Memories of 1983

[Sunny76]

Not sure if there’s a thread for 83, so here goes.

My memories are really the long hot sunny days of July and August, while heading Paul Young on the radio and Club Tropicana being played during the summer holidays.

Think the autumn was quite warm and remember that October being much warmer than usual at times. 
 

My uncle said the Christmas was very mild that year. 
 

I also remember some weird tv drama about a dog that catches rabies from something and attacked a man in his car. Not sure what the drama was called? Did I imagine that show? Lol

Edited September 6, 2022 by Sunny76

[emmett garland]

14 minutes ago, Sunny76 said:

Not sure if there’s a thread for 83, so here goes.

My memories are really the long hot sunny days of July and August, while heading Paul Young on the radio and Club Tropicana being played during the summer holidays.

Think the autumn was quite warm and remember that October being much warmer than usual at times. 
 

My uncle said the Christmas was very mild that year. 
 

I also remember some weird tv drama about a dog that catches rabies from something and attacked a man in his car. Not sure what the drama was called? Did I imagine that show? Lol

I'm sure it was called rabies and terrified me and Mostly I remember a man foaming at the mouth on a bridge looking into the water and they said if you have rabies you get a phobia for water. Mad. Anyway that year for me is the wonderful summer at a young age and the new romantic music peaking at that time.. Also first kisses LOL.

[A Face like Thunder]

Remember it as a very good summer, with tennis in the park most Saturday afternoons. Mid-July was very hot. Summer was dry and we were able to get our fish for the evening meal our of a dried-up stream whilst camping in Mid-Wales in mid-August.

Overnight 31st May to 1st June - a huge overnight thunderstorm moved up from France into Hants / Surrey where we were camping and there was spectacular lightning at 11pm, 1am and 3am. We were shattered the following morning! 

Edited September 7, 2022 by A Face like Thunder

[Don]

Only weather event that really stands out for me was a snowy late afternoon/evening during February which I remember being very excited about.  I have a feeling it was around the 7th or 8th.  However, it wasn't a patch on what we had the previous winter!  Does anyone else recall this event?  I think the far south east at least had a fair amount of snow around this period.

Edited September 7, 2022 by Don

[damianslaw]

I was 4-5 years old and have no recollections of the weather that year.. my earliest weather memories are of the very warm summer of 1984. My first real  memories are of 84, music and school etc.

I do though recall I think a storm on New Years Eve 83, we had no power.. 

Looking at what happened, the summer of 83 most notable aspect, a very hot one especially July. Jan 83 was very mild and wet. Feb 83 notably cold and quite snowy. March and April also cold, easter was snowy. The autumn rather forgettable, often mild, leading into a very mild December. 

Edited September 7, 2022 by damianslaw

[Summer8906]

On 07/09/2022 at 17:02, A Face like Thunder said:

Overnight 31st May to 1st June - a huge overnight thunderstorm moved up from France into Hants / Surrey where we were camping and there was spectacular lightning at 11pm, 1am and 3am. We were shattered the following morning! 

That one I do distinctly remember, from NW Sussex.

May had been terrible; damp cyclonic SW-lies more or less continuously with almost no really sunny days, though some managed a bit of brightness. A bit like May 2021. The one sunny warm day was Tues 31st when it struggled up to around 23C, which I think was by far the warmest day of the year so far.

In the evening, Ac invaded from the SW (not Ac Cast) and then overnight (after midnight, so in June) there was an epic and rather frightening (I was pretty young at the time) thunderstorm which was severe enough to knock the power out.

I then remember the following week or so being distinctly thundery. The storms of June 5 are well documented, I was too far north to catch them at full severity but I do seem to remember catching the edge of them in the evening. Then, another night during the following week I remember hearing distant thunder while in bed though the storm didn't get any closer. A look back at the archives suggests a brief spike of heat on the 7th followed by a change to dry but cool and cloudy conditions (which dominated the month) so I'd guess this was overnight 7th/8th.

