Asked for forecast .....

[Tugmistress]

Been asked a couple of times how long is this cold going to last and is it going to thaw soon, so i thought i would make a post about it.

Monday
The upper air temp above is is between -6c and -10c, cloud cover is variable, with the heaviest being around tea time, most liable to be flurries of snow during the day and a 'dump' in the evening and freezing temps overnight.

Tuesday
pretty much same as above, the colder air being over us after tea time, snow showers throughout the day and night freezing overnight again.

Wednesday
Quite a steady upper air temp of about -6c or -7c, still cold enough to produce snow or sleet if anything falls, thinner cloud cover so maybe the odd slight bit of sunshine, probably freezing temps overnight again.

temperatures during the day MAY get up to about 4c or 5c, if there is compacted ice it will just melt the surface and the ice will just turn like a bottle as soon as temps drop back down below 2c. i don't expect these temps during the day if there isn't a hint of sun in the sky.

in other words - keep those woolly knickers on!

I'll try and remember to update this tomorrow and each day keeping a 3 day rolling forecast going until this cold stuff decides it's had enough of the caithness hospitality :Razz

[shazzap]

Thank you for that, nice to have a more local forecast.

Can anyone tell me what the roads and carparks are like in Wick please.
I can't walk very well and am a bit nervous of going out.
I am ok in my car although i don't like driving if the roads are icy,but getting out of the car in a carpark that is like a skating rink is not very nice.

[supernova]

Thanks for that Tugmistress. I'm hoping we'll get a good amount of snow fall, as I want to make a snow man!:D

[ShelleyCowie]

Cheers tuggs! That really helps. Will make sure that i get out and get the stuff i need when its a bit clearer in the day. :D

[Connor.]

Thank you for that, nice to have a more local forecast.

Can anyone tell me what the roads and carparks are like in Wick please.
I can't walk very well and am a bit nervous of going out.
I am ok in my car although i don't like driving if the roads are icy,but getting out of the car in a carpark that is like a skating rink is not very nice.

The tesco car park in Wick is fine, a few icy bits but can be dodged as they are easily noticeable. Haven't been to the co-op but on the passing it looked kinda icy. Roads are fine with only a few back roads slippery and various pavements.

[shazzap]

The tesco car park in Wick is fine, a few icy bits but can be dodged as they are easily noticeable. Haven't been to the co-op but on the passing it looked kinda icy. Roads are fine with only a few back roads slippery and various pavements.

Thank you Conner.:)

I can only go by the paths near me, which are horrendous.

[kas]

Tuggs,

Does this snow include us right at the coast, as we havent had much compared to everywhere else.

I want to go sledging up near your place.

Cheers

[brandy]

would love to take the kids out in snow to play in.. was out in lyth this mornining with kids and it was like a bottle. just wish it would snow properly or go away! then we could at least get out side!

[annemarie482]

would love to take the kids out in snow to play in.. was out in lyth this mornining with kids and it was like a bottle. just wish it would snow properly or go away! then we could at least get out side!

seen you drive past! i was in the garden chasing a sheep lol!

[Fran]

I was going to Inverness tomorrow but will leave it till thursday when the weather improves.

[Tugmistress]

Kas,
i guess it depends on how much falls and where lol. i hope so, my lane is a bottle at the moment i was stuck in 4 wheel drive last night coming home for about 5 minutes! i hope it does snow enough here :) it certainly looks like it may do anyway.

Fran,
there shouldn't be a problem today with last night and yesterday being so mild, looking at the live eye the roads are quite good, looking further than wednesday this cold isn't going away any time soon.

[Tugmistress]

Thursday
Cold and light snow showers, set to continue, get your de icer topped up and window washer stuff and anti freeze.

