The pear-shaped month of Feb. 1912

[LetItSnow!]

There was a very short-lived but intense cold snap at during the first 6 days of Feb. 1912  

Most of the winter had been mild, including the first-half of January, but there were signs of a change by the 15th with a big area of high pressure to our east. By the 18th, cold air across the north gave a foot of snow thanks to a SE wind

A week of cold & frosty weather followed, but a very cold NE flow was beggining to establish by the 25th. Temperatures fell rapidly, with -3C daily C.E.T. values by months end. Notice the intense blocking across Iceland & Greenland. 

Into the first week of February an exceptionally cold pool of air spilled down from the Artic via blocking over Iceland, giving a severe spell of cold weather. On the 4th, -21C was recorded at West Linton in E. Scotland.

The first 6 days of February averaged -2.5C. From the 2nd to the 5th, temperatures across the country were widely into minus double digits, even close to -10 as far south as Folkestone & Bexhill. Daytime temperatures struggled well below zero. A foot of snow fell at Durham. I believe the snowfall was more showery in nature, but records show a widespread coving of 4-6 inches across the country. In many places it's said to have been the most severe spell of ice since 1895.. but it wasn't to last. By the 7th the low pressure had blown up, forcing much milder southerly winds, bringing an end to the cold snap.

The rest of the month turned exceptionally mild with winds often from the southwest. It also was very low pressure dominated, so a wet month too. 

The first 6 days averaged -2.5, the 7th to the 28th averaged 7.5C(!). The overall C.E.T. for the month was 5.4. The coldest days 3rd & 4th, at -4.3 & -5, the warmest the 27th & 28th at 11.1 & 10.5.

 

Reminds me a lot of Feb. 2021. Actually a warmer month than 2021 though & 2021 recorded a colder temperature. The rest of the year wouldn't prove to be so great, so will 2021 follow the same path? Time will tell!

[SummerShower]

Yes indeed, and this Feb just gone produced 18c just before months end, did it get that high in 1912?

Certainly hoping for a better summer than 1912 that's for sure.  That can't be too hard though..

[LetItSnow!]

1 hour ago, SummerShower said:

Yes indeed, and this Feb just gone produced 18c just before months end, did it get that high in 1912?

Certainly hoping for a better summer than 1912 that's for sure.  That can't be too hard though..

It appears that the highest was about 61F in Minehead on the 27th, so with room for error it probably reached 16-17C though perhaps an 18C would have been possible somewhere in the country, especially in any sunny spells (if there were any). Temperatures were widespread in the mid-teens on the 27th/28th. The night of the 22nd/23rd was remarkably mild with widespread minima of 10-12C. a 12C minimum was recorded at Ilfracombe. Not sure if this was a record at the time; if it was then it was easily beaten by Feb. 2004 with a minimum of 13.2C at Chivenor (Devon) the night of the 2nd/3rd. You can see the similarity in the charts

 

Interestingly, 2021 also bears a similar April. Apr. 1912 was was very dry, though not as cold (did have some cold though). 

[Derecho]

Well I hope we don't get an August along the same lines....

[Derecho]

Some more CET comparisons between Feb 1912 and 2021:

Coldest 1 week period
1912: -1.5C (1st to 7th)
2021: -0.5C (7th to 13th)

Mildest 1 week period
1912: 8.6C (23rd to 29th)
2021: 9.3C (19th to 25th)

First half
1912: 2.7C
2021: 2.1C

Second half:
1912: 8.3C
2021: 8.2C

Overall
1912: 5.4C
2021: 5.1C

So 1912 slightly milder because the colder weather was shorter in duration overall and the mild weather lasted longer through the month. 2021 however had less cold extremes over 1 week period despite the longer period of below average temps and a more extreme mild phase in the 3rd week.

Edited June 7, 2021 by Quicksilver1989

[Weather-history]

 

[Weather-history]

40 minutes ago, Weather-history said: