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The first snow of the year... and it's only October
By Chris Brooke Last updated at 11:08 AM on 04th October 2008
Any hope of a mild winter were dashed today when winter's first snow made an early appearance.
It seems amazing that only a week ago, the sun was out and there was even optimistic talk of a dry season.
But temperatures plunged to below zero overnight and today neighbours in the Highlands were left shovelling their driveways after a surprise snowfall.
Winter wonderland: A woman shovels snow in Cairngorm after temperatures plunged overnight
Cairngorm in Scotland is the first place to see the snow but the rest of the country isn't in for much better weather.
Torrential downpours and gale force winds are on the way this weekend.
Those braving the outdoors will need waterproofs and umbrellas to hand, with 1.2in (30mm) of rain predicted in some parts.
Following the relatively sunny and dry end to September, classic autumn conditions are now likely in many areas.
Freezing cold: A driver clears winter's first snow from his car
But that pleasant spell has allowed the country to dry up sufficiently to mean there is no immediate danger of more flooding.
With river levels down and surface water gone from fields in recent weeks, it appears unlikely the Environment Agency will be issuing flood warnings. Three-day forecast
But it will still be wet. The Met Office is warning that all areas will be hit by a band of rain sweeping across the country today, with the North-West suffering the worst drenching.
Rain will return tomorrow, falling mainly in the Midlands and southern England.
Met Office forecaster Barry Grommet said: 'It doesn't look like a very settled weekend that's for sure.
'Generally around the country the rainfall will be about 10 to 15mm, but the most extreme amount will be 30mm which is likely to be seen in the North-West and the Midlands and East Anglia.
'Saturday will be quite windy too. We'll see gales around coastal areas of around 30 to 40mph, not too extreme but certainly a bit of a stormy feel throughout the weekend.'
He said the wet and windy weather was likely to continue into next week, although temperatures were expected to rise.
Temperatures in London on Monday could reach a balmy 64f (18c) and 59f (15c) or 61f (16c) in other areas. But the overall outlook for the immediate future appears wet and gloomy.
We should hardly be surprised. Following last year's record-breaking wet summer, weather statistics show the summer of 2008 was anything but average as well.
In fact, it was one of the wettest and least sunny on record.
We had the dullest August since records began in 1929 and a well below par 463.9 hours of sunshine between June 1 and August 31.
August was the sixth wettest since 1914 and some parts of the country experienced double the average summer rainfall.
Fog
Weather experts are predicting heavy fog early next week as the temperature warms slightly
Although this week has so far seen a return to seasonal average conditions in Britain, other parts of the world have have experienced strange weather.
In Alberta, Canada, temperatures reached a scorching 86f (30c) at a time when snow is often beginning to fall and indeed snow has been falling in Ontario and Quebec on the eastern side of the country.
And there was also fresh snow in New Zealand - during the middle of their spring - which has prompted some ski resorts to open.
Posts: 504 | Registered: Sep 2008
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I do hope for a lot of snow here later on - just not in October.
We also got the heaters running now for several weeks, there was no late summer weather this year. In the end of August the temperatures started suddenly dropping in Germany. Really really strange.
تيجرليلي
Posts: 30135 | From: The owner of this website killed ES....... | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
Its pouring of rain here since yesterday not so windy today but the sky looks murky .
-------------------- "Most men are accredited fools shortly after they leave the womb.” Posts: 1116 | From: WARNING All stressed out & no one to choke | Registered: Sep 2008
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quote:Originally posted by Lady Ferret: Reason # 304 for moving to Cairo
No snow
We had snow in Egypt 2005 did not last long but it was funny watching people tiptoing around but it did not really settle and this was in the dessert not nice with harsh winds of sand and a small blizzard .
Posts: 1116 | From: WARNING All stressed out & no one to choke | Registered: Sep 2008
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posted
It's so easy to forget how lucky I am to be in Alexandria. Snow is nice but perfect sunny days with a cool breeze off the sea are better.
Posts: 153 | From: Egypt | Registered: May 2006
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I thought it was hilarious to watch the cars trying to combat rain in January.... my driver said 'allah, why do you bring such a weather?'...
I hate snow, I hate frost and I hate the continual rain... I definately chose a climate I can live with
I don't even mind the khamseen because in April during the winds I went to the UK and there was a foot of snow!!! Whatever weather I have I know the UK has it 50 times worse!
Cairo is nice at the moment, it is still hot enough to burn but is now cool enough at night to sleep Posts: 11097 | From: Cairo | Registered: May 2008
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ok now i want out of here, i hate the damn snow, rain, wind in fact i hate everything, now i either move , holiday, or hibernate? ermmmm.......it snowed 2 years ago when i went to dhahab in april, the roof leaked and had to put pots pans and buckets everywere,
Posts: 426 | From: england | Registered: Oct 2006
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I so cannot wait to leave Germany and it's weather for good. Posts: 30135 | From: The owner of this website killed ES....... | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
Here comes winter: Blizzards forecast as temperature set to drop lower than Siberia... no wonder the swans are staying there
By Caroline Grant Last updated at 12:45 PM on 28th October 2008
Snow hits Aberdeen as temperatures plummet right across Britain
Get out the gloves and scarves - Britain is about to be hit by a chilly blast that will leave some of us struggling with temperatures colder than Siberia.
The freezing weather will bring blizzards of sleet and snow to northern areas of Britain and in some parts of Scotland the temperature will drop to -8c tonight.
The chilly forecast follows the revelation that hundreds of Bewick's swans, which were due to return to an English nature reserve for the 'warmer' winter, are staying put in Siberia because it is colder in the UK.
Around 300 Bewick's Swans were expected at Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Centre on October 21, but as yet there has been no sign of them.