[Boozeburglar]

What everyone should remember is that as we all know your luck can change drastically in as little as five minutes in these weather conditions, so really think about why you are venturing out before you decide to risk it.

http://www.trafficscotland.org/currentincidents (http://www.trafficscotland.org/currentincidents/index.aspx)/index.aspx (http://www.trafficscotland.org/currentincidents/index.aspx)

Plenty of real problems on the roads..

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/he/he_forecast_wind.html

It is not worth venturing out if it is not needed, a combination of winds like these and snow lying on the ground can cause drifts, never mind the fact there is snow falling as well in a lot of places.

http://www.trafficscotland.org/lev/index.aspx

The live eye views are no indication at all, they are far too few and far between, besides they don't actually tell you how slippy the roads are, they are mainly on straights too..

[Tugmistress]

Friday -
still cold enough in the darkness hours for snow, but anything falling during the day liable to be sleet or rain. maybe a few bits of sunshine, hardly a breeze.

[Liz]

Tuggs I would really appreciate your advice please.

I was checking up on the Cold Weather Payment due to people on certain benefits and to be eligible for this the temperature in your area must be 'recorded as, or forecast to be,zero deg celcius for 7 days during the period from 1st Nov to 31st March'

You get £25 for each qualifying week.

However, I have checked the qualifying areas and Caithness aren't shown!

Could you let me know whether we had the 'qualifying' temperatures?

Thanks!:)

[BINBOB]

Tuggs I would really appreciate your advice please.

I was checking up on the Cold Weather Payment due to people on certain benefits and to be eligible for this the temperature in your area must be 'recorded as, or forecast to be,zero deg celcius for 7 days during the period from 1st Nov to 31st March'

You get £25 for each qualifying week.

However, I have checked the qualifying areas and Caithness aren't shown!

Could you let me know whether we had the 'qualifying' temperatures?

Thanks!:)

Liz....if u search,cold weather payments[google] it will show a list .........caithness IS on it.To qualify u must be on credits/income support........as well as some other benefits.It will be paid automatically to those entitled.Good luck............I get nothing!!!;)

[Tugmistress]

we've not had enough 'ice days' to warrant 1 week yet sorry

[Liz]

Liz....if u search,cold weather payments[google] it will show a list .........caithness IS on it.To qualify u must be on credits/income support........as well as some other benefits.It will be paid automatically to those entitled.Good luck............I get nothing!!!

Ah well if you don't get it doesn't sound like I will either!:( Where did you see Caithness on the list as I couldn't? I don't think it's fair that the disabled don't get the Winter Fuel payment as we need it as much as the elderly.[evil]


we've not had enough 'ice days' to warrant 1 week yet sorry

Crikey certainly felt like it! Thanks anyway Tuggs.:D

[Geo]

we've not had enough 'ice days' to warrant 1 week yet sorry

I suppose it depends where the DSS receive their weather information from. It feels like it's been zero every day for more than a week, at least at some point during the day. The snow and ice hasn't melted here since the start of the cold weather.

[Venture]

Perhaps we would have all been better prepared for this cold spell if we had listened to an old wives' tale that I heard on many occassions over the summer months.

It seems that the abundance of red berries for such a long time on the rowan trees this summer were a sure sign of a bad winter to come. It's certainly turned out to be right.;)

[trix]

Perhaps we would have all been better prepared for this cold spell if we had listened to an old wives' tale that I heard on many occassions over the summer months.

It seems that the abundance of red berries for such a long time on the rowan trees this summer were a sure sign of a bad winter to come. It's certainly turned out to be right.;)

'at's correct venture, its got somethin til do wi Mother Nature feedin her birdies through oot 'e cowld spell ;)

[rockyrider]

thanks tugmistress,nice to have local weather forecasts.

[NickInTheNorth]

Tuggs I would really appreciate your advice please.

I was checking up on the Cold Weather Payment due to people on certain benefits and to be eligible for this the temperature in your area must be 'recorded as, or forecast to be,zero deg celcius for 7 days during the period from 1st Nov to 31st March'

You get £25 for each qualifying week.

