Gavin Staples wrote:
January 1987

England and Wales bringing a more general snowfall to many areas causing
further disruption. The intense cold pool of air had moved through the UK
and temperatures started to climb back to near freezing.
The high over Scandinavia began to lose its intensity and began to
sink into central Europe sufficiently enough to allow a milder SWly flow to
come into the NW of the UK on the 18th. By the 20th, Atlantic air had
finally broken through to all parts with higher temperatures and a slow
thaw. The old Scandinavian high then began to drift back over the UK and
this brought a lot of cloud to many parts. It wasn't until the last couple
days of the month that the sun managed to break through the cloud.
The cold spell of January 1987 was exceptional and was probably one of
the coldest spells since 1740. The intense cold and heavy snowfalls hit the
SE the hardest. Transport was gridlocked and the cold even affected Big
Ben's chiming hammer.

I was still living in Newport (S.Wales) at the time, and remember it
clearly. The main snowfall hit on a weekday, IIRC in early afternoon,
and came down very heavily. I think there was around a foot, which kept
school closed for at least 3 days (maybe more) I think. I remember the
long icicles vividly.


My Comments:
Apologies for popping this up again. I'll never
forget this one. Its the only time that I have had ice on the INSIDE of my
car windows in the MIDDLE of the afternoon.

Actually had that in late December 2000 here.

Edmund