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howham
  • howham
  • Advanced Member Topic Starter
15 December 2023 15:24:13

The best white Christmas I've experienced in the UK was in 1995. 

 

Originally Posted by: Brian Gaze 



I think it's my favourite too.  I remember the wind howling and the lights flickering with heavy snow falling when I went to bed on Christmas Eve and the snow showers piled in on Christmas Day.  The following days were also the coldest I've ever experienced with deep powder snow, blue skies and freezing temperatures.  All disappeared just before New Year if I remember rightly.
 
Saint Snow
15 December 2023 15:28:51

The best white Christmas I've experienced in the UK was in 1995. I was staying with my parents in Hunmanby which is a few miles inland from the east coast. As I recall, the snow started accumulating late morning and it fell thick and fast through the rest of the day. By Boxing Days the hedges on the Yorkshire Wolds (which Hunmanby backs on to) were buried under snow, with drifts several metres deep. There were further snow showers in the days which followed, but only 15 miles or so further inland it was completely green. IIRC, Malton was close to the western extent of the snow.

UserPostedImage

 

Originally Posted by: Brian Gaze 




How that chart (and the days around it) didn't produce much more widespread snow is a huge frustration!

 

Martin
Home: St Helens (26m asl) Work: Manchester (75m asl)
A TWO addict since 14/12/01
"How can wealth persuade poverty to use its political freedom to keep wealth in power? Here lies the whole art of Conservative politics."
Aneurin Bevan
Tim A
15 December 2023 15:56:45

​​​​​​

How that chart (and the days around it) didn't produce much more widespread snow is a huge frustration!

 

Originally Posted by: Saint Snow 


Actually have some bound records for 95 , when I was an eager schoolboy. 
Snow showers here in 24th and 25th though don't think they amounted to much maybe a dusting. High of -3c on the 29th with snow flurries. Then some proper snow on 31st. 
Tim
NW Leeds
187m asl

 My PWS 
DEW
  • DEW
  • Advanced Member
15 December 2023 16:19:44
The site started by Leo Bonacina and now run by Durham University https://durhamukweather.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/bonacina.html  records snowfall in Britain in detail since 1875 and goes on to classify a winter as little snowfall, average, snowy or very snowy. 

Taking 10-year running averages, and applying a little extra smoothing (i.e. ignoring one year with a 20% chance of the 10-year average being snowy in the middle of a run of 30%s and above):

Chance of snowy or very snowy
Greater than or equal to 50%: 1880 - 1891, 1926 - 1930, 1942 - 1944
30% or 40%: 1892 - 1899, 1903 - 1905, 1919 - 1928, 1931 - 1941, 1945 - 1970 , 1977 - 1983, 2009 -2015
10% or less: 1996 - 2005

Chance of little snow
Generally the inverse of the above, but not always; e.g. there was a period in the 1940s when there was either a lot of snow or very little.
Greater than or equal to 50%: 1899 - 1903, 1922 - 1924, 1968 - 1978, 1988 - 2018
30% or 40%: 1894 - 1897, 1904 - 1910, 1915 - 1919, 1925 - 1931, 1941 - 1967, 1979 - 1987
10% or less: 1887 - 1892

The first year in which a 70% rolling average for 'little snow' was first recorded was 1971, twice more in 1970s, and then 1992 - 2003 and 2015 +

'2015' is for the 2015-16 winter, and similarly for other years.
War does not determine who is right, only who is left - Bertrand Russell

Chichester 12m asl
DEW
  • DEW
  • Advanced Member
15 December 2023 16:23:17

The best white Christmas I've experienced in the UK was in 1995. I was staying with my parents in Hunmanby which is a few miles inland from the east coast. As I recall, the snow started accumulating late morning and it fell thick and fast through the rest of the day. By Boxing Days the hedges on the Yorkshire Wolds (which Hunmanby backs on to) were buried under snow, with drifts several metres deep. There were further snow showers in the days which followed, but only 15 miles or so further inland it was completely green. IIRC, Malton was close to the western extent of the snow.

