An eventful drive yesterday evening from Manchester to Sheffield over
the Snake Pass. We left at +7degC in Manchester to arrive at Glossop
(c.200m asl) to find no lying snow and a temperature of +5degC. The
steep ascent upto 512m asl and over the ridge provided us with a
wonderful view. Ploughed snow at the side of the roads upto 2-2.5m in
height and drifts evident to about 1m in depth. The temperature
plummeted to +1degC with heavy drizzle, thick fog and a strong breeze.
There was no sign of sleet/snow falling so I assume there was a warmer
layer moving over a shallow, colder boundary layer. The fog was very
thick with visibility down to 10m in front of the car, meaning speeds
no faster than 15-20mph. As we descended into Hope and out of the
cloud there was still snow evident on pavements and the temperature
rose to +4degC. The ascent back up to Ringinglow (420m asl) led again
to a temperature drop to near freezing (concentration was on driving
not the car thermo!) and into thick fog. This continued into Dore to
find about 25cm level snow in the back garden of our friend's house.
Apparently they had 5cm fall on Weds/Thurs with the majority falling
on Friday night/Saturday morning leaving 30cm on Saturday morning.

I will try and get some photos on the journey back today but there is
a rapid thaw with only 10cm left in the garden now.

And there was me thinking the inch or so that fell in London on
Thursday, that disappeared within hours, was all I would see this
winter !

Joe