Exactly two months later, in a curious coincidence, there was a similar (but less severe, I think) overnight storm on the night of July 31/Aug 1. A further curious coincidence was a very similar May two years earlier, with a very similar one day of warm sunny weather on June 1, followed by a similar overnight storm on June 1/2, 1981.

Edited September 10, 2022 by Summer8906

[Summer8906]

On 07/09/2022 at 23:28, damianslaw said:

I was 4-5 years old and have no recollections of the weather that year.. my earliest weather memories are of the very warm summer of 1984. My first real  memories are of 84, music and school etc.

I do though recall I think a storm on New Years Eve 83, we had no power.. 

Looking at what happened, the summer of 83 most notable aspect, a very hot one especially July. Jan 83 was very mild and wet. Feb 83 notably cold and quite snowy. March and April also cold, easter was snowy. The autumn rather forgettable, often mild, leading into a very mild December. 

I have quite a few clear memories of 1983 being a few years older.

January was pretty non-descript: mild, dry and cloudy more or less continuously, if I remember right. Perhaps rather like a cloudier version of January 1989.

February by contrast had a fairly lengthy cold, and at times snowy period with easterlies. It was also often sunny. I can't remember the exact date but mid-week (would have been either the week of the 7th or the week of the 14th) there was a significant snowfall, producing a good snow cover, in NW Sussex/SW Surrey. It didn't last so long (due to strong sunshine rather than mild temps); on the Saturday after (I think) I remember it being sunny with mostly melted snow, but still significant amounts in the shade.

The half term week remained cold I think, though the school was distinctly stingy and we only got 2 or 3 days (!) half term that year. The Monday (21st) was cold and cloudy but the 22nd cold and very sunny.

The 26th was the day the dry weather broke, if I remember right. I was in Stafford that weekend and Sat (26th) was mostly dull and dry but distinctly remember rain starting around 5pm or so, and it being the first rain for a good while. This was the typical southwesterly breakdown of an easterly spell, with low pressure moving up from the SW, but didn't produce any snow initially. I believe the end of Feb in both 1981 and 1978 was very similar.

I have few memories of March beside a school trip to London and a day which started wet, with showery but bright NW-lies later. But apparently it was dull and changeable but fairly mild.

I recall both April and May being distinctly cool and wet, and the May Day bank holiday weekend being particularly awful. I do also remember a few days of warm and sunny in mid-April though, something I have confirmed as actually happening. A very cyclonic couple of months by the looks of things, with winds initially from an easterly point later becoming SWly. The storm at the end of May, and thundery weather at start of June, I have mentioned above.

The rest of June was I think cloudy, dry, non-descript, and relatively cool.

July was where things got interesting though. Sat 2nd started dull and drizzly (Tm air) but during the day the cloud broke and it became warm and sunny; I was on the train heading from the south to the Midlands though, so the Midlands may have had a better day anyway due to being less exposed to the airmass. However Sun 3rd was generally warm and sunny.

On Fri 15th we went on holiday to France. However in the intervening period it was hot, humid and mostly sunny; on two days (6th and 7th) there were extensive thundery showers, and on some other days these were forecast but never materialised.

In France (15th-30th) it was similarly hot and sunny for the most part. Didn't experience the weather back home but by all accounts, it was much the same and I recall (somehow) picking up Radio 4 from France and hearing a forecast of 34C maxima for southern England.

In France it generally wasn't hotter than back home, despite being a fair way south (Massif Central). It was at altitude (600m+) though. There was one day, perhaps around the 21st, when it was really, really hot though; I think, to that date, the hottest day I'd ever experienced, likely perhaps 36 or 37C. (To this day I think 37-ish is the hottest I've ever experienced). One sharp cold front with thunderstorms on Wed 27th followed by a change to clear fresher weather.

