What would your ideal year look like?

[Dancerwithwings]

As one gets older…..500 days in a year wouldn’t go a miss

[Sunny76]

11 minutes ago, SunSean said:

Pretty decent Autumn looking at the stats too, September & October both decent for sunshine and there was that hot period end of Sep into Oct! Looks on paper, similar to 1997- A disappointing or below average summer sandwiched between a great Spring & Autumn.

Yes, although I prefer 2011 to 97. 2011 didn’t feel that humid during the summer period, whereas 97 was humid during August and poor the rest of the summer. 97 had a nice September if memory serves me well. 

[summer blizzard]

4 hours ago, SunSean said:

Meant to be just from the last 12 full years- 2011-2022 and one per year. Nonetheless, other than July, that would be a pretty good year for all sides with a Spring to rival 2020!

I enjoyed Spring 20 a lot given how sunny it was but I tend to think that big its going to be that sunny, you need to fry something a little and March 2012/ May 2018 had something that bit more special in terms of warmth to go with it. Equally, I'd be tempted to swap April 11 for April 07 despite the reduced CET (it was that bit more special for warmth).

[simshady]

Ideal year? Svalbard climate for me.

[sunny_vale]

9 hours ago, SunSean said:

Pretty decent Autumn looking at the stats too, September & October both decent for sunshine and there was that hot period end of Sep into Oct! Looks on paper, similar to 1997- A disappointing or below average summer sandwiched between a great Spring & Autumn.

Yeah 2011 was a funny one. The year as a whole could be considered good because of the spring and autumn but the summer was on the poor side - not without its moments too though. 

[John S2]

Living in a fairly wet region - NW England - many of my favourite months tend to be the dry ones. When ranking months by rainfall, I have used the Hadley NW England series which has a period of record of 150 years.

Jan 2022 - 13th driest, good for outdoor activity

Feb 2019 - heatwave

March 2017

Apr 2020 & May 2020 - lovely pair of months, wasted due to lockdown

June 2021 - Exceptional month, warm dry & sunny. 7th driest in 150yr series. 2021 was a particularly good summer overall for areas in the NW further North than Manchester

July 2018, Aug 2022, Sept 2014

Oct 2016 - a rarity. October is often a write off for outdoor activity here in the NW, but Oct 2016 was special with winds from NE quarter unusually frequent. 7th driest out of 150

Nov 2021 & Dec 2016 - least bad of a poor collection

[Leo97t]

January - 2021 - not sure why I remember this month so fondly - a good blend of cold and mild - just felt brutal, as I want January to feel! - and snow in London. 2013/22 also good picks for this!

February - 2019 - easiest pick - a phenomenal month which was by far the best winter month ever! 2018/21 also good picks!

March - 2012 - the only saving grace of 2012 and therefore another easy option! 2017/20/22 also good picks!

April - 2011 - I preferred 2020 but that had to be used for the second of this exceptional April-may two hander that was 2020! 

May - 2020 - Sublime. Unmatched. Doesn't get enough credit (a lot but still not enough). 21.1C max average at Heathrow - highest recorded for may and sunniest month ever. 2018 also close but too breezy from memory

June - 2017 - A lovely June which was remembered by the great solstice heatwave! 2018 was better - 2014/20/21 also on the same level

July - 2013 - Not the hottest July but the best in terms of UK wide summer - 2014/8 good. 2022 was not that amazing just very dry and obviously that great heatwave mid month but actually quite cloudy a lot of the time. 

August - 2022 - a great August finally! Still think we can do better but in terms of the last decade was great - 2020 was also a v interesting month and as someone else said was a unique Bangkok feeling of hot unstable air!

