2009 annual summary

A statistical recall of 2009 in Wishaw with brief summary

Temperatures:
Days above 80ºF.         1
Days above 70ºF.         18
Ice days.                     2
Highest max.               +30.0ºC (July 2nd)
Lowest max.                -2.2ºC (December 24th)
Average max.              +12.4ºC
Highest Min.               +16.4ºC (July 1st)
Lowest Min.                 -11.8ºC (December 24th)
Lowest grass min.         -17.6ºC (December 24th)
Average min.               + 5.0ºC
Average temp.             + 8.7ºC
Anomaly                     + 0.6ºC

Precipitation:
Total                              974.2mm
Anomaly                         107%
Highest 24hr                    27.0mm (November 19th)
Peak intensity (10 min's)    32.4mm/hour (June 15th)
Days of 0.2mm or more     247 Days
Days of 1.0mm or more     166 Days
Days of 25.0mm or more   1 Day
Longest period without      12 Days (June 21st - July 2nd)

Sunshine:
Total                           1284.4 Hours
Anomaly                       102%
Highest 24hr                 16.3 Hours (May 30th)
Days with over 12hrs      14 days
Sunless days                 68 days

Wind Days with direction:
N       34
NE     43
E         1
SE     31
S       91
SW  105
W      42
NW     0
calm   18
Prevailing                      SSW
Days with Gales:             1
Highest 10 minute mean: 39 mph (November 25th)
Highest gust:                 53 mph (January 17th)
Windiest 24hr:               18 mph (January 11th)
mean wind speed:           7.2 mph

Other notables
Air frosts:                     71 days   (LTA is 72 days)
Air frost duration:           682.8 Hours
Ground frosts:               95 days   (LTA is 111 days)
Snow falling:                 30 days   (LTA is 23 days)
Snow lying:                   35 days    (LTA is 16 days)
Greatest snow depth:      28cm      (December 23rd)
Total snow (fresh falls):   84cm      (LTA is 32cm's)
Thunder/lightning:          7 days     (LTA is 6 days)
Fog @ 9am:                  12 days
Mean Humidity               87.4%
Lowest humidity             19%         (May 30th)
MSLP                          1011.0mb
Highest SLP                  1041.4mb (September 11th)
Lowest SLP                    970.3mb  (January 19th)

Very brief monthly summary
January     - Showery and cool
February    - Dry. Cold and snowy start, Mild end
March       - Breezy and cool with wintry showers
April         - Pleasant and dry
May          - Bright n Breezy with showers
June         - Warm start and end, cool in between
July          - Hot start, then very wet
August      - Dull, Breezy and wet
September - Fair
October     - Fair & Mild
November  - Very Wet
December  - Freezing cold and snowy

Exceptional dates (Top 5 by personal preference)
1) December 19th   - Thunderstorm with extremely heavy snow, virtual brief whiteout.
2) December 22nd   - Heavy snowfall for much of the day from a polar low/vortex. 7 inches on top of previous falls.
3) February 2nd      - Six inch snowfall overnight and into the morning.
4) July 2nd             - Hottest day for 14 years, notching 30ºC
5) December 31st    - Ending the year at -10ºC, with 8 inches of snow lying and thick freezing fog.

Additional comments
Warmer, slightly wetter and slightly more sunny than average. But behind the main statistics it was very definitely a snowy year, the most snowy in Wishaw since the 80's. And possibly the beginning of a remarkable winter.