How frustrating - given less than 100miles to your north (Braemar) it never got above -7c and temps fell to -23c at night. At least you had plenty of snow. You could get an ice day on Saturday?

We could get an ice day on Saturday, but I very much doubt it.

The bottom line is that if you can't even an ice day after starting the day in minus double figures, then there's no hope whatsoever for you on that front.

Because of that  I've now written off all chances of us getting an ice day during this winter  especially as we are now coming towards the end of it.

Personally, I don't mind the likes of Braemar getting an ice day. However, it is the fact that certain places even in SE England have had their ice days during this winter whilst we can't get any which really gets up my goat.

That's not me being nationalist or anti-English in any way. Instead, it's just down to common sense which tells me that since these places are much further south, they shouldn't be coming out as being colder than what we are up here.

That is why (as an example), you won't ever hear me moaning about not getting their 30°C+ heat during the summer because I expect it to be hotter down there.

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That's not me being nationalist or anti-English in any way. Instead, it's just down to common sense which tells me that since these places are much further south, they shouldn't be coming out as being colder than what we are up here.

Except Braemar -22.9c is pretty bitter. That's colder than moscow and Montreal right now.

I think you could get an ice day Saturday - although this breakdown will be a big disappointment for many- i guess Exeter (south west) by the Quay was lucky to have that light dusting/shower this morning for 2 hours between 0600am and 0800am which left this dusting!

 

On the Quay - Haven Banks: - Piazza Terraccina 

Many inland parts never saw a flake so ironically being closer to the south coast near those snow showers coming off the English Channel helped - even Dartmoor struggled to get snow - although may get a light covering tonight).

Talking of light coverings - I had high hopes for this evening and tonight of seeing a dusting at the very least esp after seeing the Met Forecast and BBC but then took a look at the radar and notice precipitation (some heavy) coming our way - I got my hopes up, when temp rose and wind picked up with anticipation of snowy precipitation esp after reading 'roadrunners' posts? BUT - Precipitation fragments and fizzles out just as it pushes eastwards just over Dartmoor with Exeter's snow shield coming back into force. - Take a look:

Follow this radar sequence from 19:45 - See what I mean??

http://www.raintoday.co.uk/

I think this could happen AGAIN on Saturday.

 

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Except Braemar -22.9c is pretty bitter. That's colder than moscow and Montreal right now.

I think you could get an ice day Saturday - although this breakdown will be a big disappointment for many- i guess Exeter (south west) by the Quay was lucky to have that light dusting/shower this morning for 2 hours between 0600am and 0800am which left this dusting!

 

On the Quay - Haven Banks: - Piazza Terraccina 

Many inland parts never saw a flake so ironically being closer to the south coast near those snow showers coming off the English Channel helped - even Dartmoor struggled to get snow - although may get a light covering tonight).

Talking of light coverings - I had high hopes for this evening and tonight of seeing a dusting at the very least esp after seeing the Met Forecast and BBC but then took a look at the radar and notice precipitation (some heavy) coming our way - I got my hopes up, when temp rose and wind picked up with anticipation of snowy precipitation esp after reading 'roadrunners' posts? BUT - Precipitation fragments and fizzles out just as it pushes eastwards just over Dartmoor with Exeter's snow shield coming back into force. - Take a look:

Follow this radar sequence from 19:45 - See what I mean??

http://www.raintoday.co.uk/

I think this could happen AGAIN on Saturday.

 

If you to see any clues about what I think will happen right now, we can start by looking at what is happening here right now at this very moment. As I have mentioned so many times before, Edinburgh is not usually a location which is renowned for any sort of interesting weather (hence, the reason why I always say that I live in the most boring location on average in the UK when it comes to our weather). Yes, we have had quite a lot of interesting weather during this winter, but that is quite a lot more than what we normally get.

Today, we are already starting to see a return to that more typical borefest as it has now clouded over with nothing actually happening in terms of our weather, which is even remotely interesting. The temperature is still below freezing at the moment, but it is nowhere near as cold as what it was at this time during yesterday.

