Llansadwrn (Anglesey) Weather Diary 2005

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Times are GMT (UTC, Z). Observations at this station [ ] are 24-h 09-09 GMT, some others { } occasionally refer to 24-h 18-18 GMT, and are subject to verification and amendment.

January 2005

1st: The dry, mild night allowed the many 'New Year' firework displays across the island to take place uninterrupted. By morning it was windier but still dry. Despite the mildness there were still a few patches of snow to be seen on the top of Carnedd Llewelyn. At 09 GMT pressure 1015 mb had fallen as low 959 mb was NE Iceland with closely packed isobars to the NW. Pressure was high (1037 mb) to the S and (1040 mb) in the Atlantic. Split frontal-wave systems were to the W. The morning was mostly overcast with the SW'ly wind backing S'ly and freshening to gale force 8. A rope cloud was over the Irish Sea and was situated just off the Welsh coast at noon. (Satellite image: shows the rope cloud along the cold front over the Irish Sea. The cloud may exhibit a roll-like circulation about a horizontal axis with clouds forming on the ascending leading edge). There were showers of rain from 1230 GMT and from 1330 GMT the temperature began to fall quickly from the 10.3C maximum. In a squall at 1420 GMT there was heavy rain and large ice pellets. Pressure reached it's lowest point of 1005 mb around 15 GMT then the wind veered W'ly. After another light shower of ice pellets at 2000 GMT the night kept dry but mostly cloudy. [Rain 5.5 mm; Max 10.3C; Min 6.8C; Grass 4.8C]
2nd: After a slight shower of ice pellets at 0500 GMT the sky began to clear so that at 09 GMT it was 5/8th covered with layered altocumulus and cumulus clouds. There was a sprinkling of fresh snow on some western mountains including the Glyders but this soon disappeared. Pressure 1022 mb was rising with low (961 mb) E of Iceland in the Norwegian Sea. High (1041 mb) was in the Atlantic NW of Cape Finisterre. The UK was in a strong W/NW'ly showery airstream; NW Scotland saw most showers (with snow on high ground). The day kept dry here with some good sunny spells developing, but it was cloudier by sunset. The night was dry also with broken cloud and was warmer. [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 7.5C; Min 3.1C; Grass 0.6C]
3rd: With the maximum 7.5C of the past 24-h just before 09 GMT it was a mild morning. Overcast with stratocumulus cloud the WSW'ly wind was force 4/5. Pressure 1030 mb was rising as the high 1042 mb moved into the Bay of Biscay. But low 962 mb off SE Greenland and complex low-pressure 972 mb over Scandinavia kept isobars tight across the UK. The morning was cloudy and dry with a few sunny breaks seen over the mountains towards Llanfairfechan and the Conwy Valley. There was little in the way of snow remaining; just a few small patches on Carnedd Llewelyn (Snowdon was obscured). The first flowers of snowdrops have opened in the garden and there are plenty of holly berries left on trees in the area. They have been stripped in the garden, where there is a multitude of birds, but usually at this time of year all the trees would have been cleared of berries. The are also some primroses in flower on the rockery banks and a few buds have appeared on early daffodils. As pressure began to fall in the afternoon the SW'ly wind strengthened and before midnight was up to gale force 8. [Rain 4.5 mm; Max 9.6C; Min 3.9C; Grass 0.5C]
4th: At midnight twin deep lows 951 mb were over the Denmark Strait (between Greenland and Iceland) and Iceland 959 mb with a cold front W of Ireland. With the gale force 8 continuing it was a rough night with gusts up to 60 mph. The weakening cold front moving SE crossed over here between 0700 and 0900 GMT. There was a heavy burst of rain just before 0830 GMT. Pressure was 1014 mb and starting to rise and by 10 GMT the rain had ceased and we were into a clear slot. With the wind moderated and veered W'ly the day turned mostly sunny over Anglesey. Cloud remained longer over the mountains of Snowdonia but here too it lifted towards the end of the afternoon. The evening and night were clear at first, but there was no frost. [Rain 0.4 mm; Max 9.0C; Min 7.5C; Grass 6.7C]
5th: At midnight the frontal cloud was over N France and another low 986 mb S of Iceland was already steaming NE and by 06 GMT was 977 mb just off NW Scotland. The SW'ly wind had been strengthening before dawn and cloud on an active cold front had already encroached bringing a few spots of rain. Activity was confined NW of here and over Scotland rapidly weakened before it reached here. Pressure at 09 GMT was 1016 mb with the SW'ly force 5/6. (Jet stream analysis chart: shows Britain in the firing line for further Atlantic-lows. The strongest winds in the jet stream (perhaps 250 mph) occur about 10 km (c. 30,000 ft), or more, above ground. It is where cold air from arctic meets warm air from the south. This is sometimes called the 'westerly conveyor belt' strengthening and steering areas of low pressure. On this occasion they are being steered towards Britain where we can expect a succession of lows in the next week). The morning was dull, windy with occasional spots of rain. With the SW'ly strengthening to gale force 8 and gusts of 50 mph there was moderate to heavy rain from 1345 to 1500 GMT. With the front passed about 16 GMT the rain had ceased and the wind moderated it was a little brighter before dusk. [Rain 6.1 mm; Max 8.5C; Min 4.0C; Grass 0.6C]
6th: Mostly cloudy overnight but cloudier and windier again at dawn. Pressure was 1022 mb with the low of yesterday 959 mb N Norwegian Sea. The next low in line 968 mb was SW Iceland with a warm front already over Ireland with rain affecting NW Ireland and Scotland. The SW'ly wind was force 5 and low cloud was hugging western mountains in Snowdonia. Rainfall was heavy over the mountains but on Anglesey it was minimal. The day kept cloudy and very windy with slight rain or drizzle at times. The evening and night was windier the SSW'ly reaching gale force 8 with strong gusts by 22 GMT. {Capel Curig 34.4 mm; Valley 0.8 mm} [Rain 2.3 mm; Max 11.3C; Min 4.3C; Grass 0.6C]
7th: Pressure 1014 mb continued to fall steadily as the gale continued. Strongest from 02 GMT again gale force 8 with gusts of 54 mph reported at RAF Valley. The temperature continued to rise with the maximum of 11.3C recorded between 04 and 05 GMT. At 09 GMT it was 10.6C, visibility was very poor in continuous moderate to heavy rain. Water was beginning to stand on the already saturated soil. Heavy rain over central Wales was moving N; Capel Curig reported 22 mm in 6-h to 06 GMT and 68 mm in the next 6-h. Pressure 1010 mb was falling with complex low-pressure to the N of the British Isles maintaining the strong SW winds. Split cold fronts were lying just to the NW. Pressure was high (1040 mb from Iberia to N Italy. The morning was very wet and blustery with the SW'ly wind touching gale-force. By 1300 GMT 10 mm of rainfall had accumulated. There was rapid cyclogenesis W of Ireland during the morning, the frontal wave-low moving towards the Irish Sea. Heavy rain continued to fall during the afternoon; with water collected on the fields and roads leading to minor flooding. Breaches in the roadside stonewalls, made to relieve flooding on 22 October 2004, were allowing water to flow off the A5025, But kerbing and full drains were contributing to large pools of water on the roadside. At 14 GMT there the River Braint was within it's banks, but the