 

Originally Posted by: Brian Gaze 


Similarly and more recently 'The Beast from the East'. Chichester was green, Worthing had a dusting but Brighton and further east was buried.
War does not determine who is right, only who is left - Bertrand Russell

Chichester 12m asl
Saint Snow
15 December 2023 17:19:46

Similarly and more recently 'The Beast from the East'. Chichester was green, Worthing had a dusting but Brighton and further east was buried.

Originally Posted by: DEW 




In that BFTE, we had little snow - a couple of dustings. That is the norm on easterlies, whereas further east can get decent snow (in the BFTE, Manchester had a couple of falls; I remember Joe B excitedly posting pics of several cm. And in 1987, where it was pretty much bone dry here, Manchester fared alright.

That was flipped on its head, though, in Mar 2013. One of the 10cm+ snowfalls we had came on a strong ENE'ly. Manchester (and even several miles west of Manchester) got no lying snow, yet we (just over 20 miles west of Manchester) had heavy snow leaving level 14cm and drifts up to around 50cm (I've got a great pic of my eldest next to a drift that's shaped like a breaking wave)

Further west, around Wrexham at least, it was seriously deep - 30-40cm level with bigger drifts. We visited a few days later and the bulldozed snow banks on car parks/etc, were still taller than me.

 

Martin
Home: St Helens (26m asl) Work: Manchester (75m asl)
A TWO addict since 14/12/01
"How can wealth persuade poverty to use its political freedom to keep wealth in power? Here lies the whole art of Conservative politics."
Aneurin Bevan
+1
Chichesterweatherfan2
15 December 2023 17:35:51
I have an early memory… ?1970 or a year or so either side…we were in SE London…hardly a snow hotspot…but it snowed heavily in the evening! Magical! Not experienced one since then save for snow being on the ground ..possibly December 1981? again in south east London…when it had been a snowy December…it all melted soon thereafter …possibly all gone by Boxing Day …Moving to Chichester….whilst  having many many benefits, expecting snowy winters is not one of them!! I think in 2009 or maybe 2010 there was a tiny tiny patch of snow let here although I recall going to visit family in Petersfield and it was very snowy there still….I did go up to the Trundle, our local hill a few days before Christmas to see a sculpture of a horse’s head ..there was thick snow, I was the only person around in very grey gloomy light…absolutely wonderful! 
Gandalf The White
15 December 2023 20:13:36
I have very fond memories of the 1962/63 winter.  I remember very cold, foggy days in December before school broke up for Xmas. As normal we went to my grandparents house in east London on Boxing Day and the day was uneventful weather-wise until around late afternoon, when the snow started to fall.  My father decided we should leave early ‘just in case’ and we made it home without any problems.  The next morning I woke to about a foot of snow on the ground and 2-3 feet snow drifts, one half-way up our back door.

The rest, as they say, is history.

I used to cycle to and from school but I had to walk until, I think, sometime well into February.
Location: South Cambridgeshire
130 metres ASL
52.0N 0.1E


Tim A
16 December 2023 08:13:15
Think the best White Christmas here was 2009 hands down.  A heavy fall of snow on Christmas Eve which then meant deep snow cover on Christmas Day with snow still in the trees etc. 
2010 was okay but only about 2-3cm on the ground from a light fall a few days earlier. 

Other than that the odd snow flake and dusting in the 90's and 2004 . Never actually seen significant snow build up on Christmas Day itself.  

