Much of southern England had one of the heaviest late March snowfalls of the
20th century on this day. The cold spell had been well predicted; on Tuesday
25th the BBC radio weather forecast mentioned the threat of very cold
weather later in the week due to ' rising pressure to the north of Britain'
and the arctic air arrived on the afternoon of the 27th with snow showers.
There were more snow showers the next day but these died away in the
afternoon when I noticed high clouds spreading across the sky from the
south.
Low pressure spread into Biscay overnight, the easterly wind increased and
it was already snowing and the ground covered when I awoke on the morning
of the 20th. I arrived at my office at 0900, a single storey building, and
the snow was blowing in clouds off the road and rooftops. The force of the
wind blew the snow under the eaves of the building where it melted and
dripped through the ceiling onto our desks. The snow fell continously
throughout Saturday ( accompanied by the gale) and continued until late on
Sunday afternoon when it ceased; I measured its depth as 6 inches on the
lawn.
There was widespread disruption to events on that Saturday; football matches
were postponed, including the FA Cup semi-final between Arsenal and Chelsea
at White Hart Lane ( which was played the following Saturday - a 1-1 draw
and Arsenal won the replay 3 - 0 before losing to Newcastle Utd in the Final
on 3 May). The Boat Race was rowed in a blizzard which Oxford won by a
canvas.
Many years later I worked with an office colleague who, I discovered, was
married on that day. He told me that the wedding photographer and some of
the guests didn't get to the church because of the snow and the guests
reassembled a few weeks later for the official photos to be taken.
Kew Observatory registered a max of 0.5c on the 29th - the coldest late
March day of the century there. There were more snow showers on the 31 March
and on the first 2 days of April, and I noted 6 days of snow lying from 28
March to 2 April inclusive.
Peter Clarke
Ewell, Epsom 55m ( but living in Hampton, Middx in 1952).

"Peter Clarke" wrote in message
...
Much of southern England had one of the heaviest late March snowfalls of
the 20th century on this day. The cold spell had been well predicted; on
Tuesday 25th the BBC radio weather forecast mentioned the threat of very
cold weather later in the week due to ' rising pressure to the north of
Britain' and the arctic air arrived on the afternoon of the 27th with
snow showers. There were more snow showers the next day but these died
away in the afternoon when I noticed high clouds spreading across the sky
from the south.
Low pressure spread into Biscay overnight, the easterly wind increased and
it was already snowing and the ground covered when I awoke on the
morning of the 20th. I arrived at my office at 0900, a single storey
building, and the snow was blowing in clouds off the road and rooftops.
The force of the wind blew the snow under the eaves of the building where
it melted and dripped through the ceiling onto our desks. The snow fell
continously throughout Saturday ( accompanied by the gale) and continued
until late on Sunday afternoon when it ceased; I measured its depth as 6
inches on the lawn.
There was widespread disruption to events on that Saturday; football
matches were postponed, including the FA Cup semi-final between Arsenal
and Chelsea at White Hart Lane ( which was played the following Saturday -
a 1-1 draw and Arsenal won the replay 3 - 0 before losing to Newcastle Utd
in the Final on 3 May). The Boat Race was rowed in a blizzard which
Oxford won by a canvas.
Many years later I worked with an office colleague who, I discovered, was
married on that day. He told me that the wedding photographer and some of
the guests didn't get to the church because of the snow and the guests
reassembled a few weeks later for the official photos to be taken.
Kew Observatory registered a max of 0.5c on the 29th - the coldest late
March day of the century there. There were more snow showers on the 31
March and on the first 2 days of April, and I noted 6 days of snow lying
from 28 March to 2 April inclusive.
Peter Clarke
Ewell, Epsom 55m ( but living in Hampton, Middx in 1952).


Link to chart for that day, complete with my annotations (circa 1960)
http://tinyurl.com/727zr

All the best

--
George in Epping, West Essex (107m asl)
www.eppingweather.co.uk
www.winter1947.co.uk

A very interesting account Peter. A casualty of the snowstorm was Winston
Churchill whose car became immersed in deep drifts at Biggin Hill and was
abandoned. He eventually managed to obtain another vehicle and made his way
to Chartwell by a very circuitous route.
Another story was the Reading Co-operative Society Choir who sang at the
high security prison of Broadmoor in Berkshire. They left by coach and it
soon became stuck in the drifts. They had to walk through the snow all night
and finally made it to Reading many miles away and they were still singing!
Ian Currie-Coulsdon
www.Frostedearth.com




"George Booth" wrote in message
...

"Peter Clarke" wrote in message
...
Much of southern England had one of the heaviest late March snowfalls of
the 20th century on this day. The cold spell had been well predicted; on
Tuesday 25th the BBC radio weather forecast mentioned the threat of very
cold weather later in the week due to ' rising pressure to the north of
Britain' and the arctic air arrived on the afternoon of the 27th with
snow showers. There were more snow showers the next day but these died
away in the afternoon when I noticed high clouds spreading across the
sky
from the south.
Low pressure spread into Biscay overnight, the easterly wind increased
and
it was already snowing and the ground covered when I awoke on the
morning of the 20th. I arrived at my office at 0900, a single storey
building, and the snow was blowing in clouds off the road and rooftops.
The force of the wind blew the snow under the eaves of the building
where
it melted and dripped through the ceiling onto our desks. The snow fell
continously throughout Saturday ( accompanied by the gale) and
continued
until late on Sunday afternoon when it ceased; I measured its depth as 6
inches on the lawn.
There was widespread disruption to events on that Saturday; football
matches were postponed, including the FA Cup semi-final between Arsenal
and Chelsea at White Hart Lane ( which was played the following
Saturday -
a 1-1 draw and Arsenal won the replay 3 - 0 before losing to Newcastle
Utd
in the Final on 3 May). The Boat Race was rowed in a blizzard which
Oxford won by a canvas.
Many years later I worked with an office colleague who, I discovered,
was
married on that day. He told me that the wedding photographer and some
of
the guests didn't get to the church because of the snow and the guests
reassembled a few weeks later for the official photos to be taken.
Kew Observatory registered a max of 0.5c on the 29th - the coldest late
March day of the century there. There were more snow showers on the 31
March and on the first 2 days of April, and I noted 6 days of snow
lying
from 28 March to 2 April inclusive.
Peter Clarke
Ewell, Epsom 55m ( but living in Hampton, Middx in 1952).


