Record September Heatwave 1906

[Weather-history]

The start of September 1906 saw one of the most exceptional heatwaves to ever occurred in the UK. It stands together with the heatwaves of August 2003, 1990 and 1911 and what is the most remarkable about it is that it occurred at the beginning of September. The intense heatwave started at the end of August with low pressure to the west and this pumped a very hot continental southerly across the UK. Temperatures rocketed in the brilliant sunshine with 35C recorded on the 1st in London, 35.6C at Bawtry in South Yorkshire, 34.8C at Old Southgate in London and 34.7C at Wryde in Cambridgeshire on the 2nd, 34.2C at Westley in Suffolk on the 3rd. A cooler air flow toppled over the UK as the ridge over the UK began to retreat

30th August: 31.7C at Jersey, 30C at Maidenhead

31st August: 34.9C at Maidenhead, 34.8C at Wryde, Cambs

The heatwave reached it's peak at the beginning of September

1st September: 35.0C at Collyweston and New Malden

2nd September: 35.6C at Bawtry Hall, S Yorks; 34.8C at Old Southgate, London; 34.7C at Wryde

3rd September: 34.2C at Westley, Suffolk

Question: How hot would have it have got if it were early August?

[Weather-history]

Despite the heatwave at the start of the month, the CET for September 1906 was only 13.9

[Shiny_Bottom_1]

Thats an interesting read Mr D.

September is an amazing month. Theres the potential for both temperature extremes. Heat waves on one side, and frosts on another.

[summer blizzard]

Thast looks a very marginal setup to me and was most likely replaced by much cooler weather a few days later, if the setup had occured in early August, 100F may have been challenged.

[Weather-history]

We are now coming up to the 100th anniversary of this event.

[MP-R]

A sharp change in temperature like that of Setpember 1906 happened at the end of June 2001:

Tuesday 26th - 30.1C

Wednesday 27th - 18.4C

[Weather-history]

Its 100 years ago, today.

Edited September 2, 2006 by Mr_Data

[summer blizzard]

Well, 100 years on, i think it was fitting that 100 years after a stunning heatwave, September 2006 was the warmest on record, though i think the 5th was probably the most notable day...

[Weather-history]

From the Times

1st September 1906 edition

From the 4th September 1906 edition

[Turnedoutniceagain]

No mention of 4x4s of Airliners What could possibly have caused it ??

[Weather-history]

No mention of 4x4s of Airliners :o :o What could possibly have caused it ??

The weather patterns and airmasses were in the ideal positions.

The question is what would have the exact same conditions have brought if it happened a month earlier?

[Weather-history]

Looking at some further data on this remarkable heatwave, I found a couple of extraordinary values

Gordon Castle in Grampian reached 32.2C on the 1st September 1906

Lairg recorded 31.7C on the 2nd September 1906

1st September 1906

Ushaw, Durham: 33.9C

Maidenhead: 35.0C

Colly Weston: 35.0C

2nd September 1906

Epsom: 34.8C

Old Southgate: 34.8C

Wryde: 34.7C

[ukmoose]

Really interesting post Mr D. The relatively cool monthly CET for that month after a blistering start must be down in part to the fact that the heatwave didn't last very long. By contrats, last September's record heat was sustained for the whole month and beyond.

Although it has been very unsettled this summer, one notable change in the weather for me over the last 20 years or so is the propensity for weather patterns (particularly High Pressure systems in summer) to stay in place much longer than they used to. ie our weather pattern has become much less mobile at certain times of the year with High Pressure being more dominant and difficult to shift which may sound ridiculous given the recent summer we have just experienced, I know. The reverse would appear to be the case in winter with the previous blocking patterns failing to materialise or drifting away more quickly, hence no sustained cold weather.

A simplistic explanantion, I know, and I don't have the evidence to back it up but I would hazard a guess that we are now more prone to longer lasting high pressure systems in spring, summer and autumn and less prone to them in winter than in years gone by. Summer 2007 being an exception after April. If I'm right, September and October will be pretty settled and warm. How's that for a non-scientific, data-less long- term forecast!

B) Moose

[Nick H]

You're probably bored of me questioning these old records by now but the 35.6C in South Yorkshire in September 1906 is really quite extraordinary.

It is hard to imagine 36C being recorded somewhere as far north as S Yorkshire in September today, let alone high summer, even in this age of warming. A lot of these sites have fallen into disuse. Raunds in Northants is another example - what happened to that? Look how frequently Raunds features in the records of the first three decades of the 20th century. Why do places like the East Midlands, Derbys, S Yorks, no longer record the high temps they did a century ago, and why aren't they regularly the warmest places of the year, also just like a century ago? Odd.

Edited August 31, 2007 by Nick H

[Weather-history]

Other maxima recorded

82.0F at Omagh (1st Sep)

81.0F at Killarney (2nd Sep)

77.8F at Dublin (2nd Sep)

82.0F at Aberdeen (1st Sep)

83.5F at Dundee (2nd Sep)

82.0F at Glasgow (2nd Sep)

84.0F at Colmonell (1st Sep)

85.3F at Edinburgh (1st,2nd Sep)

86.0F at Cargen (1st Sep)

86.0F at Aberystwyth (1st Sep)

87.0F at Llandudno (1st Sep)

88.0F at Seathwaite (1st Sep)

87.0F at Hull (1st Sep)

87.6F at Bolton (2nd Sep)

94.0F at Derby (2nd Sep)

Camden Square

9am shade temp

30th Aug: 62.8F (max: 84.8F)

31st Aug: 74.7F (max: 93.2F)

1st Sep: 80.0F (max: 92.0F)

2nd Sep: 73.5F (max: 94.0F)

3rd Sep: 74.7F (max: 89.5F)