Martin Rowley wrote:

"Norman" wrote ...

I agree with you 100 percent on that, Jack. Unfortunately, another
dictionary definition of "normal" is "the average of a set of observed
values". This definition has been in common use in the Met Office for many
years (Is that still the case, anyone?). Averages for the time of year
were (are?) commonly referred to as "the normals". But I'm with you, Jack.
For me, the "average" maximum temperature for a particular month for a
particular location is a single value whereas the maximum temperature that
may be considered "normal" for that month for that location is a range of
values, spread either side of the "average" value.

... WMO still refer to 'Normals'

http://www.wmo.int/e-catalog/index_e...h2.x=0&search2
.y=0

Martin.

I'm sure that monthly average values don't occur that often on a day-to-day
basis e.g. if the average daily max for a location in February is 8C the actual
daily max at that location will be some value other than 8C during most days in
any February. Some other value may occur more frequently than 8C. The average
may well be 8C but, as Jack said, other values are perfectly normal. 6C, for
example, may occur more frequently even though 8C is the average. I suspect
that the professional meteorological community's understanding of the word
"normal" is not the same as Joe Public's.

Norman
--
Norman Lynagh
Tideswell, Derbyshire
303m a.s.l.