Based on your ratings the Wembley area gets a 2 out of 10 for the snow.
Only one significant snow shower that left half a cm that melted in a few
hours. Maybe a 3 out of 10 for temps so perhaps 2.5 overall.
-Mike
"Gavin Staples" wrote in message
...
From my area of the UK, which is of course East Anglia. This is how I
would categorise a cold spell. This occurring in either December, January
or February, which of course are the 3 winter months.
1 out 10: 3 or 4 days consecutive, of north westerly winds and night
frosts of -2 to -3. Daytime maximums of between 4 and 5C. The occasional
light snow shower.
2 out 10: 3 or 4 days consecutive of north winds and night frosts of -3
to -4C. Daytime maximums of 3 to 4C. The occasional light snow shower,
perhaps a moderate one or two snow showers.
3 out of 10: 3 or 4 days of north winds and night frosts of -4C. Daytime
maximums of 1C to 2C. Snow showers, the occasional one settling lightly.
4 out of 10: 3 or 4 days of north easterly winds and night frosts of -4C.
More frequent snow showers and a daytime max of 1C perhaps one or two days
in that with maxs of 0C. Daytime frosts from this level onwards.
5 out of 10: 3 or 4 days of easterlies and night frosts of -4C with one or
two at -5C to -6C. Snow showers and snow settling to a depth of 2 inches.
Maximum temperatures on 2 days of 0C to -1C. Snow on the ground for 3 days
6 out 10: 4 to 6 days of north east or easterlies with night frosts -5C
to -6C. Snow showers and daytime maximums of 0C to -1C on 2 to 3 days.
Snow lying for 4 days.
7 out of 10: 6 to 7 days with east to north east winds, night frost -6C
to -8C. Snow showers and a longer period of snow giving a level depth of 3
inches and laying on the ground for 5 days. Daytime maximums 0C to -2C on
4 days out of that.
8 out of 10: 8 days to 10 days with east winds and north east winds.
Night frosts -8C to -10C. At least 1 -10C in that bunch. Snow on the
ground to a depth of 5 to 8 inches having fallen from a southerly track
depression in the English Channel. Further snow later on from snow
showers. At least 6 days with a max below -1C and 2 days with a max of -4C
to -5C. Snow on the ground in that for 10 days to 12 days.
9 out of 10: 12 days to 14 days with a cold spell from either north to
north east or easterly. Any combination will do. Snow on the ground at
least 6 inches deep. Night frosts -7C to -12C with at least 4 nights with
a -10C. At least 6 days with a max below 0C and out of those 3 with a max
below -4C. Snow on the ground for 14 days or more. December 1981 did this
and a bit more besides.
10 out of 10: More than 14 days with a cold spell from any very cold
combination. Snow on the ground for the whole of that time and preferably
longer. Snow depths of greater than 6 inches caused by southerly track
depressions and fronts. Night frosts down to below -15C on at least 3
nights. They do not have to be consecutive. At least 7 days in a row with
a max below 0C with 3 days with a max below -5C. January 1982 nearly hit
this, but it wasn't for 14 days though. January 1963 managed to do so. As
did January 1940.
Obviously there are variations in this. This is a guide for those living
in the South Midlands, East Anglia and Home counties as to what I would
regard as cold spell categorisation.
Just for the records. Snow lay on the ground in Cambridge for 70
consecutive days.
--
Gavin Staples.
Horseheath. Cambridge, UK. 93m ASL.
www.gavinstaples.com
site regularly updated
All outgoing emails are checked for viruses by Norton Internet Security
2006.