In article ,
Lawrence Jenkins writes:
What I want to know is how they figured in previous memorable
cold spells say 62/63, 78/79 & 81/82 and so on
snip

As I mentioned, unfortunately the NOAA archive only starts in March
1979. I think I did look at 1981-2 and there was no real sign of a SSW.
But that was a very unusual winter. It started early and finished early,
and it didn't have a prolonged easterly spell, the cold weather coming
from the north IIRC.

The other point to make is that major SSW events never seem to begin any
earlier than late December. It could be linked to severely cold
Decembers beingrare in the UK, and that when they do occur they don't
often feature prolonged spells of easterlies.
--
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"