In message
John Hall wrote:

In message , Eskimo Will
writes
The MetO calculate regional and UK means using the scanned/digitised
records right back to 1910.

I wouldn't mind that if the media didn't then say things along the lines
of "it was the mildest December since 1910, when records began", which
is very misleading. I hope that the Met Office's press releases on which
the media stories are based don't actually use the "since records began"
rubric.

Yes, it is meaningless. I could say exactly the same thing, but my
records started in 2002. Or claim the wettest December, since my
rainfall records started in 2010. Actually even that is not true, I
had 123.3mm in December 2012, as against 70.5mm in 2015 (in
Leicester).

I read something the other day that suggested that there were milder
Decembers (than 2015) shortly before 1910 in some locations...

I think you have to interpret what the MetO says with a political
awareness hat on....

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