Your ideal weather year made up from past months

[Summer of 95]

I'll change mine- April 2007

Despite that attempt at an unsettled SW'ly spell around the 21-25th it held out to beat 1987; particularly pleasant were the amount of clear, warm, sunny days (as much in the first week as the last- the month was especially pleasing for its consistency) and the lack of those long spells of "sunshine and showers" that have plagued so many recent Aprils. To be able to go around in shorts, and swim in the sea in April was amazing.

[Uncle_Barty]

January - has to be 1987. No contest.

February - 1978. Mostly mild (I dont like TOO much freezing cold weather to follow the Jan of 87!) but a spectacular cold spell and snowfall in the 2nd half of the month. 1986 was just boring and very very cold with no snow.

March - Tricky one. by this time of year I am looking forward to spring and some early warmth is welcome. For the variety of weather though, I'll plump for 1995.

April - Cant beat the one we've just had, so 2007 it is, with an honourable mention for 1981 for the warmth followed by snow (even down here!) for interest!

May - Hard to choose between 1989 and 1976. Both were warm and sunny months.. 76 has the happier memories for me personally so 76 it is.

June - 1976. No contest. I cant think of any other June that comes close.

July - Contenders for me are 1976, 1983 and 2006. Last year had warmth aplenty and some spectacular thunderstorms that are so rare down here in Bournemouth, so 2006 it is, just shading 76.

August - 1976, 1990, 1995, 2003... which one?! I'll go for 2003.

September - Tricky one. 1976 was v interesting, plenty of thunderstorms to end the glorious summer that year, 2002 was warm and sunny here as was 1991. I'll take 1976 as we needed the rain!!

October - by this time of year my thoughts turn to the hope of high pressure bringing good radio conditions as I had a big interest in VHF communication on amatuer radio. For the lovely warm weather early in the month and days and days of great radio conditions, I'll have 1985 thank you very much!

November. Tough one this, as I hate November with a passion.. Days are getting colder and damp and dark, and there's still the whole of bleedin' winter to come! The one of 1994 was exceptionally mild, so I'll take that one.

December - 1981. The snowiest one we had down here (not saying much, I know...)

Ok.. how about the worst/least ideal months of the year? Guess that's another thread...

[Stu_London]

For me from my memory it would have to be as follows: -

Jan - 1987 - The most remarkable weather I have witnessed in this country

Feb - 1986 - Cold but not snowy for most - however i was in the west country at the time which was sometimes the battleground - honourable mention to 1998 when I managed to have a decent BBQ with shorts and t shirt on.

Mar - 1987 - Late snow

Apr - 2003 - Lovely low humidity & sunny - better than 2007 in my opinion

May - 1989 - Start of a nice summer.

Jun - 2006 - Perfect summer weather

Jul - 1983 - Very warm and very stormy in the south west - one storm last 2 hours with hundreds of visable lightning strikes.

Aug - 1990 - Day after day of beautiful summer weather

Sep - 2006 - Very nice thank you

Oct 1987 - The second most remarkable weather event I have witnessed in this country - sorry for the lives lost but as a weather phenomena, the pressure and temperature reading around the storm were amazing.

Nov 2005 - Really enjoyed the swift transisition from warm to cold - Best Greenland high witnessed for ages too.

Dec 1981 - Lots of snow which was still there at xmas - crazy temperatures too.

As for the seasons

Winter - 78/79 - couldn't remember well enough to pin the months down on this but remember many mornings of snow piled up close to 1 ft deep

Spring - 2003 - Nice

Summer - 1976 - Blue sky thinking

Autumn - 1987 - Tricky to pin down but the great storm wins it

Best Year?

2003 - 38C the day I chose to lay laminate flooring at home - also the day I joined net weather.

As for 1995 - summer was good in the south east but better in the west and we got more snow in central london in 2006/2007 than 1995/1996

[Guest Mike W]

I was just wondering if anyone here knows what January 1987 was like for the Bristol and Bath areas and places around that side, because I can only recall February 1986 being snowy and cold this area, probably because of the atlantic air mixing witht he cold air, but can't recall January 1987 which I find odd due to the amount of hype that surrounds it.

[Summer of 95]

I was just wondering if anyone here knows what January 1987 was like for the Bristol and Bath areas and places around that side, because I can only recall February 1986 being snowy and cold this area, probably because of the atlantic air mixing witht he cold air, but can't recall January 1987 which I find odd due to the amount of hype that surrounds it.

How odd- from my childhood in Newport (South Wales), not a million miles away, it's the opposite- January 1987 I recall quite well but not February 1986. In 1987 I remember the snow suddenly arriving one weekday afternoon- think it was a Wednesday or Thursday (after several days of warnings and news stories, presumably the snow in the SE) and we finished up with at least 20cm, probably nearer 30, with large icicles (2-3 ft long). The snow closed school for about 4-5 days and took over a week to disappear. However though Feb 1986 is well within my memory, in fact I do remember something that happened (non-weather related) that month but have no abiding memories of the weather then. I can remember some snow in early 1985 and also March 1987- but nothing of February 1986.