September - 2016 - Not that good but I have to use this waste of a year somewhere. 2011/18/19/20/21 all were far better

October - 2018 - Strange in a way that I used 2018 here in the end but what an interesting month - especially rare to say about Autumn - great mix of warm, settled, unsettled, and cold at the end. I remember the 13-14th particularly for the 72 hour rainstorm. Great warm spell at the beginning and a lovely frosty sunny end. 2022 was also pretty good. 2020 also remember well but a sad sort of month

November - 2014 - literally nothing to say just remember halloween was warm but I guess that's in October anyway!!! 2021 was far better

December - 2015 - speaks for itself a very interesting month. Rarely like December anyway

 

This was more difficult than I thought it would be, I felt like I wanted to use 2018 for virtually every month and 2013-6 for nothing (they were were such boring years!) - I feel after the interesting run of years we've had from 2017-22 we are probably due some boring weather again now!

 

[Sun Chaser]

Jan 2017 - dry and sunny, some snow

Feb 2019 - snow at the start. Lovely sunny record warmth at the end

Mar 2012 - mild and sunny

Apr 2011 - recordbreakingly warm

May 2020 - sunniest month on record for UK

Jun 2018 - best June of my lifetime

Jul 2013 - hot sunny for 2-3 weeks then a thundery period towards the end. 2018 and 2022 already used

Aug 2022 - main heat spike of the summer surrounded by a lot of warm dry usable days in the mid 20s, lovely spell

Sep 2014 - stays warm into the autumn, summer doesn't want to let go. Preferred 2020/2021 but already used

Oct 2016 - a good mix of dry, frosty, mild, sunny and wet weather throughout the month - preferred 2011/2018/2022 but already used

Nov 2021 - crisp and dry

Dec 2015 - we have to get our deluge at some point I guess. Interesting for being so freakishly mild. Would've gone for 2010 if it wasn't out of range

[Summer8906]

18 hours ago, B87 said:

Surprised that nobody else has gone for June 2017 to free up the 2018 slot. It was the warmest June since 1976 here, and sunnier than average.

A rather cloudy month in this area and unsettled at the start and end. Hot and sunny for about 10 days from the 12th-21st but the rest was a bit meh. The election period early in the month was distinctly cool, wet and windy. So a very average month overall. Bit like July 2003 and 2005 which both also had a significant hot and sunny middle with unsettled starts and ends.

I actually wanted June 2014, not June 2018 - but I needed to allocate 2014 to December to avoid having to put a rubbish December in (which most have been since 2011, to be honest: the only real candidates for Dec were 2014 or 2017).

Edited April 27, 2023 by Summer8906

[Summer8906]

17 hours ago, Sunny76 said:

Yes, although I prefer 2011 to 97. 2011 didn’t feel that humid during the summer period, whereas 97 was humid during August and poor the rest of the summer. 97 had a nice September if memory serves me well. 

Yes, 1997 would be probably one of the top three Septembers of my lifetime (2003 another recent one). There was a big contrast between 1997 and 2011 in this area for the July-September period. Good in 1997, distinctly poor (except the last week of September) in 2011.

(I actually missed three weeks of Sep 2011, as I was in the USA, arriving back just as the unseasonably warm spell was kicking in, which was remarkably good timing. There seemed to be a lot of unseasonably deep depressions and gales while I was away so don't think I missed much!)

Edited April 27, 2023 by Summer8906

[B87]

6 minutes ago, Summer8906 said:

A rather cloudy month and unsettled at the start and end. Hot and sunny for about 10 days from the 12th-21st but the rest was a bit meh. So a very average month overall. Bit like July 2003 and 2005 which both also had a significant hot and sunny middle with unsettled starts and ends.

It was sunnier than average though. A much better month relative to average than July 2003 or 2005, which were both very average months.

 

Edited April 27, 2023 by B87

[SunSean]

5 hours ago, John S2 said:

Living in a fairly wet region - NW England - many of my favourite months tend to be the dry ones. When ranking months by rainfall, I have used the Hadley NW England series which has a period of record of 150 years.

Jan 2022 - 13th driest, good for outdoor activity

Feb 2019 - heatwave

March 2017

Apr 2020 & May 2020 - lovely pair of months, wasted due to lockdown

June 2021 - Exceptional month, warm dry & sunny. 7th driest in 150yr series. 2021 was a particularly good summer overall for areas in the NW further North than Manchester

July 2018, Aug 2022, Sept 2014

Oct 2016 - a rarity. October is often a write off for outdoor activity here in the NW, but Oct 2016 was special with winds from NE quarter unusually frequent. 7th driest out of 150

Nov 2021 & Dec 2016 - least bad of a poor collection

Good list although you've used the same year a few times- Gotta be only 1 year per month from the 12 years of 2011-2022 for the challenge!

