Your Easter Weather

[johnholmes]

Your Easter weather

Easter is over for another year but for many it was a special Easter with snow and frost.

I thought it might be an idea to put our weather statistics rather like we do the monthly summary

In this area the long term average for daytime temperatures is 10.5C

and for overnight temperatures it is 2.8C

Taking the period from Good Friday to Easter Monday I had

Good Friday Max=9.3C Min=3.9C

Saturday Max=8.1C Min=0.9C

Easter Sunday Max=6.7C Min=-0.1C

Easter Monday Max=7.2C Min=0.6C

Overall the max was 7.8C so -2.7C on the long term average

with the min at 1.3C which is -1.3C on the average

3 ground frosts with 1 air frost and snow on two days; with 5cm on Easter Sunday morning; only the 8th time in 50 years that amount of snow has fallen at any time in the month of March.

How about your Easter weather?

PLEASE no moaning just data and how it compares to your long term average.

[West is Best]

Your Easter weather

How about your Easter weather [...] how it compares to your long term average.

A bit of fun John, and of interest, but of course this easter is the earliest in the entire 250 year period between 1875 and 2124 ... so all things being equal it ought to be the coldest in 250 years of data!

[johnholmes]

ah but, Richard, regarding the averages IF you actually read what I put, it is the averages for THIS time in March, Easter just happens to fall at this time, as you say the earliest in a very long time,probably that even I can remember!

So just be a good lad, quote your averages for this time of the year and show what actually occurred over the 4 day period eh?

Edited March 25, 2008 by johnholmes

[johnholmes]

these are the actual dates in the 20th century; since 2000 all have occurred in April

15th April 1900 12th April 1925 9th April 1950 30th March 1975

7th April 1901 4th April 1926 25th March 1951 18th April 1976

30th March 1902 17th April 1927 13th April 1952 10th April 1977

12th April 1903 8th April 1928 5th April 1953 26th March 1978

3rd April 1904 31st March 1929 18th April 1954 15th April 1979

23rd April 1905 20th April 1930 10th April 1955 6th April 1980

15th April 1906 5th April 1931 1st April 1956 19th April 1981

31st March 1907 27th March 1932 21st April 1957 11th April 1982

19th April 1908 16th April 1933 6th April 1958 3rd April 1983

11th April 1909 1st April 1934 29th March 1959 22nd April 1984

27th March 1910 21st April 1935 17th April 1960 7th April 1985

16th April 1911 12th April 1936 2nd April 1961 30th March 1986

7th April 1912 28th March 1937 22nd April 1962 19th April 1987

23rd March 1913 17th April 1938 14th April 1963 3rd April 1988

12th April 1914 9th April 1939 29th March 1964 26th March 1989

4th April 1915 24th March 1940 18th April 1965 15th April 1990

23rd April 1916 13th April 1941 10th April 1966 31st March 1991

8th April 1917 5th April 1942 26th March 1967 19th April 1992

31st March 1918 25th April 1943 14th April 1968 11th April 1993

20th April 1919 9th April 1944 6th April 1969 3rd April 1994

4th April 1920 1st April 1945 29th March 1970 16th April 1995

27th March 1921 21st April 1946 11th April 1971 7th April 1996

16th April 1922 6th April 1947 2nd April 1972 30th March 1997

1st April 1923 28th March 1948 22nd April 1973 12th April 1998

20th April 1924 17th April 1949 14th April 1974 4th April 1999

sorry the dates come out jumbled they were in chronological order!

this is the link

http://www.assa.org.au/edm.html

Edited March 25, 2008 by johnholmes

[Osbourne One-Nil]

Good Friday - Max 6.6ºC, Min 0.3ºC

Easter Saturday - Max 4.6ºC, Min -0.2ºC

Easter Day - Max 4.4ºC, Min -1.3ºC

Easter Monday - Max 3.9º, Min -1.9º

Average maximum was 4.9ºC (ten year average for same period 9.9ºC) and the average minimum was -0.8ºC (10yr average 2.4ºC)

Some large extremes though, with the warmest period being in 2005 where the average over the four days was 16.1º and the minimum 8.0º.

