Synoptics Of 1962/63

[kold weather]

Here is where I shall put my synoptics rundown off the 1962/63 winter.It will be long and it will take time but I hope it gives an idea off the amazing winter.

Late december

26th December-High pressure was over Greenland at 1055mbs with high pressure centre also just to the west off Ireland with northerly winds, a front over the U.K giving massive amounts off snow with 850ph temps off below –5C for the south of England, while to the north it was just below due to the front.

27th December-high pressure over Greenland weakens to 1040mbs,still a negative NAO with pressure lowest over the east off England at 1010 over East anglia.850pha temps below –5C across the country apart from Cornwall and –10 over the far north off U.K

28th December-high pressure over Greenland at 1035 and also high pressure over close to Iceland at 1030.A area of low pressure close to Portugal caused pressure to drop over the south-west causing the start off a blizzard(which eventually caused drifts of 6 meters!)850pha temps below –5 across the country with –8C over Scotland and the north off England.

29th December-pressure off 1030 over Greenland. A area off large low pressure close to Portugal still at 995mbs and so a negative NAO as well.850pha temps below –5C(down to –8C across the north) across the whole country and also across most off western Europe and –10Cpha line heading down the north sea close to the east coast. The snowcover was by now building up over much of the U.K and was the third day in a row that there was large snowfalls somewhere over the U.K.

30th December-a new high pressure cell over Greenland at 1040mbs form with another small high pressure over Iceland as well as a decent Newfoundland high. The low that was close to Portugal moves into the channel and gives a lot of snowfall over the south of England with a central pressure of 990mbs,and was pretty much a channel low.850pha temps rise above –5C in the far south while –10C creeps into southern Scotland and also northen England.

31st December-high pressure builds even more over Greenland upto 1055 as well as a cell over Scandinavia. Low pressure starts to head back towards the Atlantic although still giving snow to the south-west quarter of U.K. with a central pressure of 995,with low pressure over western Europe at 1005.850pha temps above –5C over the south of England although with so much snow on the ground temps still were more then cold enough for snow on the ground.-10C over northern Scotland.

Edited March 30, 2005 by kold weather

[Methuselah]

I remember that blizzard KW. It's firmly lodged in my memory...the snow was up to the top of the fence in my backgarden. I could hardly believe my eyes!!

Thanks for making me remember!!

[johnholmes]

KW

Did you actually experience that winter?

this is a site with a first class description of it

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/mtullett/1962-63/index.htm?N=D

I can vouch for it as I worked through it.

regards

John

ps it did last until mid March as well!

j

Edited March 30, 2005 by johnholmes

[kold weather]

Hi john,excellent site indeed,I shall be looking at that no doubts.I weren't around then.(although family was!)

It is indeed a great descrption off it!

[dave.e]

Hi john,excellent site indeed,I shall be looking at that no doubts.I weren't around then.(although family was!)

It is indeed a great descrption off it!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A very interesting link. I also was around in the winter of 62/63 and enjoyed the time greatly and it strngthened my interest in the weather.

One thing I do recall was the weather forecasts on the BBC Home Service were continually promising warmer weather to be on it's way from the South west, but it always seemed to be a couple of days away in the south east.

This got me wondering. Does anyone out there know if the Met Office or any other weather organisation used the sypnomtics present at the time on their current computers and if so how much did the forecasts vary with the ones produced at the time and just how accurate were they.

If not it would be fun to feed the info in know if it is feaable to do so to see what the results would be.

Best regards

Dave

[John Cox]

KW

Did you actually experience that winter?

this is a site with a first class description of it

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/mtullett/1962-63/index.htm?N=D

I can vouch for it as I worked through it.

regards

John

ps it did last until mid March as well!

j

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi John,

What a great read.

To enhance the experience open another window on the web, cut and paste http://www.theweatheroutlook.com/dathistcharts.asp.

Size the window with the history to cover the left of the screen. Size the window with the historic maps on the right of the screen and continue day by day with each

What a joy!!!. Thanks.

Weather Observer.

[summer blizzard]

Is it true that places in the Pennines had over two metres of level snow, not including snow drifts.