[damianslaw]

Calandar wise, March 95 to February 96 please, a dry at times cold and warm Spring with some snow at times, a wonderful summer, a mixed autumn wet Sept, very dry mild Oct, Nov was rather uninspiring probably least favourite of all the months, followed by an excellent Dec, and snowy late Jan and Feb. I'd swap Nov 95 for Nov 96, and first half Jan 96 for 97, first half June 95 for 96, that would be a superb year. 

Edited April 27, 2023 by damianslaw

[Earthshine]

January 2013 - a pretty decent snow event!

February 2019: No words for how incredible that month was.  Mean maximum temperatures an incredible 4.9°C above average, comparable to December 2015 in terms of anomalous warmth.

March 2022: Brilliant sunny end.

April 2020: Stunning

May 2018: Stunning and some big storms!

June 2018: Stunning

July 2018: Stunning

August 2022: Hottest first half in my living memory

September 2016: Toasty!

October 2018: An amazing range from tropical warmth to freezing cold!

November 2010: Cold!

December 2010: The classic, postcard-picture December.

[SunSean]

12 minutes ago, Earthshine said:

January 2013 - a pretty decent snow event!

February 2019: No words for how incredible that month was.  Mean maximum temperatures an incredible 4.9°C above average, comparable to December 2015 in terms of anomalous warmth.

March 2022: Brilliant sunny end.

April 2020: Stunning

May 2018: Stunning and some big storms!

June 2018: Stunning

July 2018: Stunning

August 2022: Hottest first half in my living memory

September 2016: Toasty!

October 2018: An amazing range from tropical warmth to freezing cold!

November 2010: Cold!

December 2010: The classic, postcard-picture December.

Would be an excellent and versatile year, however...you're only meant to pick one month from each year from 2011-2022 for the challenge haha.

[Obese John]

I wouldn't pick any month where there was more than 10 days without any rain. I have enough watering to do as it is without adding to the difficulties. 

I prefer the rain to fall overnight, but am not averse to a few showers in the day. 

Daytime temperatures above 27C are no use to me, as I can't keep cool without getting Brahms & Liszt - which is not advised in hot weather, and then I can't sleep at night. 

A couple of weeks of cold snowy weather in winter will do me fine; other than that it can do what it likes within the parameter given in my first sentence. 

 

[Earthshine]

16 minutes ago, SunSean said:

Would be an excellent and versatile year, however...you're only meant to pick one month from each year from 2011-2022 for the challenge haha.

Oops, I didn't read the first message.  My bad!

[LetItSnow!]

So I used to rule of only one month of each year. 

 

January 2013 for obvious reasons. My memory is a little hazy of the month but I do remember snow and cold. The month was majorly let down by a very mild opening ten or so days though.

February 2018 I picked not just for the awesome cold spell but also how it was generally a seasonably cold month with little mild weather. I saw snow fall early in the month too.

March 2011 is a little hazy but I picked it because I remember it being quite fine, dry and pleasant.

April 2012 I pick because the rainfall was very interesting. I like wet springs for whatever reason. I do actually remember this month. For some reason I have a vivid memory of the 13th. I believe it was typically wet with showers.

May 2021 I pick because of how interesting it was to see such cold anomalies in spring and, again I like rain! I remember a day late in the month being out on a country walk with some very cold, windy and rainy weather. With little in the way of leaf it felt very surreal and almost very 19th century-esque.

June 2015 I remember well. It was often dry and sunny with cool nights but some nice hot weather at the end of the month. I remember an unusually strong windstorm on the 1st which brought strong winds in the southeast but only light and patchy rain. The 5th and 6th I remember very well due to some personal events. I believe it was the first plume of the year and the early hours of the 5th brought storms near me but we didn't actually get hit. The rest of the day was fine and warm. The 6th was a lot clearer of a day with bubbly clouds and a fresh but warm feel. A happy day in my memory book. I remember it turning hot around the 25th, then turning oddly cloudy and drizzly on the 28th before turning hot again.