When I was a teenager I used to think it always snowed between Christmas and New Year. Think that was because 95-2001 there was some snow nearly all years  during that period, but of course perceptions of the past can be a bit exaggerated. (95/96 yes, 96/97 think so, 97/98 definitely not, 98/99 not sure 99/00 yes, 00/01 yes)   
Tim
NW Leeds
187m asl

 My PWS 
johncs2016
16 December 2023 09:00:01
Every year since my parents moved down to Hawick in the Scottish Borders back in 2005, I have always travelled down there for Christmas. To date, the only year since then when I didn't do that was in 2020 when I was unable to do so because the restrictions which were in place back then due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and so, I will be travelling down there this year as well.

In my entire life before then, my parents lived in Edinburgh (usually in the north of Edinburgh around Leith or Newhaven) where I am, and I don't recall ever actually seeing any snow on the ground on Christmas Day, although we did have a day of sunshine and showers back in around 2004 which gave us a technical white Christmas as there was a bit of sleet mixed in with those showers.

In 2020 when I was stuck here in Edinburgh due to COVID-19 (we ended up going into a Tier 4 lockdown on that Boxing Day here in Edinburgh), the weather was just mild and boring as it normally is here in Edinburgh.

In those years when I have been travelling down to Hawick, I can remember seeing deep snow on the ground on Christmas Day on  two ocassions, but these were back to back occasions in 2009 and 2010. Both of those days were dry apart from that, but Christmas Day 2009 was by far the sunnier of those two days with a hard air frost on the previous night.

In that year, there had been some snow cover from beforehand which made everything look very festive, especially with the sunshine as well. Later on in that day, it then clouded and then at around 11:30pm on that night, it then stated to snow once again to also give us a technical white Christmas in that year.

Christmas Day 2010 was much cloudier, but with a lot of snow already on the ground. There was a light flurry of snow during that morning which didn't amount to much, but that was enough to give us a technical white Christmas in that year. The rest of that day was then mostly overcast but dry. However, it was also very cold on that day with the lying snow continuing to persist.

Apart of that, I can only remember two other occasions when I've seen snow on the ground in Hawick when I've been down there over Christmas. Those years were in 2005 and 2017 and in both of those years, the snow didn't arrive until Boxing Day although it did then stay around on both of those occasions until I returned home.

In 2017 (which seems about right as that was part of the winter which finished with that famous Beast from the East event in February/March 2018), it was actually very mild at the start of my stay in Hawick over Christmas with temperatures getting as high as around 12°C and on Christmas Day itself in that year, it was just raining. As that band of rain gradually moved down from the north though, it then turned a lot colder with the rain on the back edge of that system turning to snow as a result.

That then led to quite a covering of snow on Boxing Day morning, but this snow had arrived in the Borders too late to give us an actual technical white Christmas Day although I did wake up to a very festive looking scene on that Boxing Day morning. Here in Edinburgh, the rain had turned to snow much earlier than it did in the Borders and it turns out that had I been here in Edinburgh at that time, I would have witnessed a technical white Christmas as it was actually on the night of Christmas Day that the rain had turned to snow up here.

Sadly though, neither Edinburgh nor the Scottish Borders has had even a technical white Christmas since then, or even came close to that since then.
The north of Edinburgh, usually always missing out on snow events which occur not just within the rest of Scotland or the UK, but also within the rest of Edinburgh.
Weathermac
16 December 2023 09:36:54
I just about remember Xmas 1970 I was 7 snow fell during the night and there was about 4 inches on the ground but it was bright cold sunshine ! 
johncs2016
16 December 2023 09:48:13
In my last post above, I mentioned my best Christmas memories as regards to weather. As for my worst ever memories, there is probably quite a lot to pick from these as a result of the ongoing situation with climate change and our warming planet. In spite of all of that though, one year which really stands out amongst my worst ever Christmas memories is 2011.

That came as part of the winter of 2011/12 which Gavin P. always descibes in his videos as our "yesr off" when we took a break from our run of colder winters at around that time, but this was clearly quite a massive break from those cold winters, especially when it came to my visit to Hawick for Christmas 2011.

