Snow disappointing
Post categories: weather
| 13:07 UK time, Friday, 16 December 2011
I'm sure some of you were disappointed not to wake-up to a blanket of snow this morning. I know I was when I pulled back the curtains and didn't see a single flake!
Mind you, I did say yesterday than not everywhere would have snow and some places would just have rain. That's just the way it is sometimes...
Snow is arguably the most difficult thing to predict. As a forecaster, there are lots of things to consider including: when will the snow start, when it will stop and how heavy will it be.
We also have to consider what the temperatures will be on the ground and in the atmosphere and whether rain, sleet or snow falls from the sky.
The computer weather models we use are really good and I couldn't do my job without them but they are not perfect and can skew predictions.
Unexpected factors can arise and effectively throw off predictions. We update our forecasts 4 times a day and sometimes each run of the model can be different to the previous one.
Some parts of the country have had some snow today for example in the north, Powys, the Brecon Beacons and the Heads of the Valleys.
Check out some of the I've been sent in of the recent snow:, , and
Over the weekend, further wintry showers are expected feeding in from the Irish Sea. Most of the them in north, west and mid Wales.
Some of them will be heavy and prolonged at times with a risk of hail and thunder. Some sleet and snow is likely too, mainly on higher ground, the hills and mountains.
I can also promise some sunshine tool but it will stay cold with some frost and icy patches.Temperatures at night dropping close to freezing or below so take extra care if you are travelling as some roads could turn treacherous.
Sunday looks like the best day of the weekend with a few showers in the north otherwise dry, bright and crisp.
The cold west to north-westerly wind will ease as well with top temperatures between 4 and 7 Celsius. Next week will bring a change, turning milder with some rain and drizzle at times.
Derek
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