[damianslaw]

How odd- from my childhood in Newport (South Wales), not a million miles away, it's the opposite- January 1987 I recall quite well but not February 1986. In 1987 I remember the snow suddenly arriving one weekday afternoon- think it was a Wednesday or Thursday (after several days of warnings and news stories, presumably the snow in the SE) and we finished up with at least 20cm, probably nearer 30, with large icicles (2-3 ft long). The snow closed school for about 4-5 days and took over a week to disappear. However though Feb 1986 is well within my memory, in fact I do remember something that happened (non-weather related) that month but have no abiding memories of the weather then. I can remember some snow in early 1985 and also March 1987- but nothing of February 1986.

Yes i don't remember much about February 1986, however i was only 7 at the time, but i do remember alot about Jan 1987 as we doing a weather project at school. I remember we had to measure the temperature every morning at about 9.15am and it vividly recording -5 degrees or there abouts for a week. Probably not as extreme as some places i believe many didn't maxima that high on some days).

I also remember watching a programme called zigzag aimed at schools and it talking about polar regions, thinking that it resembled the outside at the time.

The memories...

[mushymanrob]

january..... 1982.. cold at first but then it went, and stayed away

february.....1980.. the best bartlett month nice and mild

march........ 1995.. a nice normal month

april........... 2007.. pipped '90 ... glorious!

may........... 1970... plenty of early heat and thunder

june........... 1975... superb for sun and heat

july............ 2006.... the perfect july, but lacking thunderstorms.

august........ 1995... heat with thunderstorms

september... 1973.. the best thunderstorm here .

october....... 2003... nice weather

november....1995... still retaining its warmth

december.... 1981... the perfect winter month, lots of snow early in the winter.

[Snowyowl9]

january..... 1982.. cold at first but then it went, and stayed away

march........ 1995.. a nice normal month

june........... 1975... superb for sun and heat

december.... 1981... the perfect winter month, lots of snow early in the winter.

Did you get any snow in June 1975 though at the beginning? :lol:

March 1995 was another very snowy month here.

Need I say more about Jan82 or dec81 :lol:

[Thundery wintry showers]

Well, I'm surprised; I thought Mushy would come out with a set that I would disagree with, but with the exception of his February I'd personally quite happily settle for a year like that!

[Bottesford]

Yep I agree with that choice mushy for sure! My only change might be more cold in November - do like the frosty, clear or foggy weather in the long nights.

Anyone else find they like a 'clean' start to summer with lots of clear, sunny weather in June (with lower humidities) moving into 'dirtier' stormy, sticky weather by August?

[Terminal Moraine]

Presumably our lists should relate to years within our own lifetimes and not from the entire CET record?

Anyway here's mine;

January 1979; Not as cold as 1963 but much more snowy

February 1986; Unremitting cold, freezing fog and snow

March 1979; Cold with a couple of major blizzards

April 1981; One of the greatest blizzards I've ever seen, and in the last week of the month

May 1979 ; Cold and wet with snowfall during the first week

June 1982; Exceptionally thundery with frequent heavy downpours

July 1954; Cold, wet and sunless

August 1956; Exceptionally wet and thundery

September 1994; Over 70mm of rain here on the 14th, what could be better?

October 1998; Unremittingly wet

November 1965; Cold with notable snowfall and freezing days mid-month

December 1981; Exceptionally cold and snowy for early winter.

T.M

[Bottesford]

Presumably our lists should relate to years within our own lifetimes and not from the entire CET record?

Anyway here's mine;

January 1979; Not as cold as 1963 but much more snowy

February 1986; Unremitting cold, freezing fog and snow

March 1979; Cold with a couple of major blizzards

April 1981; One of the greatest blizzards I've ever seen, and in the last week of the month

May 1979 ; Cold and wet with snowfall during the first week

June 1982; Exceptionally thundery with frequent heavy downpours

July 1954; Cold, wet and sunless

August 1956; Exceptionally wet and thundery

September 1994; Over 70mm of rain here on the 14th, what could be better?

October 1998; Unremittingly wet

November 1965; Cold with notable snowfall and freezing days mid-month

December 1981; Exceptionally cold and snowy for early winter.

T.M

I think you'd have to double the capacity of the mental health facilities in the UK if that kind of year came to be! You'd also have non stop flooding too so all in all pretty 'orrid but gladly unlikely!

[Snowyowl9]

Years I`ll choose then are but there`s too much choice as there`s many others I`d select.

