An interesting winter 1953-54, December 1953 was very mild and virtually frost free. January 1954 started with a short wintry spell but it became unsettled with gales mid month and very mild, Kew Observatory recorded a maximum of 14.2C

Then a change took place with high pressure developing in the Iceland region and intensifying as it move toward Scandinavia.




A trough approaching from the west gave rain at first then increasing snow in the west as colder air was pulled in from the continent. The last week of January and first week of February was bitterly cold with severe frosts.




Some minima
Thetford: -13.9C on the 1st
Welshpool: -20C on the 2nd
Hawarden: -17.7C on the 2nd

Ice covered or partially rivers, canals, lakes and ponds.

26th January-7th February 1954 CET: -2.5C

After the 7th, the cold relaxed as low pressure pushed down from the north, ending the cold block.

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Cheers Kev

1st Feb chart would do me

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just proves that a mild dec and jan does not mean winter is over

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Great work Kev. Do like to look at weather gone by.

Kev, was it the winter previous to this that had some amazing snow depths around?

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IMO the 1950's were better for cold/snowy weather than the 1960's which is skewed by 62/63.

During the 1950's only the winter of 1956/57 was very poor and all the others had at least one spell of very cold/snowy weather.

1950/51 and 1954/55 were classics and you wouldnt kick the other 7 1950's winters out of bed either

Andy

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Yes, 1954-55 was a good winter for snow.

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my mistake - I was thinking it was the year previous to 53/4

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