In article ,
"Keith (Southend)G" writes:
And then ones wonders what the SSW stiuation was in years like
1947 and 1963, especially when 1947 didn't get going until later in
January, but here I go again marching up that hill LOL.

Sadly I don't think the measurements would be available for 1947, and
probably not for 1963 either. The NOAA record only goes back as far as
March 1979.

You can access their archive he

http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/product...e/temperature/

Here's the 10mb graph for 1985 and 1986:

http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/product...b9065_1986.gif

The cold Jan/Feb of 1985 seem to have been preceded by a major SSW in
Dec 1984. The very cold Feb 1986 was preceded by a rather "jerky" SSW in
Dec 1985 and Jan 1986. Of course that doesn't prove that they were cause
and effect.
--
John Hall "He crams with cans of poisoned meat
The subjects of the King,
And when they die by thousands G.K.Chesterton:
Why, he laughs like anything." from "Song Against Grocers"