On 19/02/2017 08:29, Norman Lynagh wrote:
Adam Lea wrote:

On 18/02/2017 11:07, wrote:
Yesterday got me thinking about this as I sat in the sun in our front
garden in North London with temperatures nudging 13 deg in mid February.
But on reflection I would describe yesterday as a mild late winter's day.
Not quite warm enough and everything still too bare.


I go by the meteorological definition, 1st March, but at the same time
appreciate that the first half of March is really the tail end of winter in
terms of weather, but with more daylight, and proper springlike conditions
don't really take hold until late March/early April. The UK weather can be a
tease to gardeners at this time of year.

In the 8 years that we have been in Tideswell the two most severe blizzards
occurred on 4th April 2012 and 22nd/23rd March 2013. The last day of winter is
often much later than the first day of spring!


There is a difference in climate between lowland Sussex and Surrey, and
over 300m up in the Derbyshire hills. You live higher up than any land
within at least 80 miles of me.

I have lived in West Sussex since the end of 2002, and I have never seen
a blizzard in April, March or otherwise. 2013 is the only year I have
seen a true extent of winter well into Spring (1996 is another year but
I was living in Salford back then).

On Sunday, February 19, 2017 at 10:59:57 AM UTC, Adam Lea wrote:
On 19/02/2017 08:29, Norman Lynagh wrote:
Adam Lea wrote:

On 18/02/2017 11:07, wrote:
Yesterday got me thinking about this as I sat in the sun in our front
garden in North London with temperatures nudging 13 deg in mid February.
But on reflection I would describe yesterday as a mild late winter's day.
Not quite warm enough and everything still too bare.


I go by the meteorological definition, 1st March, but at the same time
appreciate that the first half of March is really the tail end of winter in
terms of weather, but with more daylight, and proper springlike conditions
don't really take hold until late March/early April. The UK weather can be a
tease to gardeners at this time of year.

In the 8 years that we have been in Tideswell the two most severe blizzards
occurred on 4th April 2012 and 22nd/23rd March 2013. The last day of winter is
often much later than the first day of spring!


There is a difference in climate between lowland Sussex and Surrey, and
over 300m up in the Derbyshire hills. You live higher up than any land
within at least 80 miles of me.

I have lived in West Sussex since the end of 2002, and I have never seen
a blizzard in April, March or otherwise. 2013 is the only year I have
seen a true extent of winter well into Spring (1996 is another year but
I was living in Salford back then).

When I was living in Wootton Bassett, Wilts (it wasn't royal then) we had a blizzard on 26th April 1982. My maximum temperature that day was 2.0C. There was overnight easterly gale with a general cover of 4-6" by dawn, but with significant drifting. We lost electricity for several hours. There was a steady thaw in the afternoon, but according to my weather diary it was "Easily the heaviest snowfall of the year". It remained mainly as rain along the Thames valley just to the north (around Lechlade) Just a small altitude difference had a big impact.

Graham
Penzance (mizzle today)

On Sunday, February 19, 2017 at 1:31:05 PM UTC, Graham Easterling wrote:
On Sunday, February 19, 2017 at 10:59:57 AM UTC, Adam Lea wrote:
On 19/02/2017 08:29, Norman Lynagh wrote:
Adam Lea wrote:

On 18/02/2017 11:07, wrote:
Yesterday got me thinking about this as I sat in the sun in our front
garden in North London with temperatures nudging 13 deg in mid February.
But on reflection I would describe yesterday as a mild late winter's day.
Not quite warm enough and everything still too bare.


I go by the meteorological definition, 1st March, but at the same time
appreciate that the first half of March is really the tail end of winter in
terms of weather, but with more daylight, and proper springlike conditions
don't really take hold until late March/early April. The UK weather can be a
tease to gardeners at this time of year.

In the 8 years that we have been in Tideswell the two most severe blizzards
occurred on 4th April 2012 and 22nd/23rd March 2013. The last day of winter is
often much later than the first day of spring!


There is a difference in climate between lowland Sussex and Surrey, and
over 300m up in the Derbyshire hills. You live higher up than any land
within at least 80 miles of me.

I have lived in West Sussex since the end of 2002, and I have never seen
a blizzard in April, March or otherwise. 2013 is the only year I have
seen a true extent of winter well into Spring (1996 is another year but
I was living in Salford back then).

