December 2005 Summaries

[reef]

Hedon, East Yorkshire.

December 2005

Warmest Max: 11.1°C (on 11/12/05)

Coldest Max: -1.2°C (on 29/12/05)

Warmest Min: 6.3°C (on 11/12/05)

Coldest Min: -4.2°C (on 29/12/05)

Average Max: 7.04°C (-0.76°C Below 1971-2000 Average)

Average Min: 2.00°C (-0.40°C Below 1971-2000 Average)

Overall Average: 4.52°C (-0.58°C Below 1971-2000 Average)

Rain: 16.5mm (32% Of Normal)

Air Frosts: 7 (Above 1971-2000 average of 6)

Snow showers: 25

Snow lying at 0900: 4 days

Dry Days: 11

Wet Days: 20

Days With Rain >1.0mm: 7

Thunderstorms: 0

The second consecutive below average month. The month was characterised by mainly calm, average conditions, along with two cold snaps, the second of which was the most potent for some time. There was a notable lack of excessively mild days, with double figure temperatures reached on only the 11th, 15th, 16th and 23rd. The mildest day was the 11th, where both the highest maxima of 11.1°C and highest minima of 6.3°C were recorded.

The cold spell on the 17th and 18th was a standard northerly toppler affair. It did however bring some cold temperatures and a covering of snow. On the 17th the temperature did not rise above 2.8°C and the 18th saw a minima of -2.4°C, the equal second coldest minima of the year.

The end of the month saw the most potent cold spell for some time, with heavy snow showers in moderate easterly winds. There was a 4 day period with extremely low maxima and minimas from the 27th to the 30th. The highlights were a maxima of -1.2°C on the 29th, the coldest value since 1997. The same day also shared an equally low minima of -4.2°C, the lowest value since March 2nd 2004.

Overall the month was equal temperature-wise with December 2003 (also 4.6°C). It was however notably dry and also very sunny.

[Polar Continental]

December 2005 Report and Stats

After the cold end to November, low pressure became the dominant feature during the first week, making for a very unsettled spell of weather with plenty of rain here. Daytime temperatures were average for the time of year, but due to persistent cloud at night, temperatures fell little, so minimums were slightly above normal.

From the 9th though to the 15th high pressure became the main feature, this gave fairly settled weather throughout, with some slight frosts at night here, daytime temperatures were around the average.

Most of the Country experienced another northerly incursion on the 16th which gave a couple of sharp penetrating frosts.

High pressure became established again just to the SE of the BI on the 19th, bringing milder SW winds.

The high pressure continued to influence the weather through the Christmas period, so it was mainly dry with a little frost overnight here and daytime temperatures around average.

The 27th saw the high transfer north to centre over Scandinavia and with low pressure over central Europe; for the first time this season, cold easterly winds developed and brought snow showers across much of the Country. Some harsh frost was recorded here with the 29th seeing the temperature remain below freezing all day.

The 30th brought an end to the cold spell as a deep area of low pressure crossed the country from the west, bring wind and rain to the area. Finally the last day was milder with sunshine and a few showers.

Average maximum temperature = 6.6c

Average minimum temperature = 2.5c

Mean temperature = 4.5c, -0.6 below the CET average

Warmest day on the 16th = 10.1c

Coldest day on the 29th = -0.1c which was reached at midnight, up to 17:00hrs on that day the maximum had only managed –2c.

Warmest night on the 15th = 7.7c

Coldest night on the 29th = -4.6c

Ground Frosts = 7

Air frost = 8

Days of snow = 1

Days of lying snow = 3

Rainfall total = 31mm

[Andy Bown]

December 2005 Statistics : Westbury Wiltshire

Average max = 6.51c, highest = 14c (16th December)

Average min = 0.48c, lowest = -7c (29th December)

Mean = 3.49c

Dry days = 16

Precipitation days = 15 (snow / sleet / hail = 3)

Rainfall = 92mm

This is the 2nd coldest month since I began recording temps in June 2003, only 'beaten' by Feb 2005 which was 3.35c.

[johnholmes]

Weather details for Cantley for December 2005

Absolute Max

11.6C on 11th

Absolute min

-6.7 on29th

Lowest max

-1.3C on 29th

Highest min

9.0C on 15th

Average max=7.3(6.9)C

Average min=2.4(2.3)C

Mean temperature

4.8C

Values in brackets are the long term averages for both Finningley(1941-1995) and Cantley (1997 to now)

Days with 0.2mm or more rain

12 but 3 others with snow not measured

Days with 1.0mm or more rain

5 and ditto above

Total rainfall

11.0mm(47.7mm)

Days with snow or sleet falling

3(4)

Days with snow lying

3(1)

Days with an air frost

8(10)

Days with ground frost

11(15)

Days with fog

3(5) at 0900Z

Days with thunder

0(0+)

Previous recent Decembers Mean temperatures showed as

2004=5.8C

2003=4.4C

2002=4.9C

2001=3.8C

2000=5.8C

1999=4.7C

1998=5.3C

1997=6.0C

There was one 'Ice Day', 29th, the first such event since 2/1/2002

The last Ice Day in this area in December was 12/12/1992

sorry the 'table' has printed like this taking up so much space.

For more information please visit my web site and click on 'Statistics', both my own weather diary(in Excel format) and the Davis data are available. I hope to put the 2005 data in shortly for both.

John

[Osbourne One-Nil]

December 2005

Mean temperature = 3.3º

Average daily maximum = 6.1º

Average daily minimum = -0.2º

Highest maximum = 10.4º (23rd)

Lowest maximum = -2.1º (28th)

Highest minimum = 8.6º (15th)

Lowest minimum = -11.1º (29th)

No of air frosts = 16

Rainfall = 42.6mm

No wet days (0.2mm or above) = 19

Wettest day = 10.6mm (31st)

No of days snow fell = 3

[Thundery wintry showers]

Here is a summary of what happened in Cleadon, Tyne & Wear, during December 2005.

Mean Max: 7.1C

Mean Min: 1.6C

Mean Temp: 4.3C

Highest Max: 13.2C (11th)

Lowest Max: -1.2C (29th)

Highest Min: 8.3C (11th)

Lowest Min: -6.0C (29th)

Air frosts: 12

Precipitation: 35mm

Days of falling sleet/snow: 3

Days with hail: 2

Days with more than half cover of snow at 0900: 4

The 29th December featured the coldest day maximum for exactly 10 years, although by the MetO's standard 0900 GMT recording system it wouldn't have been an ice day as the temperature rose to 0.9C the next morning. Even so, a max of 0.9C is the lowest at this location since 2 January 2002.