MONTHLY WEATHER REPORT OF THE METEOROLOGICAL

OFFICE.

SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONS COMPILED FROM RETURNS OF OFFICIAL STATIONS AND VOLUNTEER OBSERVERS.
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DECEMBER, 1928. Changeable. Sharp frost about 9th and from 14th-16th.
The weather during December was very Temperature.
variable with occasional mean temperatures in general some-
-Monthly were
in temperature from one day to the
sharp contrasts next and un- what above the normal in the Scotland
north-west of and about

severe frost on the 9th, 14th. 15th and at the the 1F. 2 F. below
usually end of month. to the normal in
the central and southern parts of
precipitation frequently but the
occurred most of month! y totals occurred England ; elsewhere they were about Temperature was at a
normal.
the 14th. Rainfall totals were mostly about below the fairly high level during
after or normal. the first few days and around about the 25th.
There a few exceptionally sunny days, the 7th, 8th 9th. In
were notably and the north of Scotland day temperatures their
generally reached
Anticyclonic conditions prevailed generally during the first few highest level during the first few days in the
when temperatures neigh-
'days the weather was mainly cloudy with light north-westerly to bourhood 50 F. In 25th
and of were recorded. most other districts the and
westerly winds and slight precipitation. was moderate. Temperature 26th the days the There fall in
were warmest of month. was a sharp
These conditions continued over most of England and Wales up to the temperature on the 7th and 8th, low temperatures occurring widely
6th but in Scotland rain fell on the 4th and 5th and the wind increased the 9th during from 14th
around and again a spell of easterly winds
the
in force, a gale occurring at Nairn during the night of the 4th-5th. On to the 16th. During these periods unusually severe frost
occurred over
the 6th a depression passing eastwards across the north of Scotland with a wide area ; amongst the lowest readings recorded were
18 F. in the
in most districts bright
a trough extending southwards caused rain with screen and 13 F. on the grass at Burnley, 24 F. in the screen and 14 F.

in Scotland and the north of England. In the rear

of this the Greenwich (London) the 9th, 25 F. in the
periods on grass at on screen and
I bright 18 F. Sealand,
northerly
winds and cold were weather
experienced
on the grass at 26 F. in the screen and 17 F. on the
showers in
northern districts. In the Birmingham 14th, 21 F. in 13 F. on the
generally with wintry north of grass at on the the screen and
:Scotland there fall in temperature to about
was a marked amounting grass at Renfrew, 19 F. in the screen and 12 F. at Winchester, and
8 F. at Aberdeen : the day temperature on the 7th, viz. 34 F., 21 F. in the 11 F. on Rhayader the 15tl.
was screen and the grass at on
9 F. lower than that on the 6th. Severe frost both in the screen There fall in temperature the 26th during the last
and was a rapid after and
on the ground occurred widely on the 7th and 8th. Good sunshine few days of the month low readings
occurred in many districts (20 F.

were obtained on the 7th, 8th and 9th in many districts in the Cardross 31st).

records ; more screen at on the

than 7 hours sunshine were recorded on the 7th at stations in the south- The
extreme temperatures for the month were: and
-England
east of England and at Richmond (Kew Observatory)
with a the 6th Wales, 58 F. at Ventnor on the Ist Torquay on the 5th, and 15F.
and
record of 6.6 hours was the sunniest December day 1881. Castleton (Yorks) Scotland, 55 F. at Perth
sunshine since at on the 15th. on the
Rain fell in Scotland and Ireland on the 9th (38 mm. at Blicksod on the Ist, and 14 F. at Braemar on the 28th. Ireland, 57 F. at
Roches Point
9th) in eastern districts, mild cloudy heavy the 2nd, Dublin Park) Dublin
and except weather with on (Phoenix on the 16th, (City and

local falls in the south-west and west prevailed generally on the 10th; Trinity College) on the 16th and at Belfast on the 23rd, and 23 F. at
50 mm. fell at Pendennis (Cornwall) during the day of the 10th. By Birr Castle on the 9th.
the 12th the wind had become easterly and during the few days
next
temperature was low, severe frost occurring widely on the 14th and 15th.
inland in England the day temperature Precipitation. the British Isles
At several stations on the 15th -The general precipitation of
failed to exceed 30 F. Fog occurred widely in England on the 14th expressed as a percentage of the normal for the period 1881-1915 was
15th. 92 : the values for the several countries were : England and
Wales 88,
and
Scotland 96, Ireland 96.

