named locations regularly coldest max and min

[damianslaw]

As we head slowly into Autumn I thought I would start a thread concentrating on those locations that regularly record the lowest minimum and maximum temp. These are the 2 stats that I am most interested in, just to see whether an air frost or ice day has been recorded anywhere in the country.

I don't have the statistics but from memory I regularly recall the following places recording the lowest minimum for the day

Shap Fell

Redesdale Camp

Sennybridge

Altnaharra

Loch Glasgarnock

Aboyne

Braemar

Kinbrace

Lough fough - really don't know where this is???

Redhill

Spadeadam

Tyndrum

As for coldest maximum

Those mentioned above exception of Redhill are often the coldest maximums, but others include-

Lerwick

Loftus - many a day when the wind is off the North Sea more so in summer

I'd be interested if anyone else could add to the lost. I don't want a history account of each location day by day, just a list of those that regularly top the bill...

[Stratos Ferric]

Eskdalemuir used to crop up quite frequently in the 80s. And, of course, the location of England's record low, Shawbury - though that was very much a one off for that location. Buxton often records low maxima.

[cyclonic happiness]

I remember reading a book in the late eighties staing that "rickmansworth" recorded some of the coldest temps'? I'll try and find it out. minima, that is.

[cyclonic happiness]

Can't find it at the minute but i remember it was called "weatherwatch" by Michael Fish, i think? that's the book that got me into weather, every weather phenomenon mentioned in that book, seemed to take place in the following 3 years lol!!!!

[acbrixton]

Bas Street in Cornwall (a frost hollow in a valley near Bodmin), Bournemouth Airport at Hurn, Tummell Bridge in the Highlands, Anvil Green in Kent, Benson in Oxfordshire, Leeming/Pickering in the Vale of York.

[for RoI: Kilkenny, Castle Birr, Markree Castle in County Sligo]

Rickmansworth lost its MO station in the 1940s although recent research by Galvin shows that it still records locally anomolously cold minima albeit moderated by urbanisation. Galvin's view is that the railway embankment played only a small part in recoding low minima. Rickmansworth is noteable for recording what was, for a long time, the highest diurnal range of temperature: 1.1 to 29.4 in 9 hours on 29th August 1936.

Regards

ACB

[osmposm]

....And, of course, the location of England's record low, Shawbury.....

Only England's record low for less than a month, I think - Newport (also Salop) beat it by a short head in Jan 1982.

Other names that crop up (or used to crop up) are Logie Coldstone, Dalwhinnie, Balmoral, Lagganlia, Carnwath, Aviemore, Grantown-on-Spey, and Caldecott (Leics) - all of them have recorded the year's coldest temp more than once in the last century or so.

Balmoral & Dalwhinnire used to feature quite often, but not of late. And Braemar, of course, was the daddy of them all - it recorded the year's lowest temp no less than 33 times between 1900 & 1982, including six successive years in the 1930s, not to mention the UK's all-time low. Strangely, since then Altnaharra and Grantown seem to have superseded it, and Altnaharra has also, of course (in 1995) equalled that record low of -27.2C.

Two other places that spring to mind are Tummel Bridge in Perthshire, and Benson (Oxon), and each has also recorded the year's low once - as has Moorhouse in Cumbria, which supposedly also holds (or held) the distinction of having experienced the 20th Century's longest continuous run of below-zero days & nights. It was 34, in Dec 62/Jan 63, according to a 1980 book I am reading - though I'm a bit surprised there hasn't been a longer one.

[Tucco]

Spadeadam usually crops up for low maxima probably more often than any other E&W site esp in winter.

Mark

Teesdale,Co Durham

[snowingman]

Don't forget Katesbridge in Northern Ireland - I'd say it wins for the coldest 30 times each year!!!

There was even a news program about it about a year ago

[Turnedoutniceagain]

Spadeadam usually crops up for low maxima probably more often than any other E&W site esp in winter.

Mark

Teesdale,Co Durham

RAF Spadeadam, along with many other RAF Bases - Shawbury, Leeming, Benson etc, feature regularly due to the operational flying Squadrons all requiring detailed Met' briefs. However, due to defence cutbacks many of the names that the old-timers are familiar with are now gone (Wimpey housing estates probably), so no more Manston, BallyKelly, Pitreavie, Brawdy, St Mawgan, Binbrook alas.

Another name that used to regularly pop up as low minima is Tow Law on the A68, nr Durham.

[Jack Wales]

Buxton is another one that crops up quite regularly, Yeovilton can be good for low maxima and despite its location in SW Wales, Pembrey Sands wins the lowest minima about half a dozen times a year, probably due to its sandy soil.

[Theresnoway]

'Bournemouth - Hurn' is often on the list for maximum temp.

[BLAST FROM THE PAST]

If we get weather like we have just had or a N'ly toppler winter then Redhill will crop up a lot this winter for mins. If a true arctic surge reaches us then Scotland [braemar] etc will be the likeliest winners. If we have a SW'ly winter then....who will get the warmest?

BFTP

[Andy Bown]

I thought Redhill was no longer being used?

[Essan]

Correct. Redhill is no longer used so it won't be cropping up at all.

Don't think anyone has mentioned Tulloch yet? (to which the MetO have mysteriously appended a 'Bridge'). Also in Scotland, Tain Range, Strathallen and Glen Ogle often feature - the later often lowest max of the day, although really it's a high level station so shouldn't be considered. Castlederg can often see the lowest reading in N Ireland. Trawscoed can crop up a few times in Wales. The Vale of York stations like Church Fenton and Topcliffe do well in some set-ups. And Pershore can be noticeably colder than surrounding stations at times too.

[BLAST FROM THE PAST]

I thought Redhill was no longer being used?

Oh yes govt pressure to prevent cold weather payouts to the elderly. They are using the site right beneath the Gatwick flight path.....

BFTP

[Michael Winston]

Can't find it at the minute but i remember it was called "weatherwatch" by Michael Fish, i think? that's the book that got me into weather, every weather phenomenon mentioned in that book, seemed to take place in the following 3 years lol!!!!

Correct! (I think!).

Michael Fish described it as a 'frost hollow', if my memory serves me well. AC Brixton's right too - the diurnal temperature range thing.

Nice one chaps. Thanks for reminding me of that,

Kind regards,

Mike.

[Norrance]

West Linton in the Scottish Borders has been mentioned in Britweather years a few times and was the coldest in the early 20th Century on two or three occasions. I was surprised to see Perth as the coldest in one year.

Does Dalwhinnie still have a weather station? I haven't seen anything from there for some time. Having worked up there one Winter in the late seventies I can confirm that it can get pretty cold.

[Nick H]

I think all the main ones have been mentioned. Topcliffe in the Vale of York can get quite cold during winter nights.

Leek Thorncliffe in Staffs makes a surprising number of appearances for lowest daytime maxima.

The wettest station on the current network must be Capel Curig in Snowdonia.

I think seasons make a difference too. Redesdale Camp is very commonly the lowest minimum during summer. In winter, this accolade usually falls to Aboyne, now that Redhill has been wiped off.

Whilst I'm thinking about it, it is very rare to find areas in what could loosely be described as the M6 corridor between Birmingham and Cumbria (e.g. Lancs, Cheshire, Staffs, Greater Manchester) and places west of the M1 in the Midlands (Leics, Northants, Notts, Derbys), recording notable or extreme weather. Possibly this area must be the most boring place to live for weather in the UK. The most interesting areas must be northern Scotland and the area to the east of an imaginary line between the Wash and the Solent.

[Stratos Ferric]

Only England's record low for less than a month, I think - Newport (also Salop) beat it by a short head in Jan 1982.

Other names that crop up (or used to crop up) are Logie Coldstone, Dalwhinnie, Balmoral, Lagganlia, Carnwath, Aviemore, Grantown-on-Spey, and Caldecott (Leics) - all of them have recorded the year's coldest temp more than once in the last century or so.

...

Balmoral? Wasn't aware there was a met station there.

...

Whilst I'm thinking about it, it is very rare to find areas in what could loosely be described as the M6 corridor between Birmingham and Cumbria (e.g. Lancs, Cheshire, Staffs, Greater Manchester) ...

