After winter's late surge how was this winter to March 21st??

ninebeanrows

I would have to say that overall it was a boring, cloudy and cool winter.
A mostly dry one too with limited Atlantic activity. There was a dominace
of Easterly winds through February and March. It lacked a really cold
spell and lacked lying snow. Nonetheless i have seen quite abit of falling snow
this winter but never enough to see anything lying for a decent length of time.

In requiem though the signals are good for the future if this years winter
pattern was to be repeated in coming winters. It has certainly stopped
the endless rut of mild winters as everyone will agree although this winter
has not seen much snow it has though been cold. There has definately been
a huge increase in Easterly dominated winds but unfotunately no real
depth to the cold or snow.

The future is bright though.

for the CET in England..

November - Below Average
December - Below Average
January - Average
February - Below Average
March - Possibly siginifigantly below average

The signs are good for a return to pre 1998 conditions and a return
to below average months after nearly 18 months which had no below average
monthly fugure.

Hopefully summer will be warm and sunny but not too much so to end our
roll!

But if they are then perhaps we are seeing the beginning of a more
continentally influenced climate in these regions and a reduction
on Atlantic influence.

darkman2

Hi WC, I posted this on NW a little while ago. I must now take my leave for a few months from the weather board as Winter is over. Till next winter, cheerio:

Hi everyone,

Now that Winter is well and truly nearly over and done with I think this is the most opportune time to sum up what has been, and lets be honest, an emotive, exciting and very different season this time out to what we have experienced in almost a decade.

The season kicked off in the best possible way on the 25th of November. A remarkable flow really for that early in a season which brought heavy and frequent snow showers and lying snow to the West and North of the UK and Ireland. Cornwall of course got most media attention when commuters got stuck in the cars. The East really had to put up with wet and cold conditions but that didnt stop us thinking that maybe this year would be different. And so it proved to be.

Nov25th - Dec 10th

The following couple of weeks into December remained generally on the cold side with a bias toward Northeast or east winds. Made it feel particularly chilly in Eastern areas but maintained temps at or just below average elsewhere. It also became dry toward the west but showers, sometimes on the wintry side affected Eastern areas.

Dec10th - 25th

Of course this period is always very important with us all wanting to know what the Christmas period might bring. Before we got there though the weather became very mild for a time up to around the 15th but it was essentially dry in Southerly or Southwesterly winds, temps getting well into double figures. However high pressure did stablise over us and a trend began that would really come to signify the winter in general: Retrogression. This was the second such scenario in less then a month:1 2 Brought wintry showers, some of snow to low levels to Eastern England and Northern Scotland and temps below average particularly in the East.

Coming up to Christmas we got the annual dream charts from the GFS early in the period. These were quickly discarded though and for a time it looked as though the Christmas period would be a dry average affair. After the 18th the pattern became more zonal which didnt bode well. However things quickly changed. In what was an unusual evolution, hp built in from the south and in a delicate manouvre posistioned itself generously to our north:

25th
27th

25th Dec - 5th Jan

Whilst Christmas day was bright if a little on the cool side it was dry. Things quickly changed and by the night of the 26th Winter finally arrived for Eastern England and Scotland with snow showers effecting the region and accumulating in many of these areas. Temperatures struggled above freezing in many places and there was some disruption. However the Easterly was as fragile as the evolution that created it and it quickly disappated. After an abrupt breakdown with heavy snow on the leading edge for some, by the 29th normal service was resumed and the weather all of a sudden took on a more, depressingly familar pattern of zonality. 30th Rain effected many areas during the later part of this period but the Southeast of England to its detrement for this Summer stayed essentially dry. It turned much milder too, temps getting into double figures.4th Jan

5th Jan - 20th Jan This period became notable for the raging zonality we had to endure and a sense of hopelessness emerging with some even calling time on Winter at this stage. Of course it was nonsense, the slamming of low pressure systems off the Atlantic into the BI'S didnt last. However it had occured during the period when winter is really in its prime, the sun at its lowest in the sky. It also did have a big impact on the average temperature for January. It was generally above average for most. Temps reached double figures quite regularly particularly in the Southwest. 20th

20th - 30th Jan
Buisness as usual really up to the end of January. Winds most of the time where West - Southerly. A mild direction in January. However the weather did settle down after the 25th. High pressure posistioned over us at first gave rather cloudy conditions for most but it was dry, it brightened up later. Once again the Southeast was particularly dry. Temps were relatively mild, high single figures and into double figures at times up to the 25th but
the weather then changed and a colder continental flow would become established up to the 30th bringing dry weather but it was cold particularly at night and frosts were widespread and quite severe. I remember myself it was at this time that I saw one of the worst frosts in a decade where I live (one of many).



This period was also characterised by the prospect of some of the coldest weather, potentially in decades, coming from the East. The culprit was a viciously cold pool over Eastern continental Europe and Russia. It never materialised, luckily many would say but it may have been different.

30th of Jan - 30th Febuary

This month was characterised by mainly dry weather but it was a cold month, particularly in the Southeast were the month did in fact end up below average temperature wise in the Southeast of England. Northern Ireland and Scotland were on the milder side but only just. As a consequence these regions saw the wettest weather with a supprising lack of snow for the mountains of Scotland. Flurries did effect parts of England at times but they were mainly light. Sunshine unsupprisingly was above average for this period in the south. A bias toward more easterly winds soon developed early in the period.

30th of Feb - 21st March

This period for the first part was very cold indeed. Heavy snow showers effected many places in what was quite an extraordinary northerly both in its potency and longevity. Temps were in low singer figures everywhere and night time temps plummeted particularly over snow fields in the north and west. Ireland had some of its coldest night for decades. Heavy snow effected Wales later aswell. Once again retrogression was the trigger for the northerly. Disruption was caused, particularly in the north and west. The northerly did disapate after a week or so and the breakdown was an unspectacular flop really. The Atlantic then tried to come in but supprisingly didnt actually make it. The consequence of this was fronts coming up against Siberian air. The result was very heavy snow for Scotland and Northern England and North Wales inparticular with several inches reported in many places. NI and ROI had to make do with heavy and persistent rain which did cause some flooding.

The Atlantic yet again was forced back and we came into an Easterly airflow. Not particularly potent. Has brought snow for some though. The heaviest over parts of Ireland. Where we go from here is confusing just now to say the least. Milder weather will break through toward the end of March though eventually.

So that about sums it up for me. Its been a very good winter and we can look forward to next year in the knowledge that maybe the cycle of mild winters has finally come to an end

Gonzo

altho different to past few winters there was still very, very little snow so that dissapointed me greatly.. i think an inch and a quarter was the most snow i saw and it only lasted a few hours before melting...but overall as a winter the start and end of winter was exciting with potential for lots of snow which didnt really fall in my area but hopefully it will show us signs that next winter is gonna be good and that a widespread decent fall of snow will occur nationwide. Temperature wise this winter was the coldest in about 10 years towards the end, but I seem to remember both December and January being quite mild, November & end of February, most of March was pretty decent.