We returned home on the 30th and it was generally sunny and hot but with Cs cloud. On the 31st it was cloudy, warm and humid with Ac Cast and some showers, with a notable overnight storm on the 31st/1st (less severe than end of May though). Then a marked change (unusually marked) to cool and showery Pm air for a couple of days, before pressure rose again.

Much of August was warm and sunny, certainly until the 19th when there was a brief spike of heat (around 33C or so, I think). The weather then briefly broke before becoming warm and sunny again around the Bank Holiday weekend. Tues 30th was notable for being relatively fresh with intense blue skies beyond a cold front - but that was almost it for the summer. It quickly (surprisingly so) became much more humid on the 31st, a day of increasing cloud and overnight thundery rain (only brief thunder though).

Rest of the year was more non-descript. Sep was generally changeable, dull and rather wet but warmer and drier from the 22nd. Oct was generally fairly cloudy, with a wet 2nd and 3rd week and cold dry (at times sunny) end. Nov was cloudy, mild and dry in the main with occasional colder and sunnier days and occasional wet days. And Dec was mild and wet, becoming very mild indeed, but dry, from Christmas onward.

 

 

 

[Don]

4 hours ago, Summer8906 said:

February by contrast had a fairly lengthy cold, and at times snowy period with easterlies. It was also often sunny. I can't remember the exact date but mid-week (would have been either the week of the 7th or the week of the 14th) there was a significant snowfall, producing a good snow cover, in NW Sussex/SW Surrey. It didn't last so long (due to strong sunshine rather than mild temps); on the Saturday after (I think) I remember it being sunny with mostly melted snow, but still significant amounts in the shade.

I think this is probably the snowfall I was referring to above.  I believe it was the week of the 7th.

[Frost HoIIow]

Only thing that stood out for me in 83 was that blisteringly hot July. Only July 1995 and 2006 comes close to that especially the latter.

[Summer8906]

On 07/09/2022 at 19:34, Don said:

Only weather event that really stands out for me was a snowy late afternoon/evening during February which I remember being very excited about.  I have a feeling it was around the 7th or 8th.  However, it wasn't a patch on what we had the previous winter!  Does anyone else recall this event?  I think the far south east at least had a fair amount of snow around this period.

As you've noted I mentioned this - thanks for the date. I recall it falling in the morning though, have memories of trying to get to school and the trains were disrupted, albeit not severely. I distinctly remember the train before the one I usually got (10 mins before) struggling into the station in the snow, and delays were a rarity in those days.

I'd guess 8th (Tuesday) as I don't think it was either Monday or Friday.

Edited September 11, 2022 by Summer8906

[A Face like Thunder]

Philip Eden noted heavy snowfall 8th to 11th February 1983 and (the previous year) 4th to 15th January 1982. I certainly remember the 1982 event as I was working in London at the time, the trains were on strike and, although the snow of December 1981 remained in situ, in London at least, it turned to a slushy and subsequently icy mess. Not nice!

[Don]

1 hour ago, Summer8906 said:

As you've noted I mentioned this - thanks for the date. I recall it falling in the morning though, have memories of trying to get to school and the trains were disrupted, albeit not severely. I distinctly remember the train before the one I usually got (10 mins before) struggling into the station in the snow, and delays were a rarity in those days.

I'd guess 8th (Tuesday) as I don't think it was either Monday or Friday.

It was definitely the afternoon where I was (north west Surrey) as it started shortly after I got home from school and carried on snowing quite heavily into the evening.  Probably a couple of inches or so in total.  I think it actually was the 8th now you mention it!  Were you living in south west Surrey at the time?

[Summer8906]

6 minutes ago, Don said:

It was definitely the afternoon where I was (north west Surrey) as it started shortly after I got home from school and carried on snowing quite heavily into the evening.  Probably a couple of inches or so in total.  I think it actually was the 8th now you mention it!  Were you living in south west Surrey at the time?

NW Sussex yes, so close enough.

Conceivable it snowed the previous day I guess - but the heavy snowfall and cover definitely seemed to be the morning. Perhaps a rather showery setup where different places got the snow at different times?

