"In the UK, Cornwall gets the least amount of snow each year with an
average of 10.2 days."

These #weatherfictions are not improving.

The "least amount" of snow should be measured in centimetres, not days.
I reckon 'lowest frequency' would be an improvement.

It would also help if they defined what "10.2 days" refers to. Is it
days of snow falling or lying?

The figure of 10.2 seems a little high but since they don't say what
they are talking about, it's difficult to say.


Link: https://www.facebook.com/metoffice

--
Graham P Davis, Bracknell, Berks. Mail: 'newsman' not 'newsboy'.
'Don't let old age put you off starting complicated jigsaws. If you
don't finish, it will give guests something fun to do at your funeral.'
- Bridget&Joan's Diary.

On Tuesday, December 10, 2013 5:17:26 PM UTC, Graham P Davis wrote:
SNIP

"In the UK, Cornwall gets the least amount of snow each year with an
average of 10.2 days."
they are talking about, it's difficult to say.

Link: https://www.facebook.com/metoffice

Graham P Davis, Bracknell, Berks. Mail: 'newsman' not 'newsboy'.


Seems ludicrously high to me

In Penzance, over the last 22 years (1992-2013 inclusive), the averages a-

Snow Fall 2.7 days
Snow Settled 1.3 days
Ground snow covered @ 09:00 0.7 days

These averages are heavily influenced by 2010, when the figures were 16, 12, and 9 days respectively. 11 of the 22 years saw no snow settling.

Graham
Penzance

On Tue, 10 Dec 2013 10:30:11 -0800 (PST), Graham Easterling
wrote:
"In the UK, Cornwall gets the least amount of snow each year with
an
average of 10.2 days."

Seems ludicrously high to me

In Penzance, over the last 22 years (1992-2013 inclusive), the
averages a-
Snow Fall 2.7 days
Snow Settled 1.3 days

There's more to Cornwall than Penzance, though. I should imagine
Penzance would be one of the less snowy parts (danglers aside). Maybe
the data is for somewhere further east and further inland?

--
Freddie
Castle Pulverbatch
Shropshire
221m AMSL
http://www.hosiene.co.uk/weather/
http://twitter.com/PulverbatchWx for hourly reports

On Tue, 10 Dec 2013 17:17:26 +0000, Graham P Davis wrote:

"In the UK, Cornwall gets the least amount of snow each year with an
average of 10.2 days."
snip
Link: https://www.facebook.com/metoffice

Facebook, what do you expect?

--
Cheers Dave.
Nr Garrigill, Cumbria. 421m ASL.

On Tuesday, December 10, 2013 7:00:23 PM UTC, Freddie wrote:
"In the UK, Cornwall gets the least amount of snow each year with
an average of 10.2 days."
Seems ludicrously high to me


In Penzance, over the last 22 years (1992-2013 inclusive), the
averages a-
Snow Fall 2.7 days
Snow Settled 1.3 days

There's more to Cornwall than Penzance, though. I should imagine

Penzance would be one of the less snowy parts (danglers aside). Maybe
the data is for somewhere further east and further inland?

Freddie
Castle Pulverbatch
Shropshire
221m AMSL

True, but nowhere in Cornwall averages anything like 10 days a year with a snow cover, or even snow settling. I can only assume that the 10.2 days refers to days with snow falling, which may be true for parts of Bodmin Moor exposed to the north, but far from the figure for the bulk of the County.

In any case, ignoring all the issues surrounding what the 10.2 days actually refers to, the statement is also wrong because the least snowy part of the UK is not Cornwall, but the Isles of Scilly (which are not part of Cornwall).

Graham
Penzance

On Tue, 10 Dec 2013 19:00:23 +0000
Freddie wrote:

On Tue, 10 Dec 2013 10:30:11 -0800 (PST), Graham Easterling
wrote:
"In the UK, Cornwall gets the least amount of snow each year with
an
average of 10.2 days."

Seems ludicrously high to me

In Penzance, over the last 22 years (1992-2013 inclusive), the
averages a-
Snow Fall 2.7 days
Snow Settled 1.3 days

There's more to Cornwall than Penzance, though. I should imagine
Penzance would be one of the less snowy parts (danglers aside). Maybe
the data is for somewhere further east and further inland?


