When The First Week Of May Was Colder Than The First Week Of January...

[Weather-history]

The first week of May 1877 was colder than the first week of January 1877

CET trackometer for 1877 (first value: January; second value: May)

1. 5.5; 5.1

2. 4.7; 5.8

3. 5.5; 4.9

4. 6.2; 4.5

5. 6.3; 4.4

6. 6.5; 4.6

7. 6.6; 5.1

8. 6.8; 5.8

9. 6.7; 6.4

The first few days of May 1877 was dominated by north and easterly winds bring snow in places and severe frosts

Culford recorded minima of 23F, 22F and 24F on the nights of 3rd, 4th and 5th respectively, lower tha the lowest minimum registered for January 1877

Bristol minima

2nd: 34.9F

3rd: 31.1F

4th: 28.8F

5th: 26.8F

6th: 28.4F

7th: 29.8F

Leicester minima

1st: 34.8F

2nd: 36.0F

3rd: 34.0F

4th: 28.0F

5th:: 28.8F

6th: 28.8F

7th: 32.8F

8th: 35.8F

The severe frosts did enormous damage to vegetation

[Terminal Moraine]

Your post prompted me to look at the Buxton record. The lowest min' there in May 1877 was -5.6c on the 6th, this has never been exceeded since and nor is it likely to be as the station was moved to a less frost prone location in the 1920s. The lowest May min' since the station was moved is -4.4c on the 4th in 1941.

[damianslaw]

Some very cold minima and maxima indeed for May, quite exceptional, must have been a very long draw of unmodified arctic air covering the country. Suprised such sustained low minima could be achieved in May.

[Weather-history]

Culford, Suffolk

Jan   max, min (°F)

1. 52, 35

2. 40, 37

3. 49, 46

4.  50, 41

5.  48, 38

6.  49, 40

7.  52, 42

 

May 

1. 50, 35

2. 53, 28

3. 50, 23

4. 50, 22

5. 52, 24

6. 54, 28