Can’t believe it is 35 year ago Jiries!! 

As I've said before, down here the climate has warmed 1.5C in just 30 years:

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-and-data/uk-climate-averages/u10eu40xb 

When I was younger I thought a warming of a degree or two would be largely unnoticeable. After all, what difference really would it make it if was 32 as a high in summer instead of 30, or -1 as a high in an easterly spell rather than -3? But clearly it doesn't work like that - the extra warming completely changes our weather patterns and amongst other things means we no longer get the classic easterlies fuelled by extensions of the Siberian High, followed by ping-ponging between Scandinavia and Greenland.

The tipping point seems to have been in the mid 2000s, with 2005 being the last textbook easterly spell - just as Philip Eden thought it would be.

"People across Japan are braving snow to vote in a snap election called by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, whose coalition is expected clinch a decisive win, according to polls.

This is first mid-winter election in 36 years in Japan, which usually holds polls during milder weather. But Takaichi called an election to seek the public's mandate soon after winning the party's leadership race.

Polls show her Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) coalition with the populist Japanese Innovation Party could bag up to 300 of the 465 seats in the Lower House.

This is a turnaround for the LDP, which lost its decades-old coalition ally and parliamentary majority because of corruption scandals and rising costs."

Japanese people brave snow to vote in snap election 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2y7d2z29xo 

Would not the late Feb/early March 2018 easterly not count as 'textbook'? 

Took this photo from the back window in the late afternoon of the 28th Feb that year before the blizzard hit that night. Visibility incredibly low with the wind driven dusty snow squall. Temp was abou -5.0c at the time.

Nope.

It was a blink and miss it reminder of what we once had - there was no longevity whatsoever.

It was also at the arse end of winter, so of course went "poof" very quickly. It was, however, nice to see powder snow for the first time in decades, and it was also nice to see that despite everything we *can* still see record-breaking cold for the time of year. The fact that nearby Faversham was the coldest place in the UK that winter was also remarkable, I suspect I'll never see the likes again.

That is true regarding how the snow just 'disappeared' rather than melted over the following couple of days. 

By comparison, the 2005 spell - the last true easterly - saw 14 days in a row of snow falling and 14 days in a row of complete snow cover here. It was at a similar time of year and the temperatures weren't as cold as 2018 - indeed, there were no ice days - but the sheer amount of snow overwhelmed what melting there was. It was localised but I'll never forget it. Oh, it was also the last time we saw a textbook warm front end to the spell too, you know the sort of thing where the sky turns milky, then overcast, then you get fine snow, followed by big splodgy flakes which pile up quickly. And then after two or three hours it fizzles out into drizzle, before skies clear and the thaw begins. 

Once upon a time that sort of breakdown was common (and indeed in the 80s sometimes it stayed as snow throughout) but the nearest  we've had in the 21 years since then was some freezing rain at the end of the 2018 spell. It was so brief that the cold air didn't fully embed as it did in 2005 - the boundary layer was too thin.

EDIT: I've not posted this pic before, but 2005 was the last time the horizon disappeared. It used to be a common thing in the snows of the 80s, I remember my mum back then warning me about how dangerous it could be to go wandering in heavy snow as you could lose your bearings easily. I strongly suspect this picture will have been the last time I ever see that particular phenomenon!

https://ukwct.org.uk/weather/horizon.jpg 

Sadly though, the Sun needs to actually be shining in order for that to happen which has not really been the case so far this month. As I write, the measly total of just 1.9 hours of sunshine has been recorded for this month so far at Edinburgh Gogarbank, even though we are now a quarter of the way through this month and in addition to that, the last 5 days in a row have now been completely sunless. This means that there is certainly chance of us feeling the effect of the Sun on our faces on this occasion, especially as the current permacast hell (now into its sixth day here) goes on.

In addition to that, I can also add that not only has this month been completely snowless here so far, we have only had just the one ground frost at Edinburgh Gogarbank so far this month and not a single air frost. Given that we are now a quarter of the way through what is still supposed to be a "winter" month, that is absolute pathetic!! 

Yes, it was recently announced that Aberdeen was currently experiencing its longest run of completely sunless days on record.

I therefore wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Richard from your neck of the woods who used to regularly post on here, is currently raising that as a major point over on Netweather's moaning thread just now.

Still no sun here (19 days since the last minute of sunshine now) and a weather warning for rain tomorrow and Wednesday.

• 200% of the long term average monthly rainfall
• 0% of the long term average monthly sunshine

Terrible isn't is?  At least the break down it on the way soon to see proper sunshine and after that back to normal pattern so to see sunshine at times.  I am sure my conservatory will able to see temperatures rising to over 21C for the first time this year, had 23.3 last year Jan and 27.6 on 6th Feb as this time of the year regardless to outside temperatures it time to see temperatures in the low 20's to high 20's end of the month on any given sunny days.  

I heard on the news that Aberdeen has been 3 weeks (21 days) without any sun or something like that? Hopefully by Thursday you will see some sun. Finally!

I wonder how Richard's mental health is as well!? I know he struggled with his mental health during winter in particular calling it vile most of the time but he has kept a low profile of late...

Posts on NW. maybe he’s fed up of Presutti-isms in the snow potential thread here. 

https://ukwct.org.uk/weather/radar4.jpg 

It's now the longest period in my 46-year life since there was a covering of snow on the ground at 9AM (i.e. an official snow day). Depressing, frankly - will I ever wake up to a bright bedroom due to light reflecting off snow again? Sometimes I wonder...

The winter has been cold here so far, but not snowy. Fleeting bits of snow from cold air incursions from the NE , so close to something special but was not to be. 

Normally small marginal snowfalls of 1-3cm come from the West or North West. But in recent years there has been almost an absence of PM incursions and wintry showers. (Might have read someone in Glasgow at 200m has had no snow this winter!) Do worry that they may become a thing of the past and were enhanced briefly in the last decade due to the usually cold pool in the N Atlantic which has now disappeared. 

Thought this was going to be the year in the 13 years we have been here. Saw the 2018 late winter spell which was good but not on a par with past Easterly spells in the late 70s, the 80s and some others when we were in lowland South Yorkshire (these spells would have been extreme up here) . Its been frustrating and very disappointing watching what the models were indicating that never came to fruition. Our most notable snow falls up here, other than the 2018 one, have come from polar maritime air (thunder snow etc). We have seen quite a few snowfalls this season ( probably the most in number) but it has been less than impressive and always wet borderline snow. Hope we don't have this probable upcoming mild spell followed by a colder wet early spring. It would be the ultimate of disappointments.