Tucco

Looks another wet night. SW winds often appear to very gusty in the lee of the Howgills/Ashfell in the K/S area perhaps some lee wave influence. 39.2mm so far here this month, 410mm for year so far. 5mm in Bishop Auckland in April to date.

Yes Cross Fell/Great Dun Fell. I live in Teesdale and work in Cumbria. The drift on the western slope of Cross Fell isn't as significant as last year, this could be due to several factors. The November spell was the only heavy snowfall for the Pennines. Typical of North Easterly events, the snow was restricted to the far East of Cumbria. Rapid thaw around the 10th Dec meant significant snow loss from the November event before the dry very cold spell occurred. Heavy rainfall in Jan and Feb meant the western slope was exposed unlike last year which was colder but more importantly very dry. Lack of Easterly winds in Jan/Feb meany any small falls of snow wouldn't have drifted off the summit plateaux to add the western drift

The lack of heavy snow over winter and mild Febuary has meant the N Pennines and Lake District have snow patches numbers you expect in mid May.

Here the late November snowfalls weren't as severe as winter 2010 and very similar to Feb 2009. Though both these spells were more distributive due to more drifting. Regarding Jan 1987. The conditions were more severe in terms of snow in eastern Cumbria than any of the above spells. I would swap that spell for any since.

Much rather have Dec 2009, than Dec 2010. 09/10 winter was prolonged and snowy esp in term of days lying around here. No travel distribution after the first few days of December this year. What this winter has certainly lacked even in cold spell in Dec has been a wind snow combination. A true blizzard in England and Wales has not occurred for many years.

Just wasn't impressed with Dec 2010, it was an expectional month. But all the action was elsewhere. This is based on data from near Meto site. Dec temp was - 0.9C. This is well short of Feb 1986 at -2.5C. Dec 1981 -1.5C. Jan 1979, Jan 1963, Feb 1947,Jan 1940 would also have been colder. Perhaps a few other months aswell. The lack a decent snow depth meant temps weren't particularly low in this area. Last winter had a longer sub zero spell.

Perhaps the coldest December in over a century taking the UK as a whole. But more locally in Teesdale only the coldest month since Feb 1986. As others have said after the late November spell the was always a good chance it would be down hill from there.

You've hit the nail on the head. For me December 2010 was of course a cold month but all the weather action took place in other parts of the country. Apart from the first few days the month just past by uneventfully. Its usually events that stick in peoples memory which define a year or season. For me this 'winter' will actually be the end of November and the snow that does that. Apart from a few wet and windy spells this winter hasn't provided that moment that sticks out in one's mind. Going by todays models output thats it for this winter in regard for any chance of severe cold and snow. The next few seasons might provide more interest.

Last spring was dry and very sunny here and great for been outdoors. As others have said a decent sunny dry summer would be great after the last 4 years.

I thought the Southern part to the NW had several heavy falls of snow in the mid December cold spell? I agree for a geneally cool winter, snowfall hasn't been great for England and Wales.

If you had told me that we were to have the coldest month in Teesdale since 1986 in this area prior to the winter I would have been excited. December after the very rapid thaw around 9 Dec was cold sunny and benign here. We missed out on any significant snow. Apart from the brief wet and wind spells in Jan and early this month its been settled and a very sunny winter. No skiing at Weardale since Dec 8th and only a couple of days at Yad Moss in over 2 months now. Great late November but winter can summed up in the strange fact I've enjoyed the wet and windy spells the most.

You think they would have learned from the poor forecast last Thursday. On the overhead gantries on the M6 they warnings of high winds on Friday. Meanwhile 7/8 HGV's had blown over in Cumbria.

Why not a warning instead an advisory? At times the Meto appear very slow to react.

Cock up from Meto again. HGV's blown over on M6 plus A66 closed prob blow over.

Blizzard conditions. Its many years since lowland UK experienced a blizzard http://www.wgntv.com/weather/wgntv-major-winter-storm-heads-to-chicago-jan31,0,6522939.story