The only comfort I have is knowing that the UK isn;t alone having such mild frost free, overcast rain drenching rubbish - it's the whole of Europe suffering for exception of Alps.

Last night temperature fell to -1c in Exeter and -3c outside city by 12am and thinking today we could wake up to a nice crisp clear and cold frosty day but NO! SO frustrating! It turned out to be overcast with drizzle and the frost melted by 08:00am and it was already +3c and +6c by 9am and by 11am it started to rain here in Exeter and has been raining ever since and of course just to ad insult to this weather injury the temperature is rising throughout the evening we are now at +10.00c warmest it';s been all day! Just a horror show. Really disappointed. I really am. I really wanted to walk to work enjoying a nice crisp fresh morning but seems like we can't enjoy a good frost these days. I remember back in 90's when frost lasted all day - think it was 1991, winter 1995/96 as well as a few more.

So much for colder winters and an increase chance of blocking during solar minimum. Furthermore look at the latest GFS 12z runs? What ever happened to that HP after Xmas? Because at this stage I would take anything instead of wind and rain. We have not lasted more that 18-24 hours without rain in Exeter/Devon. DIRE! YUCK!

I am keen to know how we are doing with the easterly QBO - because it's clearly taking it's time?

 

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My Daughter is in Japan working in a ski resort. The snow has been awful this year with barely any on the lower levels and what has fallen has melted below 1300m.
Ironically she went out there to experience a snowy winter, she’s taken after her dads love of snow.

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Going to be a taste of the horrible mild mush tomorrow. It'll be more noticeable because it's actually been reasonably chilly this month - certainly more frosts than last Winter. Hopefully a cool down after tomorrow and still chance of a cold/cool Christmas eve and day. 

Look on the bright side, it's only a matter of time before the PV freezes North America again while Europe enjoys blow torch south Westerlies.

Same every year these days with great snow conditions in the states and endless rain and crap across western Europe.

Absolute crap, year after year.

Andy

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It was a lovely spring day yesterday - I was walking around the large school site where I work quite happily in just my usual polo shirt (well, usual for helf-terms anyway), no coat needed. 12C with a dewpoint of 10C, pretty typical for April. It was only the low sun and the bare branches on the trees that gave it away!

I came home and, in the fading light, admired the fuschias (which are still blooming like anything) and thought to myself that the grass could do with a cut - it's still growing.

(At least by looking at the positives it takes away the fact that yet again, we're looking at another December slipping away with zero wintry weather for most of us!)

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Dreadful output again today and has been on the whole for many weeks.
Time for me to make my call for "winter" which is clearly heading down the 1988/89 route.

I'm calling an end to winter and an exceptionally mild January and February to come.
There simply is nothing to suggest anything other than another ridiculously mild winter to come, as seems to be the case 9 times out of 10.

Yes, this is an early "winter is over" from me.
Roll on March and spring, and let's hope 2020/21 can deliver.

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I’m in SE Asia for the first 2 weeks of Feb, we can guarantee a UK-wide freezing spell then. 

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Rained virtually all day yesterday and today although more showery today! Just totally fed up really - the Exeter Quay (river ex) is on the bring of bursting its banks despite flood relief towards trews Weir. This is perhaps the highest I have seen the river levels since June and then October 2012. We just can't seem to manage to get any drier and calmer weather can we eh!?

Let's hope the re is a SSW or smth. This is the worse start to winter I can ever remember. Actually, December 2015 was mild as was 2013 but at least there were drier spells with frost. We may get a frosty Xmas day morning only may but how long will this drier interlude last?? 6 hours?. Seems like December could even be a frost free month in the SW. Dire beyond belief. So depressing.

Furthermore guess what? I was at my parents house garden in Braunton. N Devon and could see daffodils again propping just above flower beds by 1/2 of an inch. With latest models and this south westerly forecast for the UK post Xmas - I would not be surprised if these Daffodils were in full bloom end of December with even a taste of spring. It's so unseasonal.

Again the only comfort I have right now is knowing how mild it is in eastern Europe. A friend of mine in Romania said it was 16 or 17c the other day and one part reached 20c which is some 20c above average for December.

Oh Richard from Aberdeen? Not heard from you for a couple days? You feeling ok?

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Oh Richard from Aberdeen? Not heard from you for a couple days? You feeling ok?

Well spotted, as I have been looking through the last couple of CC threads where most of what he reports tends to go more into a rant which I would have thought, made it more appropriate for this thread instead. However, I haven't seen any posts from him in those threads.

Talking about going off on a rant, any time that I appear to be doing so in the MO thread, there is usually always someone who will then tell me off for posting in the wrong thread even if it is latest model output which I am talking about and that is why I am posting this here instead to avoid that scenario.

Anyway, I have just been looking at all of the various model output from the GFS, GEM and ECM. From that, I don't see anything in the way of "interesting" weather coming up in this part of the world on this side of Christmas as this completely snowless horror show which is known as our "winter" goes on.

This model output shows a number of low pressure systems missing us well to our south which means that nothing is actually happening here. This means that there is hardly any rain coming up here in that time, and certainly nothing in the way of snowfall. I know that December isn't the best part of the winter to be getting snow anyway but even with that, I can remember there having always been at least one temporary dusting of snow here by now in every winter up until just a few years ago, even if that winter ended up being a mild one overall. Now, that just never seems to happen any more.

Furthermore, given that we are about see those weather systems missing us to our south as was the case for quite a lot of the time during the second half of the autumn, you would think that this would place us on the cold side of the jet and yet, the immediate outlook in the run up to Christmas isn't the least bit cold, and we'll probably be lucky to get even a single air frost in that time if that model output is correct.

 

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Dreadful output again today and has been on the whole for many weeks.
Time for me to make my call for "winter" which is clearly heading down the 1988/89 route.

I'm calling an end to winter and an exceptionally mild January and February to come.
There simply is nothing to suggest anything other than another ridiculously mild winter to come, as seems to be the case 9 times out of 10.

Yes, this is an early "winter is over" from me.
Roll on March and spring, and let's hope 2020/21 can deliver.

 

You are not the first to mention 88/89 it does have that feel I have to say. But with added GW. Would not be surprised if we see some record breakingly warm temps this winter.

 

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