Boring months

[MP-R]

What about Dec 2010 ? Somerset got a pasting. I find it harder to remember or record boring months

 

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/interesting/dec2010

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cep3ysHwYOQ

 

What I meant by months saved is that otherwise they were boring except for what stands out. December 2010, and 2009 by that token were both very interesting months - they didn't need saving.

[Snowyowl9]

There were too many boring months in 2011 to list, I went for February as it was the worst of a bad lot. The period from mid-May to late August was certainly one of the most tedious spells I can remember.

 

October 2004 was certainly another, it didn't make my initial list because of a surprise thunderstorm one evening. That month was remarkable here for its lack of temperature variation- only about 12C in the whole month. This month isn't faring much better so far..

Very windy beginning of feb 2011 here with damaging severe gales feb 4th in particular,not much wind where you were though.

[Summer Sun]

March 2013 is at the top of my list persistent grey muck of the north sea and just one day of double figure temperatures

[carinthian]

In Austria, October, always way too mild and dry and June always wet and cold.  This October, again to many cloudy days boring days. Dont like this set up that is taking hold on Euro weather pattern.

[iapennell]

As far as I am concerned months which here in the North Pennines at over 400 metres above sea level are the closest to human comfort with tedious moderate temperatures and no dramatic storms, floods and droughts in the summer half-year drive me to despair.  In autumn/winter/early spring the kind of pattern I dislike the most is when the Ferrel Westerlies are just strong enough (and produce enough cloud and warm-air convection) to keep temperatures booringly mild, but are not quite strong enough (because the North Atlantic depressions are not that deep or are too far north) to produce dramatic, destructive gales or torrential rains that cause floods.  In short, it is the type of weather that does not instill into folk visiting the North Pennines respect for the northern hills.

 

Autumn is common for that kind of situation- my most disliked months being October 1989, October 1995, and especially October 2001 (when their was no minima below 3C at all and precious few storms).  I also disliked November 2011!

Winter months totally dominated by mild air but without any severe gales and snowstorms- December 1988, January 1989, January 1996 (until the cold spell commencing 23rd), February 1998, December 2004, February 2006, February 2008 and January 2012- were all thoroughly disagreeable because of their lack of really exciting winter weather.

Spring months- I either like late snow/frost, a few big storms, unusual droughts or unusual hot days between cold nights.  Warm, soft south-westerlies bringing a bit of rain and sun all through March and April do me in- so in recent years March 1997, May 1999, March 2000, March 2002, March/April 2004, April 2007, April 2009, and March 2012 (lovely warm and sunny and hardly a frost at all!)- did me in.

In summer I still like some interest to spice up the weather- a gale, torrential rains, plant-killing drought, blistering heat or an unseasonal frost:  A July or August dominated by humid south-westerlies with a balance of warm sun and rain all month (and no dramatic extremes) is booring- August 1989, June 1990, July/August 1991, June 1993, June 1994, July 1997, June 1999, July/August 2001, June-August 2002, June/July 2003, July/August 2004, August 2005, June/August 2006, August 2007, June to August 2008, July/August 2009, June/July 2010, June to August 2011 and August 2013,- I could cheerfully write off for lack of interest!  

[Weather-history]

Autumn is common for that kind of situation- my most disliked months being October 1989, October 1995, and especially October 2001 (when their was no minima below 3C at all and precious few storms). I also disliked November 2011!Winter months totally dominated by mild air but without any severe gales and snowstorms- December 1988, January 1989, January 1996 (until the cold spell commencing 23rd), February 1998, December 2004, February 2006, February 2008 and January 2012- were all thoroughly disagreeable because of their lack of really exciting winter weather.Spring months- I either like late snow/frost, a few big storms, unusual droughts or unusual hot days between cold nights. Warm, soft south-westerlies bringing a bit of rain and sun all through March and April do me in- so in recent years March 1997, May 1999, March 2000, March 2002, March/April 2004, April 2007, April 2009, and March 2012 (lovely warm and sunny and hardly a frost at all!)- did me in.In summer I still like some interest to spice up the weather- a gale, torrential rains, plant-killing drought, blistering heat or an unseasonal frost: A July or August dominated by humid south-westerlies with a balance of warm sun and rain all month (and no dramatic extremes) is booring- August 1989, June 1990, July/August 1991, June 1993, June 1994, July 1997, June 1999, July/August 2001, June-August 2002, June/July 2003, July/August 2004, August 2005, June/August 2006, August 2007, June to August 2008, July/August 2009, June/July 2010, June to August 2011 and August 2013,- I could cheerfully write off for lack of interest!

Looking at your list and this my opinion, I didn't find October 1995, February 1998, 2008, May 1999, April 2007, June 1993, July 2003, August 2004 boring. Edited October 29, 2013 by Weather-history

[iapennell]

Looking at your list and this my opinion, I didn't find October 1995, February 1998, 2008, May 1999, April 2007, June 1993, July 2003, August 2004 boring.