[johnholmes]

Just going through that list I showed above and there were, as far as I can see, 13 occasions from 1940 -1999 when Easter Sunday fell in March. The last one was 1997 on the 30th. The earliest in that period was 24 March in 1940 with 1951 on 25th(same as this year) and 26th in 1967 and 1978.

So its not quite as unusual as we are led to believe by some people. I will not have too much interest too far into the 21st century!

re this comment from La Nina

A bit of fun John, and of interest, but of course this easter is the earliest in the entire 250 year period between 1875 and 2124 ... so all things being equal it ought to be the coldest in 250 years of data!

It seems one of us is wrong Richard?

Edited March 25, 2008 by johnholmes

[West is Best]

ah but, Richard, regarding the averages IF you actually read what I put, it is the averages for THIS time in March, Easter just happens to fall at this time, as you say the earliest in a very long time,probably that even I can remember!

So just be a good lad, quote your averages for this time of the year and show what actually occurred over the 4 day period eh?

It was all the references to Easter weather John that left me confused. Still am. So you're wanting a comparison of this easter's data with specifically the dates of March 21st-24th, rather than any references to other Easters?

[johnholmes]

right in one mate

as I said it just happens that Easter is of interest this year re snow, frost etc, but little point in doing a comparison with an Easter that occurs perhaps nearly a month later.

[West is Best]

Just going through that list I showed above and there were, as far as I can see, 13 occasions from 1940 -1999 when Easter Sunday fell in March. The last one was 1997 on the 30th. The earliest in that period was 24 March in 1940 with 1951 on 25th(same as this year) and 26th in 1967 and 1978.

So its not quite as unusual as we are led to believe by some people. I will not have too much interest too far into the 21st century!

John, 1940 Easter was 24th and in 1951 it was 25th. This year it was 23rd: the date of Easter is always measured on Easter Sunday. So 1940 was a day later, and 1951 two days later. (Pedantic, I know!) This year is, indeed, the earliest between 1875 and 2124.

p.s. Apologies for being boringly pedantic - I comprehend it now!

(Edit ... ooops. Easter 1913 actually shares the same date as this one! So it's joint earliest in that period!)

Edited March 25, 2008 by La Nina

[johnholmes]

do carry on Richard, perhaps you will finally post in your weather data along with a comparison with the long term average for 21-24 March inclusive?

[Delta76]

Hi guys dont claim to have WS as good as your davis its a lacrosse Ws3600 the readings i took over Easter period were .

Good Friday, Max = 7.7°c , Min = 2.1°c

Easter Sat, Max = 5.8°c , Min = -0.1°c

Easter Sunday, Max = 5.7°c , Min = -0.3°c

Easter Mon , Max = 5.3°c , Min = -0.1°c

No long term data from me sorry, only recently started logging weather records .

[johnholmes]

interesting comparing our two sets of figures there Delta, what a difference height makes

[Delta76]

interesting comparing our two sets of figures there Delta, what a difference height makes

Yes and truth be told i think my temp sensor is set a little too high off the ground, going to make an adjustment a.s.a.p what is a good height or standard height ?

[Polar Continental]

Good Friday - Max 9.7ºC, Min 3.0ºC

Easter Saturday - Max 7.7ºC, Min 2.0ºC

Easter Day - Max 6.3ºC, Min -1.8ºC

Easter Monday - Max 6.5º, Min 0.7º

Have only reliable records going back to 2005.

Stats for same period in March.

2005 mean max = 14.4c, mean min = 7.6c, mean = 11.0c

2006 mean max = 6.9c, mean min = 0.4c, mean = 3.6c

2007 mean max = 9.2c, mean min = -0.2c, mean = 4.5c

2008 mean max = 7.6c, mean min = 1.1c, mean = 4.3c

so for the same period 2006 was colder.

Regarding Easter comparisons.

2005 mean max = 11.7c, mean min = 6.9c, mean = 9.3c Easter 27/3

2006 mean max = 13.4c, mean min = 7.0c, mean = 10.2c Late Easter 16/4

2007 mean max = 16.6c, mean min = 2.2c, mean = 9.4c Easter 8/4

2008 mean max = 7.6c, mean min = 1.1c, mean = 4.3c

So Easter 2008 is by far the coldest Easter here, but it was very early, especially compared to 2006 when Easter fell on the 16th April.

Snow fell in the form of showers on Easter Saturday, Sunday and Monday, making it the only snowy Easter from my records but accumulations were only very slight here.

Paul.

[Mesosphere]

Here's the data from my weather station :-

Good Friday , Max = 7.2C , Min = 2.4C

Saturday , Max = 6.5C , Min = 1.9C

Easter Sunday , Max = 6.7C , Min = 1.6C

Easter Monday , Max = 6.6C , Min = 1.7C

Average Maximum was 6.7C and the Average Minimum was 1.9C

[Osbourne One-Nil]

especially compared to 2006 when Easter fell on the 16th April.

Aka my birthday.

[johnholmes]

Yes and truth be told i think my temp sensor is set a little too high off the ground, going to make an adjustment a.s.a.p what is a good height or standard height ?

the Met O Stevenson screen is the one to aim for, about waist height would be a rough estimate for the average person, I'm sure its on the Met O website though, bit busy just now but will try and look up the correct height-got it 1.25m or 4ft off the ground.

Remember they need to be in some kind of screen and not facing the sun, best if any door opens to the north, louvred screen etc.

Again hints will be somewhere on the Met O site.

not sure if this may help?

Thermometer screen

This is a white box which is positioned high off the ground. This is called a Stevenson Screen. It has special vents to let the air flow freely. Inside the screen are four thermometers. Two of the thermometers measure the maximum and minimum thermometers. The other two are used to record the current air temperature and the humidity. They are identical but one has the bulb covered in a white cloth which is kept wet by being dipped in (distilled) water. These are called 'dry bulb' and 'wet bulb' thermometers. The difference between these two can be used to measure the humidity. New thermometers have now been developed which measure these temperatures electronically and can display their information on a computer screen.

obviously if you have one of the auto weather stations then this is largely taken care of, bit like my own, see my web site, then click on 'Information@ and a picture comes up of mine, its under the black roundish object which is the rainguage, with home made reflectors to keep the early sun off it!

Edited March 25, 2008 by johnholmes

[Delta76]

the Met O Stevenson screen is the one to aim for, about waist height would be a rough estimate for the average person, I'm sure its on the Met O website though, bit busy just now but will try and look up the correct height-got it 1.25m or 4ft off the ground.

Remember they need to be in some kind of screen and not facing the sun, best if any door opens to the north, louvred screen etc.

Again hints will be somewhere on the Met O site.

not sure if this may help?

Thermometer screen

This is a white box which is positioned high off the ground. This is called a Stevenson Screen. It has special vents to let the air flow freely. Inside the screen are four thermometers. Two of the thermometers measure the maximum and minimum thermometers. The other two are used to record the current air temperature and the humidity. They are identical but one has the bulb covered in a white cloth which is kept wet by being dipped in (distilled) water. These are called 'dry bulb' and 'wet bulb' thermometers. The difference between these two can be used to measure the humidity. New thermometers have now been developed which measure these temperatures electronically and can display their information on a computer screen.

obviously if you have one of the auto weather stations then this is largely taken care of, bit like my own, see my web site, then click on 'Information@ and a picture comes up of mine, its under the black roundish object which is the rainguage, with home made reflectors to keep the early sun off it!

Thanks for all the above John my Ws does uploasd to the Pc but its only a middle of the road WS for a beginner like me . The temp and humidity sensor is shielded from direct sunlight in a sort of louvered dome shaped piece of white plastic a picture of it is in the link below .

http://www.weather-station-products.co.uk/...00--WSTX13.html

[johnholmes]

looks much like most of them and should be okay unless, like mine, it gets the early sun which seems to upset the readings using a check thermometer out of the sun at the same time.

[Delta76]

looks much like most of them and should be okay unless, like mine, it gets the early sun which seems to upset the readings using a check thermometer out of the sun at the same time.

Yeah got one in the shade in a make shift Stevensons screen so do have to tally betwen the two for the early sun ,anyway thanks for all the advice as i say still learning.

will stop spoiling this thread now !!!

Edited March 25, 2008 by Delta76