In that year, Christmas Day itself was one of those really dark and overcast days which we tend to get at around the time of the winter solstice as a result of the Sun being so close to the horizon even at midday, that overcast days very often never acually get completely light here all day.

In addition to that, it was a very windy day with a lot of light rain and drizzle throughout that day. In terms of actual rainfall, this probably wouldn't have amounted to much had I actually ben recording and reporting that back then, but this was the sort of rain and drizzle which went through you and which would have got pretty well soaked if you were out in it for any length of time.

Although it was very windy on that day, that wind was a very long fetched SW wind which resulted in the temperatures getting up to a ridiculously warm 14°C on that day despite all of the cloud cover.

We have had many shocking Christmas Days in recent years as regards to our weather, but that particular event in 2011 has to rank as the worst ever such occasion because this was probably the furthest away from actually feeling even remotely "festive" as it has ever been.

Even in this current exceptionally mild spell of weather, it hasn't actually got as mild as it did on that infamous Christmas Day back in 2011, although it may well yet do so of course in the next few days if the latest forecasts are correct.
 
The north of Edinburgh, usually always missing out on snow events which occur not just within the rest of Scotland or the UK, but also within the rest of Edinburgh.
The Beast from the East
16 December 2023 09:58:43

You know how some people get broody, wanting a baby? Or how others get the same feeling for a dog? Well, I think I'm getting it for snow!

Not helped by poring through a photo album, which included pictures of my 5-year-old self in the snow in the same garden which is now green and muddied.

Combined with posts on the MO thread, it reminded me of why I love snow so much at this time of year (and why I'm so disappointed most years). As I write this it's half two in the afternoon, cloudy and dull. The lights are on indoors and it's the sort of day where you're glad to be in a warm, cosy environment. Truth be told, the past couple of days it's been dull even at noon, a reminder of just how low the sun is in the sky at this time of year.

You know what would make it better? Snow, of course. A thick blanket on the ground would not only make things brighter, in that special way that reflected light from snow does, but it muffles and dampens sound - there's a hush all over the land, or something like that! Of course with various lights on show (from bright green ones on the main road from the parish council, to the invariably white or yellow ones people have these days, and even my own 1980s multicoloured Christmas tree lights) it would feel even more special were it to snow...

All I want is just one proper white Christmas before I snuff it. I don't have any family to share it with any more, but damn it I really don't want to die having never seen snow falling and settling on the day... 53 years this year, and that's far too long really (bear in mind I'm 44!)

That said, every winter I'm thankful for being the age that I am. My childhood coincided with regular deep (6"+) snowfalls, icicles, ice days and all the rest. The weather was magical, and though some years it didn't snow, you could rely on it snowing again a year or two later. That all stopped when I turned 18, and the snow events then have generally been fleeting and unimpressive. The late Philip Eden said at the time that 2005 would be the last great easterly, and he was right (it snowed every day for 2 weeks in 2005, and it was wonderful).
2018 is as near as we've come since, but it was snuffed out only a couple of days after it started... a tantalising glimpse of what we once had, what we once accepted as normal, unremarkable.

I know for most there are more opportunities, and as Howham has posted, up north it's not even that unusual to have snow. But down here in the far SE, sheltered from anything from the north, we really do need an old school easterly. As I posted many years back, the death of the midwinter easterly is a mystery. Until it comes back - if it ever does - we'll just have to make do with scraps, and be thankful for whatever dusting of snow might be eked out.

Ah well, not long until the 12z runs come out. As usual, you'll find me poring through the various models and ensembles, ever on the look out for that elusive snowy spell!

Originally Posted by: Retron 



We have discussed this many times over the years and I share your memories, I'm a bit older than you but we experienced the same weather, 1987 of course being the pinnacle. 

I was actually in America for Christmas 95 so I missed that cold spell, though apparently there was nowt down here anyway

I did enjoy the midwinter easterly of 96/97. Happened just after Xmas and lasted to the new year, not much snow but felt like winters of old.