Just now, the temperature is only just below freezing and no more, and has actually being going up during the course of the night. I think that this trend will probably carry on into the weekend as well which means that by Saturday, we will be lucky if the temperature even goes below freezing at night, let alone staying during the day as it would need to do in order for us to get an ice day.

That's why I don't believe that we will get an ice day on Saturday and I think that what we are seeing just now is probably the beginning of the end for this winter, especially if it then gets milder by next week as a lot of forecasts are suggesting.

 

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I have avoided moaning all winter but this week has me hoping for mild weather and an end to this winter. This week just never got going over here, though we often do perfectly well from Easterlies(with the Beast from the East in 2018 delivering 30cm of snow to my location).

The convection this week just wasn't active enough near me to allow proper showers to develop, just on and off graupel, enough to give an occasional dusting only. So we didn't see any of the showers that brought snow to much of England. But yesterday was the worst. One of the biggest let downs that I remember, partly because I rarely allow myself to build up my hopes. It all looked so good, the models showing an active front approaching the cold air and looking set to delivering a decent fall. These advancing fronts rarely work out at my location and they usually bring just rain. However, yesterday all looked good and, indeed it was cold enough for snow and we did see light snow for a while. Then the front seemed to fizzle out and the snow died away, while the active part of the front went up the West coast of Ireland and we were left without any lying snow at all. Apparently, the air at my location was extremely dry so a certain amount of the precipitation simply evaporated before reaching the ground. The lesson is that sometimes anything than can go wrong will go wrong for snow and that's doubly true for snow in this country compared to most of the UK. It really underlines to me the uncertainty of forecasting. It happens so often that forecasts of precipitation for any given location will be undercooked or overcooked. Most of the time, it doesn't matter and ordinarily, I would barely have noticed yesterday's forecast fail. However, I have to admit that, despite being nearly 50, I was gutted yesterday afternoon. It seems to add to the frustration that so many other locations nearby, both in Ireland and the UK did so much better! Why could the snow not just have spread a little bit further. Of course, no doubt, I will forget this let down and I will be keenly anticipating the next cold spell when winter 2021/22 arrives. Indeed, it may only take until next week for me to be eagerly scanning the models looking for cold!    

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For the country as a whole, a lot of recent Februarys have been quite interesting. Virtually every one of the last five has had something quite interesting.

2017: Wet with the notable Storm Doris.
2018: Cold with the BFTE at the end.
2019: Extraordinary warm spell later on.
2020: Storm Ciara and the wettest on record to boot.
2021: Another cold month with the lowest temperature since 1995 recorded.

They seem to be rotating in a cycle of threes between, wet, cold and then warm. Using that logic then hopefully February 2022 might see another record warm spell!

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For the country as a whole, a lot of recent Februarys have been quite interesting. Virtually every one of the last five has had something quite interesting.

2017: Wet with the notable Storm Doris.
2018: Cold with the BFTE at the end.
2019: Extraordinary warm spell later on.
2020: Storm Ciara and the wettest on record to boot.
2021: Another cold month with the lowest temperature since 1995 recorded.

They seem to be rotating in a cycle of threes between, wet, cold and then warm. Using that logic then hopefully February 2022 might see another record warm spell!

 

An interesting (to me!) counter to that is that this area has not had meaningful snow (beyond a dusting) in any February this century.

We've had at least 2 falls of 10cm in each of December, January and March in the same 21 winter period, plus numerous more falls of between 3cm and 10cm. Always miss out in Februaries.

 

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February hasn’t seen an equivalent to December 2010 or January 2010 in recent years. That’s the big difference. It’s been ages since we last had a very cold February.

