Today's minimum MSL pressure here was 961.1 mbar at 1405z (value from
Fortin mercury barometer, backed up by PAB 961.2 mbar and Davis AWS
value of 960.9 mbar). This is the fourth-lowest value in southern
England west of London within the last 60 years (see details below).
It is still 9 mbar higher than the Feb 1989 event, which was the
lowest in London since 1821.

For southern England west of London, the only lower barometric
pressures since 1949 have been:

4 Feb 1951 - 960.8 mbar at 2100 GMT at Heathrow
The lowest pressure reported was at Midleton, Co. Cork (about 40 km
east of Cork) at 1500 GMT when the barometer stood at 942.3 mbar: this
is the lowest on record for February in the British Isles. Over the
whole of Wales and all parts of England south of 53-54°N the pressure
on this date was the lowest on record over the period 1949-88. At Kew
Observatory the minimum pressure on this occasion, 961.2 mbar, was the
lowest since 9 December 1886, when 958.7 mbar was recorded. Reference
1.

16 Oct 1987 - 958.5 mbar at 0400 GMT at Mortimer Common, Berkshire
The 'Great Storm'. The lowest land MSL pressure was 957.2 mbar at
Plymouth at 0100 GMT. The centre passed over Gloucestershire at
957-958 mbar. Heathrow's minimum was 961.6 mbar. Reference 2.

25 Feb 1989 - 952.1 mbar at 1730 GMT at Mortimer Common, Berkshire
Over Dorset the barometer fell below 949 mbar at 1500 GMT, while in
London the pressure fell to 952 mbar during the evening - the lowest
since December 1821. Heathrow's minimum was 952.3 mbar, Gatwick 951.5
mbar. Reference 3.

10 March 2008 - 961.1 mbar at 1405 GMT at Stratfield Mortimer, Berkshire. Heathrow's lowest MSLP from 3 hourly obs was 961.8 mbar (at 1450) and the 30 min TAFs show 962 mbar 1350-1520, so this is probably just about the minimum there - and therefore just short of the 1951 and 1987 values. It is a new March record, however, the previous LHR record for March being 968.9 mbar at 2100 GMT on 13 March 1951.

These are '24 hour' extremes based on Heathrow's hourly observations
1949-85 and my own observations in Berkshire since 1978 (mercury
barometer and calibrated barograph, and since 1993 5 min resolution
AWS data). They are not based upon 'once per day' (normally 0900 GMT)
readings only.

Reference 1: Weather, Jan 2007
Reference 2: Weather, March 1988
Reference 3: Weather, May 1989

--
Stephen Burt
Stratfield Mortimer, Berkshire

In article
,
writes:
For southern England west of London, the only lower barometric
pressures since 1949 have been:
snip

Interesting that three of the four lowest have occurred in February or
March, even though those generally tend to be less cyclonic months than
December and January.
--
John Hall
"If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts;
but if he will be content to begin with doubts,
he shall end in certainties." Francis Bacon (1561-1626)

wrote in
:

4 Feb 1951 - 960.8 mbar at 2100 GMT at Heathrow
The lowest pressure reported was at Midleton, Co. Cork (about 40 km
east of Cork) at 1500 GMT when the barometer stood at 942.3 mbar: this
is the lowest on record for February in the British Isles. Over the
whole of Wales and all parts of England south of 53-54°N the pressure
on this date was the lowest on record over the period 1949-88. At Kew
Observatory the minimum pressure on this occasion, 961.2 mbar, was the
lowest since 9 December 1886, when 958.7 mbar was recorded. Reference
1.

Another interesting one was the "near miss" of October 30th 2000, which was
deepening rapidly as it moved out into the North Sea - although the eastern
side of England got a few meaty gusts, most of the damage potential stayed
out over the North Sea. Very well documented on the Met Office website, it
was thought to have got down to 941mb over the North Sea. I dread to think
how strong the winds might have been over land on this one if it had
deepened further west: 91 mph gust was reported just before it moved out
into the North Sea on the east coast.

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research...ober2000/mm_t+
1530102000.html

Richard

"Richard Dixon" wrote in message
.163...
wrote in
:

4 Feb 1951 - 960.8 mbar at 2100 GMT at Heathrow
The lowest pressure reported was at Midleton, Co. Cork (about 40 km
east of Cork) at 1500 GMT when the barometer stood at 942.3 mbar: this
is the lowest on record for February in the British Isles. Over the
whole of Wales and all parts of England south of 53-54°N the pressure
on this date was the lowest on record over the period 1949-88. At Kew
Observatory the minimum pressure on this occasion, 961.2 mbar, was the
lowest since 9 December 1886, when 958.7 mbar was recorded. Reference
1.