I think the  jet is too powerful these days to allow easterlies to reach us, fuelled by warmer seas of course
"We have some alternative facts for you"
Kelly-Ann Conway - special adviser to the President
Joe Bloggs
16 December 2023 10:17:38
Love this thread, thanks for posting everyone.

2004 was my favourite I think. Cold all day but not quite cold enough so we had plenty of hail and wet snow showers. But by dusk the temp dropped below freezing and showers became heavier and delivered proper snow. I remember Kevin Bradshaw saying it had turned in Irlam, and sure enough about 10 minutes later the heavy snow arrived in Stockport.

2020 - a random snow shower gave a tiny covering about 2pm. Then we had a little snowy spell in Manchester which lasted through to the new year. A few little accumulations. 

2009 - I was living in Edinburgh at the time but the run up to Christmas was great, as Saint said. Plenty of snow on a cold WNW’ly with deep cover, topped up just after Christmas with an epic snowfall on 5th January, with a slight thaw in between. I’d love to see a repeat sometime, but feel like I may not. 
 

Manchester City Centre, 31m ASL
sunny coast
20 December 2023 11:14:47

The December CET will definitely be above average so all 12 months of 2023 above average for the first time I think.  The only positive is we can save money on energy bills, but so depressing for those of us who remember what winter used to be like. For younger people I suppose this is just normal 
  

Originally Posted by: The Beast from the East 



I'm in my mid 60s . I can recall many mild damp christmases in the 70s and 80s  .Despite what some may think white christmases for most  have always been the exception .  
+2
Saint Snow
20 December 2023 14:16:45

I'm in my mid 60s . I can recall many mild damp christmases in the 70s and 80s  .Despite what some may think white christmases for most  have always been the exception .  

Originally Posted by: sunny coast 




I don't think anyone's suffering from any delusions in that respect!

Doesn't stop many people yearning for the nirvana of a white Xmas, though. And, when the majority of the models have shown, over the past couple of weeks, a very plausible scenario that would likely bring snow to a very large proportion of the country over that 24th/25th/26th time period, people are going to get excited.

 

Martin
Home: St Helens (26m asl) Work: Manchester (75m asl)
A TWO addict since 14/12/01
"How can wealth persuade poverty to use its political freedom to keep wealth in power? Here lies the whole art of Conservative politics."
Aneurin Bevan
+1
sunny coast
20 December 2023 16:16:02

I don't think anyone's suffering from any delusions in that respect!

Doesn't stop many people yearning for the nirvana of a white Xmas, though. And, when the majority of the models have shown, over the past couple of weeks, a very plausible scenario that would likely bring snow to a very large proportion of the country over that 24th/25th/26th time period, people are going to get excited.

 

Originally Posted by: Saint Snow 


No I'm sure not on here  but i think more generqlly people think that Christmas should be cold and snowy and that's how they think  it used to be but in the last  century maybe 6 or so proper white Christmases where snow has fallen and settled for a period .   Different of course prior to that . Yes would be great to see a proper one again ! 
DEW
  • DEW
  • Advanced Member
20 December 2023 16:30:53

No I'm sure not on here  but i think more generqlly people think that Christmas should be cold and snowy and that's how they think  it used to be but in the last  century maybe 6 or so proper white Christmases where snow has fallen and settled for a period .   Different of course prior to that . Yes would be great to see a proper one again ! 