We’ve had some decent falls in Leeds though - Feb 2009, Feb 2010, Feb 2012, Feb 2013, Feb 2018 and Feb 2021 all had at least 10cm of snow here. The Feb snowfalls of 2010 and 2013 in particular are usually forgotten though because either January or March had even better snowfalls.

https://www.theguardian.com/leeds/2010/feb/21/leeds-snow

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It has been a very disappointing cold spell here and winter overall, mainly due to the fact that despite some nostalgic cold at times we have had no real snow. Yes, we had a very small partial coating in January and plenty of flurries this week, but to have no lying snow form this spell has been the breaker. Could be another miserable snowless year, with no snowballs, sledging or crunching going on
Martin

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It has been a very disappointing cold spell here and winter overall, mainly due to the fact that despite some nostalgic cold at times we have had no real snow. Yes, we had a very small partial coating in January and plenty of flurries this week, but to have no lying snow form this spell has been the breaker. Could be another miserable snowless year, with no snowballs, sledging or crunching going on
Martin

Agreed. Here in south Hertfordshire I suppose I'm lucky to have seen snow fall on five consecutive days ( even if only a few flakes today) total snowfall 1cm. The cold has been impressive here though with 4 or 5 ice days since Sunday and the snow is still there in shady areas and even in a few places where the sun has been on it. It is the snow though that really makes a winter freeze memorable. If we had say four/ five inches and everywhere still had that christmas postcard look and you could take the grand children sledging that to me is what a great winter period is all about. 

Even in Jan 87 these parts only saw about an inch of snow from the convective showers while the coast was buried. It was not until the Wednesday that we saw a few inches from the frontal snow. The cold was in a different league though with maximums of only -7 and -8c .

This winter rates 2/10 in this area; one point for each of two pseudo-cold spells and zilch for the rest Maybe even deduct a point to make it 1/10 for promising some decent snow and then withholding it.

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For the country as a whole, a lot of recent Februarys have been quite interesting. Virtually every one of the last five has had something quite interesting.

2017: Wet with the notable Storm Doris.
2018: Cold with the BFTE at the end.
2019: Extraordinary warm spell later on.
2020: Storm Ciara and the wettest on record to boot.
2021: Another cold month with the lowest temperature since 1995 recorded.

Got to say February 2017 has not stood out for me in that list. I recall Doris but that's all I recall about that month. There was a pathetic easterly attempt just before mid month. 

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Well, would you believe it?

After going up to -0.1°C at Edinburgh Gogarbank at 5pm this afternoon, the temperature then dropped to -0.4°C at 6pm this evening. Clearly though, the damage was done by that recent slight warmup because when the maximum temperature came through with that data, it showed up as being exactly bang on 0.0°C.

According to how an ice day is defined, you have to actually be below 0°C all day to get an ice day so a maximum temperature of exactly bang on 0.0°C is just not enough to give you an official ice day. However, you can't get any closer to getting an ice day than that without actually getting one and to say that I'm absolutely sick and scunnered by that is just a massive underestimate of how I feel about that right now.

It has been clear from the start that we have been destined all winter to never end up getting a single ice day, and it now looks as though that is how it is going to turn out. That also isn't helped in any way by me seeing yet more posts from members in SE England who appear to have been able to get their ice day without any problems, and that just makes me all the more angry about that.

This of course, has a lot of implications in terms of how I will judge this winter. For all of the other aspects of this winter such as the amount of snow and frost and even the overall average temperature, I have been very happy with that and if we just went with all of those things, I would very happily give this winter a full 10/10.

However, the lack of ice days in this part of the world has to be looked upon very seriously and because of that, and the fact that others who are much further south than me appear to have had no problems with getting their ice days during this winter, I won't now be giving this winter any more than 7/10 as a result (even if today had been an ice day here, I would still have only given this winter 8/10 due there being so few ice days in comparison with the amount of cold weather which there has actually been).

Personally, I would just like to see the back of this winter now and so, I can't wait now to be getting on with spring. However, there is some model output which is suggesting that we could be thrown back into winter even during the early part of the meteorological spring and of course, what's the betting that this then finally produces that elusive ice day in this part of the world at a time when it will be too late in my books, as that is something which I would rather be getting now during the actual winter, rather than in a few weeks time when I would much rather be getting on with spring.

