I recall Jan\Feb1985 was probably more severe?
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"JPG" wrote in message
...
I have noted recently from the oft-quoted CET figures that February 1986
was an
exceptionally cold, but dry, month.

It happened to be the month that I last moved house. I recall a couple of
things about that month. The very low absolute humidity caused more
static
electricity build-up when working in our new house than I have known since
(except in N American hotels in winter) - all of our family were subjected
to
frequent electric shocks.

Notable also were day after day of very low maxima, often below freezing.
One
result of the cold weather was that all of our house-plants, kept
overnight in
the mover's pantechnicon, were lost to frost except for the umbrella
plant.

We still have the umbrella plant - it seems to take no end of abuse and
thrive;
in faCt this year we have left it outside and it seems to be unaffected by
frost
- it should be re-classiified as hardy IMO.

JPG