Originally Posted by: sunny coast 



There have been six white Christmases [MetO 'one snowflake' definition] recorded in the capital since 1960. But, if you consider what most people perceive to be a white Christmas, a widespread covering of snow on the ground, that's only happened four times in the UK [since 1960] - in 1981, 1995, 2009 and 2010.
https://www.mylondon.news/weather/last-time-london-saw-white-25778347 

[Assuming they know what they're talking about]
War does not determine who is right, only who is left - Bertrand Russell

Chichester 12m asl
doctormog
20 December 2023 16:39:28

There have been six white Christmases [MetO 'one snowflake' definition] recorded in the capital since 1960. But, if you consider what most people perceive to be a white Christmas, a widespread covering of snow on the ground, that's only happened four times in the UK [since 1960] - in 1981, 1995, 2009 and 2010.
https://www.mylondon.news/weather/last-time-london-saw-white-25778347 

[Assuming they know what they're talking about]

Originally Posted by: DEW 



I.think those stats are for London, the equivalent for England as a whole is much higher (and higher again Scotland) - for populated low altitude sites. 
Aberdeen
Current conditions (personal WS) 
+1
Retron
20 December 2023 16:46:36

. Yes would be great to see a proper one again ! 

Originally Posted by: sunny coast 


Would be good to see one full stop, but I'll probably be dead by the time that happens. 1970 was the last "snow falling and settling" Christmas for millions down here in the SE. It won't be happening this year either, so maybe next year? I wouldn't count on it though!

As for the models, tonight's GEM is interesting, by day 10 the Atlantic is all but dead and cold air - deep cold air - is moving south over Scotland, with a high over Iceland. There still manages to be a high over Iberia, though, and until that dies down it'll be like pulling teeth to get lasting cold weather!
Leysdown, north Kent
Saint Snow
20 December 2023 17:41:36

Would be good to see one full stop, but I'll probably be dead by the time that happens. 1970 was the last "snow falling and settling" Christmas for millions down here in the SE. It won't be happening this year either, so maybe next year? I wouldn't count on it though!

As for the models, tonight's GEM is interesting, by day 10 the Atlantic is all but dead and cold air - deep cold air - is moving south over Scotland, with a high over Iceland. There still manages to be a high over Iberia, though, and until that dies down it'll be like pulling teeth to get lasting cold weather!

Originally Posted by: Retron 



We need a Laki to erupt in spring, then bets are off for Xmas 24!!

(just got to contend with global mass crop failures and thousands of deaths due to SO2 poisoning..)
 

Martin
Home: St Helens (26m asl) Work: Manchester (75m asl)
A TWO addict since 14/12/01
"How can wealth persuade poverty to use its political freedom to keep wealth in power? Here lies the whole art of Conservative politics."
Aneurin Bevan
bledur
20 December 2023 18:32:01
Facts and figures for Christmas weather

When was the deepest snow on Christmas day?
The deepest lying snow on Christmas day was recorded back in 1981 when Kindrogan, Perthshire recorded 47 cm.
Snow depth (cm)CountryDeepest snow on Christmas Day England 43cm at Buxton, Derbyshire and Malham Tarn, N. Yorkshire in 1981 and 2009
 Northern Ireland 17cm at Hillsborough, Down in 2010
 Scotland 47cm at Kindrogan, Perthshire in 1981
 Wales 45cm at Cae Poeth, Gwynedd in 2010

When was the warmest Christmas day?
The warmest temperature recorded on Christmas day in the UK is 15.6 °C recorded in Killerton, Devon in 1920.
Max temperature (°C)CountryWarmest Christmas Day England 15.6 °C at Killerton, Devon in 1920
 Northern Ireland 14.8 °C at Belfast Newforge in 2016
 Scotland 15.1 °C at Dyce, Aberdeenshire in 2011 and 2016 and Urquhart, Ross & Cromarty in 2016
 Wales 15.2 °C at Hawarden, Clywd in 2015

When was the wettest Christmas Day?
The wettest Christmas day in the UK was in 2015 when 165.4 mm of rain fell in Capel Curig ,Gwynedd.
Rainfall (mm)CountryWettest Christmas Day England 103mm at Ennerdale, Cumbria in 2003
 Northern Ireland 82.5mm at Trassey, Down in 2021
 Scotland 70.5mm at Achnagart, Ross & Cromarty in 2011
 Wales 165.4mm at Capel Curig, Gwynedd in 2015

