Philip Eden wrote:
"Edmund Lewis" wrote in message
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Philip Eden wrote:
The highest UK-wide monthly temperature range for May
appears to be 38.4 degC (actually 69 degF), from minus
5.6°C to 32.8°C in 1944.

This month, assuming the extremes are confirmed as
minus 6.3°C at Tulloch Bridge on the 18th and 31.4°C at
Herne Bay on the 27th, the range will be 37.7 degC.
With lots of stations not reporting till well after the end
of the month (and then being generally unavailable to the
likes of us), that record could yet go.

Just out of interest, what is the lowest for any month? I remember
October 2004 having a very low range here (lower than at least one day
this month) and I remember December 1995 (and December 2000, here) for
their large temperature swings.

I can't answer that, Edmund. Last October's range using a
limited network was 22.9 degC ...I had a look at half a dozen
or so suspects which sprang to mind, and the lowest of those
were just 21 degC in October 1974 and 22 degC in December
1988. I suppose it's just about possible to get a UK monthly
range below 20 degC, say a consistently mild winter month
with an absolute max of, say, 14, and an absolute min of -6, or
a consistently cool summer month with a abs max of 24 and
an abs min of 4.

Philip Eden

Thanks for that Philip, you've given me an idea of what it's likely to
be, and how last October fits in. October 1974 is before my time, but
I've heard it was cold. December 1988- can't say I remember any notable
weather events then (unlike the previous month), I thought July 1988
might be another candidate though.

Thanks very much.

Edmund