Winter 2011/12 - General Discussion

[Weather-history]

Manchester Winter Index

1988-89: 20

2006-07: 21

1997-98: 25

1974-75: 26

1989-90: 26

1973-74: 30

1987-88: 37

2007-08: 37

1991-92: 40

1975-76: 41

1999-00: 42

1992-93: 43

2002-03: 44

1994-95: 45

2011-12: 45

1998-99: 47

2004-05: 47

2003-04: 50

2001-02: 50

2005-06: 59

1979-80: 66

1996-97: 72

2000-01: 77

1993-94: 78

1983-84: 82

1982-83: 85

1980-81: 90

1977-78: 90

1986-87: 100

2008-09: 105

2010-11: 119

1990-91: 126

1995-96: 135

1984-85: 140

1976-77: 141

1981-82: 149

1985-86: 159

2009-10: 197

1978-79: 262

[Thundery wintry showers]

I support the points being made about Scottish weather. Scotland has a reputation for "all four seasons in one day", and I've certainly experienced a number of such days on visits to the Glasgow area, but for example the Kingdom of Fife has one of the most benign climates in the UK with about 650mm of rain/year, not much thunder, and a low frequency of "sunshine-and-showers" type days. Snow is also surprisingly rare because of the way Fife is sheltered from east-coast snow showers in northerly regimes due to the extensive high ground to the north- as a result Leuchars (near St. Andrews) gets less snow in an average year than many coastal parts of north-east England.

Re. Mr_Data's Manchester index, it looks a good reflection of the winter from a cold/snow perspective to me- it has been mild and not very snowy, but also not exceptionally so.

[damianslaw]

Agree with Mr data position of where winter 2011/2012 sits compared to other recent winters. It wasn't a complete write off for snow and cold - certaintly nowhere near as poor as the likes of winter 88/89, 06/07, but also not as good as some fairly non-descript average sort winters such as 01/02 and 05/06. The fact the last three winters all rank about 100 is very telling - it was always going to be a tall order for another winter to rank above 100.

Hoping next winter sees more snow and cold conditions.

[Uncle_Barty]

Now that the dust is settling at the end of official winter (DJF), have to say I am quite happy with the one we just had.

Not as good as 1988/9 perhaps (had to endure late Jan and early Feb) but I'd have taken it on 1st Dec.

Not too much disruption to sporting fixtures and my fuel use is quite a bit down on last winter.

Thankfully no weather related transport problems here apart from the fog this morning for my 40 mile commute to work.

OK, the colder spell apart, rather boring from a weather interest point of view but for me winter is a season to be endured to get to spring as quickly as possible!

[johnholmes]

my winter summary - temperatures in C and averages in brackest are just the last 12 years

Mean=5.8(3.3)

Avge Max=8.3(6.9)

Avge Min=3.3(2.4)

Highest Max=18.6 on 25/02/12

Lowest Min=-8.4 on 11th

Days with snow falling=12 and lying=8

air frost=19 and ground frost=32

The mildest winter in the last 12 years was 2006/7

Mean=6.6

Avge Max=9.3

Avge Min=4.0

No high/low temperature either above or below those in 2011-12

days with snow falling=2 with 1 day lying

Air frosts=12 and ground frosts=24

Had December had a 7-10 day wintry spell such as the February one then winter would have been well up to my wishes for how I like winter.

Edited March 1, 2012 by johnholmes

[Alex95]

Agree with Mr data position of where winter 2011/2012 sits compared to other recent winters. It wasn't a complete write off for snow and cold - certaintly nowhere near as poor as the likes of winter 88/89, 06/07, but also not as good as some fairly non-descript average sort winters such as 01/02 and 05/06. The fact the last three winters all rank about 100 is very telling - it was always going to be a tall order for another winter to rank above 100.

Hoping next winter sees more snow and cold conditions.

Here it has been a different story - every bit as bad as 06/07 I'm afraid. Of course Cumbria had 3-6 inches in early February this year. I also remember Cumbria having a decent winter in 07/08 with a light wet snowfall in early December, 4 inches on the 4th Jan, a few inches on the 21st Jan, an inch or so in places on the 1st/2nd Feb (I remember there was none at Carlisle, but considerably more near Penrith at 200m asl), and a few inches over the Easter weekend. Cumbria can often do surprisingly well in milder winters.

[danm]

BBC Weatherwise video: Winter 2011/12 review: http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/features/17228102

[toggerob]

Is GFS throwing a wobbly? the latest run puts it showing snow across the Midlands and South into tomorrow afternoon. 10cm of the stuff in parts. Snow-forecast also reflecting this.

http://www.snow-forecast.com/maps/dynamic/uk