When I was living in Wootton Bassett, Wilts (it wasn't royal then) we had a blizzard on 26th April 1982. My maximum temperature that day was 2.0C. There was overnight easterly gale with a general cover of 4-6" by dawn, but with significant drifting. We lost electricity for several hours. There was a steady thaw in the afternoon, but according to my weather diary it was "Easily the heaviest snowfall of the year". It remained mainly as rain along the Thames valley just to the north (around Lechlade) Just a small altitude difference had a big impact.

Graham
Penzance (mizzle today)

Just checked and it had reached 22C earlier in the same month (10th to be exact). Such is Spring in the UK.

Graham

Not sure what to expect here, we arrived on 1 April last year and it was cold and wet with 8 days of snow falling.
February has been mild here and a couple of amazing days. The birds are more active and as I sit outside here, a woodpecker is hammering away about 30m away.
I have seen photos here of snow on the ground in October and also 27 May in 2013, but equally we can have days around 20c in March, so all to play for!

DM. 740m. La Moratille. Corrèze. France.

On Sat, 18 Feb 2017 03:07:42 -0800 (PST)
wrote:

Yesterday got me thinking about this as I sat in the sun in our
front garden in North London with temperatures nudging 13 deg in mid
February.

Spring starts when I can cycle to the pub without lights. Summer starts
when I can cycle home ditto. I'm sure you can work out autumn and
winter....


Mike

On Sunday, 19 February 2017 13:31:05 UTC, Graham Easterling wrote:

When I was living in Wootton Bassett, Wilts (it wasn't royal then) we had a blizzard on 26th April 1982. My maximum temperature that day was 2.0C. There was overnight easterly gale with a general cover of 4-6" by dawn, but with significant drifting. We lost electricity for several hours. There was a steady thaw in the afternoon, but according to my weather diary it was "Easily the heaviest snowfall of the year". It remained mainly as rain along the Thames valley just to the north (around Lechlade) Just a small altitude difference had a big impact.

A minor point, but wasn't that April 1981? IIRC April 1982 didn't experience any snow in that part of the world...

On Tuesday, February 21, 2017 at 1:20:15 PM UTC, Freddie wrote:
On Sunday, 19 February 2017 13:31:05 UTC, Graham Easterling wrote:

When I was living in Wootton Bassett, Wilts (it wasn't royal then) we had a blizzard on 26th April 1982. My maximum temperature that day was 2.0C. There was overnight easterly gale with a general cover of 4-6" by dawn, but with significant drifting. We lost electricity for several hours. There was a steady thaw in the afternoon, but according to my weather diary it was "Easily the heaviest snowfall of the year". It remained mainly as rain along the Thames valley just to the north (around Lechlade) Just a small altitude difference had a big impact.

A minor point, but wasn't that April 1981? IIRC April 1982 didn't experience any snow in that part of the world...

Yes, you are quite right, it was 1981.

Graham

In message ,
Graham Easterling writes
On Tuesday, February 21, 2017 at 1:20:15 PM UTC, Freddie wrote:
On Sunday, 19 February 2017 13:31:05 UTC, Graham Easterling wrote:

When I was living in Wootton Bassett, Wilts (it wasn't royal then)
we had a blizzard on 26th April 1982. My maximum temperature that
day was 2.0C. There was overnight easterly gale with a general cover
dawn, but with significant drifting. We lost electricity for several
hours. There was a steady thaw in the afternoon, but according to my
weather diary it was "Easily the heaviest snowfall of the year". It
remained mainly as rain along the Thames valley just to the north
(around Lechlade) Just a small altitude difference had a big impact.

A minor point, but wasn't that April 1981? IIRC April 1982 didn't
experience any snow in that part of the world...

Yes, you are quite right, it was 1981.

Graham

That makes sense. I was puzzled that it could have been easily the
heaviest snowfall of the year, given the heavy snowfall across most of
the south in January 1982.
--
John Hall
"One can certainly imagine the myriad of uses
for a hand-held iguana maker"
Hobbes (the tiger, not the philosopher!)

The cranes have been flying North today and the locals are saying that this is the first sign of spring.

DM. 740m. La Moratille. Correze. France.

That's easy, it's when I get up and it's not foggy, gloomy, overcast, damp &
grotty and I actually see the sun for the first time in weeks



Graham (Weston Coyney)