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Weather

BadKitten's Christmas forecast thread.

570 replies

OhYouMerryLittleKitten · 08/12/2013 10:57

A just for fun thread! Remember I’m not a professional and it’s important not to base decisions on what I say in forecasting threads as I may very well get it wrong. At this point in time I am looking at GFS, as other charts come into range I will start discussing those too. I’m also looking at the GFS ensembles (which at present as you would expect have a wide range of solutions, most of which are mild). The forecast will change as we go along considering how far out we are at present.

In general over the next couple of weeks we seem to be kept in mild southerlies or south-westerly’s, with more potential for storms and there isn’t much promise of a cold Christmas. The 24th December has finally made into the range of the GFS. What a chart!! It shows a deep low which would bring severe gales and a mix of heavy snow (for some) and heavy rain (for most) across the UK with the snow risk being greater the further north you are.

It’s a stonker of a chart, but probably not a welcome one!

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HesterShaw · 19/12/2013 11:34

My best ever Christmas was near Aviemore in 1995 . We rented a little farmhouse. There was a bit of snow on the long drive up, but nothing too bad. After we arrived, the temperature fell and fell. I've never known cold like it - the very air was glittering. We cross country skied, skated on frozen Loch Garten, and drank mulled wine....even the Spey was frozen solid. It was like being in Lapland. Or an Arthur Ransome novel :o

Ah those were the days. Proper weather etc.

OhYouMerryLittleKitten · 19/12/2013 11:35

You had diamond dust by the sound of it :)

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HesterShaw · 19/12/2013 11:44

Is that what they call it? I guessed it was a meteorological Thing. Frozen water vapour or something?

Incidentally, when I was little, the term "freezing fog" used to confuse and alarm me. I thought it would mean the fog freezing solid in the sky and falling down in big blocks and chunks. Aren't kids weird?

OhYouMerryLittleKitten · 19/12/2013 11:59

It is - its very tiny ice crystals and it needs to be very cold and dry for them to happen.

I used to get a bit worried about ground level thunderstorms happening in fog!

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AutumnStarOfWonder · 19/12/2013 12:02

Hester that sounds beautiful.

I went to Moscow briefly this year and was amazed by the snowflakes. Not wet like we have here. Tiny and dry and proper fully formed little stars and patterns. It was lovely.

Kitten are you self-taught in weather forecasting?

OhYouMerryLittleKitten · 19/12/2013 12:03

I am Autumn Grin been to a few lectures and conferences and done an OU course. The rest is book and internet learning. Sometimes it really shows Xmas Grin

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PacificDingbat · 19/12/2013 12:05

So far there has been only hail/rain here (outside Glasgow) today, not much in the way of wind.

Diamond dust sounds magical.

Christmas tends to be a grey and wet affair here... Xmas Hmm - you have to make your own festive cheer, nannynick Xmas Grin

HesterShaw · 19/12/2013 12:06

Nonsense! You're an oracle.

I used to want to be a meteorologist when I was 14. Then I was told I'd need physics and maths A levels. Ah well....

PacificDingbat · 19/12/2013 12:06

Oh, and we had a great rollicking thunderstorm around midnight a few days ago - v strange.
I am used to continental summer thunderstorms at the end of a hot day, not this kind of nonsense Xmas Wink

PacificDingbat · 19/12/2013 12:07

Kitten, 'self-taught-, pay!
You have a direct line to St Peter (or whoever makes the weather), don't you?
I need to believe....

AutumnStarOfWonder · 19/12/2013 12:37

That's brilliant Kitten. You're so knowledgeable about it all!

OhYouMerryLittleKitten · 19/12/2013 12:37

Oh absolutely Pacific - in fact I control the weather donchyaknow. What would you like tomorrow?

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OhYouMerryLittleKitten · 19/12/2013 12:38

I think the meteorologists I know must absolutely roll their eyes if they come across my threads!

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nannynick · 19/12/2013 12:38

Thanks. Sounds similar to last year. Had better pack my wellies.

Xmas2013SantaC5542 · 19/12/2013 12:40

I knew it!!

I am not fussy re weather - Christmas Day with snow or bright and cold would be nice.
Now I know about Diamond Dust I want some of that too Xmas Grin

Xmas2013SantaC5542 · 19/12/2013 12:40

Oooops, outed

ChippingInLovesChristmasLights · 19/12/2013 12:41

Oh bugger - I just wrote a long reply and it ate it. Grrr.

Essentially -

Thank you Flowers I'll go into London tomorrow and enjoy the day, I'll think of you while glugging sipping my Mulled Wine Xmas Grin

Re the winter tyres, part of me thinks 'FFS just get the bloody things put on!' but the other part of me thinks 'They are so expensive and I probably wont have this car long enough to justify buying another set of winter tyres for it, so I'd prefer not to have them on unless absolutely necessary'. GAH.

Perhaps I need a donkey Xmas Grin

Little Donkey, carry Mary, safely on her way...

Perihelion · 19/12/2013 13:09

Snow on the Ochils today and sunny at the moment in Edinburgh.

GloriaSmud · 19/12/2013 13:33

Lots of snow on the Cairngorm webcam and Braemar is looking pretty at the moment.

OhYouMerryLittleKitten · 19/12/2013 14:33

At least there is a bit of winter about in the UK :)

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FunnyFestiveTableRunner · 19/12/2013 15:31

Snowing here! Also snowed overnight. None lying where we are thankfully but has drifted in places.

SpottyChristmasCakes · 19/12/2013 15:51

Raining here Hmm

FunnyFestiveTableRunner · 19/12/2013 15:55

Bloody hell, heavy snow here now! Lying even on the wet ground. Gigantic big flakes. Hope DH can get away earlyish and collect DC Confused

AutumnStarOfWonder · 19/12/2013 16:23

Whereabouts are you Festive? I'm jealous!

teta · 19/12/2013 16:33

Massive flakes in Shropshire as well.Seems to be sticking at the moment.