level was rising quickly. But on the mainland the Dyfi Bridge at Machynlleth was flooded and closed. The Britannia Bridge was closed to high-sided vehicles and was subject to a 20 mph speed limit for others as the SW'ly reached gale force 8 with gusts of 55 mph. Rainfall accumulated here at 21 GMT was 33 mm (since 09 GMT). As heavy rain continued, with patches circulating around the slow-moving low over the Irish Sea. (Thermal satellite image: shows cloud top temperatures, at least as low as minus 60C (pink), of approaching rainstorm and cyclogenic area (blue) ' the bomb' just W of Ireland. There are deep convective clouds S of Iceland. On the small image Anglesey is marked by the white arrow.). As more rain fell runoff from the water-saturated ground increased rapidly. The moat at the castle in Beaumaris had filled up, it had been emptied for renovation, and was in danger or overflowing. In Gwynedd the A55 expressway was partially flooded again at Abergwyngregin. The A470 as well as several houses in Llanwrst were flooded about 19 GMT, for the second time within 12 months, despite deployment of sandbags; the A5 was closed at the Padog Bends near Capel Curig where 134 mm of rain had fallen in the 24-h to 18 GMT. Sandbags were deployed at Trefriw as water began to enter houses. The A470 at Dinas Mawddwy was blocked due to a mudslide. With storm force 10 winds on the Irish Sea the night sailing from Holyhead was cancelled. Northern England and Scotland too have been hit by heavy rain and gales; several roads in Scotland are flooded, or affected by mudslides, including the Fort William to Inverness road. Carlisle was completely cut off by flooding; an appeal was made for boats to enable people to be rescued. Some roads on high ground in the North of England were closed because of strong winds. It was a very rough night with winds reaching force 8 to 9, but force 10 around the Irish Sea. Total rainfall for the period 09-09 GMT was 51.6 mm, largest of the month. {Capel Curig 134 mm} (Valley 17.2 mm) [Rain 51.6 mm; Max 10.8C; Min 7.8C; Grass 6.8C]
8th: Pressure at midnight had fallen to 993 mb with the low 980 mb off Clare Island (NW Ireland). Rainfall was very heavy around midnight over Anglesey, Wales and N England, but stopped here close to 0300 GMT. The SW'ly gales continued through the night with the wind starting to veer after 03 GMT and strengthen. Some exceptionally strong winds were reported, around Wales gusts of over 70 mph were frequent Mumbles 81 mph; Isle of Man 84 mph; Valley 75 mph while on Great Dunn Fell (N England) 129 mph was recorded. Rainfall in the mountains of North Wales (Capel Curig 191 mm in 48-h to 06 GMT) led to severe flooding in the Conwy Valley at Llanwrst and Trefriw. A section of the railway line was washed away, the same that was repaired following the October floods. Two people had to be rescued from a car; at 01 GMT an electricity engineer was rescued by boat after spending 2 hours on the top of his van; a woman was rescued at 04 GMT from her car submerged in 4.5 ft of flood water. Flooding was made worse by a tidal surge of 1.0 m recorded at Llandudno by the Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory's tide gauge just after 08 GMT coinciding with the high tide of the 6.9 m at 0828 GMT (8.5 m Liverpool). This would have backed up the considerable quantities of water running off the mountains and down the River Conwy. Beaumaris was flooded for the second time in 11 weeks, but not as severely as on 22 October 2004. The castle moat overflowed across the road and residents were alarmed to see 9 inches of water around the Royal Anglesey Yacht Club and at Green Edge. Water was able to escape through the breach in the sea wall made during the flood of 22 October 2004, as it had not been fully reinstated. There was also 18 inches of water rushing down the hill in Mill Lane, the scene of previous flooding in the town. Beaumaris has seen flooding on 7 occasions since 1981. The road from Beaumaris to Bangor near Gallows Point was closed again due to landslide. Several trees were brought down and roads closed as a result; electricity supplies were also disrupted. Power was not restored to Gaerwen until 13 GMT. Pressure 1022 mb at 09 GMT was rising and the W'ly wind was still force 7 to 8. Some breaks were appearing in the cloud and by 11 GMT it had turned mostly sunny. Since 02 GMT the temperature began to fall to 4.0C as colder air was being brought down from Greenland. This was cold enough for precipitation around the mountaintops in Snowdonia to be wintry once more. A sprinkling of snow was seen on the highest summits including Crib Goch and Snowdon. The afternoon was sunny; convective cumulus clouds developed over the mountains giving the showers but these dispersed later. By evening it was cloudier but kept dry, SW-facing windows are encrusted with dried saltspray being blown right across the island; it was still windy with the SW'ly force 6/7 moderating after midnight. [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 8.9C; Min 4.0C; Grass 2.0C]
9th: A cloudy start, but still dry. The wind was backing SSW'ly and beginning to strengthen again. Pressure 1013 mb was falling as another deepening Atlantic-low 978 mb W of Ireland approached. A warm front over the Irish Sea had rain on it over S Ireland at 06 GMT this arriving on W Anglesey by 09 GMT. It was still dry here and with a drying wind surface moisture had disappeared but the soil was very plastic and would not take much rain to wet it up again. It is reported that the A55 near Abergwyngregin still has one lane closed due to flooding; this is a long-standing problem that should have been sorted out years ago. Extensive deep flooding was also still affecting Carlisle and surrounding areas. Many hundred homes were also without electricity supply overnight. Travellers were advised to avoid the area. Many roads in Scotland, too many to list, are closed due to flooding and slides. With higher temperatures snowmelt, and heavy rain falling during the morning,was likely to make matters worse. A ferry blown aground off Scotland by 100 mph winds was still stuck-fast on a sand bank awaiting tugs. It was pulled off during the morning. There was another tidal surge; the POL tide gauge at Holyhead recorded a 0.5 m surge at 2030 GMT enhancing the 5.4 m spring tide (Liverpool 9.2 m). In warm sector air it gradually became warmer through the day the temperature rising to 11.5C around 22 GMT. Then it was blowing gale force 8 with some very strong gusts that were hitting the house like a sledge hammer. There were also showery bursts of heavy rain but amounts were small. The most rain affected S and mid Wales and moving NE missed Anglesey. [Rain 3.0 mm; Max 11.5C; Min 4.4C; Grass 2.2C]
10th: The gale continued after midnight, with pressure about 1000 mb with the low 962 mb off Cape Wrath, but then slowly moderated as pressure rose through till morning. A weak cold front passed over; at 09 GMT it was a little cooler at 9.2C and pressure was 1006 mb with the low 960 mb N of Scotland. The wind was force 5 SW'ly and the sky clearing to give a sunny morning and afternoon. It became a bit cloudier by dusk, the day's minimum temperature of 7.4C was at 1700 GMT. Later the sky became mostly overcast with the temperature rising. [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 9.9C; Min 8.6C; Grass 7.4C]