I have a chart of average number of days with snow falling on low
ground (0-200ft), the 5-day isopleth runs roughly N-S and divides the
county in two with a 7.5-day line just over the border in Devon (or
England, if you prefer). The chart is a little old, covering the period
1912-38(!), so may not match up too well with latest Met Office
sources.

--
Graham P Davis, Bracknell, Berks. Mail: 'newsman' not 'newsboy'.
'Don't let old age put you off starting complicated jigsaws. If you
don't finish, it will give guests something fun to do at your funeral.'
- Bridget&Joan's Diary.

On Tue, 10 Dec 2013 11:26:11 -0800 (PST)
Graham Easterling wrote:

On Tuesday, December 10, 2013 7:00:23 PM UTC, Freddie wrote:
"In the UK, Cornwall gets the least amount of snow each year
with
an average of 10.2 days."
Seems ludicrously high to me


In Penzance, over the last 22 years (1992-2013 inclusive), the
averages a-
Snow Fall 2.7 days
Snow Settled 1.3 days

There's more to Cornwall than Penzance, though. I should imagine

Penzance would be one of the less snowy parts (danglers aside).
Maybe the data is for somewhere further east and further inland?


True, but nowhere in Cornwall averages anything like 10 days a year
with a snow cover, or even snow settling. I can only assume that the
10.2 days refers to days with snow falling, which may be true for
parts of Bodmin Moor exposed to the north, but far from the figure
for the bulk of the County.


Just got a reply on FB from the Met Office and the figure is for snow
lying. My 1912-38 chart for snow lying shows a few, small, closed 5-day
isopleths containing no 10-day lines. These figures do not appear to be
limited to low ground.


--
Graham P Davis, Bracknell, Berks. Mail: 'newsman' not 'newsboy'.
'Don't let old age put you off starting complicated jigsaws. If you
don't finish, it will give guests something fun to do at your funeral.'
- Bridget&Joan's Diary.

On Tuesday, December 10, 2013 5:17:26 PM UTC, Graham P Davis wrote:
"In the UK, Cornwall gets the least amount of snow each year with an

average of 10.2 days."


Have found a Met Office pdf showing a map of Cornwall with average days of lying snow for the period 1971-2000. It look like at least 50% of the county has 3 days or less. Interestingly, one of the snowiest parts is the Lands End Peninsula with up to 10 days over the high ground to the west of Penzance.

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/media/pd...st_England.pdf


Dick Lovett

Have found a Met Office pdf showing a map of Cornwall with average days of lying snow for the period 1971-2000. It look like at least 50% of the county has 3 days or less. Interestingly, one of the snowiest parts is the Lands End Peninsula with up to 10 days over the high ground to the west of Penzance.

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/media/pd...st_England.pdf


Dick Lovett

Sorry, those maps gaive a great impression of detail & accuracy, shame they are totally wrong. I suspect they are some sort of projection based on altitude and reports from up the County (Camborne etc.)

I can see the tops of the moors from just behind Penzance, and the only winter in the last 20 years where there has been 5 days with snow cover, even on the highest tors, was 2010 with 12 (give or take 1) Several recent winters have seen no days with snow cover, even at the highest levels.

In Penzance, since 1992,
2010 had 9 days snow cover
next comes 2009 with 2 days
All the others have 1 (4 years) or 0 (15 years!)

I've also kept note of snow cover both on the Penwith Moors, and the Lizard, visible across the bay.

The Penwith moors have surprisingly little snow. Whilst the notable snowfalls are easterly blizards (now a long time since the last 1 in '87) almost all the snow here comes from a northerly. The 'snow' normally actually falls as rain & sleet (if you see what I mean!) until it crosses the tops of the moors, the highest points are only 1 mile from the north coast and about 200m or so. The snowiest parts are just above places like Madron, a couple of miles behind Penzance on the SE facing slopes.

From my observations I would give the average snow cover days per annum on the snowiest parts of the Penwith moors to be around 2 days (3 days at an absolute push - but I seriously doubt that).

