A forgotten cold snowy December

KevBrads1
Advanced Member Topic Starter

12 December 2013 08:27:42

December 1950 was the coldest December since 1890 with a CET of 1.2 but it seems to be largely forgotten these days.

During the month, there were a number of snowfalls and here's a few articles from the Times for that month.

5th of December

It was a pretty snowy month for Manchester, 15cm of snow fell on the 4th December, another 18cm on the 14th and a further 15cm on the 30th.

Manchester

Mean Max: 3.2

Mean Min: -2.6

London Heathrow

Mean Max: 3.7

Mean Min: -0.6

Air frosts: 17

Days with falling sleet/snow: 13

Snow depths for 4th December

Dalwhinnie: 50cm

Houghall: 25cm

Shawbury: 15cm

On the 14th,15th and 16th snow depths include

Shanklin: 37cm

Weymouth 30cm

Ventnor: 28cm

Scarborough: 38cm

Minima for that period 13th-15th December.

Dalwhinnie: -18.3C

Glenlivet: -15C

Manchester: -13C

Snow depths for the 30th

Southport: 23cm

Liverpool: 15cm

From the 15th of December edition and a possible polar low

From the 30th December edition

MANCHESTER SUMMER INDEX for 2021: 238

Timelapses, old weather forecasts and natural phenomena videos can be seen on this site

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgrSD1BwFz2feWDTydhpEhQ/playlists

Gavin P
Advanced Member

12 December 2013 08:40:05

#2

Thanks Kevin.

1950 was the analogue I used in 2010 to forecast a cold December - Of course I didnt get the extremity of the cold right (nobody did) but it always looked a close match to 1950 and I certainly wasn't surprised that we had a cold month.

Rural West Northants 120m asl

Short, medium and long range weather forecast videos @ https://www.youtube.com/user/GavsWeatherVids

Saint Snow
Advanced Member

12 December 2013 10:05:39

#3

Sounds like a great winter month - and the snow looks to have been shared around the country, rather than concentrated in one area

Martin

Home: St Helens (26m asl) Work: Manchester (75m asl)

A TWO addict since 14/12/01

"How can wealth persuade poverty to use its political freedom to keep wealth in power? Here lies the whole art of Conservative politics."

Aneurin Bevan

RobN
Advanced Member

12 December 2013 16:03:10

#4

Sounds like a great winter month - and the snow looks to have been shared around the country, rather than concentrated in one area

Originally Posted by: Saint Snow

Ah yes, in the pre-Thatcher era, when even the weather was egalitarian

I love these historical snapshots

Rob

In the flatlands of South Cambridgeshire 15m ASL.

Gooner
Advanced Member

12 December 2013 19:26:32

#5

Good stuff Kev

Remember anything after T120 is really Just For Fun

Marcus

Banbury

North Oxfordshire

378 feet A S L

Col
Advanced Member

12 December 2013 20:16:09

#6

The snow in Manchester & Southport would have been impressive here, never mind in those lowland/coastal locations. The rest of the winter seems to have been pretty average though for temperature, by the standards of the day at least. Perhaps that is why Dec 1950 appears to have been forgotten, a 'rouge' month in an otherwise unremarkable winter.

I can imagine there were fears of another 1947 though.....

Col

Bolton, Lancashire

160m asl

Snow videos:

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3QvmL4UWBmHFMKWiwYm_gg

cowman
Advanced Member

12 December 2013 20:39:12

#7

Thanks kev. Your post's always make a good read.

kendalian
Advanced Member

12 December 2013 22:19:16

#8

Thanks kevin.

I'm one for believing in coincidences and flukes in the weather...it's as accurate as any scientific forecast for the UK

Dec 1890... VV severe. + 60 years...1950 severe...+31 yrs 1981 V severe....+29 yrs 2010 VV Severe...

30 year trend for a mega December. What was Dec 1920 like?

Roll on Dec 2040

Roonie
Advanced Member

12 December 2013 22:56:59

#9

Thanks kevin.

I'm one for believing in coincidences and flukes in the weather...it's as accurate as any scientific forecast for the UK

Dec 1890... VV severe. + 60 years...1950 severe...+31 yrs 1981 V severe....+29 yrs 2010 VV Severe...

30 year trend for a mega December. What was Dec 1920 like?

Roll on Dec 2040

Originally Posted by: kendalian

Try a 16 year cycle....... give or take a year either way

1947, 1963, 1979, 1995, 2010......2026/27...

just a thought of course...🙄

Still Lurking.......

North Worcestershire

KevBrads1
Advanced Member Topic Starter

13 December 2013 06:30:28

#10

The snow in Manchester & Southport would have been impressive here, never mind in those lowland/coastal locations. The rest of the winter seems to have been pretty average though for temperature, by the standards of the day at least. Perhaps that is why Dec 1950 appears to have been forgotten, a 'rouge' month in an otherwise unremarkable winter.

I can imagine there were fears of another 1947 though.....

Originally Posted by: Col

It wasn't an unremarkable winter for high ground. A lot of polar maritime air meant frequent snow for them, it was a cold spring as well. December 1950 to May 1951 was cold. I imagine some places such as Buxton having long periods of lying snow.

MANCHESTER SUMMER INDEX for 2021: 238

Timelapses, old weather forecasts and natural phenomena videos can be seen on this site

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgrSD1BwFz2feWDTydhpEhQ/playlists

The Weather Outlook