Each year the swans land at Slimbridge having completed the 1,864-round-trip from Russia.
But weather experts say global warming has created warmer temperatures in Siberia, which may cause the swans to fly over later, or at worst not come at all. Weather
Flooding catches out a motorist at the River Ouse in the centre of York
And it seems Siberia is not the only place warmer than the UK with temperatures in Anchorage, Alaska hovering around a relatively balmy -4c and 6c in Oslo, Norway.
Gardeners enjoying the last of their late-flowering blooms have been warned to expect a frost.
In low-lying areas, the temperature will be below freezing for at least two nights.
Met Office forecaster Barry Grommet said: 'It is the first taste of winter this year.'
The Met Office said that it would be 'unseasonably cold' on Tuesday and expected winds of up to 50mph to make it feel even colder.
Mr Grommet added: 'There could be quite a lot of snow over the northern hills across Scotland predominantly, but we must not rule out places like Snowdonia and the moors of north-east England.
'Many places are likely to see a frost, we have seen isolated frosts last week but it is quite widespread.'
The Highways Agency said that road gritters were on stand-by to keep major routes clear, while Network Rail has supplies of de-icer ready in case of tracks freezing.
Forecasters are blaming the abrupt end to the mild conditions on a change in wind direction with Arctic gusts replacing the south-west Atlantic breezes enjoyed in recent weeks.
'In terms of what we have been used to, the milder than average temperatures, I think we have probably seen the back of those for the moment,' said Mr Grommet.
'After this cold snap we return to temperatures that are likely to be much nearer average.'
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It is cold here, big drop over the past couple of days!!!!!!!! Thankfully no snow yet!
Posts: 4476 | From: Scotland | Registered: Mar 2006
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posted
Yesterday-evening I was at the sportspark and it was 6°C. It felt colder, thinks because of the wind. The weatherforecast predicted frost for the next coming nights.
-------------------- “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I will meet you there.” Posts: 7202 | From: EU | Registered: Nov 2006
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No snow, not even raining much in my part of Essex (I like the rain). This year we had snow for easter- so perhaps snow in oct is finally putting snow where it belongs, in winter!
-------------------- Another one.... Posts: 2573 | From: England | Registered: Jun 2008
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posted
My brother has put on Facebook pictures of the snow in Solihull... or snowihull as he calls it.
I told him he will have to make a guy fawkes out of the snow lol...
You did have snow for Easter as I flew back to the UK on the 9th April and I was bloody freezing!
Posts: 11097 | From: Cairo | Registered: May 2008
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posted
How do you name the bird sitting on top of the snowman? It looks nice, all that snow. Here it is sunny and cold ( 2°C). No snow or rain. I have outdoor training tonight. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!
-------------------- “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I will meet you there.” Posts: 7202 | From: EU | Registered: Nov 2006
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It is called a Robin. They're lovely little birds. Very cheeky! If you're weeding the garden you can almost guarantee there will be arobin nearby just waiting to see if you've dug up any worms!
Posts: 4476 | From: Scotland | Registered: Mar 2006
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Yes it is freezing and lots of snow on my car this morning. Yes those Robins are often seen on Xmas cards sitting on the handle of the garden fork!
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Snow in London? It rarely snows there at all. My nieces must be on cloud nine!! Posts: 2807 | From: Europe | Registered: Nov 2007
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posted
its goddamn freezing here makbeta should i bring my brolly to egypt vader?
Posts: 3945 | From: ' Res Contr ' Amor non es guirens, lai on sos poders s'atura | Registered: Dec 2007
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posted
Shocked villagers wake up to 6ft drifts of hailstones
Cars buried under three feet of hail stones in the town of Ottery St Mary
These were the astonishing scenes after a deluge of hailstones buried a town in a 'river of ice', causing widespread flooding and chaos.
More than 100 people were evacuated from their homes in Ottery St Mary, Devon, and 25 were airlifted to safety or rescued by firefighters.
Cars were buried up to their roofs in hailstones and the freezing conditions caused floodwater to form treacherous icy patches, causing dozens of car accidents.
The town was hit by a staggering 12 inches of hail in just two hours which blocked drains, leading to increased flooding as more rain fell.
An aerial view shows the flooding in Ottery St Mary this morning
Cars were buried up to their roofs in hail and the freezing conditions caused floodwater to form treacherous icy patches
Juliet and Phil Hall with baby Nathan who was born during the storm
Pregnant Juliet Hall had to be rushed through the floods in a police 4x4 after her own waters broke in the middle of the storm.
Emergency services were inundated with calls from terrified home owners who watched helplessly as flood water rose to 5ft high in some places, and there were fears that hundreds of animals may have been killed in the floods.
Residents in Ottery St Mary said the town was unrecognisable after the hail storm..
Sarah Galliford said: 'I was woken up by the sound of hailstones thundering down on the roof. I thought it was the end of the world. I looked outside at about 1am and there was a river of ice coming down the street. It was a total freak of nature. It wasn't even on the weather forecast. They said there would be rain but nothing like this. It was absolutely crazy.'
Clara Pedmore added: 'There is 2ft 6ins of water on the road. I can't get out of the house.One farm nearby has lost about 500 sheep which were out in fields which are now completely underwater.'
The most severe weather hit just after midnight yesterday but by 5am the entire town was cut off and coastguards scrambled helicopters to airlift residents.
Emergency crews also sent in jeeps and fire appliances and boats to take residents to an evacuation centre at the local hospital.
posted
Thanks for that. I wondered where it was in Devon. My friend just came back from Devon 2 days ago, it's where she is from, so I was interested by the story but missed where abouts it was when I saw it on the news.
Posts: 4476 | From: Scotland | Registered: Mar 2006
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