After several days of speculation, the cold front eventually arrived, revealing the true power of the Arctic airstream we’d been promised. The temperature fell from +1.5 degC at noon to -2.0 degC at 1pm, with a ferocious blizzard of fine powder snow. This is probably the most impressive cold front passage since the mid 80’s, with additions to the lying snow of last night.
I was at work in Newton Aycliffe at the time and we all got stuck in the Canteen. Not a bad thing I hear you say, but it was quite unbelievable in ferocity and the drop in temp was something i’ve not experienced for a long time, certainly not in this country. It was undoubtedly a squall feature, as it could be seen approaching from the North, like a giant white dust storm. It didn’t seem to lose any of it’s intensity either as it swept southward across the country.
The snow has been blowing around this afternoon in the strong NW wind leading to poor road conditions later.
Comments from another local weather station observer
“Yes, incredible conditions as a gust of wind instantaneously blew in a blizzard.
The temperature at 11.57am was 2.3c, and at 12.15 pm was -2.0c, so a drop of 4.3c in 18 minutes in Newton Aycliffe. That is an incredible difference.
I’ve seen many occasions with worse snow, as in depth and length of showers, but I have never seen a short blizzard as intense as that one. A truly remarkable sight.”
Header Photo from the Howhill website. This is up near Garrigill, Alston in Cumbria. but the same cold front exhibited the same characteristics there.