Jump to content
Snow?
Local
Radar
Cold?
IGNORED

Bitter Cold Weather Films


osmposm

Recommended Posts

Posted
  • Location: Putney, SW London. A miserable 14m asl....but nevertheless the lucky recipient of c 20cm of snow in 12 hours 1-2 Feb 2009!
  • Location: Putney, SW London. A miserable 14m asl....but nevertheless the lucky recipient of c 20cm of snow in 12 hours 1-2 Feb 2009!

Pathe News have a wonderful resource up and running here http://www.britishpathe.com/index.php. There is a host of films available to view showing severe cold here and abroad during the 20th Century: put "frozen" into the search engine, and 18 pages of results are listed, many of them about UK weather (particularly in the South).

I have so far only covered the first one-third, but these are some goodies:

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=58158 (1947)

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=48801 (1929 Feb)

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=9286 (1933, probably late Jan)

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=41868 (1962 New Year)

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=23574 (1946 Jan)

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=42926 (1963 Jan)

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=32548 (1956)

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=24559 (1926 Jan)

Some of these - 1929, 1947, 1956 and 1963 - are familiar. Yet who talks of January 1926, 1933 or 1946? Or of December 1961? Relating these films to the daily CET records, it is interesting to see what many people forget (or ignore) when arguing about the UK's milder winters - that even when a whole month's recorded CET was unremarkable, extended severe periods were nothing like as rare then as they have become. The monthly CETs for Jan 26, Jan 33, Jan 46 & Dec 61 were 4.6, 2.2, 2.7 & 2.2 respectively. Yet each month had a period of at least six consecutive days with a mean CET of zero or below. It is now 18 years (Feb 1991) since that has happened.

Over the next few months I am planning to analyse in more detail the daily CET records (of the last century or so) for the change in frequency of extended and/or severe cold spells. I'll post it up in the run up to winter!

Ossie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Beccles, Suffolk.
  • Weather Preferences: Thunder, snow, heat, sunshine...
  • Location: Beccles, Suffolk.

Brilliant Ozzie. I've just watched the New Year 1962...But, the voice-over is something else: I say, chaps - it is New Yar!

Thanks for the links. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Cheddar Valley, 20mtrs asl
  • Weather Preferences: Snow and lots of it or warm and sunny, no mediocre dross
  • Location: Cheddar Valley, 20mtrs asl

Brilliant! Thank you.

Compare today with yesteryear in how we managed to just get on with things, there's no drama in the reports, just an over whelming sense of "we can deal with this" and "lets enjoy it whilst it's here".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: just south of Doncaster, Sth Yorks
  • Location: just south of Doncaster, Sth Yorks

yes tks Osm-look forward to the comparisons as well

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Edmonton Alberta(via Chelmsford, Exeter & Calgary)
  • Weather Preferences: Sunshine and 15-25c
  • Location: Edmonton Alberta(via Chelmsford, Exeter & Calgary)

thanks for the link nice little site for other films non weather related

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Irlam
  • Location: Irlam

Over the next few months I am planning to analyse in more detail the daily CET records (of the last century or so) for the change in frequency of extended and/or severe cold spells. I'll post it up in the run up to winter!

Ossie

I hope you don't mind Ossie and it might save you some time but I collected some data on this.

Here are the years and the number of days that a daily sub-zero CET mean was recorded

2009: 7 so far

2008: 2

2007: 5

2006: 4

2005: 2

2004: 0

2003: 7

2002: 3

2001: 8

2000: 3

1999: 2

1998: 1

1997: 7

1996: 14

1995: 8

1994: 6

1993: 3

1992: 12

1991: 16

1990: 0

1989: 1

1988: 1

1987: 17

1986: 24

1985: 28

1984: 4

1983: 6

1982: 10

1981: 19

1980: 6

1979: 23

1978: 17

1977: 6

1976: 8

1975: 0

1974: 2

1973: 3

1972: 3

1971: 8

1970: 17

1969: 13

1968: 11

1967: 6

1966: 8

1965: 12

1964: 10

1963: 48

1962: 24

1961: 13

1960: 3

1959: 7

1958: 9

1957: 2

1956: 23

1955: 22

1954: 17

1953: 4

1952: 13

1951: 5

1950: 17

1949: 1

1948: 5

1947: 44

1946: 18

1945: 11

1944: 5

1943: 3

1942: 27

1941: 16

1940: 33

1939: 6

1938: 5

1937: 4

1936: 12

1935: 9

1934: 1

1933: 8

1932: 2

1931: 11

1930: 2

1929: 24

1928: 5

1927: 11

1926: 6

1925: 14

1924: 4

1923: 5

1922: 5

1921: 1

1920: 5

1919: 12

1918: 8

1917: 31

1916: 7

1915: 4

1914: 3

1913: 1

1912: 8

1911: 2

1910: 5

1909: 13

1908: 10

1907: 10

1906: 6

1905: 5

1904: 12

1903: 10

1902: 16

1901: 16

1900: 9

1899: 17

1898: 0

1897: 8

1896: 4

1895: 31

1894: 9

1893: 9

1892: 28

1891: 21

1890: 32

1889: 14

1888: 14

1887: 21

1886: 26

1885: 7

1884: 3

1883: 5

1882: 4

1881: 25

1880: 16

1879: 42

1878: 16

1877: 1

1876: 7

1875: 5

1874: 26

1873: 9

1872: 0

1871: 17

1870: 23

1869: 9

1868: 4

1867: 26

1866: 4

1865: 17

1864: 21

1863: 0

1862: 13

1861: 19

1860: 21

1859: 11

1858: 14

1857: 8

1856: 14

1855: 35

1854: 7

1853: 26

1852: 2

1851: 2

1850: 15

1849: 11

1848: 12

1847: 13

1846: 15

1845: 23

1844: 25

1843: 7

1842: 12

1841: 26

1840: 23

1839: 16

1838: 35

1837: 10

1836: 12

1835: 15

1834: 0

1833: 9

1832: 5

1831: 13

1830: 25

1829: 26

1828: 3

1827: 25

1826: 13

1825: 4

1824: 5

1823: 22

1822: 8

1821: 6

1820: 30

1819: 19

1818: 13

1817: 12

1816: 20

1815: 28

1814: 53

1813: 20

1812: 16

1811: 21

1810: 17

1809: 16

1808: 22

1807: 21

1806: 6

1805: 12

1804: 16

1803: 26

1802: 15

1801: 16

1800: 16

1799: 34

1798: 19

1797: 7

1796: 23

1795: 42

1794: 8

1793: 3

1792: 16

1791: 10

1790: 2

1789: 13

1788: 20

1787: 8

1786: 24

1785: 25

1784: 41

1783: 17

1782: 15

1781: 4

1780: 33

1779: 10

1778: 7

1777: 12

1776: 32

1775: 3

1774: 25

1773: 20

1772: 24

Here is the list of those periods that contained at least 5 consecutive days of a CET daily mean of at least 0C or less.

The CET average for that period is given

16th-20th Jan 2001: -0.78

31st Dec 1996- 4th Jan 1997: -1.66

25th-29th Jan 1996: -1.26

25th Dec-30th Dec 1995: -2.45

3rd-14th Feb 1991: -1.9

8th-19th Jan 1987: -3.0

20th-27th Feb 1986: -2.31

6th-18th Feb 1986: -1.51

9th-19th Feb 1985: -2.72

12th-18th Jan 1985: -2.31

6th-15th Jan 1982: -4.03

22nd-26th Dec 1981: -1.28

16th-20th Dec 1981: -2.62

8th-14th Dec 1981: -3.51

14th-18th Feb 1979: -1.8

21st-28th Jan 1979: -1.72

31st Dec 1978-6th Jan 1979: -2.91

27th Nov-1st Dec 1978: -0.6

9th-13th Feb 1978: -1.7

30th Jan-3rd Feb 1976: -0.72

31st Dec 1970- 5th Jan 1971: -1.92

11th-16th Feb 1970: -0.9

4th-8th Jan 1970: -2.28

13th-19th Feb 1969: -1.71

8th-12th Jan 1968: -1.6

19th-24th Dec 1963: -1.35

16th-20th Feb 1963: -0.74

1st-7th Feb 1963: -2.06

7th-26th Jan 1963: -3.56

23rd Dec 1962-3rd Jan 1963: -2.37

2nd-6th Dec 1962: -1.08

23rd-29th Dec 1961: -2.01

21st-25th Jan 1958: -1.86

14th-26th Feb 1956: -1.71

31st Jan-4th Feb 1956: -4.08

17th-28th Feb 1955: -1.825

26th Jan-7th Feb 1954: -2.49

1st-8th March 1947: -1.64

5th-26th Feb 1947: -2.46

24th Jan-2nd Feb 1947: -2.08

15th-22nd Jan 1946: -1.51

20th-29th Jan 1945: -3.52

25th-29th Dec 1944: -1.32

16th-23rd Feb 1942: -1.5

14th-22nd Jan 1942: -2.52

15th-19th Jan 1941: -2.04

2nd-6th January 1941: -2.58

10th-19th Feb 1940: -1.84

10th-24th Jan 1940: -3.49

18th-22nd Dec 1938: -2.34

18th-24th Dec 1935: -1.96

22nd-27th Jan 1933: -1.65

26th Feb-2nd Mar 1929: -1.76

11th-19th Feb 1929: -4.61

16th Dec-20th 1927: -2.86

13th-18th Jan 1926: -2.4

12th-16th Dec 1920: -1.66

8th-13th Feb 1919: -1.78

1st-11th Feb 1917: -2.92

21st-30th Jan 1917: -1.27

1st-6th Feb 1909: -1.57

27th-31st Dec 1908: -3.12

26th-30th Dec 1906: -1.5

20th-25th Dec 1904: -1.53

23rd-27th Nov 1904: -1.96

12th-17th Jan 1903: -1.88

4th-8th Dec 1902: -1.9

10th-14th Feb 1902: -2.26

5th-9th Jan 1901: -0.64

7th-13th Feb 1900: -2.11

9th-17th Feb 1899: -1.53

5th-18th Feb 1895: -4.81

26th Jan -1st Feb 1895: -2.97

9th-13th Jan 1895: -2.16

3rd-8th Jan 1894: -4.4

24th Dec 1892-7th Jan 1893: -3.31

16th Feb-20th Feb 1892: -2.82

8th-16th Jan 1892: -1.64

20th-25th Dec 1891: -3.67

5th-11th Jan 1891: -2.04

28th Dec 1890-2nd Jan 1891: -1.32

9th-26th Dec 1890: -2.14

22nd-26th Feb 1888: -1.08

8th-27th Jan 1881: -4.38

18th-29th Jan 1880: -2.07

30th Nov-8th Dec 1879: -3.37

28th Jan -1st Feb 1879: -0.64

2nd-12th Jan 1879: -2.31

20th-26th Dec 1878: -3.24

8th-17th Dec 1878: -2.95

25th-31st Dec 1874: -2.86

14th-18th Dec 1874: -4.5

25th-31st Jan 1871: -0.97

21st Dec 1870-4th Jan 1871: -4.11

9th-14th Feb 1870: -2.38

11th-21st Jan 1867: -2.85

31st Dec 1866-5th Jan 1867: -3.9

10th-16th 1865: -1.73

19th-23rd Feb 1864: -1.08

1st-8th Jan 1864: -3.43

16th-20th Jan 1862: -1.7

2nd-10th Jan 1861: -2.32

17th-29th Dec 1860: -2.1

9th-14th Feb 1860: -2

13th-19th Dec 1859: -4.89

10th-14th Jan 1856: -0.98

6th-23rd Feb 1855: -3.71

25th Dec 1853-5th Jan 1854: -1.93

11th-21st Feb 1853: -1.23

6th-16th Jan 1850: -1.35

7th-13th Feb 1847: -2.61

11th-16th Dec 1846: -2.63

12th-17th Mar 1845: -2.92

7th-13th Feb 1845: -2.3

5th-14th Dec 1844: -2.68

13th-18th Feb 1843: -1.06

7th-11th Jan 1842: -1.02

1st-10th Feb 1841: -2.94

3rd-9th Jan 1841: -3.96

5th-9th March 1839: -1.32

10th-17th Feb 1838: -2.08

8th-21st Jan 1838: -5.14

20th-24th March 1837: -0.7

24th Dec 1836- 2nd Jan 1837: -1.27

22nd-26th Dec 1835: -1.94

4th-8th Jan 1835: -2.36

21st-25th Jan 1833: -1

23rd-27th Dec 1830: -3.36

30th Jan-6th Feb 1830: -4.55

12th-20th Jan 1830: -2.43

23rd Dec 1829-1st Jan 1830: -1.42

16th-25th Jan 1829: -2.91

16th-20th Feb 1827: -2.78