The Lizard plateau is significantly snowier. The average on the snowiest parts could well be around 5 days (MCC Stithians?) I have noted many days in a showery northerly when the Lizard peninsula is almost entirely snow covered, when the showers are falling as rain/sleet/hail even at the highest levels behind Penzance. The Helston to Redruth area being the snowiest. I've had discussions with Martin R. about this. I think there are 2 main factors

1. Distance from the onshore north coast in a snowy northerly.
2. The Land's End peninsula is virtually an island, and turbulence created in the northerly airstream caused by it seems to mix in warmer air from the sea surface. In a northerly Penzance is often warmer than Scilly. (Not so in an easterly!)

Sorry it's all a bit long, but these accurate looking but inaccurate maps irritate me. I still recall the time when Scilly double recorded rainfall for 10 months, and despite me reporting it (and the fault acknowledged to me through the 'back door' - together with an account of why) the monthly rainfall anomaly maps for the western half of Cornwall were something to behold.. THe computer obviously having problems in reconciling the conflicting Camborne & Scilly data! Poor old Penzance in the middle was shown having rainfall wildy out.

Graham
Penzance

Graham Easterling wrote:



Have found a Met Office pdf showing a map of Cornwall with average days of
lying snow for the period 1971-2000. It look like at least 50% of the
county has 3 days or less. Interestingly, one of the snowiest parts is the
Lands End Peninsula with up to 10 days over the high ground to the west of
Penzance.


http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/media/pd...st_England.pdf


Dick Lovett

Sorry, those maps gaive a great impression of detail & accuracy, shame they
are totally wrong. I suspect they are some sort of projection based on
altitude and reports from up the County (Camborne etc.)

I can see the tops of the moors from just behind Penzance, and the only
winter in the last 20 years where there has been 5 days with snow cover,
even on the highest tors, was 2010 with 12 (give or take 1) Several recent
winters have seen no days with snow cover, even at the highest levels.

In Penzance, since 1992,
2010 had 9 days snow cover
next comes 2009 with 2 days
All the others have 1 (4 years) or 0 (15 years!)

I've also kept note of snow cover both on the Penwith Moors, and the Lizard,
visible across the bay.

The Penwith moors have surprisingly little snow. Whilst the notable snowfalls
are easterly blizards (now a long time since the last 1 in '87) almost all
the snow here comes from a northerly. The 'snow' normally actually falls as
rain & sleet (if you see what I mean!) until it crosses the tops of the
moors, the highest points are only 1 mile from the north coast and about 200m
or so. The snowiest parts are just above places like Madron, a couple of
miles behind Penzance on the SE facing slopes.

From my observations I would give the average snow cover days per annum on
the snowiest parts of the Penwith moors to be around 2 days (3 days at an
absolute push - but I seriously doubt that).

The Lizard plateau is significantly snowier. The average on the snowiest
parts could well be around 5 days (MCC Stithians?) I have noted many days in
a showery northerly when the Lizard peninsula is almost entirely snow
covered, when the showers are falling as rain/sleet/hail even at the highest
levels behind Penzance. The Helston to Redruth area being the snowiest. I've
had discussions with Martin R. about this. I think there are 2 main factors

1. Distance from the onshore north coast in a snowy northerly.
2. The Land's End peninsula is virtually an island, and turbulence created in
the northerly airstream caused by it seems to mix in warmer air from the sea
surface. In a northerly Penzance is often warmer than Scilly. (Not so in an
easterly!)

Sorry it's all a bit long, but these accurate looking but inaccurate maps
irritate me. I still recall the time when Scilly double recorded rainfall for
10 months, and despite me reporting it (and the fault acknowledged to me
through the 'back door' - together with an account of why) the monthly
rainfall anomaly maps for the western half of Cornwall were something to
behold. THe computer obviously having problems in reconciling the conflicting
Camborne & Scilly data! Poor old Penzance in the middle was shown having
rainfall wildy out.

Graham
Penzance

Don't forget, Graham, the great God Computer is infallible and it tells nothing
but the truth!!!!! Sorry if I sound cynical but these days I often find that
another crank of the computer handle is presented as factual data, in
preference to measured data.

--
Norman Lynagh
Tideswell, Derbyshire
303m a.s.l.