Weather Blog

Where is winter?

As another winter month passes by with no cold of any significance many are asking the question - where is winter?

I have to admit that myself along with many others got this winter completely wrong - at least thus far - and it may turn out to be for the whole of the winter too. The early signs were indeed that it would be a colder winter than we have endured for some time. And remembering that weather has a habit of getting 'stuck in a rut' - I went along with the idea it had indeed got stuck in its rut and would be cold. What I - nor some others reckoned with was the rut of the time would 'unstick' - and another take its place.

The reason for the exceptionally wet and windy weather at present is a jet stream that is more or less blowing a hoolie many thousands of feet above our heads here in the UK - the driving force for a very active Atlantic that is sending rain bearing systems towards us - one after the other.

Indeed some have mentioned that this is one of the most prolonged periods of rainfall they can remember. So what does February hold?

Many believe the 'modern winter' as it has been termed by some - is incapable of bringing sustained cold or indeed blizzard conditions that many of the older generation of which I am one endured in the 60's and 70's. Some say another winter like the famous winters of 1947 or 1963 are not now possible. Something I do not agree with. After all the last two outstanding winters for cold and snow were events that happen only too infrequently. Indeed in the winters of the 60's and 70's there were even then plenty of mild weather between the cold snowy spells - and contrary to what some believe snow did not remain on the ground for weeks at a time. Let us not forget either that the winter of 1947 had been very much like our present winter has been to date - very mild - and did not start until getting on for the end of January.

The one feature I can well remember from those 'good old days' as many refer the 60's and 70's as - were precisely weather just like we have now. Day's of relentless rain with mud to match. Times when we wondered if the rain would ever stop. What always happened was the rain stopped and were replaced by days of cold and frost - sometimes snow too. The charts are at present showing a build of pressure to our south and east. Hopefully this will introduce a change to our present weather pattern and at least introduce something a bit drier. Although the charts are showing the possibility of a Scandinavian high and with it what is termed 'the beast from the east' - very cold winds that come around the high pressure from Siberia - I think this is not very likely at present. What we can hope for is a high pressure cell to sit very close to the UK at least settling the weather down for a few weeks.

Bearing in mind what happened at the end of January 1947 I would not rule out this still becoming a winter to remember - however unlikely. We could also just happen to have what we had in 'the good old days' - and ending to the rain with cold and frost - and snow too....