 

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Well, would you believe it?

After going up to -0.1°C at Edinburgh Gogarbank at 5pm this afternoon, the temperature then dropped to -0.4°C at 6pm this evening. Clearly though, the damage was done by that recent slight warmup because when the maximum temperature came through with that data, it showed up as being exactly bang on 0.0°C.

According to how an ice day is defined, you have to actually be below 0°C all day to get an ice day so a maximum temperature of exactly bang on 0.0°C is just not enough to give you an official ice day. However, you can't get any closer to getting an ice day than that without actually getting one and to say that I'm absolutely sick and scunnered by that is just a massive underestimate of how I feel about that right now.

It has been clear from the start that we have been destined all winter to never end up getting a single ice day, and it now looks as though that is how it is going to turn out. That also isn't helped in any way by me seeing yet more posts from members in SE England who appear to have been able to get their ice day without any problems, and that just makes me all the more angry about that.

This of course, has a lot of implications in terms of how I will judge this winter. For all of the other aspects of this winter such as the amount of snow and frost and even the overall average temperature, I have been very happy with that and if we just went with all of those things, I would very happily give this winter a full 10/10.

However, the lack of ice days in this part of the world has to be looked upon very seriously and because of that, and the fact that others who are much further south than me appear to have had no problems with getting their ice days during this winter, I won't now be giving this winter any more than 7/10 as a result (even if today had been an ice day here, I would still have only given this winter 8/10 due there being so few ice days in comparison with the amount of cold weather which there has actually been).

Personally, I would just like to see the back of this winter now and so, I can't wait now to be getting on with spring. However, there is some model output which is suggesting that we could be thrown back into winter even during the early part of the meteorological spring and of course, what's the betting that this then finally produces that elusive ice day in this part of the world at a time when it will be too late in my books, as that is something which I would rather be getting now during the actual winter, rather than in a few weeks time when I would much rather be getting on with spring.

 

I thought an Ice day was a temp of zero C or below? Either way how frustrating - so near yet so far...!?

Anyone else fed up with this precipitation band and showers from the west looking really potent heading towards you and likely to deliver only to find out they fragment and evaporate as it moves closer towards your location? Anyone else seen the precipitation radar which shows snow/sleet etc but only to find out it's bone dry? Also anyone else seen the apps which forecast snow only to find that there was no snow? - If yes to all of above then I hear you. 

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I’m fed up if the persistently cool to cold weather since before Christmas here and would happily welcome an early start to spring or even temperatures reaching double figures for the first time in 8 weeks.

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I hope those balmy charts verify. My desire for another cold spell is about on the level as my desire to cut off my arms and legs in order to lose weight is.

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I thought an Ice day was a temp of zero C or below? Either way how frustrating - so near yet so far...!?

Anyone else fed up with this precipitation band and showers from the west looking really potent heading towards you and likely to deliver only to find out they fragment and evaporate as it moves closer towards your location? Anyone else seen the precipitation radar which shows snow/sleet etc but only to find out it's bone dry? Also anyone else seen the apps which forecast snow only to find that there was no snow? - If yes to all of above then I hear you. 

If that is the case then I will be more than happy to accept today as an official ice, but there are so many conflicting definitions of that on the internet that it's not always easy to know which ones to believe.

There is for example, this definition from weatheronline which wouldn't count today as an ice day as it says that the maximum temperature has to be below 0°C in order for it to be an ice day.

However, there are other definitions which are worded in a completely different way which is enough for it also mean something completely different. As an example, there are some definitions of an ice day where that is defined as a day where the temperature doesn't rise above 0°C all day which means that under that definition, a maximum temperature of exactly 0°C will be enough to give you an ice day due to the fact that the temperature didn't rise above that.

However, I'm sure that there is probably an actual official definition of an ice day as used by the Met Office which would clarify things a lot and if there is, that is the one which I would much rather be going by.