July 2017 was a month of two halves somewhat. The opening days were fairly warm before a hot day on the 6th. Bit of a blur until the 18th/19th in which I indeed remember the storms very well but I oddly can't remember if they hit me directly or were just in the area. That didn't matter though as it would set up one of the most thundery and wet periods that I can recall in my life as the rest of July, August and into early September became very wet, cool and thundery (locally). I had multiple storms run through the month through the final 12 days of July.

August 2016 I pick in absence of other years really. I don't remember a great deal but I remember generally fine and dry weather. After a very dry July there was some weak wet weather around the 4th but then I think it cleared up and was another dry month. I remember model watching on the 27th/28th as there was a thundery outbreak but it didn't affect me locally at the time.

September 2020 was a total month of two halves. Warm, then hot, then abruptly turning cold and staying that way. I appreciated its variety. I wasn't having a good time personally so I don't fondly recall this month. I remember quite a lot of sunshine and how hot it felt on the 15th, thinking the summer heat spikes were going to continue on and on. I was wrong though and indeed I remember the cold plunge later. I remember the 30th being a cold, wet, grey washout and thinking it felt like a shock compared to the fine weather I'd experienced.

October 2019 is a month I enjoyed for its autumnal chill and frequent rainfall. I think it was unsettled from the get go as late September had been very wet. Got caught in a torrential hail shower on the 8th and remember feeling ice cold. A month totally devoid of any autumnal warmth from memory and just feeling very chilly and moody, but I like that in autumn sometimes.

November 2014 I pick for neccesity alone. I don't really remember much of this month at all other than it was mild.

December 2022 was good but could have been so much better. Saw my first proper heavy snowfall in a long time and it made me feel like a kid again + the persistent cold weather of the first-half. Just such a tragedy that the winter effectively ended on the 18th and the rest of the month was confined to the bin. I got very ill on Christmas to January 2nd so it was an extra kick in the teeth!

 

@B87you don't have to but always appreciate your little info boxes you make!

 

A 9.54 C.E.T. year so very normal in the longterm series. 1,086.4mm so a wet one too, but 2012, 2014, 2019 & 2020 were all wetter.

[Summer8906]

On 26/04/2023 at 22:52, Dancerwithwings said:

As one gets older…..500 days in a year wouldn’t go a miss

As long as:

a) we only age 365 days, and

b) the extra 135 days of the year all occur between late March and September. Wouldn't appreciate another 67-68 days of the darker half of the year!

[Summer8906]

On 28/04/2023 at 09:58, LetItSnow! said:

So I used to rule of only one month of each year. 

June 2015 I remember well. It was often dry and sunny with cool nights but some nice hot weather at the end of the month. I remember an unusually strong windstorm on the 1st which brought strong winds in the southeast but only light and patchy rain. The 5th and 6th I remember very well due to some personal events. I believe it was the first plume of the year and the early hours of the 5th brought storms near me but we didn't actually get hit. The rest of the day was fine and warm. The 6th was a lot clearer of a day with bubbly clouds and a fresh but warm feel. A happy day in my memory book.

I also remember that period well, and remember June 2015 had several episodes of cooler weather, gradually warming up and then breaking, though generally without any strong thundery activity. It was however mostly sunny and fairly warm, better for sunshine, in fact, than any since.

On 28/04/2023 at 09:58, LetItSnow! said:

 

I remember it turning hot around the 25th, then turning oddly cloudy and drizzly on the 28th before turning hot again.

I recall an alternating pattern of good and bad days for a few days late in the month. 25th good, 26th bad, 27th good, 28th bad, 29th good. There were, I think, a couple of active frontal systems but they were separated by strong ridges.

One thing about late June 2015 I remember was the intensity of the sunshine, almost the strongest I have experienced in the UK (the strongest was at the end of June 1993 when I got badly sunburnt...) The air was of Atlantic origin (but warm, and there was no wind) and very clear, not hazy, so perhaps this was a factor.

