North/south divide

[Hiya]

I done a little work with excel to look at the differences in the British Isles, using Scotland and the CET series' from the Met Office. Where all numbers are CET - Scot (1914-2007)

Some interesting results:

month, largest difference, negative difference (where applicable), average

Jan 1948 3.7°C 1963 -1.0°C 1.63°C

Feb 1966 4.0°C 1934 -0.8°C 1.65°C

Mar 1994 4.0 °C 2.11°C

Apr 1966 3.5°C 2.37°C

May 1917 and 1922 4.1°C 2.83°C

Jun 2000 4.4°C 3.10°C

Jul 1921 4.9°C 3.31°C

Aug 1943 and 1990 4.4°C 3.18°C

Sep 1989 4.1°C 2.95°C

Oct 1998 3.7°C 2.37°C

Nov 1963 3.5°C 1.92°C

Dec 1993 3.8°C 1933 -1.0°C 1.60°C

Spr 1947 3.37°C 2.44°C

Sum 1921 4.03°C 3.18°C

Aut 1970 3.16°C 2.42°C

Win 1995 2.98°C 1963 -0.52°C 1934 -0.53°C 1.62°C

Ann 1994+1993 3.0°C lowest 1953 1.88°C 2.40°C

Large difference in Summers, less so in winter.

No of months where CET was colder than Scotland:

Jan 4

Feb 9

Dec 3

Interesting note is that the Annual difference top ten has only 3 outside the period 1989 – 2000

The trend throughout the data is for an increasing difference in temperatures between the two.

The all important warming issue: Scotland's rate of warming is approx. 30% lower than the CET area. I expected Scotland to have been warming more than the CET.

More knowledgeable people might be able to offer reasons for observations.

Sorry if it's hard to read!

[Norrance]

There is a topic [December 1933] in the historic weather section where Mr Data has listed all the months in which Scotland was warmer than the CET area.

They are quite rare and all occur in Winter. Most are months dominated by easterlies and in most cases Scotland was also colder than normal. There may be fewer recently as easterly dominated winter months are becoming pretty rare.