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November 2004 monthly assessment issued 1 December 2004.
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Monthly summaries available for: England
and Wales | Scotland | Northern
Ireland
Homogenous time series based upon selected station data:
CET | England and Wales
rainfall
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| Despite it being a rather dull month, it was much drier than average. A cold snap in the second half of the month brought some snow, as well as sharp frosts and some hazardous freezing rain. |
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Diary of highlights
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1st to 11th: A mild start with high pressure in charge. Despite the high, quite an active weather front affected the far south on the 2nd, giving some heavy rain. The high gradually drifted east into the Continent, allowing a weather front to spread south-east across all parts of the 4th. In the front's wake high pressure became established once again, allowing local air frost to develop in the south on the night of the 5th.
12th to 17th: The high receded west, allowing a cold front to sweep south across all parts. Pressure then built once again, allowing some very sunny days and quite sharp overnight frosts. Westerly winds helped to establish milder conditions later in the period.
18th to 20th: A much colder Arctic airflow developed on the 18th as a succession of fronts spread south and winds swung into the north. Gusty winds and a very sharp temperature drop were experienced on passage of the fronts. Heavy rain readily turned to snow over higher ground as well as lower ground in the north. Significant snow fell as far south as the Chilterns and 5 cm of lying snow was reported at Cottesmore (Rutland) and Wittering (Cambridgeshire). Thereafter it remained cold, but sunny, with some wintry showers and overnight frost.
21st to 30th: As milder air spread in from the west on the 21st, freezing rain became a hazard over the Pennines and eastern England. There was some disruption to transport, with black ice reported across some routes in Cumbria. There was also a marked temperature contrast across the region during the morning. Marham (Norfolk) recorded minus 7 °C, while Culdrose (Cornwall) recorded 11 °C in the much milder air. Towards the end of the month conditions generally became quieter. Weak weather fronts gave patchy rain and drizzle, but there was also some sunshine, as well as overnight mist and fog. Overnight frost became a feature on the 30th.
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| Statistical details (using best
available data/estimates): Updated March 2005 |
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England & Wales Mean Temperature Series (series
began in 1914).
The final value for the month was 7.5 °C, which
is 1.4 °C above the 1961-1990 average, which is in the well above
average category.
England & Wales Rainfall Series (series began
in 1914).
The final total for the month was 52.6 mm, which is 57 % of the
1961-1990 average, which is in the well below average category.
Driest since 1988.
England & Wales Sunshine Series (series began
in 1929).
The final total for the month was 47.9 hours, which is 75%
of the 1961-1990 average, which is in the well below average
category.
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| A large area of high pressure was located to the south-west of the British Isles for much of November. Mild and cloudy air tracking around the high covered Scotland for much of the month, but there were also outbreaks of colder and brighter air from the north or north-west. |
| Diary of Highlights
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At the start of November a large anticyclone over England moved steadily east giving south or south-westerly winds over Scotland. The weather was mostly dry and mild with sunny periods in the north-east.
Cool and showery north-westerly winds invaded Scotland on the 4th but it was not long before mild and cloudy air arrived from the west. There were brighter skies in the east and at Aberdeen the temperature reached 16 °C on the 7th.
Rather cold conditions with plenty of sun in the south and some showers in the north held sway for most of the time between the 9th and the 13th. There was an interruption on the 11th as the mild and cloudy air returned from the west. On that day there was 23 mm of rain at Cassley, the temperature rose to 16 °C at Aberdeen and Kirkwall recorded a gust of 58 m.p.h.
From the 14th to the 17th it was mild and cloudy with rain at times, mostly in the west. It was also windy in the north at times with gusts of 69 m.p.h. at Wick on the 17th.
Northerly winds brought much colder weather between the 18th and 21st with some snow showers in the north. At Loch Glascarnoch the temperature never rose above freezing on the 19th and 20th and fell to -12 °C overnight. There was 5 cm of snow on the ground at Fair Isle but the south experienced sunny weather. On the 21st cloud and rain returned from the west with 70 mm recorded at Cassley. The rain froze on contact with the ground to give widespread icy conditions in the morning.
Mild and cloudy weather with a little rain prevailed from the 22nd to the 25th. The temperature rose to 14 °C at Strathallan on the 22nd and did not fall below 11 °C at Barra on the 25th.
Colder and clearer air from the north gave bright weather on the 26th and 28th, with an interruption due to rain from a low passing to the north on the 27th. Light westerly winds returned by the end of the month to give mostly cloudy weather with a little rain.
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Statistical details (using
best available data/estimates): Updated March 2005
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Scotland Mean Temperature Series
(series began in 1914).
The final value for the month was 6.0 °C, which is 1.8 °C above the 1961-1990 average, which
is in the well above average category.
Scotland Rainfall Series (series began in 1914).
The final total for the month was 120.8 mm, which is 77% of the
1961-1990 average, which is in the below average category. Driest since 1993.
Scotland Sunshine Series (series began in 1929).
The final total for the month was 42.5 hours, which is 88% of
the 1961-1990 average, which is in the below average category.
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| A dry, dull and very mild month. |
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Diary of Highlights
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A mild, south to south-west airflow dominated for much of the month. Weather fronts crossed from the Atlantic on a regular basis but these were quite weak in nature and no noteworthy rainfall events occurred.
Most of the monthly rain fell in the third week. On the 18th, as winds turned north-westerly, rain turned to sleet and snow as the month's only cold snap occurred. The 20th was cold too, with lying snow blanketing much of County Antrim for a time between the 18th and 20th and over hills elsewhere. Night-time frost occurred during this period with minimums between -1 °C and -3 °C Celsius. Milder conditions soon returned however and lying snow had all but disappeared by the 21st when temperatures climbed to between 12 °C and 14 °C.
The remainder of the month was very quiet and a particularly dull period affected many parts with six consecutive sunless days in some areas between the 20th and the 25th. Skies brightened during the closing days and Belfast only narrowly missed having one of its dullest Novembers on record. Temperatures were well above normal everywhere, thanks in part to very high night-time temperatures. Many places had night-time values some 3 to 4 degrees above average. Not surprisingly, the occurrence of air and ground frost was well below average.
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Statistical details (using
best available data/estimates): Updated March 2005
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Northern Ireland Mean Temperature Series (series
began in 1914).
The final value for the month was 7.9 °C, which is
2.1 °C above the 1961-1990 average, which is in the
exceptionally above category. Joint 2nd warmest in
series with 1948. Warmest 1994.
Northern Ireland Rainfall Series (series began
in 1914).
The final total for the month was 60.7 mm, which is 57%
of the 1961-1990 average, which is in the well below average
category. Driest since 1993.
Northern Ireland Sunshine Series (series began
in 1929).
The final total for the month was 36.5 hours, which is
65% of the 1961-1990 average, which is in the exceptionally
below average category. 5th dullest in series. Dullest
1962.
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| Homogeneous
series based upon selected station data: |
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Central England Temperature (series begins in
1659).
CET
Index
England and Wales Rainfall (series begins in 1766).
EWP
Index
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| Note: Diary values are provisional based
on data available at the time. |
