It can and does occasionally happen here, in exceptionally cold continental easterlies and especially in Essex, Kent and sometimes parts of East Sussex. I can recall over a foot of snow being dumped in Kent by this means a couple of times, i fact I got stuck in it once in the NE of East Sussex!
But it's never as bad as Buffalo because the winds are never as cold as they can get over there, so the sea/lake-air temperature difference is always less.
Is it as cold in the UK though? The link quotes a USA doctor, so I wonder if he is being more cautious due to litigation in his country?
It certainly can be. On the night of 18th/19th December 2010 the temperature at my location, seen on the left, which is in the middle of England went down to -14c overnight. That night followed a 12 to 15 inch snowfall, and combined with clear skies and a white snow cover that leads to very cold nights because the whiteness of the snow reflects any heat back into the atmosphere and away into space. That night was by no means the coldest in the country, and there were many similar. There is also a bit of a myth that it can be too cold to snow, which isn't strictly true. I think it is a shame for any winter to pass without one decent snowfall that lasts at least a few days. I'll be surprised if this winter repeats last winter in that respect.
According to some tabloids we are set to freeze to death, the North apparently will be -7 tonight with the South "hovering just above zero"
Odd because the forecast I saw said the North would be colder than the South with highs of 12 and lows of 8 but no mention of -7 , and the South whilst we have got rain will have highs of 15 and lows of about 10 so not just above zero to my mind.
So you don't mind it taking over 3 or 4 hours to get home from work?
It took my ex 12.5 hours to get home in 2012, a journey that normally took 50 minutes.
It was at the most awful and acrimonious point in the 5 years that it took to get shot of him, and I was getting quite hopeful he was dying of hypothermia somewhere.
It I got stuck in it once in the NE of East Sussex!
Anywhere near Crowborough, by any chance? Crowborough often gets snow when nowhere else in the county does. The county council love this, as every day there is snow lying on the ground means a bit more "snow money" added to the highways budget by the government.
A weeny bit of snow at Crowborough and the whole county benefits...
Anywhere near Crowborough, by any chance? Crowborough often gets snow when nowhere else in the county does. The county council love this, as every day there is snow lying on the ground means a bit more "snow money" added to the highways budget by the government.
A weeny bit of snow at Crowborough and the whole county benefits...
Yep, not far from Wych Cross! It's fairly high ground thereabouts IIRC and everywhere from there to the NE Kent coast was blanketed in... lake effect snow!
I love the look of what they have in Buffalo, but it is never going to happen here, we just do not have the ingredients. Plus I know it it is a lot less fun that it looks. If I had it my way it would snow heavily for the week that most people have off over Christmas, but still magically allow all the people who need to work 24/7 to get to work, but leave everyone else unable get to work with absolutely no bad consequences at all. And then after Christmas it would magically disappear with no ice.
Its been brilliant today. Temperatures in the mid 50s and a light wind. I am dreaming of a mild christmas with no nasty snow to cause mayhem because we are unprepared for it. Snow can do one and stay away from the UK and that goes for jack frost as well
This is what the Met Office summarised about the snow & cold weather late November 2010 through to 31Dec2010:
"This spell of snow and freezing temperatures occurred unusually early in the winter, with the snowfalls judged as the most significant and widespread in late November and early December since late November 1965."
I must admit apart from that year i don't remember it ever snowing much before xmas over last 30yrs or so.
So plenty of time this winter to pray for snow or for no snow!
This is what the Met Office summarised about the snow & cold weather late November 2010 through to 31Dec2010:
"This spell of snow and freezing temperatures occurred unusually early in the winter, with the snowfalls judged as the most significant and widespread in late November and early December since late November 1965."
I must admit apart from that year i don't remember it ever snowing much before xmas over last 30yrs or so.
So plenty of time this winter to pray for snow or for no snow!
2009, 2010 and 2010 in 2009 it snowed on 30 November
There was an October slight snowfall in England really early in 2008 on 28th October in the evening but didn't last.
Pre-Christmas in central England there was an enormous snowfall overnight on 10th/11th December 1981 with well nearly 2 feet of level snow in my area of North Bucks. I had a school trip into London that morning which was cancelled. Even the M1 was blocked. A couple of days later with all that massive snow temperatures fell incredibly low to -26c in Shropshire for instance. My area hit -15c. It cleared by New Year only to come back equally as bad if not more so overnight on 7th/8th January 1982 and temperatures of -27c in parts. School was not closed that day either!
In 1990 there was a significant mid December snowfall in the Midlands badly affecting Birmingham area but it mostly missed my area and seemed intense but more localised than national.
Even Canada would struggle with Lake Effect snow. It is unbelievable how fast it come down.
Indeed, Canada is affected by lake effect snow, as the Great lakes straddle the US - Canadian border. Buffalo, in upstate New York, is right on the border itself.
You can get "North Sea effect snow" in Eastern coastal counties, where continental arctic air crosses a relatively warm North Sea, leaving the continent with a surface temperature sometimes as low as -15C or so, over the North Sea, which is still maybe at about 8C (can vary) water temperature, will produce instability snow showers in Eastern coastal counties, often producing many inches. But they rarely penetrate far inland - unless the wind is very strong and the pressure falls somewhat.
