This covers the spring quarter (MAM).

The Azores high (1024) and Icelandic low (1005) were both
close to their long-term mean positions, but both were more
intense than usual, resulting in a stronger-than-normal westerly
flow over the Atlantic between lats 60N and 45N. However,
the mean flow becomes markedly diffluent over the British
Isles and western Europe.

This is an example of a season with a strongly positive NAO
index having very little relationship with the weather over the
UK.

Main anomaly centres:
+6mbar Russian Arctic
+4mbar WNW of the Azores
-3mbar just west of Iceland

Over the British Isles the anomaly was almost uniform,
everywhere between +1 and +2 mbar.

CET: 9.4ºC (+0.8 degC)
E&W rain: 189.4mm (98%)
E&W sun: 478.7hr (101%)

CScotland: temp +1.0, rain 104%, sun 93%
NI: temp +0.5, rain 91%, sun 106%

Philip Eden

"Philip Eden" philipATweatherHYPHENukDOTcom wrote in message
...
This covers the spring quarter (MAM).

This is an example of a season with a strongly positive NAO
index having very little relationship with the weather over the
UK.


A strongly positive NAO index in Spring normally means it rather wet in
Cornwall, with plenty of sea mist. But it's been a particularly dry warm &
sunny spring here. Partly due to the intensity of Azores high, but also due
to the fact that on many occasions fronts tended to cross Cornwall quickly,
then stall further east. May was when of the best months I can ever
remember.

Actual 1971-2000 Norn
Rainfall 187.1 83%
Temp 11.0 +1.3

Penzance
Cornwall
Penzance Weather www.easterling.freeserve.co.uk/weather.html