UK Mild Christmas periods.

NOTES RELATING TO MILD CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY WEATHER.

( A bit 'hit & miss' this file, but enough to get your teeth into ... not necessarily, indeed almost certainly not exhaustive as to ' records' etc.)

>>> HIGHEST TEMPERATURE RECORDED (U.K.) ON 25TH DECEMBER WAS:-
60 degF (converts to 15.6 degC) at Leith, nr. Edinburgh, Scotland in 1896 and the same value at Killerton, Devon in 1920. (The same value was recorded two days later on the 27th in 1920, in what was a very warm Christmas holiday period.)

>>> HIGHEST TEMPERATURE RECORDED (U.K.) DURING THE PERIOD 24TH DECEMBER TO 26TH DECEMBER:-
also 60degF, on each of the days .... see list below for details.

** The all-UK, all-record (known) warmest Christmas Day (using the series prepared by JC Webb), occurred most recently in 1920, and the honour goes to Killerton, Devon, which is a large estate 6 miles / 9 km NE of Exeter, in the valley of the river Culm (a feeder to the river Exe). The value noted is given as 15.6degC (presumably 60degF converted). This whole area is protected in a wide-arc as follows:- from SW to W, Dartmoor is hard-by and provides a solid block to moist, warm winds, helping to ensure thin or broken cloud cover in 'open warm sector' conditions. Similarly, from NNW to E, through N, apart from the narrow valleys of the rivers Taw, Exe, Culm etc., there is a large measure of protection, though it is difficult to imagine high December temperatures being recorded with persistent winds from these directions. From due south or SE, the area is open to winds off the western English Channel, which in December would be anything but cold - however, the wind from this direction would often be cloud-laden.

Also, in 1896, Leith, near Edinburgh is also credited with the same value: 60degF (15.6degC). Leith lies on the south shore of the Forth estuary. This value therefore is the Scottish record for Christmas Day, as well as equalling the British/UK record. Leith would benefit from considerable protection, both locally by the Pentland & Lammermuir Hills and more generally by the broad 'block' of the Southern Uplands - all to the south - a strong and very mild south-southwesterly would be needed for record temperatures here.

1920 is regarded as a 'notably' mild Christmas period in the UK record. In addition to the value noted above (on the Killerton estate), in the London area, as represented by the series from Kew Observatory (then in still fairly 'countrified' environs on the extreme southwest of built-up London), 53degF (converts to 11.7degC) was equalled or exceeded on each of the four days 24th to the 27th December. On the 24th, for example, Kew recorded 53.8degF (12.1degC), and on Christmas Day, 53.6degF (12.0degC) was the quoted maximum temperature.
However, these values are not the warmest for the London area (13degC in 1997, 1983 and 1974 at least ... there may be more), although with the rural nature of Kew at this time, the figures are still remarkable. Other maximum temperatures recorded on the 25th were: 56 degF at Long Ashton, Somerset & Holton Heath, Dorset; 57 degF at St.Mary's on the Isles of Scilly and the aforementioned 60 degF at Killerton, Devon.
Elsewhere in Britain, on the 26th (Boxing Day) also in 1920, Raunds, Northamptonshire and Winstantow, Shropshire recorded maxima of 60degF (converts to 15.6degC).

Synoptic situation: On the 24th December, 1920, air with an origin well to the SW of Portugal, and probably from somewhere near the Canary Islands, arrived over many southern and central areas of the British Isles, on a strong, gusty but mostly cloudy wind - moving north overnight to affect all areas on Christmas day. Christmas day was very mild, but also very windy - a strong/gusty SSW gradient and rather large amounts of low cloud - but with breaks given lee shelter, and in the south as the stratus broke up(*).
(*: it would need a **SSW** flow; a flow from further west would mean that the air in depth would generally be moister, with less chance of prolonged cloud breaks, and also the source & along-track sea-surface temperatures would not be quite so high.) ... the warmth introduced just before Christmas lasted right through January. The CET value for January, 1921 was=7.3 degC (+3.5 on 1961-90 mean), and placed it second warmest in the entire series: 1916 was the warmest, with 7.5 degC. so, warm winter months have occurred without 'Global warming' !!!!

Some notable all-UK temperature on 24th (Christmas Eve)

Some notable all-UK temperatures on 25th (Christmas Day)

Some notable all-UK temperatures on 26th (Boxing Day - mostly)

NOTES ON MILD CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS IN THE PAST 100 YEARS OR SO ...
(I HAVE NOT GOT AROUND TO FINDING OUT ALL ABOUT THE EARLY ONES IN THE 20TH CENTURY, HENCE THE TERSE AND VAGUE STATEMENTS.)

** 2002: A notably mild, rather wet (at times) Christmas period: on Christmas Eve, the temperature reached 15degC at Torquay, and 13 or 14 was widely reported across southern Britain, e.g. 14.2degC at London Weather Centre, 14.0degC at Northolt - these values are some 5degC above the LTA. Further north, temperatures of 10 or 11 degC were widely reported from populated areas in southern & central Scotland and across Northern Ireland. Christmas Day itself not quite so warm, with highest temperature just 13degC (Guernsey) and 11 or 12 elsewhere in the south. Boxing Day also produced 13degC, again on Guernsey with a cloudy, mild, cyclonic flow dominant.

** 1998: Another mild Christmas. In the London area, the values over the 24th, 25th and 26th were as follows: For London (Heathrow) 9.5/12.2/13.4; and for London Weather Centre 9.6/12.4/13.6degC. At Manchester, 9/11/11 and Glasgow 11/8/10 .. these values perhaps more remarkable than further south. Another 'windy' holiday. Nationally, the highest temperature I've found over this Christmas period was 15.0 degC on the 26th at Wellesbourne, Warwickshire. (Other days not quite so mild.)

** 1997: The Great 'Christmas Eve' storm brought very mild air across most of the British Isles. The temperature rose to 15.2degC at Chivenor, north Devon on the 24th, not a long way short of the record for the 24th. Severe gales to the west of these islands. On Christmas Day itself, the all-UK maxima was 14.5degC at Exmouth. At Manchester, values for the 24th, 25th and 26th were 13,11 and 8 respectively, and in Glasgow, 10, 6 & 7degC. Warmest day in London area on the 24th, with Heathrow 13.9degC and London Weather Centre 14.0degC on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day, values were: 12.6degC at Heathrow, and 12.9degC at the Weather Centre, close to the all-time highs.

** 1994: In the London area, maximum temperatures over the holiday period around 10 or 11degC, but up to 14.2degC at Hawarden, Cheshire on both Christmas Day and the 26th. However, general values in the principal cities further north were not nearly as high: in Manchester no higher than 10degC, and in Glasgow about 8degC as the top mark ... still quite warm for late December though.

** 1989: Another mild Christmas. In the London area, temperatures up to 13degC on Christmas Eve, but settling back at 10 or 11degC thereafter. The all-UK maxima for the 25th this year was 12degC at Weymouth, Dorset.

** 1988: For a good number of places in England, the mildest December since 1974, although the highest value on the 25th itself was only 13degC at Colwyn Bay, north Wales. Another generally mild Christmas. In the London area, the temperatures over the period 24th to 26th were: 14, 12 and 14 degC, so notably mild. At many stations, the 26th saw the highest temperatures of the month, with Heathrow at 13.9degC, Ringway & Elmdon 13.6degC. (Glasgow only managed 9degC). 14.4degC was also recorded at Finningley, south Yorkshire on the 26th and 14.6degC at Minehead, Somerset on the same day.

** 1987: Another mild Christmas, though not exceptional. London 10 to 12degC 25th/26th, with similar values in the Manchester area. In Glasgow, 9degC on the 25th, and 11degC on the 26th.

** 1983: A very mild Christmas in most places. Very mild air advanced northward into southern England on the 22nd as an occluding wave passed quickly west to east across the country with the origin of the air being well south of 40 north. (THIS IS A SIMILAR SCENARIO TO THAT IN 1920). Widespread maxima in the south up to 12degC on this day. The mild weather extending to all areas on the 24th with a flow of air from well southeast of the Azores, temporarily from the Maderia region. On the 24th, Heathrow, Bedford, Lowestoft, Boscombe Down, Valley and Rhoose all recorded the highest temperature for December 1983, with values 12 or 13degC, and up to 13.7degC at Heathrow, with Guernsey, CI recording 14.7degC, the highest temperature for the Christmas Holiday. In London on Christmas Day, temperatures reached 13degC, but in Manchester, only 10degC was achieved. ( After Christmas, some 'all-time' record December high's were set at Newcastle (Weather Centre), Aberdeen (Dyce) and St. Abbs Head on the 27th. )