Edited September 11, 2022 by Summer8906

[Don]

Just now, Summer8906 said:

NW Sussex yes, so close enough.

Conceivable it snowed the previous day I guess - but the heavy snowfall and cover definitely seemed to be the morning. Perhaps a rather showery setup where different places got the snow at different times?

I think there were flurries the previous day where I was but nothing of note.  Could well have been a showery setup on the 8th hence why north west Surrey didn't see the heavy stuff until later on?  Snow often is very localised!

[Summer8906]

Just now, Don said:

I think there were flurries the previous day where I was but nothing of note.  Could well have been a showery setup on the 8th hence why north west Surrey didn't see the heavy stuff until later on?  Snow often is very localised!

Possibly yes. I can't even remember whether there was snow throughout the rail journey in fact, I just remember it at my origin station. But I do remember at some point the cover became general throughout the area.

[cheeky_monkey]

1983...Very Mild Jan followed by a Very Cold Feb..which doesnt happen to often...was a wet spring..followed by the hottest summer between 1976 and 1995..i really rate the summer of 83 on a par with 76 ( i just about remember 1976) and not far behind 1995..rarley does it get a mention when people talk about hot summers though.

[Don]

41 minutes ago, cheeky_monkey said:

1983...Very Mild Jan followed by a Very Cold Feb..which doesnt happen to often...was a wet spring..followed by the hottest summer between 1976 and 1995..i really rate the summer of 83 on a par with 76 ( i just about remember 1976) and not far behind 1995..rarley does it get a mention when people talk about hot summers though.

Yes, a strange winter 1982/83.  Don't remember much about the weather for the rest of the year.

[Sunny76]

1 hour ago, Don said:

Yes, a strange winter 1982/83.  Don't remember much about the weather for the rest of the year.

It was the warmest one on record at the time for many parts of North America. Some northern states recorded temps in the high teens on Christmas Day 1982.

[LetItSnow!]

It was definitely a time when worldwide we were switching over from the old and cold to the new, hotter climate. I like comparing US to UK weather and a look at the maps shows the USA actually had a rather similar year to us. As stated, the winter of 1982/1983 was exceptionally mild across most of America-and unlike us, it remained so through February. But like we did, it turned generally cold through the spring, then very hot into the summer. For us, July 1983 was the extreme month but over there, August 1983 took that place. IIRC, August 1983 is still the hottest for America as a whole. Then they had a generally average to rather mild, unexceptional autumn - but then December 1983 was brutally cold, particularly across the Midwest and up into Canada too. I think this stopped it from being an exceptionally warm year as a whole there. 

Back to home; the difference between January 1983 and February 1983 is extreme. I cannot recall another set of winter months so different than one another apart from January 1945 and February 1945. I was also an extremely thundery year. May 1983 was noted for its thunder and I think it was the thunderiest month since August 1960 - another such month would not come until August 1999. 

Look at how close we were to the 20C isotherm on July 31st.

 

[Summer8906]

1 hour ago, LetItSnow! said:

It was definitely a time when worldwide we were switching over from the old and cold to the new, hotter climate. I like comparing US to UK weather and a look at the maps shows the USA actually had a rather similar year to us. As stated, the winter of 1982/1983 was exceptionally mild across most of America-and unlike us, it remained so through February. But like we did, it turned generally cold through the spring, then very hot into the summer. For us, July 1983 was the extreme month but over there, August 1983 took that place. IIRC, August 1983 is still the hottest for America as a whole. Then they had a generally average to rather mild, unexceptional autumn - but then December 1983 was brutally cold, particularly across the Midwest and up into Canada too. I think this stopped it from being an exceptionally warm year as a whole there. 

Back to home; the difference between January 1983 and February 1983 is extreme. I cannot recall another set of winter months so different than one another apart from January 1945 and February 1945. I was also an extremely thundery year. May 1983 was noted for its thunder and I think it was the thunderiest month since August 1960 - another such month would not come until August 1999. 