However, I have checked the qualifying areas and Caithness aren't shown!

Could you let me know whether we had the 'qualifying' temperatures?

Thanks!:)


You can check by postcode at :
http://pensions.direct.gov.uk/en/cold-weather-payment/home.asp

the result for kw14 is


The Met Office have notified the Department for Work and Pensions that 1 period of very cold weather has occurred in the KW14 postcode area between 1 November 2009 and 6 January 2010, triggering a Cold Weather Payment.
If you have qualified for Cold Weather Payments since 1 November 2009 and live in this postcode area, you will receive 1 Cold Weather Payment.

[Liz]

You can check by postcode at :
http://pensions.direct.gov.uk/en/cold-weather-payment/home.asp

the result for kw14 is


The Met Office have notified the Department for Work and Pensions that 1 period of very cold weather has occurred in the KW14 postcode area between 1 November 2009 and 6 January 2010, triggering a Cold Weather Payment.
If you have qualified for Cold Weather Payments since 1 November 2009 and live in this postcode area, you will receive 1 Cold Weather Payment.

Cheers for that!:D

Ah well I will get £25 which is better than nothing but won't go very far towards the heating costs.:(

[Tugmistress]

Thanks NIN they probably use data from wick airport hope this helps people out there entitled to this payment.

Saturday

line from wick to fort william - east of the line colder temps, freezing snow showers a little sun, west of the line liable to be rain rather than snow or sleet a positively barmy 5c possible!
obviously the nearer you are to line the line the more mixed it will be!

[BINBOB]

Cheers for that!:D

Ah well I will get £25 which is better than nothing but won't go very far towards the heating costs.:(

Reallly hope u do ,Liz.........good luck.;)

[poppett]

The list for cold weather payments only shows postcodes which have been triggered, not every postcode.

Our former area in Edinburgh has had three payments, where I lived in Inverness before that have had two, but until today nothing for KW14. KW13 have had three payments, but to qualify you have to live in Kinbrace!!

[annemarie482]

are we likely to see more snow this week or just this hard frost?
national weather just assumes we're the same as aberdeen.
what you think tugmistress?

[mumof2]

would love for it to go away now, i don't like driving when it's icy so am now walking when i have to go out. also been on my bum a few times which i didn't appreciate! i think your forecasts are brilliant please let it be good news.

[chocolatechip]

I hope it goes soon to, I have plans in the next fornight and I can't afford to miss them if there is going to be snow and ICE!! IT'S DEFFINATELY TIME FOR IT TO GO!!!
I hope it goes by 2 weeks this weekend as I am supposed to be going to Inverness for a shopping trip

[Tugmistress]

are we likely to see more snow this week or just this hard frost?
national weather just assumes we're the same as aberdeen.
what you think tugmistress?

i'll have a look this evening on the charts i like and let you know :)

[golach]

Its -10c here in Auld Reekie, thick snow all around, your positively balmy up there, dont knock it.

[Thumper]

Tuggs,I know you dont like going too far forward but do you have any idea what it will be like on Wed?Really dont fancy driving far if its going to be bad so would rather postpone x

[Tugmistress]

are we likely to see more snow this week or just this hard frost?
national weather just assumes we're the same as aberdeen.
what you think tugmistress?

If we see any more up here it'll be confined pretty much to high ground and the east coast, but i don't think it'll be enough to cause any more chaos. rain is looking more likely.


Tuggs,I know you dont like going too far forward but do you have any idea what it will be like on Wed?Really dont fancy driving far if its going to be bad so would rather postpone x

don't cancel, it'll be warmer by then so anything should be rain, the only problem will be freezing temps on the roads overnight.

Sunday,
possibly starting to thaw out a little in the sun during the day, temps overnight going to around -3 for an average, obviously lower than that the higher above sea level.

[Thumper]

Thanks Tuggs,you have saved me a lot of worry!x

[annemarie482]

cheers tuggs :D