.11th: At midnight Atlantic-low 975 mb was well out SW of Ireland tracking ENE. After a quiet night the S'ly wind was back to force 7 by 09 GMT. Pressure 1005 mb was falling with the rapidly deepening low 956 mb W of Shannon, Ireland. An associated warm front was over SW Ireland where it was raining. Here the moderately low ragged clouds were scurrying along on the wind but it was still dry. The morning was bright at first, there was a shower at 1045 GMT, with the wind strengthening to gale force 8 with strong 50 mph gusts by 11 GMT with a warm front over the Irish Sea. At noon the low was 945 mb tracking past N Ireland towards Cape Wrath and the temperature was falling away from the 11.5C maximum. The afternoon was blustery with some more showers of rain as the cold front over at 1345 GMT. There were some bursts of heavy rain and squally winds but this soon passed with some bright and sunny spells developing. The relative humidity fell quickly from near 100% at 1400 GMT to about 70%. The evening continued very windy; as it veered WSW'ly it stepped up a notch to strong gale with 60 mph gusts around 22 GMT. There was a surge tide running and the POL gauge at Holyhead recorded a 0.7 m surge about 23 GMT. This brought the 9.3 m (Liverpool) tide up to 10.4 m and testing sea defences around the coast. In Barra, Outer Hebrides, a gust of 106 mph was recorded just before the anemometer broke! On North Rona 124 mph was reported. Parts of Scotland were described as a 'scene of devastation' with much damage and 3 deaths reported. Over 70,000 homes were without electricity and several flooded. All schools in the Highlands and Western Isles were shut. A fishing boat the Cibeles with 19 mainly Portuguese aboard, registered in Milford Haven, was reported missing 200 miles off the Hebrides. [Rain 2.3 mm; Max 11.5C; Min 7.4C; Grass 5.5C]
12th: At midnight the low was 944 mb near the Faeroe Islands with winds of violent storm force 11 reported. There was no respite here after midnight with sustained gale force 8 wind speed and strong gusts rattling the roof slates. Around 07 GMT it was again pushing strong gale (force 9) with gusts over 60 mph. A tree had been blown down across the telephone cable across the field SW of the weather station. Usually this does not disrupt communications as sufficient slack is allowed in the run of cable to bring it to the ground. At 09 GMT the wind had moderated to force 6 and the sky was almost clear over Anglesey although there was a deep cloud bank over the Snowdonia Mountains. It had turned cold enough again for snow in Scotland that on the strong winds were blizzard-like in places. At 06 GMT the low had started to fill (948 mb) E of the Faeroes. A showery trough was lying over W Scotland continuing the snow showers. Here the morning was bright and occasionally sunny; the wind was drying the ground but the soil was still wet. The Cibeles was found by an RAF Nimrod drifting in heavy seas 180 miles off the coast of Scotland. A Coastguard helicopter from Stornoway rescued 10 of the 19 crew from the fishing boat; it was hoped that a tow could be arranged later. The day was bright with a few sunny spells and moderating wind. There were convective clouds were seen to the NW, but they kept away from here during the day. Snowdonia had some light showers that fell as snow during the evening and night. The night was mostly clear with the wind strength reducing to little or nothing by midnight. [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 7.0C; Min 4.5C; Grass 2.5C]
13th: What a difference 24-h can make with the weather. This morning almost calm and sunny; heavy dew had frozen on the grass with -2.2C frost on the ground, lowest of the month. The birds were singing; a mistle thrush, or storm cock, was in full song in the wood. Rooks were noisy attending to their nests that look rather battered after the gales. They did not look very serious about it, it is a little early to nest but they will do some remedial work from time to time. The change was because a ridge of high-pressure from high 1033 mb over France was crossing the UK. Our low was now over the N Baltic and 976 mb. The next low 965 mb was SE of Greenland and likely to track to the N of Scotland. Pressure here 1027 mb had risen and it was cooler at 1.4C. Several expanding contrails were overhead but these, and a little cirrostratus, soon cleared leaving high cirrus. There was a light sprinkling of snow on most of the mountain summits over 3000 ft. The morning was sunny and almost calm at first but it was cloudier around noon when cumulus clouds developed. The wind backed S'ly and again it was dry here, but the mountaintops had one or two snow flurries. By evening the sky had cleared and there was a ground frost before frontal cloud started to encroach before midnight. [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 9.0C; Min 1.4C; Grass -2.2C]
14th: Mostly cloudy and warmer with the temperature rising to the 24-h maximum of 9.0C at 09 GMT. Pressure was 1021 mb as mid-Atlantic low 978 mb pushed frontal cloud in from the W. In a S'ly wind there were for a while a few lee-wave clouds in the lee of Snowdon. There were some dark clouds to the NW over Pentraeth at times, but otherwise the morning was bright with the odd glimpse of sunshine. The afternoon was mostly cloudy with some fine spots of rain. During the night frontal cloud edged closer. [Rain 1.2 mm; Max 12.4C; Min 1.5C; Grass -1.2C]
15th: The was a short spell of light rain from 04 to 0500 GMT and by 09 GMT cloud was broken and it was dry. The overnight minimum of 8.6C was the highest of the month. Pressure was 1016 mb with frontal low (1001 mb) was SW of Ireland having run up from Iberia. It was a mild 12.2C with the maximum 12.4C about 04 GMT. It was a cloudy morning but the temperature rose to 12.9C, the highest of the month. The afternoon had thicker cloud but it was dry but drizzle affected the coast in the W from time to time. The night was overcast and damp with a little drizzle. [Rain 0.8 mm; Max 12.9C; Min 8.6C; Grass 7.8C]
16th: The sky was clearer at dawn but there were light showers of rain. Pressure 1014 mb was falling with low 948 mb between S Greenland and Iceland. Pressure continues generally high to the S this keeping the warm S'ly flow of air. Again mild overnight with the air minimum 8.3C. Temperatures are running about 3C above the January average. The Irish Sea was between split frontal cloud and Wales and Scotland was peppered with small showers. The morning was showery, a few blustery and heavy in the force 5 S'ly wind. Cloud cleared in the afternoon giving a sunny afternoon on Anglesey. Cumulus clouds persisted over Snowdonia where it was showery. As the sun set lenticular clouds were seen on the western horizon. It was overcast by 22 GMT and there was rain before midnight. [Rain 9.0 mm; Max 9.5C; Min 8.3C; Grass 6.8C]
17th: Light rain continued until nearly 06 GMT. By 09 GMT the cloud was breaking up and the wind was WSW'ly force 4/5. Pressure 1006 mb was falling with deepening low near Greenland and was bringing colder air from the NW. The morning started mostly cloudy with cloud hanging about 2500 ft across the mountains. A torrent of water could be seen gushing from Cwm Idwal and running down into the Nant Ffrancon. Here the 9.0 mm had made the soil soggy with water pressed out underfoot. The storm cocks were in good voice singing high in the trees, but they will most likely stop if the weather turns cold. The afternoon turned colder and showery with rain and ice pellets from 1330 GMT. By the end of the afternoon there was slight snow lying above 2800 ft on the Snowdonia Mountains. From 1717 GMT there were frequent showers of rain, ice pellets and sleet falling as snow above 1000 ft. [Rain 6.6 mm; Max 8.0C; Min 6.6C; Grass 4.8C]
