On 21 Dec 2004 08:29:28 -0800, BlueLightning wrote in
oups.com

A cold snap lasting probably for 2 days and it just happens to be the
Christmas weekend at the same time.
2 day cold-snaps from the north-west and not even the north. What that
tells me is, the west is near the atlantic

This looks far more like a northerly:

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/brack3a.html

with sea temps around 17C, and the east hoping the showers filter
across.

I'd guess we would have to go well to the south to see SSTs of 17C :-) OK
sea temps are about 2C above those of 40 years ago, but not by that much.
May there not be a bit of dynamic forcing in that northerly?

--
Mike 55.13°N 6.69°W Coleraine posted to uk.sci.weather 21/12/2004 16:38:07 UTC