With the 15th-19th GFS this morning being more depressing than
yesterday's (albeit still with a block, but too far to the east to
affect anywhere west of Germany) it seems that the only thing of
interest this month would be to achieve the possible "record" above. I
can't think of a January which had *non stop* weather which was both
mild and wet - all examples I can think of either had a cold, dry
interlude or a mild but dry interlude (years like 1990 and 1995 spring
to mind here)

Nick

wrote:
With the 15th-19th GFS this morning being more depressing than
yesterday's (albeit still with a block, but too far to the east to
affect anywhere west of Germany) it seems that the only thing of
interest this month would be to achieve the possible "record" above. I
can't think of a January which had *non stop* weather which was both
mild and wet - all examples I can think of either had a cold, dry
interlude or a mild but dry interlude (years like 1990 and 1995 spring
to mind here)

I'd be interested to see Philip's westerlies index for this one (if
I've got the terminology correct) !

Richard

"Richard Dixon" wrote :

wrote:
With the 15th-19th GFS this morning being more depressing than
yesterday's (albeit still with a block, but too far to the east to
affect anywhere west of Germany) it seems that the only thing of
interest this month would be to achieve the possible "record" above. I
can't think of a January which had *non stop* weather which was both
mild and wet - all examples I can think of either had a cold, dry
interlude or a mild but dry interlude (years like 1990 and 1995 spring
to mind here)

I'd be interested to see Philip's westerlies index for this one (if
I've got the terminology correct) !

I've made up a little graph showing the variation of the circulation
indices from 2002 to 2006 inclusive. It might take a few moments to
get your head round for anyone not familiar with the indices, but it's
fairly simple really.

The indices are in millibars and are based on the British Isles lat/long
block (i.e. 50-60N 00-10W), and the lines show 30-day moving
means.
http://www.climate-uk.com/temp6.htm
The graph ends with the 30-day period 2-31 Dec 2006

Philip

wrote:
With the 15th-19th GFS this morning being more depressing than
yesterday's (albeit still with a block, but too far to the east to
affect anywhere west of Germany) it seems that the only thing of
interest this month would be to achieve the possible "record" above. I
can't think of a January which had *non stop* weather which was both
mild and wet - all examples I can think of either had a cold, dry
interlude or a mild but dry interlude (years like 1990 and 1995 spring
to mind here)

I guess there have been Januaries where no air frosts were recorded in
places - any idea when the last one was?

--
Jonathan Stott
Canterbury, Kent
http://www.canterburyweather.co.uk/

"Jonathan Stott" wrote in message
...
wrote:
With the 15th-19th GFS this morning being more depressing than
yesterday's (albeit still with a block, but too far to the east to
affect anywhere west of Germany) it seems that the only thing of
interest this month would be to achieve the possible "record" above. I
can't think of a January which had *non stop* weather which was both
mild and wet - all examples I can think of either had a cold, dry
interlude or a mild but dry interlude (years like 1990 and 1995 spring
to mind here)

I guess there have been Januaries where no air frosts were recorded in
places - any idea when the last one was?


January 1990 here. No snow lying at all either that winter, nor 1991/92

All the best

--
George in Epping, West Essex (107m asl)
www.eppingweather.co.uk
www.winter1947.co.uk

Jonathan Stott wrote:

I guess there have been Januaries where no air frosts were recorded in
places - any idea when the last one was?

--
Jonathan Stott
Canterbury, Kent
http://www.canterburyweather.co.uk/

Aberdeen had no air frost in January 1906 - minimum 0.1C - and possibly
in 1916 as well. I only have the minimum for that month as 32F. None in
more recent years have been air frost free but quite a lot with no
lying snow.

2007 has in fact got off to a very mild, sunny and dry start here. For
1st-5th Jan mean temp has been 5.7C, rainfall 2.6mm and sunshine 15.1
hours. Lowest temp +1.7C.

Richard Slessor,
Hazlehead, Aberdeen.

Errr, without any records to hand at the moment therefore I am going on
memory, I seem to recall that the last time we had a January without any air
frosts was 1990.

That was in Worcester and not Devon.
________________
Nick G
Otter Valley, Devon
83 m amsl
http://www.ottervalley.co.uk

Nick G wrote:
Errr, without any records to hand at the moment therefore I am going on
memory, I seem to recall that the last time we had a January without any air
frosts was 1990.

I'd be surprised if the 1990 stat for Worcester is right Nick because
in 1990 we had 9 air frosts during January in Coventry.

In fact we have never had a January here without any AF here, the
lowest incidence being 2 in 1916 and 1983.

Still plenty of time yet this year; it is only 5th!!!!!!!!!!!

Steve Jackson
Bablake Weather Station
Coventry UK
www.bablakeweather.co.uk

In fact we have never had a January here without any AF here, the
lowest incidence being 2 in 1916 and 1983.

Same here Steve, air frost in every January since my records began in
1960.
Looking at my average snow records I was quite amazed how January seems
to be getting much less in recent years.

Snow falling days Jan Feb Mar Apr Nov Dec
1961-90 9 8 5 3 2 7
1971-00 8 7 4 3 2 6
1988-06 4 6 4 3 1 5

Snow lying
1961-90 9 8 2 1 1 4
1971-00 7 5 2 1 1 3
1988-06 3 4 2 1 1 3

Weston Coyney weather station (North Staffordshire) 220 metres asl
--
Graham

Graham wrote:

Looking at my average snow records I was quite amazed how January seems
to be getting much less in recent years.


It is extraordinary how little snow there has been here in January in
recent years. There were only 2 Januaries, at Dyce, with no lying snow
between 1945 and 1987, inclusive, but an incredible 8 out of 19 since
1988 have had no cover.

The average has declined from a peak of 11.1 days with snow lying
between 1958 and 1967 to only 1.6 days for 1997-2006. That compares
with 1.4 days for April between 1968 and 1977. The last January with as
much as 11 days of snow cover was in 1984.

The average was, however, only 4.7 days for 1946-55 and will have been
lower still during the 1920s and 30s but I doubt anywhere as low as
recently. Fortunately this is not the case with the other months and
overall I do not think there has been any decline in snowiness across
the past century. Recent years have been similar to the early 20th
Century but the period 1940-70 was considerably snowier.

Richard Slessor,
Aberdeen.