 

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I hope those balmy charts verify. My desire for another cold spell is about on the level as my desire to cut off my arms and legs in order to lose weight is.

Yes - i am not keen on a cold spell, my heating bill has problem gone through the roof however after weeks of cold weather it's fair to say a bit more snowfall would have been the least bit appropriate - it was a non event for many parts esp the far south and south west as well. If we had a decent spell of snow earlier today a couple days ago or that channel low last Tuesday then I would be happy and would be craving warmer milder weather but because we have only had flurries/flakes and dustings at best and looking at many precipitation charts /radars which looked to bring so much snow potential only for these showers to evaporate right as they approach you is very frustrating and makes you still crave more snow. Furthermore, the caveat is that many who have had a lot of cold and snow - Aberdeen for instance are sick and tired of it now where as those who have missed out are still craving it.

I feel like it's not been accomplished and we (south & south west) were left out. London also did poorly for snow as well despite it being cold for a long period of time. Good to see Kent get a decent fall.

Rich & Doc - good Aberdeen has seen an end to it's snow drought. 

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Yes - i am not keen on a cold spell, my heating bill has problem gone through the roof however after weeks of cold weather it's fair to say a bit more snowfall would have been the least bit appropriate - it was a non event for many parts esp the far south and south west as well. If we had a decent spell of snow earlier today a couple days ago or that channel low last Tuesday then I would be happy and would be craving warmer milder weather but because we have only had flurries/flakes and dustings at best and looking at many precipitation charts /radars which looked to bring so much snow potential only for these showers to evaporate right as they approach you is very frustrating and makes you still crave more snow. Furthermore, the caveat is that many who have had a lot of cold and snow - Aberdeen for instance are sick and tired of it now where as those who have missed out are still craving it.

I feel like it's not been accomplished and we (south & south west) were left out. London also did poorly for snow as well despite it being cold for a long period of time. Good to see Kent get a decent fall.

Rich & Doc - good Aberdeen has seen an end to it's snow drought. 

Not that this will in any way, prevent Richard from being unhappy in some way about the weather in his part of the world.

It wouldn't after all, be like Richard from Aberdeen for that to not be the case.

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TBH I have to give the recent short cold spell 3/10. A couple of -4.5C frosts, some chilly days with the highlight for me being the novelty of being able to see the goldfish swimming under the ice in the pond. (That’s the 1 of the 3/10)

Oh and that includes and some nice pictures from other parts of the UK especially the Braemar video though the soundtrack almost made me want to jump off one of the bridges it was so mournful as it slowly wound its way around the town like a funeral cortège.

Snow – I never saw any falling and the smidgen that fell one night, then hid in the gaps between the paving slabs before sublimating  didn’t really float my boat. The last time it snowed here was I think 2018 with the so called Beast that ended in a freezing rain event.

That said for meaningful snow in these parts, an Easterly is the best way to reach that goal but as ever getting the right ingredients in the right place is as hard as ever. As I like to say maybe next time?

I live in hope but with just two weeks left till the end of winter meteorologically speaking I have more or less given up hope seeing any snow falling this season. What may well happen is that we’ll see a proper dump in the extreme South excluding Kent in the next month or two but the national media will just roll over and say “So what it’s only snow, can’t see what all the fuss is about after such a snowy winter.”

END

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It turns out that today wouldn't have been an ice day here anyway, even if the maximum temperature as shown on the 18z SYNOP data had been below 0°C and regardless of whether or not, you consider a day with a maximum temperature of exactly bang on 0°C as an ice day. The reason for that is because the temperature then still needs to stay below 0°C for the rest of that official observation day (usually right up until  09:00 UTC on the next day in the case of here in the UK).

Sadly though, that hasn't come anywhere near to actually happening here because in the last couple of hours, the temperature at Edinburgh Gogarbank has now jumped up to +0.6°C as at 9pm tonight, and is now above freezing at all three of my local stations.

Roll on Spring!!

 

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