January 1982 Heavy snow blizzards.

February 1986 for the easterlies bitter cold snow/blizzards.

March 1979 for the blizzards

April 1989 for the cold easterlies and snow showers.

May 1993 for the most amazing thunderstorms I`ve seen.

June 1975 with the early snow or June 1980 I think it was when thunderstorms broke out everyday for 1 week awesome it was.

July 1976 Got to have a hot dry spell.

August 2004 with all those thundstorms/thunderyshowers

September 1986 Early cold and frosts

October 1974 which was very cold and had snow.

November 1985 for the cold and snow

December 1981 Coldest month ever with plenty of powdery snow.

[Thundery wintry showers]

June 1975 with the early snow or June 1980 I think it was when thunderstorms broke out everyday for 1 week awesome it was.

Newcastle Weather Centre reported 8 thunder-days during June 1980; way above anything else that the North East has had in the past 30 years or so (Newcastle often doesn't get that many thunder-days in an entire year!) Storms broke out daily from the 22nd (also according to Trevor Harley's site) so it may well be the one you're thinking of, though in most regions the month as a whole was dull & wet.

[cheeky_monkey]

i dont see the hype of jan 87...yes it had an exceptionally cold spell mid month...apart from that it dosnt really register as anything unusual?..i rate jan 79,82,85 as more spectacular!

[Snowyowl9]

Newcastle Weather Centre reported 8 thunder-days during June 1980; way above anything else that the North East has had in the past 30 years or so (Newcastle often doesn't get that many thunder-days in an entire year!) Storms broke out daily from the 22nd (also according to Trevor Harley's site) so it may well be the one you're thinking of, though in most regions the month as a whole was dull & wet.

I remember seeing the forecast for the coming week as we went visiting on the Sunday and how excited I was as it was half term so I`m not sure if that was it as it was a warm humid week and hazy with thunderstorms every afternoon and around lunchtime they started,from Monday to Friday as they came from the south/SE.

Another month I`d pick would be April 2007 aswell as april 1989.

This may of been the week.

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/archive/ra/19...00119800605.gif

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/archive/ra/19...00119800609.gif

[Summer of 95]

Just doing some calculations: surprised that my ideal year which was again:

Jan 1987

Feb 1991

Mar 1995

Apr 2007

May 1992

Jun 2005

Jul 2006

Aug 1995

Sep 2006

Oct 1997

Nov 1988

Dec 1995

would have a CET of only 10.13C- colder than 9 of the last 10 years despite two months over 19C and the way above average April, May and September. Even more so than the cold winter months balancing them out (March and December didn't stop 1995 being warmer than my year) it's the seasonal October and November that give it an average CET- October 1997 with its warm/cold mix was a full 3C colder than the last 2 Octobers and a repeat of November 1988 which was far from the coldest ever would come as a rude surprise to those who have got used to 7C-plus Novembers.

Precipitation, however, would be only 634.6mm- can't find a drier year since 1921.

[Thundery wintry showers]

I did a similar analysis, and using the 1990-2006 period, I got a CET of 9.8, EW rainfall of 1029mm and EW sunshine of 1749 hours.

Using the longer-term period including months from the distant archives, I got a CET of 9.7, EW rainfall of 787mm (surprisingly large discrepancy!) and EW sunshine of 1790 hours.

Thus it seems that I mustn't consider rainfall to be a big deal, given the discrepancy between coming out with a wet year from the recent archives, and a dry one from the earlier archives- but sunshine and temperature are very consistent.

[Summer of 95]

I get 1898.3 hours of sunshine for my year- record breaking which doesn't surprise me. I've just spotted that though my 3 winter months aren't particularly sunny (not surprising with easterlies) I've picked a very sunny March, October and November which stops the sunny summer and cloudy winter cancelling each other out.

Now I just have to do it with my "least ideal" year (will post it in that thread- this is not the same the "forgettable" one I mentioned in here)

[Duane S.]

January - 1987. My first taste of driving in the snow as a 17 year just passed his test. How I never crashed I shall never know!

February - 1978. A non-spectacular start but the 19th brought a blizzard the likes of which I will never see again in this country, anywhere!!! 20 foot snowdrifts in Sunny Weymouth were not exactly a common sight, even back then! Cut off for four fantastic days and off school for a week plus

March - I'll come back to this one... We had a great stormy month but I am trying to remember what the year was!

April - 2007, easy one.

May - I think it was 1994 and I think it was May (pretty sure). We had the best electric storms I've ever seen, anybody else remember them??

June - 1976. Simply awesome.

July - I'll go for '76 over 2006 for nostalgic reasons.

August - 1984 seemed to be endless days of sun. Obviously 2003 is a close runner but for the same reasons as cited above in July, I'll plump for the former.

September - 2002 gave us a glorious end to the summer.

