Weather-history

Well it is coming up to the 10th anniversary of this absolutely gorgeous day. I remember the day well, it was a Sunday, it was sunny and warm with a balmy breeze, fantastic. Tropical air had flooded northwards behind a warm front during Saturday night and most of the UK had a beautiful sunny day and temperatures rocketed despite the breeze. 25.6C at Hawarden 24.6C at Heathrow 24.1C at Cambridge 23.5C at Elmdon 23.0C at Ringway http://www.wetterzentrale.de/archive/ra/19...00219951008.gif http://www.wetterzentrale.de/archive/ra/19...00119951008.gif I remember sitting in the garden just after the sun had set that day in a t-shirt. :lol:

There was a partial eclipse during Feb 1971, quite a deep one as well.

Yep that's the 00z chart. Some people did see totality in 1999 as some did during the 1927 total eclipse but it was 1715 we last had really good conditions for a British total eclipse.

It was caused by this low marked R for "Rotter" http://www.wetterzentraleforum.de/archive/...cka19990811.gif My Uncle and Aunt saw the total eclipse from Newquay. It had rained during the partial stages of the eclipse but there was a break in the cloud about 10 minutes before totality and they saw totality through a reasonable break in the cloud.

That was a gut wrencher. The Monday and Wednesday had reasonable conditions and the eclipse would have seen been by many more people than it was on the Tuesday. Hardly anyone saw it and it was the cloud cover, I think it was generally a very thick altostratus that was frustrating.

This has been discussed already on the Science forum http://www.net-weather.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=20675

Oh dear one of their columnists has actually made a comment on it, it gets from bad to worse http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/co...-name_page.html

If the far north of the UK was hit by a hurricane, it would have been front page news on most newspapers and it would have featured in the news headlines. What a load of garbage! I very much doubt it, ex Charley did dump a lot of rain but 16" of rain it didn't thats 40cm of rain nearly!!

John Payne on UKww posted this link. I let you read it for yourself and then pick yourself off the floor afterwards, it is staggeringly inept reporting at its best (or worst) http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/02...-name_page.html

Summer 1995 was a scorcher, it had a CET of 17.4 and was sunnier and drier than summer 2003 by a margin. There was some notable warm spells in the April and May but the heat really kicked off during the last third of June.

The CET for summer 2003 was 17.3 Summer 2004 had a CET of 16.2

The CET average for summer 2005 is 16.3 The summer CET average for summer 1990 is 16.2 and yet most people will remember summer 1990 more than summer 2005 Funny old world

There was a gap of 10 years between the solar eclipses of May 1984 and May 1994, which is unusual. Conditions during the 1994 eclipse were very poor, and the partial eclipse of 1996 was clouded out across most parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland. So for some parts of the UK, had to wait 15 years from May 1984 to August 1999, to see a solar eclipse.

With the partial solar eclipse on the 3rd of October 2005, here's the weather for some past important UK astronomical events. 8th of June 2004, the day of the Venus Transit. The transit was largely seen across England and Wales under clear skies, it was cloudier further north though. 31st May 2003 The first annular eclipse to be seen from from the UK since 1921. Annularity was across northern Scotland but viewing was plagued by cloud however the annular eclipse was seen in some places. Further south, an eclipsed sunrise was widely seen. 9th January 2001 The last total lunar eclipse to be widely seen across the UK occurring at an ideal time i.e early evening. Skies were largely clear due to high pressure. 17th November 1999 The Leonids Meteor Storm. Sadly, cloud covered much of the country that night with the exterme west and east having the clearest conditions despite the forecast of clearer skies. 11th August 1999 The total eclipse of the sun from Cornwall, south Devon. Alderney and the Scilly Isles was largely obscured by cloud cover but some spots did see totality such as Newquay, Alderney, Scilly Isles and around the Lizard peninsula. The large partial eclipse was largely seen across the rest of the UK. 12th October 1996 This was the first partial solar eclipse to be widely seen across England and Wales since 1984. Cloud plagued viewing from time to time but there were sufficent breaks to witness the event. Across Scotland and Northern Ireland, there was complete cloud cover. 10th May 1994 The first partial solar eclipse to be seen from the UK for 10 years, it was largely obscured by cloud and very few places saw it. 15th February 1961 A very large partial solar eclipse across the UK, with totality through central France, sadly cloud largely obscured viewing. 30th June 1954 Totality across northern part of Unst in the Shetlands. Clouds plagued viewing here but further south, a large partial eclipse was widely seen. 29th June 1927 The first total solar eclipse to be seen from the UK since 1724. Totality across North Wales and Northern England, this was plagued by cloud and fog. there was breaks in the cloud around Preston, Blackburn, Chorley, Giggleswick, Settle, Darlington, Middlesborough, and Hartlepool and these areas witness totality. 8th April 1921 Annular eclipse visible from NW Scotland. It was visible from a number of places in the track. 18th March 1858 The annular eclipse with the greatest covering of the sun to cross the UK with only 0.7% of the sun visible. The track of annularity ran from Lyme Bay to the Wash and was only 14km wide. Cloudy conditions plagued viewing but their was a notable temperature drop and a strange twilight was widely experienced. 11th May 1724 Totality across south Wales and southern England, conditions were generally unfavourable but totality was witnessed from some areas especially from the Salisbury Plains. 22nd April 1715 Totality across central and southern England and Wales including London, this was last total solar eclipse to be widely seen with the naked eye. Clear skies gave perfect viewing and stars and planets were seen during totality. This was witnessed by Halley. 25th February 1598 Total solar eclipse from west Cornwall, Wales, NW England and far eastern Scotland. Legend has it that some people got lost during the eclipse and perished in the snow.