19th-27th Jan 1827: -2

8th-17th Jan 1826: -3.7

9th-26th Jan 1823: -2.96

26th Dec 1822-1st Jan 1823: -2.1

25th Dec 1820-4th Jan 1821: -1.32

3rd-16th Jan 1820: -3.57

24th Dec 1819-1st Jan 1820: -2.41

8th-14th Dec 1819: -2.94

22nd-26th Dec 1817: -0.96

7th-13th Feb 1816: -3.29

28th jan -1st Feb 1816: -2.06

19th-27th Jan 1815: -2.06

3rd-7th Jan 1815: -0.42

6th-10th Mar 1814: -0.64

20th-27th Feb 1814: -1.56

27th Dec 1813-27th Jan 1814: -3.15

21st-25th Jan 1813: -1.08

12th-16th Dec 1812: -1.46

26th-31st Dec 1811: -1.47

29th Dec 1810- 10th Jan 1811: -1.52

16th-22nd Feb 1810: -1.97

14th-23rd Jan 1809: -2.3

19th-26th Dec 1808: -2.24

5th-10th Dec 1803: -1.72

7th-12th Feb 1803: -1.8

25th-30th Jan 1803: -2.22

10th-16th Jan 1803: -2.13

10th-16th Jan 1802: -2.94

12th-20th Dec 1801: -2.28

5th-9th Mar 1800: -0.82

27th Dec 1799- 2nd Jan 1800: -2.66

19th-25th Dec 1799: -1.82

28th Jan-8th Feb 1799: -2.57

31st Dec 1798-7th Jan 1799: -0.7

24th-29th Dec 1798: -5.38

21st-27th Dec 1796: -3.59

30th Nov-11th Dec 1796: -1.78

17th-22nd Feb 1795: -2.52

29th Jan-7th Feb 1795: -1.56

10th-26th Jan 1795: -3.79

31st Dec 1794-6th Jan 1795: -4.1

17th-21st Feb 1792: -2.32

2nd-9th Jan 1789: -2.76

27th-31st Dec 1788: -2.34

12th-20th Dec 1788: -2.49

29th Dec 1785-4th Jan 1786: -4.21

9th-15th Feb 1784: -1.74

18th Jan-1st Feb 1784: -2.07

6th-11th Jan 1784: -2.28

27th Dec 1783-1st Jan 1784: -3.37

21st Jan-3rd Feb 1780: -1

8th-15th Jan 1780: -4.03

7th Jan -1st Feb 1776: -2.96

31st Dec 1773-5th Jan 1774: -2.28

7th-13th Feb 1773: -1.54

17th-21st Jan 1772: -1.3

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: just south of Doncaster, Sth Yorks
  • Location: just south of Doncaster, Sth Yorks

your data output is a constant source of amazement to me Kevin

Another list of data to copy and save.

many thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: just south of Doncaster, Sth Yorks
  • Location: just south of Doncaster, Sth Yorks

some interesting stats follow from that for my family, I'll post them when I've done a full check

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire 16m asl
  • Location: Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire 16m asl

Thanks for the footage. I've just watched the 1963 one and was amazed at the way that bloke caught his fish!! I wonder if this year will be similar to that winter?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: just south of Doncaster, Sth Yorks
  • Location: just south of Doncaster, Sth Yorks

I have got the following data for my family, self, Father and Grandfather, and how the CET may have been for each of us-quite a difference and a bit surprising in some ways. It seems my first 17 years were pretty similar, CET wise, to those of my Grandfather.

Looking at the CET Ice days as it affected my family; self, Father and Grandfather

From the data provided by Mr Data

Grandfather lived 1881-1947 and experienced (using CET data) 763 days with an average of 11.56 days per year. During his first 17 years the average was 15.8.

My Father 1905-1985 the figures were 10.69 with only 8.0 in his first 17 years.

For me 1939- its an average so far of 10.77 days per year with my first 17 years showing very similar to my Grandfather at 15.5 days per year.

If we all think about the novels Charles Dickens wrote and how his childhood memories appeared to have coloured his writings regarding the weather then its easy to see how events long past can have an effect on any of us.

Take my own case the last 17 years that average is at 4.8 days per year based on CET data. Almost a quarter of the number as a child/teenager.