On the 16th a trough of low pressure crossed the British Isles and
winds veering the north-west to spread over the country In England and Wales precipitation the normal in the east
southerly ; exceeded
there was a rapid rise in temperature, a maximum temperature of 45 F. and south-east and locally in south Wales and south-west England ;
on the 16th contrasting 28' F. at the same there was a deficiency in the
at Winchester with place on elsewhere which was greatest and
north
15th. Rain fell heavily during the night of the 15-16th in the West north-cast. Heavy falls frequently during the last week of the

the occurred
(30 mm. at Birr Castle) and widely on the 16th. The 17th was fine with month, notably in southern districts on
the 27th (62mm. at Dean Prior
than 5 hours sunshine in several districts. Apart from and 53 Princetown Ashburton). heavy falls occurred in

more widespread mm. at and

rain on the 19th-20th associated with a trough of low pressure, condi- many districts about the 10th (33 mm. at Ardtornish on the 9th, 40 mm.
mainly anticyclonic with cloudy weather and fog in several at Haverfordwest 33 at St. Anne's Head on the 10th and 30 mm.
tions were and
18th, 19th 21st. Associated
districts on the and with a trough of low at Skegness on the 11th).
off our western coasts mild rainy conditions spread eastwards

pressure In Scotland the in

totals slightly above normal some
to all districts on the 22nd. Bright
periods associated with the passage rainfall were
northern districts and more notably over the Firth of Clyde area but
of high pressure occurred in many English districts on the
of a wedge The
in most districts there was a slight deficiency. period 22nd to
23rd but in the north-west strong winds approaching gale force at times
Heavy fell in 25th was particularly wet with heavy falls in the north-western and
rain northern and western districts
were
experienced. Loch Fyne (58 mm. Glenquoich the 23rd 46
of the 23rd to 24th in nearly areas at on and mm, at
during the night and all districts
mild
light Inveraray on the 22nd).
weather with continuous rain or drizzle was experienced on the
Heavy rain fell locally in Ireland on the 25th but in the south-
24th. In Ireland totals in excess of the normal occurred mostly in
rainfall
bright Unsettled
east of England periods were enjoyed. weather with districts ; in the north-west and west there
southern and eastern was in
local gales and occasional heavy precipitation, notably in
winds, in inland districts.
strong general a deficiency which was most marked
the east and south of England on the 27th, continued until nearly the
the northern of the Ireland
end of the month when part country and
the influence of an anticyclone to the north and Sunshine. the normal in the eastern
came under west of aggregates exceeded
31st, -Sunshine
British Isles ; on the 5.8 hours
the sunshine were recorded at districts of England and the south and east of Scotland ; in the north-
and 5- 1 hours at Tiree. In the south-east a depression Ireland in most districts in the
Cahirciveen west of Scotland, and west and south-
on the 29th ; heavy rain fell in the south and on the below the Representative
developed east west of England they were normal. values
followed by snow or sleet and lower temperature 30th
29th on the for districts expressed as a percentage of the normal ranged from 161 per
31st. in Scotland W. to 84 per cent. in Ireland N. Abun-
and cent. of the normal
dant sunshine was recorded in various districts on
the 5th, 7th to 9th,
pressure and Winds. frequently high during 14th, 17th, 20th, 21st and 29th.

-Pressure was the

month. all districts
In monthly
of atmospheric means pressure were

the normal, the excess above normal ranging from 4 to 7 millibars.

Fog. Fog fairly frequently during L
above occurred the month mostly on
occurred frequently in western and north-western districts

Strong winds the 4th, 12th, 14th to 15th, 18th to 19th, 21st, 23rd and on the 28th.
in exposed places reached gale force on the 6th, 7th, 10th
and about

and
the 25th. A gust of 77 mi/hr. was recorded at Sealand early on the

of the 26th, the highest mean hourly

velocity on this occasion Miscellaneous Phenomena. was observed in Shetland on
morning -Aurora
34 mi/hr. Gusts of 69 mi/hr. in a north-westerly
5th, 6th, 7th, 11th, 12th, 13th
being were recorded the and 14th, at Orkney on the 5th and
Tiree on the 6th and in
a south 6th, Gordon Castle Stornoway 5th Aberdeen
gale at south-westerly gale at
at and on the and at on
edinburgh on the 23rd.
the 6th.

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