According to weatheronline, it reached 16C at Newcastle Airport that day, that's about the average maximum for Newcastle for September.

I noticed during the coverage of the tragedy of the death of 4 men during the Great North run mentioned soaring temperatures although I wouldn't call 18C a soaring temperature in September? I'm sure the London marathon has been run at higher temperatures.

I don't remember the Autumn 1994 as really having a proper Indian summer, the November was record breakingly mild. October 1995 was much more like an Indian summer, October 8th 1995 was an absolutely gorgeous day with sunshine, a balmy wind and temperatures into the low 20s. Fantastic.

2005 : 0 First time since 1999, there has been no washout in any of the Tests. 2004: 1 2003: 1 2002: 1 2001: 1 2000: 1 1999: 0 1998: 1 1997: 1 1996: 0 1995: 0 1994: 0 1993: 0 1992: 2 1991: 1 1990: 0 1989: 0 1988: 0 1987: 4 1986: 0 1985: 0 1984: 0 1983: 0 1982: 1 1981: 0 1980: 4 1979: 2 1978: 3 1977: 1 1976: 1 1975: 0 1974: 3 1973: 0 1972: 0 1971: 3 1969: 0 1968: 1 1967: 1 1966: 0 1965: 0 1964: 4 1963: 0 1962: 1 1961: 0 1960: 2 1959: 0 1958: 4 1957: 0 1956: 3 1955: 0 1954: 7 1953: 0 1952: 2 1951: 2 1950: 0 1949: 0 1948: 1 1947: 0 1946: 1 1939: 0 1938: 4 1937: 0 1936: 0 1935: 1 1934: 0 1933: 0 1932: 0 1931: 2 1930: 2 1929: 0 1928: 0 1926: 2 1924: 2 1921: 1 1912: 2 1909: 0 1907: 0 1905: 1 1902: 2 1899: 1 1896: 0 1893: 0 1890: 3 1888: 0 1886: 0 1884: 1 1880: 0 Test Grounds total Old Trafford: 29 days washed out. Lord's: 18 days washed out. The Oval: 14 days washed out. Headingley: 12 days washed out. Trent Bridge: 10 days washed out. Edgbaston: 2 days washed out.