18th: By midnight the temperature was around 2C and later fell to 0.7C, the lowest minimum of the month. Showers turned to snow pellets and a little snow continuing until 04 GMT. It was still overcast at 09 GMT and the wintry showers resumed. Pressure was 995 mb with complex low-pressure 967 mb around Iceland. Atlantic-high 1038 mb was to the SW and was high also over N Africa. Pressure was low in the eastern Mediterranean where there had been a lot of snow in Greece. The snow moved on to the Alps where there has been meagre snowfall this winter with temperatures 3C above average in places. Here there were frequent showers of snow pellets and snow at first during the morning these turning to rain and sleet later. After noon the sky cleared giving a mostly sunny afternoon over Anglesey. It was not so, however, in Merseyside and Cheshire where deep convective clouds driven in off the Irish Sea on the NW'ly gave thunderstorms, downpours of precipitation with Crosby (Liverpool) reporting {27 mm}. David Small reported that roads were left white with hailstones in the Widnes and Runcorn area. Heavy snow and hail were reported in Weston Coyney in Staffordshire as the showers worked their way through the Cheshire Gap to SE England (Satellite image: shows linear convective clouds across England and Ireland. Sferics indicate thundery activity mainly over N Ireland and Merseyside to Birmingham. Through the clouds over Wales snow can be seen, also N England. Snow was as low as 500 ft on the Clwydian hills having fallen during the evening of the 17th.). Low cloud returned here during the evening and night when it became misty with drizzle by morning. [Rain 1.7 mm; Max 6.5C; Min 0.7C; Grass -1.2C]
19th: Low cloud, intermittent drizzle and very poor visibility started the day. Pressure 1011 mb had risen as high 1042 mb intensified off Iberia, but low 970 mb was between Greenland and Iceland and complex low-pressure over the Norwegian Sea. The Mediterranean low 993 mb had moved to be over Italy. We were still in a W/NW'ly air flow, but weaker. The morning remained dull and overcast then there was light rain on a warm front from about 1100 until 14 GMT when there was fog. The fog cleared by mid-afternoon the W'ly wind strengthened to force 5/6 as a cold front over the Irish Sea edged closer. At 18 GMT low 966 mb was near the Faeroes tracking E. [Rain 4.3 mm; Max 10.4C; Min 2.0C; Grass 0.4C]
20th: A very dull morning under thick stratiform cloud that was to remain all day. Pressure was 1009 mb with complex low-pressure Greenland to S Sweden with low 964 mb off the southern Norwegian coast. A wavy frontal system was lying across N Ireland and Wales and made little progress through the day. Dull, misty, drizzle or light rain and to make it a little more interesting a burst of heavy rain around 1700 GMT associated with a weak cold front. The rest of the night, though mostly cloudy, was dry. [Rain 6.8 mm; Max 10.1C; Min 5.6C; Grass 5.0C]
21st: A bright start with deep lenticular clouds over Snowdonia. Greater spotted woodpeckers had started drumming in the wood. Altocumulus was streaming quickly overhead from a N'ly direction while there was cirrostratus and stratocumulus clouds to the W. Pressure was 1016 mb with high 1036 mb off Cape Finisterre and low 986 mb was over the Baltic giving snow (Satellite image: shows the vortex of deeply convective clouds approaching S Norway where snow can be seen on the ground.). There was a weakening NW'ly airflow as a low to the W of Ireland edged closer through the day. Frontal cloud that had moved S began to return N so that before noon it was cloudy again. An area of light rain over S Ireland in the morning moved across the Irish sea and affected Anglesey during the afternoon. Amounts of precipitation were small it being mainly fine to heavy drizzle. The evening saw some light rain and this fell as snow over the Snowdonia Mountains. Spectacular displays of aurora were reported from Scotland. N Ireland and Yorkshire around 1910 GMT. It was cloudy and raining here, but they were seen around midnight. Though still partly cloudy, with a bright moon, diffuse variable orangy-red colours were seen to the W, static green colours overhead and to the N. [Rain 0.6 mm; Max 6.4C; Min 3.4C; Grass 0.0C]
22nd: It was overcast by dawn; there had been a little more rain here, and snow on the mountains where it was lying around 1500 ft across most summits. (Photograph ©: shows view of the Carneddau Mountains from Foel-fras (left) to Nant Ffrancon Pass (right). The Black Ladders cliffs are well depicted near the centre.).There was a strong deposit of light-brown coloured dust [Munsell colour chart 7.5 YR 6/4], it's source is most likely to have been in North Africa blown out into the Atlantic towards America before heading N then E towards Anglesey. Pressure was 1019 mb with shallow low 1012 mb near Shannon, Ireland. The morning was calm and overcast by moderately thin and high cloud (6000 ft, but was thick enough to give a few more spots of rain. The spots turned to a short spell of light rain by noon. After some more drizzle and rain it was drier by the end of the afternoon. With a maximum of 5.2C it was the coldest day of the month, so far. The evening and night were mostly cloudy. [Rain 1.2 mm; Max 5.2C; Min 1.4C; Grass -0.9C]
23rd: With the sky starting to clear at dawn it was just cold enough to give a touch of frost on the grass (-0.7C) and for the storm cocks not to sing. Pressure 1034 had risen with high 1038 mb lying to the NW off the Western Isles of Scotland. Yesterday's shallow low was 1023 mb over France. The sky was clear over Anglesey; there were cumulus clouds over the Snowdonia Mountains and, with the sun rising behind, displaying spectacular upward and downward crepuscular rays. The day was sunny with a light N'ly wind. (Photographs: looking SE, taken in the afternoon, shows a sunny Llansadwrn with ewes and lambs on the fields, cloud persisted over Snowdonia . There have been new-born lambs since the end of December. Some remarkably early daffodils were spotted in a hedgerow bank).The night was mostly clear but frost-free in the moderately N'ly wind. [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 6.5C; Min 1.1C; Grass -0.7C]
24th: A sunny start to the day but there was a cold-feeling NNE'ly wind. The temperature at 09 GMT was 2.5C (dewpoint -1.8C with 73% relative humidity. The grass was dry and frost-free with the minimum thermometer indicating 0.1C. Pressure was 1036 mb with the high 1043 mb centred just W of Shannon, Ireland. With pressure low to the E of Britain moderately cold air was being drawn over the North Sea. It was a mostly sunny day with clear skies in the afternoon giving the brightest day so far this month. The day's maximum of 4.7C was the lowest of the month. Although still freezing above 1000 ft snow retreated up the mountains in the sunshine and strong wind, possibly due to freeze drying. During the evening cloud moved in off the Irish Sea and there was drizzle and some light rain around 2000 GMT. Later the night was partly cloudy with a bright moon. [Rain 0.2 mm; Max 4.7C; Min 2.0C; Grass 0.1C]
25th: It was overcast at dawn but pressure was still high at 1035 mb with the high 1046 mb anchored to the W of Ireland. The cloudiness was due to a warm front associated with a deep low 972 mb 80 deg N, in the Greenland Sea. Low 996 mb, that brought winter weather to the S France yesterday, was now in the Tyrrhenian Sea off Naples. The morning was disappointingly dull. At 11 GMT a flock of 100 redwings were seen on the field next to the weather station. These are the first seen here this winter (except those from Iceland overflying going S on 10th October 2004), they have kept well to the E because weather has been mild. With colder weather on the east coast they have migrated here. Waxwings have also been reported in Ireland, but we have not seen them here. It continues colder in the E with snow showers from the Midlands to Kent. The afternoon was mostly cloudy but there was a little sunshine at the end. Cloud was broken in the evening but overcast later. [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 6.5C; Min 2.5C; Grass 1.0C]
26th: Pressure was still high 1036 mb as the Atlantic-high 1049 intensifying and extending it's influence over N Britain, Iceland and the North Sea. Overcast at dawn with stratocumulus clouds; overhead it was thinning and forming altocumulus. Again frost-free under the blanket with 2.2C on the grass that was slightly wet with dew. During the morning the cloud reformed and was overcast until just before sunset when there was a clearance in the W. For about 30 minutes around 1645 GMT there were fine lenticular clouds on the western horizon. The evening was mostly cloudy; the full moon was seen with halo above a veil of thin cloud at 22 GMT. During the night there was a clear spell before turning cloudy again. There was 3 cm of snow in Dover and snow also fell in N France and as far S as S Italy, Sicily, Libya and Tunisia in North Africa. There was 30 cm of snow reported in Vienna. [Rain 0.5 mm; Max 6.7C; Min 4.0C; Grass 2.2C]
27th: On a N'ly wind showers were being driven in off the Irish Sea from dawn. The mountains were obscured in cloud above 1500 ft. Pressure was 1033 mb with the high 1047 mb centred 200 miles W of Rockall. The jet stream from the western Atlantic was rounding the high to the N over S Greenland and back S down the North Sea. Lows continue to affect the Mediterranean with low 994 mb currently between Italy and Sardinia . It was warmer here with a temperature of 6.1C than Nice at 3C. The day was bright at times with a little sunshine at times. The evening was mostly cloudy. [Rain trace; Max 7.9C; Min 3.8C; Grass 2.0C]
28th: After a clear spell after midnight it had clouded again by dawn. Tawny owls were hunting around the weather station. By 09 GMT the sky had stated to clear. There was a fresh (force 5) N'ly wind with a temperature of 6.3C (dewpoint 4.7C). Pressure 1026 mb had fallen but the high 1043 mb was still anchored to the W. A showery band had just passed over and the sky cleared rapidly afterwards. By 10 GMT cumulus clouds were passing quickly overhead and the day was mostly sunny with the afternoon clear. A bank of stratocumulus cloud persisted over Snowdonia . [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 7.7C; Min 4.0C; Grass 1.4C]
29th: Overcast at dawn the sky had cleared to 6 oktas by 09 GMT. Pressure 1030 mb was rising slowly and the morning was mostly bright and sunny with passing cumulus clouds in a light NE'ly breeze. The afternoon was sunny at first, with a maximum temperature of 10.5C soon after 1330 GMT, but stratiform cloud in the Irish Sea began to affect the west coast with drizzle and light rain from about 15 GMT. This spread to here by dusk giving a damp and drizzly night. (Satellite images: show stratiform cloud over the Irish Sea edging into W Anglesey, orographic wave clouds. The image of France shows snow cover on the Pyrenees and Alps. Also snow cover on the Massif Central with old volcanic area around the Puy de Dome well depicted. ). {Aboyne, Scotland 12.3C} [Rain 0.1 mm; Max 10.5C; Min 3.6C; Grass 1.7C]
30th: Overcast with low stratus cloud giving a fine drizzle; visibility was poor in mist. Pressure had risen to 1036 mb with the persistent high 1042 mb W of Ireland; it was calm with smoke rising vertically. Pressure remains low 1006 mb over the Mediterranean. The morning started mostly dull and damp; later there was drizzle that became heavy before spells of light rain. By mid-afternoon it was drier with 1 or 2 holes appearing in the thick cloud. The warm January has brought not only early daffodils but now a fresh flowers on The Herbalist rose growing in the garden It has not been without 2 or 3 buds during the winter. There are plenty of primroses, and garden primulas, also in flower. Fuchsias still have leaves and have not died backed as usual. The night was mostly cloudy, mild and dry with little variation in temperature. [Rain 0.6 mm; Max 7.8C; Min 4.3C; Grass 3.8C]
31st: Pressure remained high 1036 mb the anchored high 1045 mb to the W. Low 964 mb lies over N Norway with associated frontal cloud N Scotland and Europe. The day kept cloudy, with cloud about 1500 ft on the mountainsides, despite early signs of broken cloud to the W. In the afternoon the cloud was thick enough to give some drizzle at times. Fine spots of drizzle at times in the night. [Rain 0.5 mm; Max 9.4C; Min 6.4C; Grass 5.2C]

February 2005

1st: Overnight the minimum temperature was 7.5C, the highest of the month. Drizzle turned heavy before dawn so that by 09 GMT 0.5 mm had accumulated. Visibility was very poor (<1 km) in mist and low stratiform cloud. The temperature was 7.7C with 100% relative humidity. Pressure was unchanged at 1036 mb with the high 1045 mb off SW Ireland. The morning was dull and damp with more drizzle; the afternoon was drier but still overcast as was the night. With the cloud blanket continuing the temperature range was very small, only 0.4C. [Rain 0.5 mm; Max 7.9C; Min 7.5C; Grass 6.8C]
2nd: After a light shower of rain at 07 GMT the sky had cleared a little by 09 GMT. Pressure was 1038 mb with the high 1045 mb still anchored off SW Ireland. The day was a lot brighter with the sky slow to clear further from 6/8 cover. It was mild with the maximum reaching 10.0C. Very early yellow flowers of the lesser celandine were spotted at Aberffraw. Usually these do not appear until the middle to end March. Mostly cloudy later and before midnight. [Rain 0.7 mm; Max 10.0C; Min 4.8C; Grass 4.0C]
3rd: After midnight it was overcast with drizzle turning to slight rain around 04 and 06 GMT. Pressure was almost unchanged but the high 1042 mb had stated to drift S and decline. Off S Iceland there was rapid cyclogenesis on wave fronts tracking towards the Western Isles with a warm front over the NW. At 09 GMT visibility had deteriorated to <500 m (low cloud; moderate fog) and there was slight rain falling through the fine drizzle; it was calm with the temperature 7.8C and relative humidity 100%. The morning kept damp, but visibility improved as the drizzle eased. In the afternoon there was a light to moderate W to SW'ly wind; it was bright with a few sunny spells but the evening and night were mostly cloudy and dry. [Rain 0.3 mm; Max 9.5C; Min 5.6C; Grass 4.4C]
4th: A change in the weather pattern overnight. At midnight the high 1038 mb had sunk further S and another high 1037 mb was off Nova Scotia. With complex low-pressure to the NW the SW'ly wind had strengthened to force 5 by morning. Frontal cloud was lying to the W of Ireland. At 09 GMT pressure 1029 mb was falling slowly; the morning was mostly cloudy but bright. (Satellite image: shows frontal cloud to the W and N, a cloud-free area between Anglesey and the Isle of Man and orographic waves. ). The afternoon turned showery as rain over Ireland slowly moving across the Irish Sea. The band of rain did not reach here until midnight. The 14.3 mm rainfall made it the second wettest day of the month. {Colwyn Bay 12C}. [Rain 14.3 mm; Max 9.3C; Min 5.6C; Grass 4.2C]
