Sheffield is officially the UK city which gets the most snow, according to new research. Sheffield gets an average of 11 snowy days each year, figures collated by Leonardo Hotels, using Met Office data, show. That's two more than its nearest rivals, Birmingham and Newcastle, each with nine.
According to figures collated by Leonardo Hotels, using Met Office data, Sheffield is the snowiest city in Britain, with an average of 11 snow-filled days each year.
As per the records, the Cairngorms National Park holds the distinction of being the nation's snowiest location. If we go by the reports of the Met Office, while Aviemore sees 66 days of snow annually, the Cairngorm chairlift weather station records 76.
The deepest snow ever recorded in an inhabited area of the UK was near Ruthin in North Wales during the severe winter of 1946-47. A series of cold spells brought large drifts of snow across the UK, causing transport problems and fuel shortages. During March 1947 a snow depth of 1.65 metres was recorded.
11-12 July 1888, snow was reported to have fallen over the Isle of Wight, Kent, East Midlands, East Yorkshire, Isle of Man, and the south Midlands. The snow may have been mistaken for soft hail in parts of southern England. 16 June 1889, snow occurred across the high ground of N England and Scotland.
Serious snowfall in the winter of 1947. Thousands of people were cut off for days by snowdrifts up to seven metres deep during the winter of 1947, which saw exceptional snowfall. Supplies had to be flown in by helicopter to many villages, and the armed forces were called in to help clear roads and railways.
It probably won't come as a surprise that the coldest cities are all in the north of the UK. Newry and Aberdeen take top spot, with an average day time temperature of 10.58°C. Perth features third on the list, with Stirling and Dunfermline following in joint fourth and fifth with 11.25°C.
However, the Dickensian scene of widespread snow lying on the ground on Christmas Day is much rarer. There has only been a widespread covering of snow on the ground (where more than 40% of stations in the UK reported snow on the ground at 9 am) four times since 1960—in 1981, 1995, 2009 and 2010.
Sheffield is never too far away from snow. It always has a good chance of getting some snow as it has many areas high above sea level,where the air will be colder and thinner.
Broomhill is a suburb of western Sheffield, England. Mostly created in the nineteenth century. The area is just west of the main building of the University of Sheffield, it is known for its large student population, and was identified in 2003 as the richest area apart from London for overall wealth.
You might have heard Sheffield being called the Steel City, due to its international reputation for steel production in the 19th century. Crucible is another innovation developed in Sheffield, which is where the Crucible Theatre gets its name from.
Snowfall in the UK is most frequent and substantial in the northern regions such as Scotland, the Pennines in Northern England, and the high grounds of Wales. However, snow can occur anywhere in the UK, although the South West of England and coastal areas tend to see the least.
Based on Met Office records, the lowest ever temperature recorded in the UK was -27.2°C, recorded in Braemar in Aberdeenshire in 1895 and 1982, and in Altnaharra in the Highlands in 1995.
Burnley and Manchester top the list for the worst weather spots. Both clock dismally low hours of sunshine annually, around 1,300 - under the half the amount of time they spent being rained on. According to the number crunchers, they came in joint first with a 0.20 weather score - out of ten.
Cardiff is Britain's wettest city with 1,152m m falling on it each year. Manchester comes in at 15 behind Belfast and Leeds. London is one of the driest at number 63 with a mere 557mm of rain.
Amesbury. Amesbury along with Stonehenge in Wiltshire is claimed to be Britain's oldest settlement, dating back to 8820 BC according to a project led by the University of Buckingham. The place is said to have been a transport point with the River Avon acting as a transit route.
Though it has been reported in some places that a snow bomb could hit the UK, the Met Office has debunked those claims, saying that while there will be low pressure across the UK, only higher ground will see snow and any resemblance to a snow bomb is incredibly unlikely.
Temperature-wise, it's estimated that 2023 will be the hottest year on record - and probably in the last 120,000 years - with the Met Office forecasting 2024 to be hotter still. The UK has already warmed by more than 1C above the pre-industrial average, leading to winters shortening and summers lengthening.
Tulloch Bridge and Aviemore in Scotland recorded a mixture of rain and snow on Christmas day - despite parts of the country reaching the highest minimum daily temperature on record for 25 December.
The most significant June snowfall in recent memory was on 2 June 1975, when snow fell in many parts of the country. The Essex and Kent cricket match in Colchester was interrupted, while the match between Derbyshire and Lancashire at Buxton was called off after 2.5cm (1in) of snow settled on the outfield.
1. Fairbanks, Alaska. With a minimum average temperature of about minus 17 degrees Fahrenheit, Fairbanks takes the cake as the coldest city in the U.S. The northernmost major city in Alaska, Fairbanks has seen record cold temperatures reaching minus 66 degrees in the past.
Snow in June is incredibly rare in the Midlands. But ten years later Mother Nature defied the odds again. On June 7, 1985, a sleet shower fell on Birmingham Airport. There were a few flurries in June 2009 as well – but nothing like the scenes 40 years back.