If we go back 20 years at a time, starting in 2009 the figures are

2009-1990=110

1990-1971=186

1971-1952=270

1952-1933=243

1933-1914=168

1914-1895=186

1895-1876=331

I find playing about with data is wonderful. Statistics can e made to show pretty much anything you want. We only have to look in the GW/AGW type threads to see that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Blackburn, Lancs
  • Location: Blackburn, Lancs

Brilliant! Thank you.

Compare today with yesteryear in how we managed to just get on with things, there's no drama in the reports, just an over whelming sense of "we can deal with this" and "lets enjoy it whilst it's here".

We just wouldn't be able to cope now, can you imagine the chaos! The whole country would close down, the media would go into meltdown. With stories of how Mr Bloggs got caught in a snow drift and had to spend the night in his car, with just his £300 gore-tex down jacket, and a flask of cappucino, and a spicy chicken pannini, to keep him going through the bitter night!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: just south of Doncaster, Sth Yorks
  • Location: just south of Doncaster, Sth Yorks

yep, where I worked in Nottinghamshire we had 7 consecutive days with temperatures never reaching zero C

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Brixton, South London
  • Location: Brixton, South London

Ossie please see below a table I drew up a while ago...

Kind regards

ACB

Decade Mean days p.a 0c or less; Years with 5 or fewer days 0c or less; Years with 10-19 days 0c or less; Years with 20-39 days 0c or less; Years with more than 40 days 0c or less; Years with 10+ days 0c or less

1998-2007 3.0 8 0 0 0 0

1988-1997 6.8 4 3 0 0 3

1978-1987 15.4 1 4 3 0 7

1968-1977 7.1 4 3 0 0 3

1958-1967 14.0 1 3 1 1 5

1948-1957 10.9 5 3 2 0 5

1938-1947 16.8 4 3 2 1 6

1928-1937 7.8 5 2 1 0 3

1918-1927 7.1 5 3 0 0 3

1908-1917 8.4 5 2 1 0 3

1898-1907 10.1 2 7 0 0 7

1888-1897 17.9 1 2 4 0 6

1878-1887 16.8 3 2 3 1 6

1868-1877 10.1 4 1 2 0 3

1858-1867 14.6 2 5 3 0 8

1848-1857 13.2 2 4 2 0 6

1838-1847 18.5 0 4 5 0 9

1828-1837 11.8 3 4 2 0 6

1818-1827 14.5 2 3 3 0 6

1808-1817 21.5 0 4 5 1 10

1798-1807 18.2 0 6 3 0 9

1788-1797 14.4 2 3 2 1 6

1778-1787 19.4 1 3 3 1 7

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's amazing how cold some years have been, and how comparatively mild the last 20 odd years have been.

In 1963 7.6% of the days had a mean CET below 0C. Imagine that!!

I messed up the maths! The actual percentage is 13.2%! Even more incredible.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
Posted
  • Location: Windermere 120m asl
  • Location: Windermere 120m asl

Some great statistics to digest particularly the listing of periods when the CET was below 0 degrees, not many quote the most recent cold spells in late jan 96 and 01..

I think we were very close to having a period of 5 days or more below 0 degrees at the start of january this year, I also thought late dec 00 might have crept into the listings.. all the recent spells quoted had easterly airstreams dominating not necessariy high pressure overhead or arctic airstreams which tend to only really affect Scotland and N England, low CET is reliant on a true easterly airstream it seems and cold uppers which have been very absent in the past 20 years or so..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • UK Storm and Severe Convective Forecast

    UK Severe Convective & Storm Forecast - Issued 2024-03-29 07:13:16 Valid: 29/03/2024 0600 - 30/03/2024 0600 THUNDERSTORM WATCH - FRI 29 MARCH 2024 Click here for the full forecast

    Nick F
    Nick F
    Latest weather updates from Netweather

    Difficult travel conditions as the Easter break begins

    Low Nelson is throwing wind and rain at the UK before it impacts mainland Spain at Easter. Wild condtions in the English Channel, and more rain and lightning here on Thursday. Read the full update here

    Netweather forecasts
    Netweather forecasts
    Latest weather updates from Netweather

    UK Storm and Severe Convective Forecast

    UK Severe Convective & Storm Forecast - Issued 2024-03-28 09:16:06 Valid: 28/03/2024 0800 - 29/03/2024 0600 SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH - THURS 28 MARCH 2024 Click here for the full forecast

    Nick F
    Nick F
    Latest weather updates from Netweather
×
×
  • Create New...