When was the windiest Christmas day?
The windiest Christmas day recorded was at Sella Ness in Shetland in 2011 when gusts up to 101 mph were recorded.
Max wind gust (mph)CountryWindiest Christmas Day England 93mph at the Needles, Isle of Wight in 1997
 Northern Ireland 81mph at Killough, Down in 1990
 Scotland 101mph at Sella Ness in Shetland in 2011
 Wales 78mph at Aberporth, Dyfed in 1990

When was the coldest Christmas day?
Gainford in Durham holds the record for the coldest Christmas day recording -18.3 °C in 1878.
Minimum temperature (°C)CountryColdest Christmas Day England -18.3°C at Gainford, Durham in 1878
 Northern Ireland -17.5°C at Katesbridge, Down in 2010
 Scotland -18.2°C at Altnaharra, Sutherland in 2010
 Wales -16.5°C at Llysdinum, Powys in 2010
When was the sunniest Christmas day?

The most amount of sunshine recorded on Christmas day is 7.5 hours, recorded in Penzance, Cornwall and Aberporth, Dyfed in 1944, Faversham, Kent in 1979 and Camborne, Cornwall in 2010.
Sunshine hoursCountrySunniest Christmas Day England 7.5hrs at Penzance, Cornwall in 1944 and Faversham, Kent in 1979 and Camborne, Cornwall in 2010
 Northern Ireland 6.7hrs at Aldergrove, Antrim in 2000 and Ballywatticock, Down in 2010
 Scotland 6.9hrs at West Freugh, Wigtownshire in 1961
 Wales 7.5hrs at Aberporth, Dyfed in 1944
Source . Met Office.
+6
The Beast from the East
20 December 2023 19:16:09

We need a Laki to erupt in spring, then bets are off for Xmas 24!!

(just got to contend with global mass crop failures and thousands of deaths due to SO2 poisoning..)
 

Originally Posted by: Saint Snow 



Or Yellowstone, or the Ukraine war to go nuclear.  
"We have some alternative facts for you"
Kelly-Ann Conway - special adviser to the President
Bolty
20 December 2023 20:57:34
In terms of snow, the only "true" white Christmas I have seen in my 26-year life (and I consider a true white Christmas as one where snow both falls and accumulates on Christmas Day) is 2004. That day seen a Pm NW'ly wind bring snow to much of North West England, if I remember correctly.

Other partial white Christmases (where snow only falls or lies, not both) are of course 2009 and 2010 (lay, but both days were calm and bright) and 2020 (a snow shower in the afternoon). Boxing Day 2014 seen snow in the evening, though it didn't really accumulate in East Manchester, compared to further west. It would have been interesting if that spell had been brought forward by 24 hours though.
Scott
Blackrod, Lancashire (4 miles south of Chorley) at 156m asl.
My weather station 
+1
Saint Snow
20 December 2023 22:24:31

In terms of snow, the only "true" white Christmas I have seen in my 26-year life (and I consider a true white Christmas as one where snow both falls and accumulates on Christmas Day) is 2004. That day seen a Pm NW'ly wind bring snow to much of North West England, if I remember correctly.

Other partial white Christmases (where snow only falls or lies, not both) are of course 2009 and 2010 (lay, but both days were calm and bright) and 2020 (a snow shower in the afternoon). Boxing Day 2014 seen snow in the evening, though it didn't really accumulate in East Manchester, compared to further west. It would have been interesting if that spell had been brought forward by 24 hours though.

Originally Posted by: Bolty 




Spot on, Bolty 👍

Matches my recollection.

Martin
Home: St Helens (26m asl) Work: Manchester (75m asl)
A TWO addict since 14/12/01
"How can wealth persuade poverty to use its political freedom to keep wealth in power? Here lies the whole art of Conservative politics."
Aneurin Bevan
+1
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