On this day in history : 11th February 1895 – The lowest UK temperature on record ~ minus 27.2 degrees Celsius ~ is recorded at Braemar in Aberdeenshire….
Nearly a century later, on the 10th of January 1982, the record was equalled – again in Braemar but accompanied by Altnaharra in Sutherland too…. The coldest temperature ever recorded in England was on the 11th of January 1982 in Newport, Shropshire at a very chilly -26.1°C…. Whereas the highest ever temperature was 38.5°C, at Faversham, Kent on the 10th of August 2003….
We British do love to talk about the weather…. In fact, on average we discuss it at least once every six hours….and 70% of us check the forecast on a daily basis…. Actually, contrary to worldwide belief, our weather is not that bad – it’s usually temperate…. It’s just that when extreme conditions do come along, we are unprepared and ill-equipped. Here’s the problem….it’s unpredictable – where else can you experience all four seasons in one day…?
It is hardly surprising our weather behaves so unpredictably….we are a nation where war is constantly raging – a clashing of the fronts. Being a group of islands we are battered by winds from all directions….
Artic Maritime from the North – cold;
Polar Continental, North East – cold and dry;
Polar Maritime, North West – cold and damp;
Tropical continental, South East – warm and dry;
Tropical Maritime, South West – warm and wet….
No wonder our weather gets confused…!
Britain lies at the edge of the Atlantic. Storms feed on the temperature difference between the Poles and the Equator. As the cold and warm air rush towards each other and meet, cyclones are formed…. Being at the end of the storm track we get the tail end of them – and sometimes there is a sting in that tail….
Cottage Capers 