The Continental Cold Snap, Updates and News Reports

http://www.met.ie/news/display.asp?ID=149


Cold spell in Europe in late winter 2011/2012

From The World Meteorological Organisation

After unusually mild weather in December 2011 and early January 2012 almost all over Europe, the weather situation changed abruptly in the middle of January. An incursion of cold polar air, coming from northern Russia at the south flank of an extensive high pressure area brought extremely low temperatures over large parts of Europe and also some considerable snowfall especially over various parts of the continent.

This Siberian high pressure system is preventing milder temperatures and maritime storms from moving from the Atlantic Ocean eastwards over Europe. This high pressure area was very stable causing a continuous flow of cold air to Europe over many days . This “blocking system” is extremely large in its extent but it is not an unusual phenomenon in the Northern hemisphere winter.

A similar high pressure “blocking” system was also responsible for the more significant cold winter of 2009/2010, when cold conditions started in mid December and continued over most of January and February period.

In the last few days of January and at the beginning of February, further extremely cold continental air from Russia arrived and brought ongoing frost to eastern, southeastern, central and large parts of western Europe. Minimum temperatures in Moscow went down to -25°C until the beginning of February.

Some east European countries (Latvia, Belarus, northeastern Poland, Ukraine) experienced minimum temperatures of around -30°C, northern Russia down to -37°C. In eastern Germany, minimum temperatures below -20°C were measured in many places, in western central Europe around -10°C to -15°C or below (e.g. Luxembourg -13°C on 3 February, Strasbourg in France at the Rhine river -15°C on 5 February, Basel in Switzerland -17°C on 6 February).

However, all these minimum temperatures were not new records. The long duration of the cold period, its relatively late onset and the extent of the cold area are noteworthy but not exceptional. The continental cold air extended even over the Balkan peninsula; slight ongoing frost was recorded even in northern Greece.

The cold air coming from the north was fed with a strong moisture flux from the central Mediterranean Sea. This caused heavy snowfall over parts of south eastern Europe such as the Balkans, Romania, Bulgaria, Italy, and Algeria and other countries in Northern Africa.

In contrast, mild air moved over the North Atlantic northwards over Iceland up to the Arctic region. The temperature in Svalbard, far north in the Arctic, reached repeatedly up to 5°C in recent days, more than in Milano (Italy) or in Istanbul (Turkey). Much of North America has also been unusually warm.

Part of the explanation is the the so-called Arctic Oscillation which is the difference in pressure between Polar areas and mid-latitude areas (where most of the population in Europe lives). At the moment there is a negative Arctic Oscillation, which favors cold conditions in Europe and relatively warmer conditions in the Arctic.

Similar cold spells with similar weather conditions occurred several times during the past decades. Similarly low temperatures in central Europe and even far higher snow depths were recorded as recently as February 2010.

Temperatures have been also been extremely low from the northern part of East Asia to Central Asia (in and around Mongolia and Kazakhstan) since mid-January. The influence of cold air has extended to Central to Western Europe as well as to all over Central Asia, such as Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, since the beginning of February.

This update is based on the information provided by WMO Member states in the region and the WMO Regional Climate Centres in Germany for Europe and Tokyo and Beijing for Asia

Tokyo Climate Center, Japan Meteorological Agency



Figure 1 Weekly temperature anomalies in the Northern Hemisphere from 15 January 2012 (Unit: °C) (Based on SYNOP reports)

darkman2 wrote: »

Village called Opi, 150 km east of Rome.

:eek:

That is a little too much snow even for me.

We should be selling our huge stock of salt at a mark up and pay off some of this countries debt.

We certainly won't be using it.

I was at Tesco today and I nearly slipped on all the salt they have spread. Its like they are just trying to get rid of it.

I'm due to fly into Beauvais Paris on Monday. Anyone got an update on how the land lies over there ?

It looks to me that the cold is loosening its grip over the continent, with the exception of Finland I dont see anything out of the ordinary for early February.
Look at how Italy has warmed up (a lot of slush!!)

JOHNFRANCE wrote: »

Pageant Messiah wrote: »

I'm due to fly into Beauvais Paris on Monday. Anyone got an update on how the land lies over there ?

I live here mate, in Beauvais. Snowed last weekend (about 5 to 6 centimetres). Airport was closed on the Sunday morning with flights diverted to Lille. All back on track now though! I'm flying into Dublin tomorrow evening and back here on Sunday evening. Type Beauvais airport into Google for more details.

Even though we've had no snow for a week, it's still on the ground. It was minus 16 this morning! Temperatures minus 4 at best during the day. Be next Wednesday before any semblance of a thaw sets in.

Saying prayers now for both of us on Sunday / Monday

Thanks for the reply

This place called Holbeach in the UK East Midlands.
-8c and sunny at noon and down to -12c by 6pm.
Me jealous? not at all - give me our permanent overcast grey sky and nothing climate any day.
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/em/holbeach_latest_weather.html

Elmer Blooker wrote: »

The Dutch are praying that the contintental cold spell continues so the famous "Eleven Cities" race can take place this year, the first since 1997.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iUwtrVvIDdIuPC1_XSLsp6ViLa-g?docId=bee7f843bd

This will be the last post in this thread I think.
The Dutch are devastated that the "Eleven Cities" race will not take place this year. Read this and you will see how much it means to them. Note the bit at the end that says the cold will return according to some forecasters.
http://www.iol.co.za/dailynews/news/hopes-fade-for-dutch-ice-race-1.1231083

OMG :eek: amazing

baraca wrote: »

That picture has been doing the rounds for a few years now.

Ya thought I saw pic like that somewhere before I posted because I saw it on a website that was talkin about the extreme cold in parts of europe over last week or two and it showed this picture.

So is it even a real picture ? :rolleyes: