The Uk's Coldest City

[NorthernRab]

We've certainly fully discussed what is the UK's snowiest city (Aberdeen), but what is the UK's (And England, Wales, N.Ireland individually) coldest city?

I'm guessing either Inverness or Aberdeen, but although Aberdeen is the snowiest by quite a bit, my money is on Inverness for general night time low temperatures and frost etc. Edinburgh is a posibility also.

[Yeti]

Leeds is the coldest city in England in that it has the lowest maxima and minima in January. However it depends how you define a city. Ripon is a "city" and is probably colder than Leeds, but it's tiny. Is Inverness really a city? If it is then yes it may well be the coldest. However I've just looked and at its coldest it has maximum 6 and minimum 1 - this is warmer than Leeds (slightly) and undoubtedly due to its position on the coast at low ground.

Edinburgh is colder - minimum -1 which is indeed very cold for a UK city. Aberdeen identical to Edinburgh (pretty much) - in that case my money is on Aberdeen and Edinburgh - take your pick.

[NorthernRab]

Leeds is the coldest city in England in that it has the lowest maxima and minima in January. However it depends how you define a city. Ripon is a "city" and is probably colder than Leeds, but it's tiny. Is Inverness really a city? If it is then yes it may well be the coldest. However I've just looked and at its coldest it has maximum 6 and minimum 1 - this is warmer than Leeds (slightly) and undoubtedly due to its position on the coast at low ground.

Edinburgh is colder - minimum -1 which is indeed very cold for a UK city. Aberdeen identical to Edinburgh (pretty much) - in that case my money is on Aberdeen and Edinburgh - take your pick.

Inverness is indeed a city, the most northern in the UK. The interesting thing about Inverness is the variation, most of the temperatures for Inverness are taken from Dalcross, the airport, which in my opinion makes them completely useless. Dalcross is quite a bit away from Inverness, is low-lying (Inverness is only a 1/3 at sea-level).

I just seems that pools of very cold air form in the Great Glen and can really hang around.

It should also be taken into consideration that most of the population lives in Culloden, Smithton, Crown, Drakies, Milton of Leyes, all of which are a good deal colder than the centre.

Leeds is the coldest city in England in that it has the lowest maxima and minima in January. However it depends how you define a city. Ripon is a "city" and is probably colder than Leeds, but it's tiny. Is Inverness really a city? If it is then yes it may well be the coldest. However I've just looked and at its coldest it has maximum 6 and minimum 1 - this is warmer than Leeds (slightly) and undoubtedly due to its position on the coast at low ground.

Edinburgh is colder - minimum -1 which is indeed very cold for a UK city. Aberdeen identical to Edinburgh (pretty much) - in that case my money is on Aberdeen and Edinburgh - take your pick.

Leeds January average is 7'C for high and 3'C for low.

Edited December 27, 2008 by NorthernRab

[Cheese Rice]

My bet is on leeds

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=4542

Temps at Leeds & Bradford airport (in leeds) not getting above 0.c from tuesday onwards!

[NorthernRab]

^ Colder in Inverness over this period.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=0016

Just look at Aviemore though! (not a city)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?id=3077

Edited December 27, 2008 by NorthernRab

[Nick H]

Leeds is the coldest city in England in that it has the lowest maxima and minima in January. However it depends how you define a city.

Durham must be colder than Leeds. I should think Newcastle, Carlisle and York are also colder.

Edited December 27, 2008 by Nick H

[Osbourne One-Nil]

Carlisle actually has a pretty mild climate due to its low elevation, and proximity to the Solway Firth. Now, if Great Asby was a city....

[Yeti]

Let's get a few things clear!

York is at 15m and whilst during an inversion can be very cold, it's not as cold as Leeds, which is generally 100-200m. It's also far inland, away from the coast. As for maximum 7 minimum 3 that is rubbish! At a very accurate site which provides decimals:

http://wwis.aemet.es/010/c00039.htm

Mes Temperatura media oC Lluvia total media (mm) Número medio de días de lluvia

Mínima

diaria Máxima

diaria

Ene 0.3 5.8 61 17.5

Feb 0.2 5.9 45 14.2

Mar 1.6 8.7 52 14.8

Abr 3.1 11.3 48 13.5

May 5.5 15.0 54 13.7

Jun 8.5 18.2 54 12.2

Jul 10.4 19.9 51 11.7

Ago 10.5 19.9 65 13.2

Sep 8.7 17.3 57 12.9

Oct 6.3 13.4 55 15.1

Nov 2.9 8.8 57 16.5

Dic 1.2 6.7 61 17.0

As you can see, maximum 5.8 minimum 0.3.

Newcastle and Durham are nearer the coast and considerably lower down. Braemar is colder than Aviemore btw, being at 334m. And OON, you live in the middle of nowhere, it's a misnomer!

I still think therefore that Leeds is the coldest in England, and Edinburgh in Scotland. According to what I've seen Inverness is slightly warmer.

Edited December 27, 2008 by Yeti

[NorthernRab]

Let's get a few things clear!

York is at 15m and whilst during an inversion can be very cold, it's not as cold as Leeds, which is generally 100-200m. It's also far inland, away from the coast. As for maximum 7 minimum 3 that is rubbish! At a very accurate site which provides decimals:

http://wwis.aemet.es/010/c00039.htm

As you can see, maximum 5.8 minimum 0.3.

Newcastle and Durham are nearer the coast and considerably lower down. Braemar is colder than Aviemore btw, being at 334m. And OON, you live in the middle of nowhere, it's a misnomer!

I still think therefore that Leeds is the coldest in England, and Edinburgh in Scotland. According to what I've seen Inverness is slightly warmer.

Everyone knows Braemar is colder than Aviemore :lol: , however one thing which is rarely mentioned is that Carrbridge is colder than Aviemore and is only 10 miles away.

You haven't supplied any sources for Inverness though. In fairness, they are very difficult to come by. Inverness is surely colder than Leeds, like I've said, the collection of data for Inverness is very poor. All the same, Edinburgh could currently be considered the coldest.

[Yeti]

Everyone knows Braemar is colder than Aviemore :lol: , however one thing which is rarely mentioned is that Carrbridge is colder than Aviemore and is only 10 miles away.

You haven't supplied any sources for Inverness though. In fairness, they are very difficult to come by. Inverness is surely colder than Leeds, like I've said, the collection of data for Inverness is very poor. All the same, Edinburgh could currently be considered the coldest.

http://uk.weather.com/climate/annualClimo-...KXX0250?month=1

that's the best I can find for Inverness. As you say though not massively reliable and I find the weather.co.uk data a bit dubious.

It has to be said though that the two most important factors in the UK for cold are distance from the sea and altitude, followed by latitude. Hence why parts of East Anglia are colder than coastal places in the NE. Inverness is probably about the same as Aberdeen etc.

It's hard to imagine Leeds being colder even though I still think it's the coldest in England.

[NorthernRab]

http://uk.weather.com/climate/annualClimo-...KXX0250?month=1

that's the best I can find for Inverness. As you say though not massively reliable and I find the weather.co.uk data a bit dubious.

It has to be said though that the two most important factors in the UK for cold are distance from the sea and altitude, followed by latitude. Hence why parts of East Anglia are colder than coastal places in the NE. Inverness is probably about the same as Aberdeen etc.

It's hard to imagine Leeds being colder even though I still think it's the coldest in England.

I agree that Leeds is probably the coldest in England. I just find it frustrating that Inverness has to cope with a lack of sound meteorological data :lol:

[woldsowl]

I agree that Leeds is probably the coldest in England. I just find it frustrating that Inverness has to cope with a lack of sound meteorological data :lol:

I wouldn't agree that Leeds is the coldest English City. Bradford and Sheffield are both higher and snowier than Leeds. It depends where you take the recording from eg is is fair to use Leeds/Bradford airport for Leeds? I don't think so.

Bradord or Sheffield for me.

[mountain shadow]

Bonnie Dundee?

[Thundery wintry showers]

It's a tough one to call. For coldest city in England in winter, my guesses are Sheffield or Durham, it must be pretty close between the two. Newcastle, Leeds and Bradford will also be among the coldest but due to lower altitude will be a little warmer.

Taking the year as a whole the coldest city in England is probably Newcastle or Durham due to the cool summers. Average summer maximum temperatures at Leeds are 2C highter than at Durham, and 2.5 to 3C higher than at Sunderland. Sunderland will have the lowest average maximum, but more than offset by a higher average minimum, due to being on the coast.

For the coldest city in Britain, I reckon Inverness probably has the coldest winters due to lower minima than coastal Aberdeen, but that Aberdeen, with its cool summers, will be the coldest city averaged over the year.

[NorthernRab]

Bonnie Dundee?

Dundee is third coldest in Scotland, after Aberdeen and Inverness by about 1'C. It's daytime max is a bit higher. Good snow events in the old Dundee occasionally though! :lol:

[Nick H]

Let's get a few things clear!

York is at 15m and whilst during an inversion can be very cold, it's not as cold as Leeds, which is generally 100-200m. It's also far inland, away from the coast. As for maximum 7 minimum 3 that is rubbish! At a very accurate site which provides decimals:

http://wwis.aemet.es/010/c00039.htm

As you can see, maximum 5.8 minimum 0.3.

Newcastle and Durham are nearer the coast and considerably lower down. Braemar is colder than Aviemore btw, being at 334m. And OON, you live in the middle of nowhere, it's a misnomer!

York is colder than Leeds according to

http://worldweather.wmo.int/010/c00039.htm

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/ave...mowthorpe_.html

I still think therefore that Leeds is the coldest in England, and Edinburgh in Scotland. According to what I've seen Inverness is slightly warmer.

Edinburgh can't be colder than Aberdeen, Dundee or Inverness.

Hence why parts of East Anglia are colder than coastal places in the NE.

In certain synoptic set ups and possibly at certain times of the year, maybe. But I can't believe anywhere in E Anglia is colder averaged over a year than the far NE of England. E Anglia is probably 2nd to the south east in terms of summer warmth,whilst NE England must be the coldest. It is quite common to see places like Cambridge and especially places in Norfolk and Southern Lincolnshire around the Wash at the top of the daily temps tables in summer whilst I regularly see places life Loftus and Redesdale Camp at the bottom.

Edited December 28, 2008 by Nick H

[stormchaser1]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_the_United_Kingdom

nigel

[trickydicky]

Although Ripon is village sized it is still classed as a city so therefore counts

[Yeti]

York is colder than Leeds according to

http://worldweather.wmo.int/010/c00039.htm

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/ave...mowthorpe_.html

Edinburgh can't be colder than Aberdeen, Dundee or Inverness.

In certain synoptic set ups and possibly at certain times of the year, maybe. But I can't believe anywhere in E Anglia is colder averaged over a year than the far NE of England. E Anglia is probably 2nd to the south east in terms of summer warmth,whilst NE England must be the coldest. It is quite common to see places like Cambridge and especially places in Norfolk and Southern Lincolnshire around the Wash at the top of the daily temps tables in summer whilst I regularly see places life Loftus and Redesdale Camp at the bottom.

High Mowthorpe is at 175m! That's NOT good data for York at all, add on over 1c for York.

I meant that inland parts of EA e.g. Ely are colder than some places on the NE coast in winter. And from what I can see EDinburgh is colder than coastal cities in winter, too.

[Stratos Ferric]

My bet is on leeds

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=4542

Temps at Leeds & Bradford airport (in leeds) not getting above 0.c from tuesday onwards!

LBA isn't really representative of Leeds. It sits high on a plateau (I think I'm right in saying it's comfortably the highest airport in the UK with frequent scheduled passenger flights) around 500' higher than the city centre (and 400' or so above the Leeds Met instrumentation), out beyond the urban fringe 7 miles or so from the centre.

I suspect Bradford would actually come in a tad colder than Leeds oin average. It's higher, in much more of a bowl, is smaller, with fewer tall buildings and is less urbanised (in terms of business and commercial activity driving the UHI). Alas there's no measurement available for Bradford centre; there should be for Leeds because I think the MetO keep an office in the centre (though the formal Leeds readings used to come, I'm pretty sure, from the Canal Gardens in Roundhay).

We've certainly fully discussed what is the UK's snowiest city (Aberdeen), but what is the UK's (And England, Wales, N.Ireland individually) coldest city?

I'm guessing either Inverness or Aberdeen, but although Aberdeen is the snowiest by quite a bit, my money is on Inverness for general night time low temperatures and frost etc. Edinburgh is a posibility also.

You've used very loose terms there. What, PRECISELY, do you mean by coldest? Lowest annual mean temperature, lowest annual mean minimum, or lowest recorded absolute minimum?

Edited December 28, 2008 by Stratos Ferric

[Nick H]

High Mowthorpe is at 175m! That's NOT good data for York at all, add on over 1c for York.

Leeds/Bradford Airport is 208m feet asl, Leeds centre about 40m. Add on about 2C for Leeds.

A couple of other points which would lead me to intuitively believe Leeds is milder than York...

Leeds is far more urbanised than York, which is relatively small for a city.

The Vale of York is far more rural than the areas which surround Leeds and can get extremely frosty and foggy in winter.

Edited December 28, 2008 by Nick H

[Tucco]

LBA isn't really representative of Leeds. It sits high on a plateau (I think I'm right in saying it's comfortably the highest airport in the UK with frequent scheduled passenger flights) around 500' higher than the city centre (and 400' or so above the Leeds Met instrumentation), out beyond the urban fringe 7 miles or so from the centre.

I suspect Bradford would actually come in a tad colder than Leeds oin average. It's higher, in much more of a bowl, is smaller, with fewer tall buildings and is less urbanised (in terms of business and commercial activity driving the UHI). Alas there's no measurement available for Bradford centre; there should be for Leeds because I think the MetO keep an office in the centre (though the formal Leeds readings used to come, I'm pretty sure, from the Canal Gardens in Roundhay).

You've used very loose terms there. What, PRECISELY, do you mean by coldest? Lowest annual mean temperature, lowest annual mean minimum, or lowest recorded absolute minimum?

Leeds Weather Centre

http://www.tutiempo.net/en/Climate/LEEDS_W...R_CTR/33470.htm

LBA

http://www.tutiempo.net/en/Climate/Leeds_A...dford/33463.htm

Linton on Ouse will be the best match for York been only a couple of miles away.

http://www.tutiempo.net/en/Climate/Linton-On-Ouse/32660.htm

Mark

Teesdale,Co Durham

Edited December 28, 2008 by Tucco

[Stratos Ferric]

http://www.tutiempo.net/en/Climate/LEEDS_W...R_CTR/33470.htm

http://www.tutiempo.net/en/Climate/Leeds_A...dford/33463.htm

Mark

Teesdale,Co Durham

As I said, there's no weather station in Bradford city centre. There's a give away in the location shown in the second link which references on one the points I made originally. The closest official station to Bradford is at the STRI in Bingley, very much a rural location well away from Bradford centre and at a fair elevation above the centre as well.

Linton may be the closest MetO site to York, but it's still a poor proxy because it's rural. I'd have thought that Askham Bryan would have kept records, and possibly also the University location on the south side of town.

Edited December 28, 2008 by Stratos Ferric

[Zerouali lives]

Everyone knows Braemar is colder than Aviemore , however one thing which is rarely mentioned is that Carrbridge is colder than Aviemore and is only 10 miles away.

You haven't supplied any sources for Inverness though. In fairness, they are very difficult to come by. Inverness is surely colder than Leeds, like I've said, the collection of data for Inverness is very poor. All the same, Edinburgh could currently be considered the coldest.

Carrbridge is colder than Aviemore simply due to altitude - Aviemore 228m, Carrbridge 271m.

I would not of thought of Inverness as the coldest - The Moray and Cromarty Firth keeps coastal areas in that region generally mild.

Edited December 28, 2008 by Zerouali lives

[LadyPakal]

Tomintoul is the highest - they certainly get lots of snow there and are regularly snowed in at one end of the place, but is only classed as a village I think.