Another interesting one was the "near miss" of October 30th 2000, which
was
deepening rapidly as it moved out into the North Sea - although the
eastern
side of England got a few meaty gusts, most of the damage potential stayed
out over the North Sea. Very well documented on the Met Office website, it
was thought to have got down to 941mb over the North Sea. I dread to think
how strong the winds might have been over land on this one if it had
deepened further west: 91 mph gust was reported just before it moved out
into the North Sea on the east coast.

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research...ober2000/mm_t+
1530102000.html

Richard

That was windstorm Jeanette I think. I remember a peak gust of near 100mph
somewhere along the S coast. It had a beautiful presentation on the
satellite imagery when it was over the north sea as well.

"Adam Lea" wrote in
:

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research...ober2000/mm_t+
1530102000.html

Richard

That was windstorm Jeanette I think. I remember a peak gust of near
100mph somewhere along the S coast. It had a beautiful presentation on
the satellite imagery when it was over the north sea as well.

I think this one was called "Oratia". Jeanette was 2002 IIRC.

Cheers
Richard

On Mon, 10 Mar 2008 12:46:57 -0700 (PDT),
wrote:

Today's minimum MSL pressure here was 961.1 mbar at 1405z (value from
Fortin mercury barometer, backed up by PAB 961.2 mbar and Davis AWS
value of 960.9 mbar). This is the fourth-lowest value in southern
England west of London within the last 60 years (see details below).
It is still 9 mbar higher than the Feb 1989 event, which was the
lowest in London since 1821.

Thanks for that, I was wondering how Monday rated historically in my
part of the World. I recorded 962 mb just after 2pm - Solent MRSC
reported 963 at the same time so I *may* have been correct (I am a few
miles NNW of there).

At 1pm (high tide in the Solent) I was out at Hillhead Sailing Club
near Lee-on-the-Solent and I have a couple of photos illustrating the
effects of these pressures and winds at a Spring High Tide, even in
the very sheltered Solent. Nearby Portsmouth recorded a high tide 0.7m
above the predicted Spring Tide level and the earlier (6-7 am) low
tide was a full metre above the prediction. Lucky the tides weren't
reversed.

Hillhead coast road is almost indistnguishable from the harbour:
http://www.daveludlow.com/weather/20...edIMGP0625.jpg
OR - http://tinyurl.com/yssjjo

Boatman struggling in the boatyard - I hope HE is tied down!
http://www.daveludlow.com/weather/20...opIMGP0617.jpg
OR - http://tinyurl.com/28oyg4

--
Dave
Fareham

I recall this one very well. Was on a (smallish) ship in Tyne bound for the
Baltic and decided to stay in port until analysis and forecast showed
reduced swell heights. Took 3 days with the owners and charterers pressing
us to depart and maintain schedule.

Peter J

"Richard Dixon" wrote in message
.163...
wrote in
:

4 Feb 1951 - 960.8 mbar at 2100 GMT at Heathrow
The lowest pressure reported was at Midleton, Co. Cork (about 40 km
east of Cork) at 1500 GMT when the barometer stood at 942.3 mbar: this
is the lowest on record for February in the British Isles. Over the
whole of Wales and all parts of England south of 53-54°N the pressure
on this date was the lowest on record over the period 1949-88. At Kew
Observatory the minimum pressure on this occasion, 961.2 mbar, was the
lowest since 9 December 1886, when 958.7 mbar was recorded. Reference
1.

Another interesting one was the "near miss" of October 30th 2000, which
was
deepening rapidly as it moved out into the North Sea - although the
eastern
side of England got a few meaty gusts, most of the damage potential stayed
out over the North Sea. Very well documented on the Met Office website, it
was thought to have got down to 941mb over the North Sea. I dread to think
how strong the winds might have been over land on this one if it had
deepened further west: 91 mph gust was reported just before it moved out
into the North Sea on the east coast.

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research...ober2000/mm_t+
1530102000.html

Richard

wrote in message
...
Today's minimum MSL pressure here was 961.1 mbar at 1405z (value from
Fortin mercury barometer, backed up by PAB 961.2 mbar and Davis AWS
value of 960.9 mbar). This is the fourth-lowest value in southern
England west of London within the last 60 years (see details below).
It is still 9 mbar higher than the Feb 1989 event, which was the
lowest in London since 1821.
snip
--
Stephen Burt
Stratfield Mortimer, Berkshire

My Davis VP2 reported a low of 958.2 hPa at 1314Z, with the pressure at or
below 960.0 between the 1030Z and 1545Z readings.

Steve P
Acton Bridge, Cheshire 38m
http://www.pardoes.com/meteo/weather.htm