5th: Rain was moderate to heavy between midnight and 0400 GMT on a cold front, then light to 0630 GMT before turning showery. At 09 GMT the sky was just starting to clear to give a bright morning with some sunny spells developing. Pressure was 1014 mb with high 1042 mb in mid-Atlantic and was 1027 mb over Spain and the western Mediterranean. It was just cold enough on the summits of Snowdonia, after passage of the cold front, for wet snow to fall and lie as low as 2400 ft. The day was sunny at times between cumulus clouds that sometimes were towering. A cumulonimbus cloud was spotted later drifting in off the Irish Sea. There was a shower of rain and ice pellets close to 2100 GMT. Mostly the sky was clear with the temperature on the grass falling to -1.9C, stars were brilliantly clear in absence of moonlight and, fortunately here, much extraneous light sources. [Rain 0.7 mm; Max 8.1C; Min 4.9C; Grass 4.6C]
6th: A cloudy and misty start to the day. There was a little (NE'ly) or no wind with complex shallow low-pressure with frontal-wave over the UK. Here pressure was 1020 mb and rising very slowly with elongated Atlantic-high 1036 mb to the SW. The morning kept mostly cloudy but dry. The afternoon was mostly sunny with a maximum of 7.6C. After a red evening sky the night was clear. [Rain trace/fr; Max 7.6C; Min 0.9C; Grass -1.9C]
7th: A touch of airfrost -0.3C, the first this year. Heavy dew (0.5 mm) had frozen on grass (min -3.0C) making the surrounding fields white with the frost. Pressure was still steady on 1020 mb, but the high was sinking S off the chart and the deep low 953 mb W of Iceland likely to bring strong winds. Winds that were light E or SE'ly overnight were soon strengthening from the S. But it was a sunny morning with occasional passing cumulus clouds. The afternoon was mostly sunny and the evening clear at first before becoming mostly cloudy by midnight. [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 8.8C; Min -0.3C; Grass -3.0C]
8th: A bright start to the day with 6/8 cover of mostly altocumulus and stratocumulus clouds. Pressure 1020 mb was unchanged, visibility was only moderate in smoke haze and there was a fresh S'ly wind. Low 962 mb was close NW of Iceland. (Satellite images: shows the low near Iceland with bands of frontal cloud to the NW of Anglesey. ).The morning was mostly sunny, but stratocumulus clouds persisted over the snow-capped mountains of Snowdonia into the afternoon. Thin moderately high cloud encroached from the NW by afternoon and there was light rain associated with the weak occluded front from 1830 to 2045 GMT during the evening. The leaves of bluebells in the wood are about 5 cm tall, but I found a few that were larger 10 to 12 cm. Cow parsley is growing quickly and the first cowslip flower has appeared. Primroses too have been in flower, but this is not unusual. Buds of willow have also started to break. [Rain 4.0 mm; Max 10.0C; Min 3.9C; Grass 1.5C]
9th: After a spell of light rain from 0445 to 0600 GMT it was still overcast but dry at 09 GMT. Continuing mild with the mean 1C above average. Pressure was 1021 mb with complex low 965 mb to the N near Jan Mayen Island and high 1031 mb off Cape Finisterre. Isobars were tight in the N with a strong SW'ly airflow. A developing frontal-wave low was lying to the W of Ireland. The force 5 wind strengthened during the day, that was bright at first under thin cloud, reaching force 6 late in the afternoon. Rain arrived at 1600 GMT, pressure was lowest 1015 mb about 21 GMT, and continued until midnight. {Colwyn Bay and Prestatyn both 12C} (Capel Curig 06-06 GMT 51 mm, Lake Vyrnwy 35 mm) [Rain 12.5 mm; Max 9.2C; Min 6.1C; Grass 4.9C]
10th: There was further rain from 0445 GMT associated with a weak cold front. The temperature about 8.5C through the night fell slowly to the minimum of 6.2C close to 09 GMT. Pressure was 1019 mb; the overcast cloud was breaking up overhead forming some altocumulus. It was still misty and visibility poor with the mountains obscured. The 'westerly conveyor belt' being re-established (see jet stream chart) and several small lows on frontal waves are to the W and likely to traverse in the next few days. With a sharply defined edge the frontal cloud appeared to be sliding S; the morning was soon sunny and it prompted nearby rooks to start repairing their nests after the January gales. The day was mostly sunny here with the frontal cloud to the S appearing hardly moved. The day's maximum of 10.6C was the highest of the month. Radar tracking of rainfall to the S, however, indicated a W'ly flow associated with a shallow low 1019 mb moving SE during the day. By evening it was cloudier but cleared later in the night. At midnight the low was near the head of the Severn Estuary. [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 10.6C; Min 6.2C; Grass 5.4C]
11th: Clear enough overnight for a touch of ground frost and for mist and fog patches to form in low-lying places across the island. More patches of cloud moved across at dawn and at 09 GMT there was some clearance. The temperature was 3.8C, the minimum for the next 24-h. Pressure 1020 mb was little changed; it was calm, although cloud was moving across from a NW'ly direction, visibility was good. Split warm fronts were shown as lying over the Irish Sea, associated with wavy-low 1004 mb W of Malin Head (Northern Ireland). The brightness did not last long as showery rain arrived at noon; the temperature dipped from 9C to 6C then began to rise in warm sector air to 10.1C, the maximum from 22 to 05 GMT. Rain became moderate to heavy rain from 1530 to 1900 GMT as the first of the bands circulating the low passed over. The second band of rain was from 2200 to 0300 GMT, this was more showery (blustery f6 at times) with some heavy bursts. The 20.3 mm of rain made it the wettest day of the month. [Rain 20.3 mm; Max 10.1C; Min 2.6C; Grass -0.5C]
12th: At midnight pressure was 1000 mb with the low 996 mb near Malin Head. The rain started to clear away by 05 GMT when the temperature began a shallow fall to 6.5C at 09 GMT. Pressure 1003 mb was rising with a complex clearing sky of layered stratocumulus, altocumulus and banded cirrus. The low was 989 mb in the North Sea off Flamborough Head, the split fronts over the Severn Estuary and English Channel. The wind, just backed NW'ly, was force 4/5 and visibility good although mountains were obscured above 2000 ft. In the 24-h to 06 GMT Capel Curig recorded 57 mm rainfall. With the soil saturated runoff was on the mountains was large; torrents of water could be seen descending mountain streams. The morning was dry, but slow to clear in persistent patchy cloud. After a slight shower of rain at noon the afternoon turned mostly sunny; cumulus clouds were scurrying along on the fresh to strong WNW'ly wind. Mostly clear at first at night. [Rain 3.1 mm; Max 9.3C; Min 3.8C; Grass 3.5C]
