We must when comparing our locations bear in mind the altitude. Graham in
Penzance does not give his altitude but I take it to be close to sea level.
It is better to compare Will's location around a 1000 feet with Ken's site
at 830 feet. Also you have to bear in mind one's proximity to high ground.
For instance some quite low lying locations in the Lake District have a very
high annual rainfall.
There have been several occasions this winter when if I was the same height
as Will on Dartmoor I would have seen snow. However there is no doubt that
these days there is a tendency for it to turn mild after an average or
rather cold day. Perhaps one of the greatest changes is the scenario of a
strong cold front or back bent occlusion moving south over Britain sometimes
turning to snow and giving a cover. The parent low having moved to
Scandinavia with.a very cold arctic airstream. Good examples being in 1953
and 1955. This rarely happens now and troughing to the west of the low often
develops a cut off low to the west of Iceland preventing a full blast and
making for a longer sea track. It is a lot to do with sea surface
temperatures being higher.
Note that in 1888 ice came down south of the Faeroes and even in 1968
Iceland was surrounded by ice.

Ian Currie
www.Frostedearth.com





"Ken Cook" wrote in message
...
"Graham Easterling" wrote in message
...

1 air frost (0.0 degrees!)

Hi, Graham,

Sorry, but 0.0C is not a frost. That is the melting point, not freezing
point. A frost needs a negative sign in front of the number.

ATB, from a cold Copley where the daffodils flower in April, which is
how it should be!

--
Ken Cook, Copley (5miles north of Barnard Castle), County Durham.
830ft
http://mysite.freeserve.com/copley
(MO climat. site updated before 10Z and 19Z daily)
kencookATcopleydurham.freeserve.co.uk