 Well, lets see (noting this is for 400 metres' elevation in the North Pennines):

 

October 1995:- Unusually Warm and bright much of month, absence of real storms and because of continuous warm-air advection NO AIR FROST (like another October concluding right now- though Oct 2013 has been duller and wetter!)

February 1998:- Unusually mild with little in the way of hard frost, snow or indeed big storms.  Coldest all month was -4C!

February 2008:- Except for the 1st Feb there was NO SNOW nor gales this month.  Unseasonal warm, sunny spell mid month with temp reaching 14C!

May 1999:- A fairly dull, but warm month with no interesting temperature variations.  Not one single air frost was recorded which is very unusual for May in the North Pennines.

April 2007:- A record warm, sunny month- with tons of bright days close to the optimal temperature for human comfort:  No snow, no gales and just a few light frosts (nothing below -3C)

June 1993:- Balance of sun and rain throughout the month, temp reached 25C late in the month.  Alas no real cold, no floods, no late frosts, no drought and no exceptional severe heat.

July 2003:- Very warm spell mid-month (temps up to 26C) but nothing to cause alarm here; rest of month warm, bright with rain at times.  No unusual cold nights, no floods, no storms and no serious drought here-i.e boring!

August 2004:- A good number of heavy convective showers (with thunder), and temp reached 27C early in the month:  The rain was spread out on a number of days so there was no major flooding- otherwise this month had no very early frosts (the first air frost did not come ntil November in 2004, like this year is looking), no storms and no serious drought.

 

Benign temperature conditions (temps 10 to 25C), with a balance of sun and rain, and no storms do me in at any time of the year- more especially in the winter half-year!

[Thundery wintry showers]

I forgot to mention March 2000, which I remember as being a less sunny version of March 1997.  In Tyneside it was a consistently dry, settled month, with a large number of dull dry days, but when the sun got out it tended to be sunny all day (early in the month, the 18th-20th and the 29th) and the sunny days raised the month's sunshine totals above the long-term average.  Not a lot happened in January that year either.

 

I couldn't bring myself to place February 1998 in the "boring" category even though I found the month frustrating at times- in Tyneside it was easily the warmest February of the century, assisted by an exceptionally warm second week in particular, yet it both began and ended with snow!

[Gaz1985]

I found December 2010 very boring and thoroughly unpleasant. Thank fully the January and February that followed were much better in comparison.

[Summer of 95]

Just found this topic, thought I'd bring it back to put September 2014 in its rightful place. Definitely one for this category, all that dry, rainless anticyclonic weather yet so much cloud.

It seemed to have perfect synoptics for a Sep/Oct 2011 or April 2007 repeat, yet at best we would get one nice day before it would just cloud over for no reason (no depressions, convective weather or troughs) and stay cloudy for 4-5 days. And despite being the warmest since 2006 it had nothing above 23C, even the very unremarkable Sept 2013 beat that. And although very dry, it had just enough non-thundery rain to prevent it being in the exceptional category.

[damianslaw]

I agree September 2014 was one of the most tedious months I've known. Plenty of warm feeling days but never particularly warm, too much cloud and stagnation - a month to hibernate in my book..

 

Pleased this month so far has brought far more variety, with heavy rain, strong winds, first air frost, some lovely sunny calm days.

[Lauren]

I always think November, February and March are boring apart from 2009/2010 winter and 2010/2011 winter where November and March were great.

[h2005__uk__]

I find April quite a boring month in terms of weather - normally too early for any heat, too late for any proper snow and with a low chance of stormy conditions.

 

Thankfully the days are picking up in length at that point though so that's a positive.

[damianslaw]

September hands down in my book is the most 'trying' and uninteresting month of the year weatherwise. March and April are on average are our most fickle months, they can be highly varied, some years very benign and quiet, others years very extreme, fluctuations from warmth to cold can occur in 48 hours.

 

May on average is the month with a bit of 'business' about it, followed closely by December and January, rarely a dull moment, and months full of expectation.. perhaps the months most likely to leave weather enthusiasts 'satisfied'.

[TonyH]

None at all - I never find the weather boring

[Richard2901]

In the past 10 years these stand out as the worst for extremely monotonous and repetitive conditions:

 

October 2004

March 2005

October 2005

January 2006

February 2006

June 2007

September 2008

December 2008

April 2009

September 2010

February 2011

May 2011

July 2011

August 2011

October 2011

November 2011

June 2012

July 2012

March 2013

October 2013

December 2013

January 2014

February 2014

April 2014

May 2014

June 2014

September 2014

 

Note that nearly every month in the past year makes it in there with October 2014 also a likely contender at the moment.

 

Mostly easterly or southerly (outside summer) dominated horror shows with an extreme lack of variety. Just grey skies, lots of drizzle/light rain or fog and the most detested combination of mild nights and average days with little extremes. Only exception was May 2011 which had slightly above average sunshine but with an unbelievably low range of temperature - the lowest monthly max since 1983 despite the mean max being 1C above average.

