Weather

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Time to bring on the sub, Paddy?

Basic weather data for the three School terms:

TEMP. C

Max. Min. Min. (air) (grass) September (part) 23.5 5 2 October 22 1.5 0 November 16 -2.5 -3.25 December (part) 11.25 -1.5 -2.5 January (part) 10 -6 -7

February March (part) April (part) May June July (part) 13.5 17.75 14.25 20.5 19.5 25.5 -9.5 0.5 -0.5 2.75 2 10.75 -8 -2.75 -3 -1 -1 9.75

Air Frosts

0 0 4 1 15

12 1 3 1 0 0 Ground Frosts

0 2 9 9 22 (out of 22!) 22 3 3 3 2 0

September (part) October November December (part) January (part) February

March (part) April (part) May June July (part) PRECIPITATION mms Daily

Total Av. Max. 20.95 0.99 48.5 1.56 33.7 1.12 64 4.92 8.9 0.4 96.3 3.44 (59.8 as snow) 47.15 9.1 11 44.4 3.4 3.7 6.4 8.4 31.1 4.1 22 (snow) 2.25 1.01 0.35 1.48 0.85 7.3 8.5 4.5 12.1 2.5

The rainfall figures should be seen in relation to an average annual rainfall in York of about 650mms. This gives a daily average figure of 1.8mms.; in spite of impressions to the contrary, June was much drier than in 1990. N.B. 1mm of melted snow represents 10-12mms. of freshly fallen snow.

Christinas Term:

Once again the School year began with a period of high pressure, though temperatures did not remain as unseasonally high for as long, and the maximum temperature of 23.5°C was recorded on the first day of term (September 10th). The lower temperatures were associated with lower pressures and greater precipitation was experienced than in September 1990. October's data were close to normal, though temperatures began to dip, falling below freezing point at ground level during the last night of the month. The first prolonged period of winter weather was experienced in the second half of November with the nights from the 19th to the 22nd inclusive having marked ground and air frosts. That part of December which we spent at School was remarkable for a period of very high rainfall. Of the 64mms. recorded, 94% fell in the forty-eight hours of December 7th and 8th; which means that the average for the fourteen days of 4.92mms. is rather meaningless.

Easter Term:

January was a cold month, with a ground frost every night and maximum temperatures rarely moving into double figures. It was, however, a dry month with considerable sunshine and gentle winds in the predominantly high pressure conditions. February continued to be cold and a particularly cold spell from the 6th to the 12th inclusive was accompanied by heavy snow; the heaviest snowfall — 22mms (when melted), but equivalent to 2V6 metres in depth — was at the end of this period, on the 12th itself. Pressures fell at the beginning of March and there was considerable cloud and some fog, coupled with considerable rainfall. However, there were few frosts and it felt that Spring was on the way.

Summer Term:

Pressures were higher again at the end of April and daytime temperatures began to rise into the middle teens, though there were still a number of frosts. May was warmer, though the sun was often covered by a pall of clouds, so that Spring was rather delayed. June was also disappointing in a similar way, even recording ground frosts at the beginning of the month. The temperatures seemed to be reluctant to climb and only managed to get close to 20°C at the maximum, right at the end of the month. We ended the term with Summer making a late arrival and the maximum temperature reaching over 25 °C on the penultimate day of term.