An impressive little snow squall here at around 18.45 GMT. Temperature
had been hovering between 3°C and 5°C for the last 24 hours, then
suddenly it dropped to 0.7°C in a couple of minutes. Took a look outside,
and what a scene! It can't have been snowing for more than two minutes by
the time I looked out of the door, but the road, despite being a little
wet from a (rain) shower this afternoon, was already covered. Naturally,
my first thought at the sight of this blizzard was "I have to get out in
this and see what it's like!" Mad, I know...

While I'm sure it didn't meet the Met Office definition of a blizzard, in
I doubt the *mean* windspeed was 30mph, there were certainly some very
strong gusts, it was certainly the most intense snowstorm I've been out
in for some years. The snow was heavy (really heavy, not just moderate
for once!), and I couldn't really see the house opposite the end of the
road (say 150m away). Cars were really struggling to get around a
notorious adverse-camber corner near where I live.

The really heavy stuff lasted for about five minutes, then there was
another ten minutes of moderate, a couple more of light snow and now it's
dry and clear again, with the temperature 0.3°C.

I really thought I'd missed out on anything at all, coming back from
Birmingham at around 4.30pm, and frustratingly seeing the snow clouds
roll in almost exactly as the train moved south! After a totally snowless
December *and* January, unless you count *one* sleety rainstorm, these
few minutes were at least a little compensation!
--
Bewdley, Worcs. ~90m asl.

"David Buttery" wrote in message
...
An impressive little snow squall here at around 18.45 GMT. Temperature
had been hovering between 3°C and 5°C for the last 24 hours, then
suddenly it dropped to 0.7°C in a couple of minutes. Took a look outside,
and what a scene! It can't have been snowing for more than two minutes by
the time I looked out of the door, but the road, despite being a little
wet from a (rain) shower this afternoon, was already covered. Naturally,
my first thought at the sight of this blizzard was "I have to get out in
this and see what it's like!" Mad, I know...


LOL!

I know how that feels, when it starts snowing heavily and
the 'inner child' in you tells you that you just have to 'get out in it'.

Even if it only lasts a few minutes!
--
Col

Bolton, Lancashire
160m asl

On Fri, 01 Feb 2008 19:54:12 +0000, Col wrote:

LOL!

I know how that feels, when it starts snowing heavily and the 'inner
child' in you tells you that you just have to 'get out in it'.

Even if it only lasts a few minutes!

Especially when you fear it may well constitute your sum total of lying
snow for the winter... (The only other being in November, and therefore
not counting!) Temperature has now recovered to 1.2°C, and sky still
clear, but the road is extremely icy, since it melted just a little
before freezing again.

--
Bewdley, Worcs. ~90m asl.

"David Buttery" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 01 Feb 2008 19:54:12 +0000, Col wrote:

LOL!

I know how that feels, when it starts snowing heavily and the 'inner
child' in you tells you that you just have to 'get out in it'.

Even if it only lasts a few minutes!

Especially when you fear it may well constitute your sum total of lying
snow for the winter... (The only other being in November, and therefore
not counting!) Temperature has now recovered to 1.2°C, and sky still
clear, but the road is extremely icy, since it melted just a little
before freezing again.

I'm at -0.5C and the covering of hail that fell earlier has now
frozen over. Just been out and walking on untreated roads
was very slippery.
--
Col

Bolton, Lancashire
160m asl