February 1969
February 1969 was a very cold wintry month with a CET of 1.0


The month started unsttled as a low tracked across Scotland bringing
rain but as the low moved into the North Sea, a cold northerly set in
bringing with it snow showers to many parts. On the 3rd, many places woke up
to a covering but a warm front moving into the NW brought initially snow
then rain as milder air moved in. This mild interlude continued until the
6th, when a vigorous cold front plunged southwards reintroducing the cold
northerly with snow showers. There were severe frosts at night, Manchester
recorded -13C on the 8th,

That must have been quite a northerly!

Over the past few years I might get -5C or so on perhaps 1/2 nights
before the supply of cold air gets cut off and the warm front moves in.

Two days stand out im my mind, two days Philip Eden reminded us about a
couple of years ago in this NG. They were the 7th and 8th when polar
lows moved south.

These were the noon temperature at a few stations on the 7th. Note the
strong wind associated with sub zero temperatures.

Leeming -3 14kn
Tynemouth -3 19kn
Carlisle -3 6kn
Ringway -3 11kn
Prestwick -3 15kn
Dyce -7 27kn
Lerwick -5 39kn
Stornoway -5 30kn
Tiree -5 28kn
Malin Head -3 25kn

That was easily the coldest I can recall seeing Malin in a strong
northerly. I knocked up a small web page with maps for that day.

http://www.mtullett.plus.com/Feb-1969/index.htm

--
Mike Coleraine