On 28/04/2023 at 09:58, LetItSnow! said:

August 2016 I pick in absence of other years really.

Not a bad choice, the best August that I have experienced in the UK since 2006.

On 28/04/2023 at 09:58, LetItSnow! said:

September 2020 was a total month of two halves. Warm, then hot, then abruptly turning cold and staying that way. I appreciated its variety. I wasn't having a good time personally so I don't fondly recall this month. I remember quite a lot of sunshine and how hot it felt on the 15th, thinking the summer heat spikes were going to continue on and on. I was wrong though and indeed I remember the cold plunge later. I remember the 30th being a cold, wet, grey washout and thinking it felt like a shock compared to the fine weather I'd experienced.

Remarkable how often this seems to happen. Happened in 2019, 2021 (I think) and certainly 2022 as well. September is often a relatively good month but the end is frequently very poor.

On 28/04/2023 at 09:58, LetItSnow! said:

October 2019 is a month I enjoyed for its autumnal chill and frequent rainfall. I think it was unsettled from the get go as late September had been very wet. Got caught in a torrential hail shower on the 8th and remember feeling ice cold. A month totally devoid of any autumnal warmth from memory and just feeling very chilly and moody, but I like that in autumn sometimes.

The whole of autumn/winter 19/20 was one long horror show as far as I'm concerned

On 28/04/2023 at 09:58, LetItSnow! said:

November 2014 I pick for neccesity alone. I don't really remember much of this month at all other than it was mild.

Mild and wet, very wet at times. The second Saturday was particularly wet though the Sunday (9th) better - it was slack cyclonic but due to the lack of an onshore wind, the day was sunny down here - but when night fell, you could see frequent lightning over the channel. The final weekend was an exceedingly rare, for the time of year, combination of sunny and very mild.

On 28/04/2023 at 09:58, LetItSnow! said:

December 2022 was good but could have been so much better. Saw my first proper heavy snowfall in a long time and it made me feel like a kid again + the persistent cold weather of the first-half. Just such a tragedy that the winter effectively ended on the 18th and the rest of the month was confined to the bin. I got very ill on Christmas to January 2nd so it was an extra kick in the teeth!

The last two weeks of Dec 2022 were so appallingly bad that the month has forfeited any candidacy in a list such as this!

For me, only Dec 2014 and 2017 would make the grade in this time period.

Edited April 29, 2023 by Summer8906

[Scuba steve]

My ideal year already exists though unfortunately for me it’s in the Canary Islands 

[Summer8906]

14 minutes ago, Scuba steve said:

My ideal year already exists though unfortunately for me it’s in the Canary Islands 

My ideal year for weather would probably be a typical one in Central Europe, SE Canada or the NE USA.

If I had to name a city with an ideal climate (with the caveat that in one case I've only visited for a few days, and in the other I've never visited) I'd probably say somewhere like Vienna or Boston.

Edited April 29, 2023 by Summer8906

[SummerShower]

 

January 2011.  It was the last month I  chose and this year was left.  Not the best but it had some cold weather

February 2019.  8ins of snow at the start, 20C at the end

March 2012.  Nice

April 2020.  Decent (though 21 was drier in this area and nearly as sunny)

May 2018.  Best one in recent years, some thunder too.

June 2017.  Hot spell 2nd to 3rd week.

July 2014.  Hot and thundery

August 2022.  Hot

September 2016.  Warm, massive storm here 15th and 16th

October 2015.  A nice month

november 2021.  Not a month i care too much about but this wasnt bad.

December 2013.  Seasonal 1st half, stormy 2nd half.

[SqueakheartLW]

My best months or my best attempt at these considering the rules

January 2015 - Would have gone for 2010 if I could but of the choices available I would have gone for 2013 as it was the coldest and snowiest available. 2015 was the only other "good" pick here mostly for the cold zonality at the end of the month and the thundersnow showers I got.

February 2021 - Would have preferred 2018 here but have already picked that for May. Feb 2021 was a nice month of contrasts with the cold snowy weather early on followed by dry but milder weather later on. 2019 was also a year to consider here but used this for the September.

