Weather pictures & report of December 23-24 2010

 

Snow related to trailing warm fronts


Synopsis: at 500 hPa sharpening upper trough over western Europe. Overhead in the SSW'ly upper flow the approach of several warm fronts related to a depression over Northern Italy. The warm sector trailed  for a long time over southeast Belgium, with its wintry precipitation belt affecting 90% of Belgian territory. It produced over the west a few cm, but over the center and east 10 to 20 cm snow giving after 46 year finally way to a beautiful white Christmas. At my location (center of Belgium) 10 cm was added on top of the 6 cm. Pictures taken at Kampenhout and Lovenjoel (20 km SE-wards of Kampenhout). Hours in local time (CET). 

 

Surface analysis of December 24 2010 at 0100 CET. Depression over northern Italy moving northeastwards with wrapped around several warm fronts introducing severe winter weather in large parts of the Low Countries. (Source chart: Belgocontrol)

 

Loop of 25 surface analyses between December 23 1300 CET and December 24 1300 CET with the weather plots. The snow didn't reach the extreme west of Belgium, elsewhere light to moderate falls of snow lasting almost 24 hours. (Source: meteocentre.com)

 

Upper air analysis 500 hPa of December 24 2010 at 0100 CET. Over western Europe a sharpening trough with over the Low Countries a weak SSW'ly flow. (Source chart: DWD via wetter3)

 

Upper air analysis 850 hPa of December 24 2010 at 0100 CET. Low of northern Italy recognizable with over the Low Countries advection of cold (-8°C) air from the NNE. (Source chart: DWD via wetter3)

 

Loop of forecasted soundings for Brussels of December 23 2010 between 0830-1900 CET. Negative temperatures over the entire layer, becoming in afternoon saturated, with below 3 km a NE'ly flow and above this height a SW'ly flow. (Source: RASP)

 

Loop of forecasted soundings for Brussels between December 23 1000 CET and December 24 1900 CET. Whole period below freezing over the entire layer and very moist between Dec. 23 1600 - Dec. 24 1300 CET. Below 700 hPa winds from the NE slightly backing , above this height SW'ly. (Source: weatheronline.co.uk)

 

23-24/12/2010 1300-1300 CET. Satellite loop in the infra-red channel. High (bright) stratiform cloud canopy moving NNE-wards. (Source sat picture: Eumetsat via Belgocontrol)

 

Radar loop (reflectivity in dBZ) between December 23 1200 CET and December 24 1600 CET. Intensive precipitation belt affecting Belgium, especially during the evening and night over central and eastern parts. (Source radar picture: Belgocontrol).

 

Some metars (hours in UTC) of Brussels Airport (EBBR). Translation: copy paste each obs via metar-decoder



