A Cold And Snow Fan's Nightmare Forecast

[Weather-history]

Here's the Countryfile forecast from the 8th February 1998. For any cold and snow fan, this would be a nightmare forecast especially if they had been so little in the way of cold or snow at that stage of the winter as was the case for a large part of the winter of 1997-98.

[Aaron]

The most horrific thing I have ever seen in my entire life

[I remember Atlantic 252]

hate rain, so not the worst forecast in the world! worst would be 20-21 July 07 type stuff, or 20 Jan 2012

0r worse would be the failed snow of 12 Mar 2006, front never made it this far east, after bbc said it would

Edited February 1, 2012 by snow? norfolk n chance

[Thundery wintry showers]

I remember watching that particular forecast- I certainly remember John Kettley referring to the weather "firing on all cylinders this week" and the chart for Friday 13th February showing the the cold front approaching from the west.

The forecast correctly identified the general pattern but there are hints that the models were a bit progressive in shifting the Bartlett high eastwards towards the end of the week, resulting in a southerly flow on the 12th/13th which would have taken the warm sunshine northwards well into Scotland as indicated by the forecast. In reality, the warm sunshine took until the 13th to reach the Tyne and Wear area and struggled to make headway into Scotland due to a greater westerly component to the airflow, and the airmasses were even warmer than forecast- up to 17C in Tyneside on the 13th, and locally above 19C further south. John Kettley, to his credit, hinted that the models were probably being too progressive bringing that front eastwards on the 13th- in reality it took until the 16th for the unusual warmth to break down.

A nightmare for snow lovers indeed, though I can't deny that I may well have enjoyed that spell of weather had I been living further south- as it stood, it was frustrating hearing about the springlike sunshine in the southeast while looking outside at grey skies and a stiff south-westerly wind (except on the sunny 13th).

Edited February 1, 2012 by Thundery wintry showers

[Jason H]

Absolutely no hope of any cold weather at all on that forecast. Horrendous stuff, certificate 18!

[Scorcher]

This is basically my dream February forecast. I remember seeing forecasts in February 2008 that were very similar although without the old school BBC symbols of course!

[Weather-history]

19C at midday in the middle of February, remarkable! Peter Cockcroft seemed to want to make a cameo appearance

[WhiteFox]

A nightmare for snow lovers indeed, though I can't deny that I may well have enjoyed that spell of weather had I been living further south- as it stood, it was frustrating hearing about the springlike sunshine in the southeast while looking outside at grey skies and a stiff south-westerly wind (except on the sunny 13th).

It was a beautiful spell of weather. Although the winter was very mild up to that point, it was still winter: dark, chilly, damp etc. This spell was amazing as it truly felt like late srping. I remember lying in a park and snoozing in the very warm sunshine; unheard of for mid-February.

I'm with Norfolk on this one; if it's going to be mild when it should be cold, it may as well be exceptional!

[leicsnow]

I wouldn't have minded February 1998 seeing the start of spring but only if December and January were decent for snow and cold... which they weren't.

Edited February 3, 2012 by Tellow