An excellent example of the above occurred in December 1938.
A reinvigorated jet stream and a winter like last year is far more preferable than a nasty winter scene of snow and clear frosty skies. Bring on the gales and lashing rain and floods
Indeed, Canada is affected by lake effect snow, as the Great lakes straddle the US - Canadian border. Buffalo, in upstate New York, is right on the border itself.
The greatest affected cities tend to be on the south and eastern side of the lakes so Toronto is a bit fortunate in it's location. Buffalo and Cleveland tend to be two of the cities most greatly impacted. Chicago, although it is on the shores of Lake Michigan is on the Southwestern side so it doesn't have the same lake effect phenomena. Although obviously both Chicago and Toronto are often impacted by copious amounts of snow and blizzards they're usually not lake effect events.
In the far future I imagine that roads and maybe paths will be built with some kind of under surface electrical heating, such as some sports pitches do. At the flick of a switch when snowy or frozen weather is expected the roads and paths warm slightly to prevent frost or snow developing. No more gritting and no more roads to clear, no matter how much snow falls!
There are some here in Canada, usually around places like subway entrances. It would be nice if there were more but I can only assume they're very expensive.
Comments
It can and does occasionally happen here, in exceptionally cold continental easterlies and especially in Essex, Kent and sometimes parts of East Sussex. I can recall over a foot of snow being dumped in Kent by this means a couple of times, i fact I got stuck in it once in the NE of East Sussex!
But it's never as bad as Buffalo because the winds are never as cold as they can get over there, so the sea/lake-air temperature difference is always less.
Wouldn't be perfect for me. My daughter has a long way to travel
How would that work? Chilled containers ?
Odd because the forecast I saw said the North would be colder than the South with highs of 12 and lows of 8 but no mention of -7 , and the South whilst we have got rain will have highs of 15 and lows of about 10 so not just above zero to my mind.
It took my ex 12.5 hours to get home in 2012, a journey that normally took 50 minutes.
It was at the most awful and acrimonious point in the 5 years that it took to get shot of him, and I was getting quite hopeful he was dying of hypothermia somewhere.
Anywhere near Crowborough, by any chance? Crowborough often gets snow when nowhere else in the county does. The county council love this, as every day there is snow lying on the ground means a bit more "snow money" added to the highways budget by the government.
A weeny bit of snow at Crowborough and the whole county benefits...
Yep, not far from Wych Cross! It's fairly high ground thereabouts IIRC and everywhere from there to the NE Kent coast was blanketed in... lake effect snow!
That's realistic right?
"This spell of snow and freezing temperatures occurred unusually early in the winter, with the snowfalls judged as the most significant and widespread in late November and early December since late November 1965."
I must admit apart from that year i don't remember it ever snowing much before xmas over last 30yrs or so.
So plenty of time this winter to pray for snow or for no snow!
2009, 2010 and 2010 in 2009 it snowed on 30 November
Pre-Christmas in central England there was an enormous snowfall overnight on 10th/11th December 1981 with well nearly 2 feet of level snow in my area of North Bucks. I had a school trip into London that morning which was cancelled. Even the M1 was blocked. A couple of days later with all that massive snow temperatures fell incredibly low to -26c in Shropshire for instance. My area hit -15c. It cleared by New Year only to come back equally as bad if not more so overnight on 7th/8th January 1982 and temperatures of -27c in parts. School was not closed that day either!
In 1990 there was a significant mid December snowfall in the Midlands badly affecting Birmingham area but it mostly missed my area and seemed intense but more localised than national.
Indeed, Canada is affected by lake effect snow, as the Great lakes straddle the US - Canadian border. Buffalo, in upstate New York, is right on the border itself.
Nearby Toronto got away with it though - link
You can get "North Sea effect snow" in Eastern coastal counties, where continental arctic air crosses a relatively warm North Sea, leaving the continent with a surface temperature sometimes as low as -15C or so, over the North Sea, which is still maybe at about 8C (can vary) water temperature, will produce instability snow showers in Eastern coastal counties, often producing many inches. But they rarely penetrate far inland - unless the wind is very strong and the pressure falls somewhat.
An excellent example of the above occurred in December 1938.
A reinvigorated jet stream and a winter like last year is far more preferable than a nasty winter scene of snow and clear frosty skies. Bring on the gales and lashing rain and floods
The greatest affected cities tend to be on the south and eastern side of the lakes so Toronto is a bit fortunate in it's location. Buffalo and Cleveland tend to be two of the cities most greatly impacted. Chicago, although it is on the shores of Lake Michigan is on the Southwestern side so it doesn't have the same lake effect phenomena. Although obviously both Chicago and Toronto are often impacted by copious amounts of snow and blizzards they're usually not lake effect events.
I'd love it. Love love love it. ( I've just gone all Kevin keegan ) .
I love snow and apparently the storm is coming our way nut will turn to rain
Thanks for that. You might aswell just tell me santa isn't real.
That's a shame as we're forecast to have our worst winter in 33 years!
There are some here in Canada, usually around places like subway entrances. It would be nice if there were more but I can only assume they're very expensive.
Who said that? The Daily Express?