Link to chart for that day, complete with my annotations (circa 1960)
http://tinyurl.com/727zr

All the best

--
George in Epping, West Essex (107m asl)
www.eppingweather.co.uk
www.winter1947.co.uk

Ian Currie wrote in message
news
A very interesting account Peter. A casualty of the snowstorm was Winston
Churchill whose car became immersed in deep drifts at Biggin Hill and was
abandoned. He eventually managed to obtain another vehicle and made his
way
to Chartwell by a very circuitous route.
Another story was the Reading Co-operative Society Choir who sang at the
high security prison of Broadmoor in Berkshire. They left by coach and it
soon became stuck in the drifts. They had to walk through the snow all
night
and finally made it to Reading many miles away and they were still
singing!
Ian Currie-Coulsdon
www.Frostedearth.com

Dear Mr Currie-Coulsdon.
You mean you didn't give one of your many so well publicised talks that day,
or even mention it in your November forecast for that winter:-)

No, unfortunately my cot became stuck in a snowdrift and my mother abandoned
her trip to the local shops. I did make a few shrieks and screams of delight
when the 12.55 weather forecast came on!
Ian Currie

Ian Currie
wrote in message ...
Ian Currie wrote in message
news
A very interesting account Peter. A casualty of the snowstorm was
Winston
Churchill whose car became immersed in deep drifts at Biggin Hill and
was
abandoned. He eventually managed to obtain another vehicle and made his
way
to Chartwell by a very circuitous route.
Another story was the Reading Co-operative Society Choir who sang at the
high security prison of Broadmoor in Berkshire. They left by coach and
it
soon became stuck in the drifts. They had to walk through the snow all
night
and finally made it to Reading many miles away and they were still
singing!
Ian Currie-Coulsdon
www.Frostedearth.com

Dear Mr Currie-Coulsdon.
You mean you didn't give one of your many so well publicised talks that
day,
or even mention it in your November forecast for that winter:-)

In article ,
Ian Currie writes:
No, unfortunately my cot became stuck in a snowdrift and my mother abandoned
her trip to the local shops. I did make a few shrieks and screams of delight
when the 12.55 weather forecast came on!



We were moving house that day. Unfortunately as I was aged three and a
half at the time, I don't remember the snow at all.
--
John Hall
"Honest criticism is hard to take,
particularly from a relative, a friend,
an acquaintance, or a stranger." Franklin P Jones

In article ,
Ian Currie writes:
No, unfortunately my cot became stuck in a snowdrift and my mother abandoned
her trip to the local shops. I did make a few shrieks and screams of delight
when the 12.55 weather forecast came on!



We were moving house that day. Unfortunately as I was aged three and a
half at the time, I don't remember the snow at all.
--
John Hall
"Honest criticism is hard to take,
particularly from a relative, a friend,
an acquaintance, or a stranger." Franklin P Jones

In article ,
Ian Currie writes:
No, unfortunately my cot became stuck in a snowdrift and my mother abandoned
her trip to the local shops. I did make a few shrieks and screams of delight
when the 12.55 weather forecast came on!



We were moving house that day. Unfortunately as I was aged three and a
half at the time, I don't remember the snow at all.
--
John Hall
"Honest criticism is hard to take,
particularly from a relative, a friend,
an acquaintance, or a stranger." Franklin P Jones

In article ,
Ian Currie writes:
No, unfortunately my cot became stuck in a snowdrift and my mother abandoned
her trip to the local shops. I did make a few shrieks and screams of delight
when the 12.55 weather forecast came on!



We were moving house that day. Unfortunately as I was aged three and a
half at the time, I don't remember the snow at all.
--
John Hall
"Honest criticism is hard to take,
particularly from a relative, a friend,
an acquaintance, or a stranger." Franklin P Jones

No, unfortunately my cot became stuck in a snowdrift and my mother abandoned
her trip to the local shops. I did make a few shrieks and screams of delight
when the 12.55 weather forecast came on!
Ian Currie

Ian Currie
wrote in message ...
Ian Currie wrote in message
news
A very interesting account Peter. A casualty of the snowstorm was
Winston
Churchill whose car became immersed in deep drifts at Biggin Hill and
was
abandoned. He eventually managed to obtain another vehicle and made his
way
to Chartwell by a very circuitous route.
Another story was the Reading Co-operative Society Choir who sang at the
high security prison of Broadmoor in Berkshire. They left by coach and
it
soon became stuck in the drifts. They had to walk through the snow all
night
and finally made it to Reading many miles away and they were still
singing!
Ian Currie-Coulsdon
www.Frostedearth.com

Dear Mr Currie-Coulsdon.
You mean you didn't give one of your many so well publicised talks that
day,
or even mention it in your November forecast for that winter:-)