March 2013 - Absolute slam dunk here and the number 1 choice for me, March 2013 without a doubt due to the extended cold, snow and winter showing what a cold and snow fan I am. 2018 was also a March to consider but 2013 was better in my opinion.

April 2020 - Was a toss up between 2020 and 2021 here. Either 2020 for the dry and warm weather and sunshine or 2021 for dry and sunny but cold with a lot of frost and some snow. As 2021 had already been picked then 2020 was the choice left.

May 2018 - May 2018 or May 2020 here and as 2020 is used for April then 2018 is the choice made here. Was a decent month of weather that started off the 2018 drought with some summer like warmth that was a sign of things to come. Did miss out on the thunderstorms late in the month however.

June 2017 - June 2017 without a doubt. Was really the best June between 2011 and 2022 for warmth.

July 2014 - July 2013, 2014, 2018 and 2022 were the options here. 2013 already picked for March, 2018 picked for May and as 40C heat was a bit too much for me I went for 2014 here. A decent warm and humid month with several thundery episodes, perfect.

August 2022 - August 2022, no questions, no other options for me to consider. The most decent August of the whole bunch but 2020 was the other option I had.

September 2019 - Had to be either 2019 or 2016 here for extended summer warmth. Picked 2019 as I saved 2016 for November for a different reason.

October 2011 - October 2011 for the nice heatwave at the start of the month. Did also consider 2017 here due to that strange event on the 16th with the red sun and yellow/brown sky which was a real highlight of that month.

November 2016 - Was one of 2 years left, either 2019 or 2016 and went for 2016 as 2019 was a horrible November month. Not very memorable but was looking forward to a more seasonable winter after the horror show the year before. Would have gone for 2010 if it was an option.

December 2012 - Wanted to pick 2022 here due to that decent cold frosty spell but the lack of snow was disappointing so ended up going for 2012 here. December 2012 was not overly cold but it did have teasers to what was to come during January to March 2013 and it did at least have a cold start to the month.

 

My ideal year using the same years if I could repeat years for months

January 2013 - Cold with some snow

February 2018 - For the cold weather and especially the beast from the east

March 2013 - Cold with some snow

April 2021 - Cold and sunny with frosts and some snow

May 2018 - Warm and sunny

June 2018 - Warm and sunny

July 2018 - Warm and sunny

August 2022 - Warm and sunny

September 2016 - Warm and sunny

October 2011 - For that heat at the start of the month

November 2021 - Just for some variety

December 2022 - Cold and frosty spell

Edited April 30, 2023 by SqueakheartLW

[Frigid]

Here's my take:

January 2021 - Snowiest month since Jan 2013, but colder. Perfect winter month. 

February 2018 - Cold, dry and the best ending to a month I can remember. The BFTE was incredible for the depth of cold and snow, even though we missed out on most of it.

March 2013 - Coldest March since 1892, amazing how cold it was near the Easter weekend. 

April 2021 - Coldest minima average on record, sunniest April on record, 10th driest April on record. This month was awesome in every way! 

May 2019 - A pleasant month devoid of spring humidity. 

June 2020 - This month had everything! Sun, rain, thunderstorms and a short plume of heat at the end. 

July 2011 - Cool and dry month, not often we get those in the summer. 

August 2014 - Nice and cool, albeit was quite dull at times.  

September 2015 - The month I began high school, have many fond memories as well as the weather being perfect. Cool, sunny and dry. 

October 2017 - I wouldn't normally put this here but the rules made me . Mild, wet month but it was quite interesting at times, especially when the sky turned red. Distinctly remember how warm it felt with the presence of the red ski. Strange.

November 2016 - Easily the best November in the 2011-2022 timeframe. Cold and frosty throughout. 2010 would beat it though

December 2022 - No contest, 2022 takes it. The only month I actually enjoyed last year.. the first 3 weeks were incredible for cold, recorded a low of -10, the coldest since 2010. Snow was minimal but it stuck around for a week. Only let down was the final 10 days, absolute bore fest. Still beats any other December, though again 2010 beats it.