The strong winds and heavy rain today are a complete contrast to this
time last year - at least in Leytonstone, east London...Here's my very
unscientific diary entry

Wednesday, January 8th, 2003
Max +1.4c Min -3.1c

Between 0839z and 0849z big flakes of snow fell giving a light
covering. Temp +0.3c.
Snow then fell all morning until 1310z. Started again briefly at 1421z
before breaking to clear spells. Snow was very sticky - the wet stuff
that clumps together - great for snowmen! Road conditions were iffy
until the snow stopped - allowing the wet bulb temperature to rise.
Total of 7.2cms snow fell.

From memory I think the relatively deep snow was very localised - the
'Thames Corridor effect'. It also wasn't by any means a classic cold
snap with no ice days - I recorded a maximum of 11.8c just five days
later on the 13th.

From memory I think the relatively deep snow was very localised - the
'Thames Corridor effect'. It also wasn't by any means a classic cold
snap with no ice days - I recorded a maximum of 11.8c just five days
later on the 13th.

It was quite localised and I was lucky enough to get 12cm just to the south
and east of you Scott. Then there was about 7cm at the end of January. There
were a few more occasions around these times when it snowed but these were
the only two major events of the winter, really. Interesting to read the
comments on here well before and after though. The usual fluctuation between
optimism and pessimism.

Dave