13th: With the wind backing N'ly and strengthening there were frequent squally showers from about 05 GMT. At 0750 GMT minute snow grains (about 1 mm diameter) were hitting windows on the strong wind. Becoming squally there followed a moderate fall of small ice pellets (2-3 mm diameter). At 09 GMT, with trees bending in the gusts, there were falls of soft conical-shaped snow pellets and flurries of snow. Pressure 1010 mb was rising with pressure high 1042 mb SW of Ireland. Deep low 965 mb was over the Baltic. We were in a near-gale (force 7) N'ly polar airflow with showers running in off the Irish Sea (surface temperature about 9.0C). The morning continued with further blustery showers of mixed ice precipitation with the wind strengthening to gale force 8, force 9 at times. At Red Wharf Bay observer Keith Ledson recorded a sustained mean wind speed of 52 mph in a 3-h period 1145 to 1445 GMT. In the storm several trees were brought down and electricity supplies disrupted for over 10 hours. The wind began to moderate late in the afternoon, but was still blowing force 6 well into the evening. [Rain 1.1 mm; Max 6.5C; Min 1.4C; Grass 0.2C]
14th: Showers of snow pellets were frequent from 05 to 07 GMT but by 09 GMT the sky had stated to clear. Snow was lying on the Snowdonia Mountains at 1500 ft but was as low as 1200 ft in the Passes. Pressure was 1024 mb with high 1041 mb SW Ireland and mature low 981 mb E Baltic. We were still in a N'ly airflow but weakened the cold polar flow being more on the E coasts of Scotland and England. The morning was bright with glimpses of the sun between passing cumulus clouds in a moderating wind. There was a slight shower of ice pellets and rain at 1330 GMT but the rest of the afternoon was dry, mostly sunny but windier again. There was an earth tremor felt right across Anglesey, including Llansadwrn and Malltraeth, and North Wales coast including Bangor and Llanfairfechan at 1844 GMT. There was a distinct rumble (from the ground) and slight shaking; objects rattled on furniture tops and wall shelves for between 8 and 12 seconds before fading away. Preliminary seismic findings by BGS (British Geological Survey) gave magnitude 3.3 (Richter) at a depth of 7.8 km near Colwyn Bay. The evening and night were mostly clear. [Rain 0.2 mm; Max 7.7C; Min 2.6C; Grass 0.2C]
15th: A slight overnight ground frost with frozen water deposits on the grass just lasting unmelted until 09 GMT. Pressure 1028 mb had risen with ridge to Scotland 1029 mb from Atlantic-high 1035 SW of Ireland. Low 985 mb over the Adriatic continues to give wintry weather in the E Mediterranean. The morning was mostly sunny with some cumulus clouds blown along on the cool (3.1C) force 3 NE'ly wind. It was a drying wind (relative humidity 81%) that was beginning to dry the ground surface. There was thin snow lying generally at 1500 ft on the northern slopes of the mountains of Snowdonia, but in sunshine the snowline retreated during the day. A mostly sunny afternoon and clear night. [Rain trace/frost; Max 7.7C; Min 1.9C; Grass -0.1C]
16th: Overnight air and ground frosts left the grass white with frozen deposits of slight dew and a little hoar frost. Total net deposition (dew and frost) from 1700 to 0900 GMT was 0.3 mm. The minimum was -1.0C, the lowest of the month. Pressure was 1030 mb within high 1031 mb North Wales part of complex-high stretching from mid-Atlantic to N Scandinavia. Pressure is low Europe to the Mediterranean; it continues very cold in Russia and there is much snow in central Europe. Here a sunny start to the day with a lot of cirrus and contrails overhead. On the western horizon frontal cloud could be seen but it was slow to encroach through the morning that was mostly sunny. The afternoon became increasingly murky but it kept dry into the evening. [Rain 1.6 mm; Max 6.9C; Min -1.0C; Grass -4.8C]
17th: Low cloud overnight gave mist, drizzle and a spell of light rain around 0230 GMT; a weak frontal system passed over. It was mild with the temperature hovering around 6C (the minimum values credited to this date were those current at 09 GMT yesterday 16th). Pressure was 1028 mb and high 1037 mb W of Ireland. By 09 GMT the frontal cloud was over central Wales; the sky was clearing to give a mostly sunny day on Anglesey. Cloud persisted over the mountaintops of Snowdonia. [Rain 0.4 mm; Max 8.8C; Min 1.2C; Grass -1.0C]
18th: Uniform grey stratus with drizzle at 09 GMT. Intensifying high 1037 mb was anchored to the W while low 988 mb was off the Norwegian coast; pressure here was 1022 mb and under a warm front the morning was wet soon turning to light rain. (The Meteosat 8 image: shows area of high pressure to the W of Ireland and U-shaped frontal cloud moving S across the UK. Convective shower clouds lie to the N while there is stratiform cloud over the Bay of Biscay and France. Iberia is mostly clear. ). From noon things brightened up as a following cold front cleared away SE. With the wind veering NW'ly the afternoon was sunny at first but further cloud moved across later. The evening and night were mostly cloudy but dry.[Rain 4.1 mm; Max 8.4C; Min 3.7C; Grass 0.1C]
19th: Showers of snow pellets just before and around 09 GMT under cumulus clouds. Fresh snow had fallen on the Snowdonia Mountains around 850 ft with sprinklings low in the Passes. Pressure 1023 mb was rising with the low 1039 mb still W of Ireland and low 995 mb over Scandinavia giving us a N'ly showery flow of air. After the showers the morning was mostly sunny but the afternoon was cloudier and windier. By evening the showers returned; there were several slight showers of 7 mm diameter snow pellets and a little snow at 2120 GMT. The night was mostly cloudy with no further precipitation. [Rain 0.7 mm; Max 6.4C; Min 1.8C; Grass 0.8C]
20th: A few clear spells overnight allowed a touch of ground frost (-0.6C) despite the wind. The day started bright with some well-developed cumulus clouds in the vicinity and over the mountains where they some were towering. The cloudbase was just touching the summits of the Carneddau where snow was lying at 2000 ft (about 1500 ft at the top of the Nant Ffrancon Pass). Pressure 1023 was unchanged with the cold N/NE'ly polar airflow continuing. The day was mostly sunny with the cold wind persisting through the afternoon. Taking advantage of the drier weather some work in the garden was able to be done, there was plenty to do. Some clouds around at times, but showers kept away with North Wales protected by the Cumbrian Mountains. Showers (snow) were confined mainly to the east coasts of Scotland and England, the Midlands and Irish Sea to off Lands End. The night was partially cloudy. [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 4.0C; Min 0.8C; Grass -0.6C]
21st: A slight ground frost overnight (-1.0C) but no sign of any frost the grass being dry. Relative humidity was 77% and has been mostly below 80% for the past 60 hours. Pressure 1015 mb had fallen a little with high 1035 mb W of Ireland lying a bit further N. A wavy front was lying over Ireland with shallow low 1016 mb near Malin Head; we were on the edge of a large area of precipitation to the W (see radar image, also shows the east coast showers very well). It was overcast and by 0945 GMT there was a shower of snow followed by small snow pellets 10 minutes later (usually the snow pellets are a precursor to snow). These wintry showers produce very little water when melted in the raingauge. After another flurry of snow the sky began to clear and there were some good sunny spells through the day. Snow showers were mostly confined to the east and central parts of Britain few if any penetrating to North Wales . A ladybird was spotted on a foxglove plant in the garden. The night was mostly cloudy with one or two clearer spells. [Rain 0.2 mm; Max 4.4C; Min 1.3C; Grass -1.0C]
