Now it seems that the current severe spell of weather will soon ease, at
least for a time (depending on which model output you believe), I had a
look back through my records. At the current site they only date back
to 1980, so the severe winters of the 1970s and before are not included.

The month-long severe spells we had this month and last winter either
side of the New Year are the worst in my records since 1987. This year
and last year have been of similar severity here. We have had a few
more days of snow lying this year, but December 2009 saw the freezing
rain episode which trapped us in Ashurst and January 2010 had stronger
winds here making for a very penetrating frost which caused more burst
pipes and freezing up of our boiler exhaust pipe.

But it is still noticeable that, unless the cold air returns in depth
and strength, the last two winters are still not in the league of the
1980s. In reverse time order...

1987 had a spell of bitter NE winds in January, giving a spell of 9 days
in which the temperature only once climbed above freezing. Air from
Russia gave me the lowest recorded *maximum* temperature in my records
(-6.7C) and there are two consecutive observations with winds force 3 NE
and air temperatures -10C. We have had nothing even remotely
approaching this cold in the last two years. Then a late severe spell in
March 1987 saw the current snow depth record set (18cm) - the maximum we
have had this time round was "only" 12cm with nothing like this last
winter (2009/10).

1985 was a prolonged affair with a total of 21 "snow lying" days - the
most for any year in my 31 year record - spanning January, February and
March with episodes of severe weather in all these months. The most
severe was in February with 10 consecutive "snow lying" days (the
current spell is a couple of days shy of this) and bitter easterly winds
towards the end of this saw "sea" ice piled up on the banks of the Test
just below the railway viaduct over it at Redbridge, with the brackish
water freezing at certain states of the tide.

1982 saw a brief but very severe cold spell in January. Freezing rain
followed by snow left about 15cm of cover, then Russian air was brought
over. Skies cleared and the winds fell light to allow the temperature to
drop to -14C overnight on 14 January - still my extreme low temperature
record and this is lowland England only about 10 miles from the Channel
coast.

So far the only record either of the last two winters has broken is
number of snow lying days in a month - two spells of 5 days then 7 days
(and possibly still counting) beating the previous record of 10 days in
a month in February 1985 and January 1982. But these two events were 10
unbroken days of cover while this month had two shorter spells broken by
a thaw.

So not a truly historic winter here - yet (if Will is to be believed).
But it apparently has been elsewhere - how has it been for you?

For reference, I am in Ashurst, on the edge of the New Forest, about 20m
above sea level.

[P.S. Unlike now I had an outdoor job in all the 1980s winters mentioned
above - so I had to take it like a man! At least now I can watch it out
the window.]

--
- Yokel -

Yokel posts via a spam-trap account which is not read

So not a truly historic winter here - yet (if Will is to be believed).
But it apparently has been elsewhere - how has it been for you?

Well the coldest December on record here (1960-2010) was 1981 with a mean
of -0.5c
December 2010 stands at a staggering -1.8c, after 24 days.
Only January 1963 and February 1986 were colder since 1960, so I would say
historic at the moment!
Only downside is far less snow that December 1981, with just 21 cms total
depth.
December 1981 produced almost 60 cms, so no chance of getting even close to
that

Graham (North Staffs)