Here's the short article I wrote about the severe winter of 1947 The Winter of 1946-47 was the snowiest winter of the 20th Century and is widely believed to be the snowiest winter since 1813-14 even surpassing the winter of 1878-79. The winter struck at a time when the country was recovering from the aftermath of World War II and many essential items were rationed. The CET for the winter was 1.1C The severest spell of the winter struck during the third week of January. Up to that point, January was largely mild and unsettled, although there was a brief cold interlude around the 9th with some snow. A major change in the weather occurred on the 20th as high pressure migrated to northern Scandinavia allowing a cold NEly flow across the UK bringing with it snow showers and night time frosts. These conditions continued until the end of the month with subtle changes as the winds shifted to a southeasterly direction. Many areas had a snow cover which was increasing in depth up to 30cm in places in the south and this drifted in the strong wind. Temperatures were close to freezing and the cold and snowy conditions were already causing chaos with power cuts and disruption to transport. February was very severe with very low maxima, frequent snowfalls, freezing rain events, blizzards, drifting snow and severe frosts. The country was on it's economic knees. 4 million workers were made idle by power cuts to industries as coal trains could not get to power stations by deep drifts on the railway lines. Many villages and towns were cut off by drifting snow such as Buxton and Bridlington. The blizzards in the Channel caused chaos with shipping due to very low visibilties, gales and driving snow. Worst still, the fishing industry was crippled as vessels were forced to stay in harbour and one of the few food items that was not rationed, fish, became scarce. The disruption to road transport was huge. The Great North Road or A1 was blocked for 22 miles by 10 foot drifts and during one of the worst blizzards, 300 roads were blocked and up to 15 towns were cut off. With pressure high to the north of the UK, low pressure systems took a more southerly track often over northern France or the Channel. The UK was mostly left in the cold sector of these lows but there was very occasional thaws in the extreme south. These lows brought strong to gale force easterly winds and heavy snowfalls with drifting snow. The coldest spell came around the 11th as high pressure was over Scandinavia and this allowed a very cold easterly flow across the UK which lasted to about the 23rd. Maxima were subzero during this period and with virtually no sun, it was very bleak. The NW of Scotland, sheltered from the easterly favoured very well with a lot of sunny and dry weather. Many areas were completely snow covered throughout the whole of February and depths of snow were phenomenal, up to 1 to 2 feet of level snow with drifts well in excess of this. It wasn't until the end of the month, when there were clearer skies that very low minima were recorded over the deep snow cover like -21C at Woburn, -19C at Luton, -16C at Rye and -11C at Dungeness. The CET for February was -1.9C, the coldest February in the CET records. The severe weather continued into March with even greater ferocity. There were record low March minima with temperatures down to < -20C in a number of places. On the 6th, a low moved through the English Channel producing one of the worst blizzards of the 20th century over England and Wales. The storm lasted for 48 hours with heavy snow, blizzards, gale force easterlies and even in the extreme south freezing rain. The heavy drifting snow caused chaos to transport with many areas either paralysed or snowbound. There was a lull with further severe frosts and very low minima down to -20C in places. The next low moved in and this took a more northerly track and this allowed a thaw into the south but to the north, the fierce blizzards continued. It wasn't until the 16th, that the milder weather finally broke through to all areas. The subsequent thaw was to create devastating problems of its own.

Early fog just starting to lift. 4th time I've seen fog in the last 10 weeks.

I think your brother may be having you on here. Nothing on the radar nor the sferics backs you brother's report.

Foggy during the early hours, now cloudy and misty with a hint of drizzle in the air.

Despite the heatwave at the start of the month, the CET for September 1906 was only 13.9

The start of September 1906 saw one of the most exceptional heatwaves to ever occurred in the UK. It stands together with the heatwaves of August 2003, 1990 and 1911 and what is the most remarkable about it is that it occurred at the beginning of September. The intense heatwave started at the end of August with low pressure to the west and this pumped a very hot continental southerly across the UK. Temperatures rocketed in the brilliant sunshine with 35C recorded on the 1st in London, 35.6C at Bawtry in South Yorkshire, 34.8C at Old Southgate in London and 34.7C at Wryde in Cambridgeshire on the 2nd, 34.2C at Westley in Suffolk on the 3rd. A cooler air flow toppled over the UK as the ridge over the UK began to retreat 30th August: 31.7C at Jersey, 30C at Maidenhead 31st August: 34.9C at Maidenhead, 34.8C at Wryde, Cambs The heatwave reached it's peak at the beginning of September 1st September: 35.0C at Collyweston and New Malden 2nd September: 35.6C at Bawtry Hall, S Yorks; 34.8C at Old Southgate, London; 34.7C at Wryde 3rd September: 34.2C at Westley, Suffolk Question: How hot would have it have got if it were early August?

I remember July 1999 and it was a pretty good summer month. Its the same with June 1986, although not an exceptional month it was a fairly good month but is eclipsed by the poor August 1986 and is forgotten. June 1986 was probably the best month out the all the summer months between 1985 and 1988.