Look at how close we were to the 20C isotherm on July 31st.

 

Interesting that re. July 31st, presumably some very high temps over France? I was actually in France on the preceding days, but, following a thundery cold front on the 27th, the 28th and 29th were fresh, low-humidity days though warm.

As I stated above I remember the weather on July 31st, it was cloudy with extensive Ac cast cover, very thundery skies and the occasional shower. Temps were warm, but not sure how warm. Not extreme, if I remember right (maybe around 25-27?) due to the cloud.

That cold pool to the NW must have spread rapidly down though, as the following night was thundery then we had 2 days or so of cool, showery Pm air (classic Pm, not rPm). But then the huge high in the Atlantic spread back in and August was, I think, continuously sunny until around the 19th again as noted above.

Edited September 13, 2022 by Summer8906

[Summer8906]

1 hour ago, LetItSnow! said:

It was definitely a time when worldwide we were switching over from the old and cold to the new, hotter climate. I like comparing US to UK weather and a look at the maps shows the USA actually had a rather similar year to us. As stated, the winter of 1982/1983 was exceptionally mild across most of America-and unlike us, it remained so through February. But like we did, it turned generally cold through the spring, then very hot into the summer. For us, July 1983 was the extreme month but over there, August 1983 took that place. IIRC, August 1983 is still the hottest for America as a whole. Then they had a generally average to rather mild, unexceptional autumn - but then December 1983 was brutally cold, particularly across the Midwest and up into Canada too. I think this stopped it from being an exceptionally warm year as a whole there. 

Back to home; the difference between January 1983 and February 1983 is extreme. I cannot recall another set of winter months so different than one another apart from January 1945 and February 1945. I was also an extremely thundery year. May 1983 was noted for its thunder and I think it was the thunderiest month since August 1960 - another such month would not come until August 1999. 

Interesting May was thundery - I don't remember a single day of thunder in May, though I do remember a lot of damp, unsettled, cyclonic weather (not denying it happened, mind) but I do recall three in the first week of June, including the early hours of the 1st.

[cheeky_monkey]

7 hours ago, Summer8906 said:

Interesting May was thundery - I don't remember a single day of thunder in May, though I do remember a lot of damp, unsettled, cyclonic weather (not denying it happened, mind) but I do recall three in the first week of June, including the early hours of the 1st.

yep i dont remember any thunder in May 1983..neither do i recall it being a thundery year..1982 and 84 were however particularly 1982 was very thundery 

[Sunny76]

2 hours ago, cheeky_monkey said:

yep i dont remember any thunder in May 1983..neither do i recall it being a thundery year..1982 and 84 were however particularly 1982 was very thundery 

1980 was quite a thundery summer in the London area, and yes 1982 had a number of storms during  June.

1994 and 99 would probably be the 90s equivalent for thundery years. 
 

Don’t remember any thunderstorms from 1984. 

Edited September 13, 2022 by Sunny76

[damianslaw]

Late 82 brought a super El Nino, possible reason for the exceptional warmth in USA.. and may have been a factor in the switch around between Jan and Feb.

[Summer8906]

14 hours ago, Sunny76 said:

1980 was quite a thundery summer in the London area, and yes 1982 had a number of storms during  June.

1994 and 99 would probably be the 90s equivalent for thundery years. 
 

Don’t remember any thunderstorms from 1984. 

Overnight 24-25 July was a pretty epic one, a typical night-time first-half-of-the-80s storm following a warm thundery day previously.

Many instances of this kind of overnight storm earlier in the 80s, the others being the aforementioned 1/2 June 1981, 5/6 June 1982 (in Galloway, Scotland, so out of my normal area), 31 May/1 June 1983 and 31 July/1 Aug 1983. From the 90s, the storms of 1/2 June and 2/3 July 1999 were very reminiscent of the earlier 80s events - summer 1999 did have that thundery "back to the 80s" feel.

Edited September 14, 2022 by Summer8906