October - I'm going to be predictable and go for 1987 because of the storm. We didn't get it as bad as the SE but I can remember waking up and hearing the radio and thinking that the world had ended!

November. 1991, it snowed - and - it settled!

December - 1981. Lots of snow! I can't remember another December that produced like this one did.

[mushymanrob]

Did you get any snow in June 1975 though at the beginning?

March 1995 was another very snowy month here.

Need I say more about Jan82 or dec81 :wub:

the first few days of june '75 were cold, i didnt see snow but at my altitude it is unlikely anyway. the first week of june i was working outdoors and monday i was in full winter gear... by friday i was topless! a rise of 4c a day from 4c to 24c in 5 days!... but i liked june 75, especially the thundery period late on.

Well, I'm surprised; I thought Mushy would come out with a set that I would disagree with, but with the exception of his February I'd personally quite happily settle for a year like that!

ive said all along that im a weather fan... not exclusively for heat, but a long cold period wouldnt be nice for me, ive worked outdoors in it and its put me off it now...getting too old...lol.. a short period of very cold weather per winter would be nice, dec 81, jan 82 were perfect... my ideal winter..

[Sunshine]

Only counting months from when I was born (Dec 1980), this would be my favourite year

January 1985

February 1991

March 2003

April 2007

May 1992

June 2003

July 2006

August 1995

September 2006

October 1995

November 1985

December 1981

[Summer of 95]

May - I think it was 1994 and I think it was May (pretty sure). We had the best electric storms I've ever seen, anybody else remember them??

November. 1991, it snowed - and - it settled!

There were storms in many places in June and July 1994, and May 1992 certainly. But May 1994 I remember being just dull and cold and damp.

November 1991? Don't remember anything much of that, certainly not snow. 1988 and/or 1993 had decent amounts in many areas.

[Lettucing Gutted]

January 1997 reason - Not an exceptionally cool month but a very sunny and the closest we will ever get to January 1987 in terms of frostiness.

February 1996 reason - Not an 1960s Asian Ice Age month by any means but a very snowy one and I would settle for this any day over the likes of February 1998.

March 1995 reason - For a SPRING month this has to be one of the coolest Westerly Spring months I can think of. In addition to that godsend - the thundersnow and some Cold Zonality - there was also a rockin' mixture of sunshine and showers. Both sunshine and showers were above average!!

April 1998 reason - Not a full blown Beasterly as there have indeed been colder Southeasterly Aprils such as April 1966 and April 1986. However April 1998 was the last time Britain experienced a "white Easter" and April 1998 is on par with April 2001 to be the coolest April of recent doomsday times.

May 1997 reason - In this rockin' roller coaster of a temperature ride London saw both 28C heat and sub 10C cold in this month of May 1997. Snow also blocked the A55 in North Wales in May 1997.

June 1991 reason - The second coldest June of the last century. More of this please.

July 1993 reason - On the 9th of July a cold front from the Arctic caused the breakdown of a Thermal Ridge which crashed the temperature in Whipsnade, London from a morning HIGH of 16C to a low 7.5C AT midday! B) July 1993 was also the coldest June of recent times.

August 1993 reason - The coldest August of recent times. Nothing has come close to it since. It was surprisingly cool despite sunshine and transitional Maritime Tropical Westerlies.

September 1996 reason - An exactly 1960-1991 C.E.T average September with pleasant sunshine and a surprising east-west contrast in temperatures. Hence the west of Britain was slightly warmer than average and the east of Britain was slightly cooler than average.

October 1993 reason - The coldest October since 1974 and needless to say was the best I could hope for. When the Greenland High got going there some very beautiful crisp, cool nights and crisp, cool and sunny afternoons.

November 1993 reason - This is the November I long for the most. It is up there with November 1919. Very cool conditions mid-late month which would certainly rival many of our pathetic shots at cold in our more recent "winters".

December 1995 reason - My brothers first Christmas and a white one at that! Christmas 1995 was great. Not even Christmases 1996, 2001 and 2004 could top it. Also the coldest December since 1981 and Altnaharra, Sutherland equaled the record low of -27C on the 30th December 1995. B) Whilst not exceptionally cold I would like some more of this please any day over December 2006 and 1997 but I don't think we will see it's like ever again...

Edited May 29, 2007 by Craig Evans

[Lettucing Gutted]

Yep I agree with that choice mushy for sure! My only change might be more cold in November - do like the frosty, clear or foggy weather in the long nights.

Anyone else find they like a 'clean' start to summer with lots of clear, sunny weather in June (with lower humidities) moving into 'dirtier' stormy, sticky weather by August?

I agree with most of what you say. However I would keep the low humidities all summer long. I hate those subtropical 10C and above nights.

Edited May 29, 2007 by Craig Evans