** 1974: Part of the string of mild mid-winter periods - warmest December (by the CET series) with a value of 8.1degC (equalling 1934). Damp/Wet many places. The mild air had flooded across to most areas after about the 12th, day maxima being above average at Manchester and Glasgow on virtually every day thereafter, notably so after the 18th. Air with an origin a long way south of the Azores group moved north within a broad open-warm sector, and this was reinforced as frontal waves moved quickly from the Atlantic. Lee-side/fohn effects would have been considerable given the strength of the flow. On Christmas Day, 12.3degC was recorded at Rhoose (Cardiff), 12degC at Ringway (Manchester), 11degC at Abbotsinch (Glasgow) and 13degC in the London area. On the 26th, temperatures a degree or two lower, around 12degC in London, 11degC in Manchester, and 9degC in Glasgow: these values still some 5 or 6 degC above average maxima. It was noted as the "mildest" Christmas Holiday in the Manchester area for more than 70 years. It became very mild after Christmas with 15.2degC being recorded at Kew Observatory, and 15.7degC at Cardington, Bedfordshire - both these values on the 28th. Many stations equalled or exceeded their "all-record" values for December maxima this period.

** 1955 A notably, and of more importance, widely mild, if not 'record-breaking' Christmas holiday: In London, 54.7degF (converts to 12.6degC) was recorded on the 26th, but on the 24th and 25th, only 50 to 52degF (10 or 11degC) was noted. Many places in southern Britain experienced temperatures of 54 or 55degF on the 26th, with 55degF at Chivenor on the 24th; 57degF at Dunbar on the 25th (although Scotland was not generally mild on Christmas Day), 58degF (14.4degC) at Morley, Lancashire and 59degF at Llandudno on the 25th; then on the 26th, when 54 or 55degF was again widely achieved, 56degF (13.3degC) was recorded at Lacock, Wiltshire in the south, and the same value from Forres in the north of Scotland. The warmest place on the 26th was York when a reading of 58degF (14.4degF) was reported.

** 1954 A reasonably mild Christmas, at least in London, but not as notable as in 1955.

** 1953 Another reasonably mild one: London only managed around 47degF (8degC) on Christmas Day, but on the 26th the maximum at Kew & Heathrow were 52degF (11degC). On Christmas Day 52 degF (11 degC) was recorded at both St.Mary's, Isles of Scilly & on Guernsey, and on the 26th, Felixstowe set a maximum of 54 degF (12.2degC).

** 1949 A pleasantly mild Christmas holiday after a warm year. A notably VERY WARM year. In the CET record (which roughly represents the central lowlands of Midland and Home Counties England), it is the second warmest in the entire series at 10.62degC, just beaten by 1990 & 1999.) On the 25th, the warmest places were in the SW of Britain, with the Isles of Scilly and the 'garden' peninsula of Wales, Pembroke setting maxima of 53degF (11.7degC), and 49degF at Kew Observatory. However, the really warm day was the Boxing Day, with Kew & Heathrow up to 54degF (12.2 degC), 55 degF (12.8 degC) at Ross-on-Wye and 57 degF (13.9degC) at Bodiam, Sussex & Ringway airport, Manchester. Temperatures as far north as the Moray coast of Scotland achieved 52/53 degF (11/12 degC), no doubt helped there by Fohn wind conditions.

** 1947 Some notably mild weather around for Christmas Day, and though not 'record-breaking', did come close in north Wales. The warmest spot on Christmas Day was Prestatyn, north Wales with 58degF (14.4degC), with Hawarden, Cheshire reporting a maximum of 55 degF (12.8 degC) on the same day. However, Christmas Day itself was not 'remarkably' mild. Hull, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, enjoyed 53 degF (11.7degC) on both the 24th and 25th, and a reading of 56degF (13.3degC) was reported from Blackpool (Squires Gate) on the 24th. On the 26th, north Wales again enjoyed the benefit no doubt of a warming Fohn drift, and some pleasant sunshine, with the afternoon maximum at Rhyl reported as 57degF (13.9degC). Also on the 26th, Kew, Croydon, Gorleston (East Anglian coast) and Mildenhall (Suffolk) all touched 56degF (13.3degC) ( It remained exceptionally mild until at least the 27th, with temperatures widely up to 13 degC. ).

** 1945 The first Christmas Day after the Second World War was notably warm in southern Britain. Thorney Island and Plymouth (Mount Batten) recorded day maxima of 53 and 56 degF (12/13degC), and the warmest spot was also in southern England, at Goudhurst, west Kent (about 10 miles/ 15 km east of Tunbridge Wells in the Weald), where an afternoon high of 59 degF (15.0degC) was logged, close to the all-time (known) high of 60 degF set in 1920 & 1896.

** 1931 A mild Christmas, even as far north as Scotland. 15.6degC (60degF) at Aberdeen on the 24th.

** 1928 A mild Christmas in the south.

** 1920 (see summary above).

** 1912 Mild Christmas in some parts of the country.

** 1902 Mild in London, and probably mild elsewhere in the south.

(Last updated: December 2008)