EBBR 231250Z 03012KT 5000 BR BKN008 M01/M03 Q1002 R07RL/850153 R02/290066 R07L/590231 BECMG 3000 -SN BR BKN005
EBBR 231320Z 04013KT 4500 BR BKN006 M01/M02 Q1002 R07R/290063 R02/290063 R25R/290063 BECMG 3000 -SN BR BKN005
EBBR 231350Z 03012KT 4500 -SN BR BKN006 M01/M02 Q1002 R07R/290063 R02/290063 R25R/290063 BECMG 3000 -SN BR BKN005
EBBR 231420Z 03010KT 4500 -SN BR BKN006 M01/M02 Q1002 R07R/290063 R02/290063 R25R/290063 BECMG 3000 -SN BR BKN005
EBBR 231450Z 03012KT 4500 -SN BR BKN006 M01/M02 Q1002 R07R/290063 R02/290063 R25R/290063 BECMG 3000 -SN BR BKN005
EBBR 231520Z 03015KT 4500 -SN BR BKN006 M01/M02 Q1003 R07R/290066 R02/290067 R25R/290064 BECMG 3000 -SN BR BKN005
EBBR 231550Z 03015KT 4500 -SN BR BKN006 M01/M02 Q1003 R07R/290066 R02/290067 R25R/290064 BECMG 3000 -SN BR BKN005
EBBR 231620Z 03013KT 4200 -SN BR BKN006 M01/M02 Q1003 R07R/290066 R02/290067 R25R/290064 BECMG 3000 -SN BR BKN005
EBBR 231650Z 03013KT 3500 -SN BR BKN007 M01/M02 Q1003 R07R/290066 R02/290067 R25R/290064 TEMPO 1500 -SN BKN005
EBBR 231720Z 03012KT 3500 -SN BR BKN007 M01/M02 Q1003 R07R/290066 R02/290067 R25R/290064 TEMPO 0600 SN
EBBR 231750Z 03012KT 3000 -SN BR BKN007 M01/M02 Q1003 R07R/290066 R02/290067 R25R/290064 TEMPO 0600 SN
EBBR 231820Z 03013KT 3000 -SN BR BKN007 M01/M02 Q1003 R07R/290066 R02/290067 R25R/290064 TEMPO 0600 SN
EBBR 231850Z 03012KT 2600 -SN BR BKN006 BKN010 M01/M02 Q1004 R07R/290066 R02/290067 R25R/290064 TEMPO 0600 SN
EBBR 231920Z 03012KT 1900 -SN BR SCT005 BKN008 M01/M02 Q1004 RESN R07R/590155 R02/290047 R25R/590233 TEMPO 0600 SN
EBBR 231950Z 03012KT 2000 -SN BR BKN007 BKN009 M01/M02 Q1004 R07R/590155 R02/290047 R25R/590233 TEMPO 0600 SN
EBBR 232020Z 03012KT 2000 -SN BR BKN005 M01/M02 Q1004 R07R/590155 R02/290047 R25R/590233 TEMPO 0600 SN
EBBR 232050Z 03012KT 2000 R25L/1900N R25R/P2000N R02/1200D SN BR SCT004 BKN006 M01/M02 Q1004 R07R/590155 R02/290047 R25R/590233 TEMPO 0600 SN
EBBR 232120Z 02012KT 2000 SN BR SCT003 BKN006 M01/M02 Q1004 R07R/590155 R02/290047 R25R/590233 TEMPO 0600 SN
EBBR 232150Z 02013KT 2000 SN BR SCT003 BKN004 M01/M02 Q1004 R07R/590155 R02/290047 R25R/590233 TEMPO 0600 SN
EBBR 232220Z 02013KT 2000 SN BR BKN004 M01/M02 Q1005 R07R/590155 R02/290047 R25R/590233 TEMPO 0600 SN
EBBR 232250Z 02013KT 2000 SN BR SCT004 BKN007 M02/M02 Q1005 R07R/59//// R02/591020 R25R/590599 TEMPO 0600 SN
EBBR 232320Z 02013KT 2000 SN BR BKN004 M02/M03 Q1005 R07R/59//// R02/591020 R25R/590599 TEMPO 0600 SN
EBBR 232350Z 02013KT 2100 SN BR FEW004 BKN006 BKN008 M02/M02 Q1005 R07R/59//// R02/591020 R25R/590599 TEMPO 0600 SN
EBBR 240020Z 02013KT 2100 SN BR FEW004 BKN006 BKN009 M01/M02 Q1005 R07R/59//// R02/591020 R25R/590599 TEMPO 0600 SN
EBBR 240050Z 02013KT 2600 SN BR BKN006 BKN009 M02/M03 Q1005 R07R/59//// R02/591020 R25R/590599 TEMPO 1200 SN
EBBR 240120Z 02013KT 2100 SN BR FEW006 BKN008 M01/M03 Q1006 R07R/5999// R02/5910// R07L/5999// TEMPO 1200 SN
EBBR 240150Z 02014KT 3000 SN BR BKN007 BKN009 M01/M02 Q1006 R07R/5999// R02/5910// R07L/5999// TEMPO 1200 SN
EBBR 240220Z 02015KT 5000 -SN BR BKN009 M01/M03 Q1006 RESN R07R/5999// R02/5910 R07L/5999// TEMPO 1200 SN
EBBR 240250Z 02015KT 3000 SN BR BKN008 BKN012 M01/M03 Q1006 R07R/5999// R02/5910// R07L/5999// TEMPO 1200 SN
EBBR 240320Z 02015KT 3000 SN BR SCT008 BKN010 M01/M03 Q1006 R07R/5999// R02/5910// R07L/5999// TEMPO 1200 SN
EBBR 240350Z /////KT 3000 SN BR SCT008 BKN010 M01/M03 Q1006 R07R/5999// R02/5910// R07L/5999// TEMPO 1200 SN
EBBR 240420Z 01014KT 3000 SN BR SCT006 BKN010 M01/M03 Q1006 R07R/5999// R02/5910// R07L/5999// TEMPO 1200 SN
EBBR 240450Z 01015KT 4500 -SN BR SCT007 BKN011 M01/M03 Q1006 RESN R07R/5999// R02/5910// R07L/5999// TEMPO 1200 SN
EBBR 240520Z 01015KT 3900 -SN BR BKN009 BKN012 M01/M03 Q1007 R07R/5999// R02/5910// R07L/5999// TEMPO 2000 SN
EBBR 240550Z 01015KT 3000 -SN BR FEW006 BKN010 M01/M03 Q1007 R07R/5999// R02/550153 R07L/5999// TEMPO 2000 SN
EBBR 240620Z 01015KT 2000 -SN BR BKN006 BKN010 M01/M03 Q1007 R07R/5999// R02/550153 R07L/5999// TEMPO 2000 SN
EBBR 240650Z 01014KT 2300 -SN BR BKN006 BKN009 M02/M03 Q1008 R07R/5999// R02/550153 R07L/5999// TEMPO 2000 SN
EBBR 240720Z 01015KT 2300 -SN BR FEW006 BKN009 M02/M03 Q1008 R07R/5999// R02/550153 R07L/5999// TEMPO 2000 SN
EBBR 240750Z 02017KT 3800 -SN BR FEW009 BKN012 M02/M03 Q1008 R07R/5999// R02/590231 R07L/5999// TEMPO 2000 SN BKN006
EBBR 240820Z 02015KT 5000 -SN BR FEW009 BKN012 M02/M03 Q1009 R07R/5999// R02/590231 R07L/5999// NOSIG
EBBR 240850Z 02017KT 7000 FEW012 BKN015 M02/M03 Q1009 R07R/5999// R02/590231 R07L/5999// NOSIG
EBBR 240920Z 02017KT 9999 FEW011 BKN015 M01/M04 Q1009 R07R/5999// R02/590231 R07L/5999// NOSIG
 

