Snow watch

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Might as well get going on this thread, though it is rather a tease at the moment.

The ECMWF model is hinting at the possibility of some much colder weather next week, perhaps bringing some snow to Scottish hills. BUT the met office are still going for quite a wild and wet affair instead.
The ECMWF shows quite an interesting scenario really.

BBC4 are showing a film about the snowmageddon winter of 62/63.

I like the idea of this being a weather related sanctuary!

It’s certainly looking very wet in London at the end of the week. I have a daft question. What makes rain turn to snow? Is it literally temperature or are there other variables? I’d there any truth in the saying ‘too cold to snow’ ?

Is there even!

My weather app is suggesting snow for Friday. I’d love some snow, but trying not to get my hopes up. It hardly ever snows here (Bedford).

Does anyone remember if the snowmageddon we had in December 10 years ago and also the most recent time in Feb/March around 3 years ago were predicted? I remember being so surprised 10 years ago when we were snowed in!

I remember once on my birthday 11th March when a blizzard came from nowhere between about 10pm and 1am and people were trapped in nightclubs overnight here in Glasgow. Probably about 10 years ago.

A good point well made @OhYouBadBadKitten I do love living here and our moderate climate - none of those ridiculously hot days on the summer and palm trees growing in my garden. But it more snow would be lovely

There definitely was a snow storm about 10 years ago that wasn’t really forecast. Here in Bucks people ended up sleeping in John Lewis! Very much taken by surprise.

mop I think there was a red warning for snow in Dec 10. I'm sure I only took it proper seriously because I was on a weather thread on here. I know I left work early and my horrible boss at the time thought I was taking the piss. Guess who got home quickly and safely and who took until midnight.

Marking my place. Hoping fornsnoe as I love it, but it means a lot of my staff will either call in sick or be stranded at work. Fun times.

For context, we work nights, and it is predicted here overnight, so.

We have snow which is lying now in Glasgow. And thunder too !

Checking in. Thanks @OhYouBadBadKitten.

@RunnerDown yes thunder snow, very dramatic ain't it

Thunder an hour ago and now snowing here in Fife

Early update (don't ask)

Hurrah for those in Scotland!!!

The met office are still going for a primarily rain event tomorrow, but other models are still showing some decent snow for central southern and EA areas. While I expect the met office are correct, they may not be!
Keep an eye on their warnings page which tends to update by around 11am.

I'll come back to the rain/snow issue when I can later today :) it's interesting and complex.

Snow has arrived at Spittal of Glenshee but not much at Braemar yet. www.snowgatecameras.co.uk

Snow/rain.

It might seem as simple as below freezing gives us snow and above gives us rain. But it is somewhat more complicated than that.

Sometimes forecasts are difficult, simply because temperatures are marginal, and it can be hard to model exact temperatures in anyone location.

Air temperature varies across height and so what may appear too warm or cold enough for snow at surface level, may not be the case further up in the atmosphere.

Sometimes we have a case where heavy rain falls through dry air. As it does so it evaporates a little. As it does it cools the air. Heavy enough rain and dry enough air can turn what was rain into snow or freezing rain. This is called evaporative cooling. It may play a part in tomorrow's scenario.

Sometimes of course it starts as snow in the clouds, then passes through a process where the crystals end up with a thin layer of ice on them and we can end up with graupel. (That soft polystyrene tiny ball type of hail)

Its all very interesting!

Yippee another season, new hope of snow

Winter wonderland here, this morning! Lots of beautiful, deep, fluffy looking snow.

Super happy children!

Rain here (Leicester) and a chilly 4.4C

@dementedma

Thunder an hour ago and now snowing here in Fife

Oh where in Fife are you? We had none of that good stuff. So jealous.

Metoffice long range forecast now covers Christmas. Think they're covering all options - could be wet/snow over hills/cold/frosty!...

7th-16th December
Unsettled, mostly cold and occasionally frosty conditions expected to continue into this period, with spells of rain and heavy showers for most. Snow is most likely over the hills in the north but there is a chance of snow falling to lower levels at times, especially in the far north. Rain most frequent across the south, but will often extend across all areas. However, in the north there is a possibility of more settled weather developing at times, especially in the north-west. Often windy with coastal gales at times. However lighter winds expected early in this period will bring a risk of more extensive freezing fog which could be slow to clear, this true for other periods of lighter winds through the period.

16th-30th December
Confidence is very low during this period, with forecast signals weak and rather mixed. On balance, most likely to remain changeable with outbreaks of rain and showers at times, particularly in the east and the south. Snow remains most likely over the hills but could still fall to lower levels at times. It is likely that drier and more settled conditions compared to normal will continue in the northwest, with a possibility of these extending more widely towards the end of the month. This would bring more widespread overnight frosts along with some fog patches. Temperatures will overall will most likely be near, or a little below average, although some milder interludes are possible.

First dusting of snow of Winter in Edinburgh

When I went to bed last night we weren't covered by the met office weather warning...we are now.