 

Historically the most boring period of weather must surely be September to December 1968. More or less 4 months of constant anticyclonic gloom with horrifically poor levels of sunshine that ensured 1968 went down as the dullest post-war year. Just 185 hours sun for the 4 months combined  - less than the sunniest Septembers have managed alone - and below average rainfall. Low diurnal ranges as well with constant mild nights.

[Summer of 95]

In the past 10 years these stand out as the worst for extremely monotonous and repetitive conditions:

 

October 2004

March 2005

October 2005

January 2006

February 2006

June 2007

September 2008

December 2008

April 2009

September 2010

February 2011

May 2011

July 2011

August 2011

October 2011

November 2011

June 2012

July 2012

March 2013

October 2013

December 2013

January 2014

February 2014

April 2014

May 2014

June 2014

September 2014

 

Note that nearly every month in the past year makes it in there with October 2014 also a likely contender at the moment.

 

Mostly easterly or southerly (outside summer) dominated horror shows with an extreme lack of variety. Just grey skies, lots of drizzle/light rain or fog and the most detested combination of mild nights and average days with little extremes. Only exception was May 2011 which had slightly above average sunshine but with an unbelievably low range of temperature - the lowest monthly max since 1983 despite the mean max being 1C above average.

 

Historically the most boring period of weather must surely be September to December 1968. More or less 4 months of constant anticyclonic gloom with horrifically poor levels of sunshine that ensured 1968 went down as the dullest post-war year. Just 185 hours sun for the 4 months combined  - less than the sunniest Septembers have managed alone - and below average rainfall. Low diurnal ranges as well with constant mild nights.

November 1968 seems to have been singularly lacking in anything. Here is what Trevor Harley's site says about that month:

"About average temperatures overall"

That's it. Wow. This is the site that notes random thunderstorms, and even gives monotonous westerly months from the 1920s something like "Wet in the NW, dry in the SE. Average temperatures. 22.1C at London on the 3rd". Looking at the Charts, the greater part of that month seemed to feature a Scandinavian high combined with unusually high upper air temperatures, and Atlantic lows trying but failing to attack. 5-8C and cloud guaranteed for most, especially the East coast. Nothing suggesting snow, thunder, high or low temperatures. There was a mild Bartlett right at the end for a final insult.

[Thundery wintry showers]

I browsed through the Wetterzentrale synoptic archives for November 1968 and it does indeed look like it was uneventful.  The third week in particular looks like it probably had a lot of dry cloudy "easterly" weather.

Edited October 18, 2014 by Thundery wintry showers

[Thundery wintry showers]

I doubt that many people on here would have found December 1968 boring though- that month had an unexpected white Christmas in many places, when after a coolish snap on Christmas Eve, mild air was forecast to spread north-eastwards on Christmas Day, but the weather system stalled against increasingly cold air coming down from the north and gave a spell of snow for some parts of the country.  Northerly winds followed, probably with snow showers for the usual northern and eastern areas.

[Jax]

If you work outside I doubt you would find any month boring, might however be an issue when the weather becomes quite extreme in some way but not boring.

 

Think I am more likely to be ticked off if I wanted to do something and the weather prevented it for some reason.

[Summer of 95]

I doubt that many people on here would have found December 1968 boring though- that month had an unexpected white Christmas in many places, when after a coolish snap on Christmas Eve, mild air was forecast to spread north-eastwards on Christmas Day, but the weather system stalled against increasingly cold air coming down from the north and gave a spell of snow for some parts of the country.  Northerly winds followed, probably with snow showers for the usual northern and eastern areas.

For Richard's part of the world I'm not so sure. Braemar had an average min of -1.2 but only 15 air frosts that month, suggesting there was one big cold snap and a lot of bland rubbish. 6.6 sunshine hours for the whole month suggests so too. It seems to have been very January 1996-esque up there, even more so probably at Aberdeen on the coast.

[Eugene]

The last 8 months

[Summer of 95]

October 2014 has to go in as well. Started off OK with more variety but the second half has been mind numbing. Constant mild cloudy SW lies with the temp holding up overnight but not even getting within 10C of the October record by day. This week has just summed it all up- constantly warm in the SE, nothing but cloud here.

[AderynCoch]

I'm not sure October should be included in this thread because there have been too many boring Octobers to count.

 

But it really has been a boring October. One windy day when the ghost of Gonzalo took a visit and that's it really. The last week really does sum it up - ready salted weather.

[Lettucing Gutted]

As a die hold cold fan there are just too many for me to list but here are the worst of the worst which have mostly come from this year to add to my earlier list:-

 

January 2014

February 2014

March 2014

April 2014

May 2014

June 2014

July 2014

August 2004

September 2014

October 2014

November 2009

December 2013

Edited October 31, 2014 by Craig Evans