Nearly spat my GWR coffee out there. There's a little place not far off the M6 corridor which is to winter on N-W what cuckoos are to spring.

[Tucco]

I think all the main ones have been mentioned. Topcliffe in the Vale of York can get quite cold during winter nights.

Leek Thorncliffe in Staffs makes a surprising number of appearances for lowest daytime maxima.

The wettest station on the current network must be Capel Curig in Snowdonia.

I think seasons make a difference too. Redesdale Camp is very commonly the lowest minimum during summer. In winter, this accolade usually falls to Aboyne, now that Redhill has been wiped off.

Whilst I'm thinking about it, it is very rare to find areas in what could loosely be described as the M6 corridor between Birmingham and Cumbria (e.g. Lancs, Cheshire, Staffs, Greater Manchester) and places west of the M1 in the Midlands (Leics, Northants, Notts, Derbys), recording notable or extreme weather. Possibly this area must be the most boring place to live for weather in the UK. The most interesting areas must be northern Scotland and the area to the east of an imaginary line between the Wash and the Solent.

Sounds like you've just condemed most of England to being a boring place weather wise, Northern scotland does get interesting weather storms and snow but the area to east of the wash to Solent apart from summer heat and thunderstorms carn't be that better than the rest of the country unless you dont like snow?

Mark

Teesdale,Co Durham

[acbrixton]

but the area to east of the wash to Solent apart from summer heat and thunderstorms carn't be that better than the rest of the country unless you dont like snow?

Mark

Teesdale,Co Durham

Well even in the 'even larger teapot' Lincs, East Anglia, Essex, Kent and se Sussex (and to a lesser extent the Chilterns/Salisbury Plain) can still deliver locally significant snowfalls esp. in an unstable e/ne wind giving heavy snow showers...

Regards

ACB

[damianslaw]

Just like to say thank you for the level of response (so far) to this message.

Yes many names I forgot to mention on my initial list most notable being

Cold maxima

Tulloch Bridge

Tain Range

Leeming

Dalwhinnie

Leek

and minima

benson

pershore

rickmansworth

As to that person who quoted those living in a line from greater manchester to cumbria along the M6 not recieving very notable weather, yes it is true this region seldom sees any of the days extremes alongside the east midlands. I suspect that these 2 particular regions are located in areas which are least exposed to any extremes that are likely to occur i.e. they are very central and relatively sheltered from most wind directions, however the east midlands can get quite cold in winter with a NE/E/SE airstream with persistant fog which is an extreme weather condition.

[Sunshine]

I've noticed that Edgbaston never seems to appear in any of the extremes, the west midlands must be the place in the UK least likely to get the most extreme weather.

[osmposm]

Balmoral? Wasn't aware there was a met station there.

Nor did I, but according to Trevor Harley's list, http://www.personal.dundee.ac.uk/~taharley/coldest_days.htm , Balmoral recorded the UK's lowest temp of the year in 1909, 1910, 1915, 1924 and even 1975. I've found a snow depth report from there, too, as late as 1982. And a 2005 Met office factsheet on the climate of SW England compares its annual snow days with those of Balmoral (an average of 60).

Apparently the the thermometers from the original Braemar Observatory (donated by Prince Albert in 1855) were moved to Balmoral on the retirement of the first observer in 1905. What happened thereafter I do not know. Anybody else know anything?

Ossie

[Norrance]

Nor did I, but according to Trevor Harley's list, http://www.personal.dundee.ac.uk/~taharley/coldest_days.htm , Balmoral recorded the UK's lowest temp of the year in 1909, 1910, 1915, 1924 and even 1975. I've found a snow depth report from there, too, as late as 1982. And a 2005 Met office factsheet on the climate of SW England compares its annual snow days with those of Balmoral (an average of 60).

Apparently the the thermometers from the original Braemar Observatory (donated by Prince Albert in 1855) were moved to Balmoral on the retirement of the first observer in 1905. What happened thereafter I do not know. Anybody else know anything?

Ossie

I have been looking for information about snow lying days from various met stations throughout the Uk and one stat I came across in a report from the Scottish Executive quoted the 1961 to 1990 snow lying figures for Balmoral as averaging 58. The source was given as the Met O.

This shows there was a station there at least until 1990.