 

Time lapse webcam images of December 24 between 0817-1317 CET. Most of the 10 cm snow on top of the 6 cm had already fallen. During the night the snow was literally blown onto the wall and when the snow eased off the wind blew it again off the wall. (Source radar picture: Belgocontrol).

 

24/12/2010. Max snow height in cm taken from the synops of 0600 & 0900 UTC.

 

25/12/2010. View over the Low Countries, entirely covered by snow, except the extreme west of Belgium.

 

25/12/2010. Snow height map of Europe on Christmas day.

 

24/12/2010 0832. Conditions in the garden with some snow dunes.

 

24/12/2010 0836. Blowing snow against the wall and window.

 

24/12/2010 1532 E. View of the Wilderse Dreef.

 

24/12/2010 1534 SW. Snow cover in open spaces was somewhat flattened due to the rather strong NNE'ly winds.

 

24/12/2010 1535 NE.

 

24/12/2010 1606. X-mass eve was on its way.

 

25/12/2010. Min temperatures on X-mass morning.

 

25/12/2010. Max temperatures on X-mass day.

 

25/12/2010 1102 Lovenjoel. After 46 years finally a wonderful white X-mass.

 

25/12/2010 1104 Lovejoel.

 

25/12/2010 1113 Lovenjoel.

 

25/12/2010 1118 Lovenjoel. Merry X-mass 2010.

 

25/12/2010 1127. Church of Lovenjoel.

 

25/12/2010 1145 S. There was also a 22° halo visible.

 

25/12/2010 1440 NW. Webcam image. White Christmas at Kampenhout.

 

25/12/2010 1607 S. Sunset at Kampenhout.

 

25/12/2010 1608 E. Wilderse Dreef sunset.

 

25/12/2010 1611 S. Sunset with view on the church of Relst.

 

26/12/2010 1231 S. Long snow dune in garden giving salute on a wonderful X-mass 2010.

 

05/01/2011 1055 N. From December 28 onwards, a slow thaw began but without rain or wind and often with night frost. Thus a couple cm of snow even survived (locally) on the fields till January 5 2011.

 

05/01/2011. Terra satellite view how the snow has disappeared west of the line Mons - Brussels - Antwerp. Red "K" my location Kampenhout.

 

05/01/2011. Corresponding snow heights in cm.

 

05/01/2011 1132. And in the garden the snow dune survived as well till January 5 2011. Afterwards the classic thaw began with a lot of rain and wind.

 

Back to winter reports 2010

Home