22nd: A line of wintry showers crossed North Wales just before dawn. There was a slight shower of snow pellets and snow here about 0630 GMT but by 09 GMT it was brighter with a little sunshine breaking through. The force 5 ENE'ly wind felt cold (2.6C) and the grass minimum showed -1.6C, but with no airfrost here it is not yet a 'pipe cracking' easterly. Pressure here 1021 mb had risen a little with the high 1035 mb moved N to near Iceland; another high 1045 mb had developed over N Scandinavia. Low 994 mb was N Iberia (S Bay of Biscay). The morning kept mostly cloudy and there was a slight shower (mixture of snow pellets and small snow flakes) around 13 GMT. The afternoon was brighter with a few sunny spells; the evening was partly cloudy. [Rain 1.1 mm; Max 5.0C; Min 1.1C; Grass -1.6C]
23rd: Frequent showers of snow pellets and flurries of snow after midnight; the slight to moderate falls whitening the ground by daybreak. At 09 GMT there was another fall of snow pellets almost covering the ground; cold surfaces (concrete and flat roofs were 100% covered). The pellets, conical shaped 3-4 mm diameter, were dry and crunchy underfoot. A litre of snow pellets when melted produced 167 mls of water (167 kg m^-3). Pressure 1020 mb was steady with the NE'ly flow of air well established across the UK giving wintry weather almost everywhere (but more so in the E where there have been 5 to 10 cm falls of snow in places). Complex low-pressure lies to the SE over Europe where there have been further snowfalls. The morning here was bright between the well-developed cumulus and cumulonimbus clouds; the wintry showers continuing. Ice precipitation was building up above 1000 ft on the Snowdonia Mountains with sprinklings slow to melt at lower levels. The afternoon had some sunny spells, and just a few pellets or small snow flakes from time to time. The night before midnight was mostly cloudy with minimal precipitation. [Rain 1.2 mm; Max 4.5C; Min 0.3C; Grass -2.2C]
24th: Ice precipitation after midnight; a moderate shower of snow pellets after midnight then light snow from about 01 GMT. This left the ground slightly covered, but it had disappeared by dawn as the temperature rose from the minimum of 0.2C to 2.2C at 09 GMT. The temperature of the soil at 5 cm depth was 2.0C, high enough to thaw the snow. On higher ground than here at 400 ft, where it is a just little colder, snow was lying and continued to accumulate through the morning. In the fresh to strong NNE'ly wind conditions on the Snowdonia Mountains were blizzard-like at times. At Corwen 8 cm of snow was reported to have fallen overnight. On the Pennines, that have been largely protecting North Wales, accumulations have been 5 to 10 cm, but 30 cm has been reported. Pressure 1021 mb was hardly changed, but complex lows and snow-bearing frontal cloud was over Kent bringing more snow into the Midlands during the morning. Here the temperature rose to 2.7C at noon and 3.6C during the afternoon. This was the coldest day of the month but precipitation was mainly of sleet. (NOAA 16 satellite image: shows the slow-moving low 1009 mb with comma-shaped cloud over the English Channel and occluded front stretching into the North Sea. While over Wales, Cumbria and the Irish Sea there are extensive orographic wave clouds). There was further slight precipitation falling as rain, or sleet over Anglesey and the Lleyn Peninsular but above about 500 ft it was wet snow. Amounts of precipitation, when melted, were small being within the 'snow-shadow'. Although it was snowing most of the day across the mountains in the 24-h to 06 GMT Capel Curig had only 2.4 mm. {Copley 18.7 mm with 28 cm lying snow, Buxton 14.0 mm} [Rain 0.2 mm; Max 3.6C; Min 0.2C; Grass -1.0C]
25th: Although there was clear spells in the night the air temperature kept above freezing. There was another ground frost -1.5C but no frost was seen on the almost dry grass. At 09 GMT pressure was 1023 mb with the low 1008 mb now in the Bay of Biscay. The swirl of frontal cloud was stretching across Ireland to the Scottish borders. We were in a clearer slot and although visibility was poor in moderate haze there was some sunshine at first. The wind was still ENE'ly but had moderated overnight and was force 3. The morning was turned cloudy for a while but then there was clear sky and sunshine. (Satellite image: shows the comma delineated convective low over the Bay of Biscay and frontal cloud affecting W France. Orographic clouds were again over Wales with frontal cloud, part of the same system, encroaching from the NE). By mid-afternoon (15 GMT) it was overcast with sleet or intermittent slight rain, with a few ice pellets, lasting into the evening but dying out before midnight. [Rain 0.3 mm; Max 5.3C; Min 1.1C; Grass -1.5C]
26th: An overcast and frost-free night; the wind backed a little towards the N, but still within the NE'ly sector at 09 GMT, had strengthened to force 5. The first morning in the past week that the dewpoint (1.4C) has been above freezing point. Pressure on 1023 mb was unchanged with high 1043 mb over Greenland with ridge S of Iceland dominating the weather. The frontal cloud over Wales was moving slowly S while other weak fronts were over Scotland. The morning kept overcast but dry with the wind moderating. The afternoon was bright with some sunny spells with the temperature rising to a maximum of 6.3C. The night was mostly cloudy. [Rain 0.0 mm; Max 6.3C; Min 2.3C; Grass 0.8C]
27th: One or 2 clearer spells overnight with a ground frost -1.3C, but no sign of any white frost on the dry grass in a fairly dry (RH 80%, dewpoint 1.1C) force 4 NE'ly wind. The sky overhead was partially clearing with altocumulus dominant but a band of stratocumulus was over the Snowdonia Mountains. The freezing level was about 1000 ft, near the average snowline. Pressure 1030 mb had risen as high 1040 mb S of Iceland extended a ridge towards Scotland and S Norway. Pressure continues low 992 mb over the Mediterranean where is is unsettled; further snowfalls have occurred widely from Germany to Bulgaria. In Britain some lowish temperatures overnight in England, but little in the way of any snow. The morning on Anglesey was mostly cloudy but by noon the sky had started to clear giving a sunny afternoon. With the clearance of cloud there were some spectacular views across the Menai Strait of the snow-capped Snowdonia Mountains; the snow and sun angle revealing interesting topographic features. The evening was clear and calm; the temperature fell quickly on the grass to -5.0C and -0.9C in the air. Deposition of frost by midnight, however, was minimal. [Rain 0.3 mm; Max 6.9C; Min 1.4C; Grass -1.3C]
28th: By 04 GMT cloud had encroached and, as a band of precipitation moved across from the NW, there was a moderate fall of small snow pellets that left a thin covering on cold surfaces (0.5 cm on the roof of my car). Around the coast and at lower levels it was drizzle or light rain. At 09 GMT the temperature had risen to 1.7C (dewpoint -0.2C) and the wind was a light W'ly. Pressure 1026 mb had fallen although their was a ridge of high-pressure 1031 mb SW England. Low 1008 mb was in the Norwegian Sea with associated fronts over Scotland. The morning was overcast but kept dry until about 1330 GMT when another band of precipitation moved across, this time sleet or small snow flakes before turning to rain. There was more rain, moderate at times, from 0115 to 0500 GMT associated with a passing cold front. [Rain 6.2 mm; Max 5.9C; Min -0.9C; Grass -5.0C]