Daily Data for Each Month of 1995

1995- An exceptionally sunny year, a notoriously variable spring and hot summer, frequent switch-arounds

1995 was a very memorable year for weather.  It currently stands as the region's third sunniest year on record, narrowly beaten by 1989 and, subsequently, 2003.  The frequency of snow and hail were both above average, hail markedly so (the frequency of 18 days with hail has been exceeded only in 1996).  The year was characterised by frequent warm sunny anticyclonic weather but also by a high frequency of northerly winds which often brought vigorous convection and a mix of sun and wintry showers.  One of those northerly outbreaks fittingly coincided exactly with the Christmas period, giving the most convincing white Christmas since I began recording.  Due to the hot summer, there were 13 days with maxima of 25C or above, which has not been exceeded since.  The total of 54 days with 20C and above has been marginally exceeded only in 2003 and 2006.

Winter 1994/95 was warm, wet, sunny and windy, with below average snow and frost.  Spring 1995 was dry and sunny with close to average temperatures, but it was remarkable for a high number of sharp switch-arounds from hot and sunny to cold and wintry in the space of a few days, and it was a good example of a warm winter followed by a wintry March.  Summer 1995, following the cool first half of June, was a hot sunny one and was exceptionally dry with only 39% of the normal rainfall.  Autumn was warm and wet, but this disguises the fact that September and November were very wet while October was very dry.  December was easily the coldest December recorded, and the equal coldest calendar month alongside February 1994.

January 1995- Wet and windy, alternation between warm westerlies and cold northerlies

The month began with a cold northerly outbreak, but snow showers mostly stayed out in the North Sea with only a light dusting of snow resulting.  Most of the rest of the first half was cloudy and warm, but there was a brief cold bright interlude on the 11th/12th.  The second half was wet and windy with temperatures mostly close to normal, and gales were quite frequent.  A northerly outbreak on the 26th was followed by some frontal snow late on the 27th which provided a slushy covering during the evening, and then a thin snow cover resulted from a second northerly outbreak on the 29th.  However, there were no substantial snowfalls at any point during the month.

February 1995- Warm, wet and windy, very sunny second half

The first half of February was generally mild and cloudy with westerly winds, but there was a brief cold bright interlude on the 8th/9th with a few wintry showers.  Late on the 8th, while Cleadon had a couple of light sleety showers, heavy snow fell in nearby Sunderland.  The second half was generally windy but with generous amounts of sunshine.  Some days stayed dry, while others had frequent blustery showers.  Temperatures continued mostly above normal, except for a brief spell on the 23rd-26th when temperatures fell close to average, and there were a couple of snow flurries late on the 24th.  

March 1995- Exceptionally sunny, frequent wintry showers, occasional warm interludes

March 1995 began with a spell of “cold zonality” with frequent snow and hail showers despite predominantly westerly winds, because the winds had a cold Arctic source.  Any lying snow did not last long, tending to melt in the sunny intervals in between the showers, with the 3rd and 4th in particular having some early snow cover.  It turned dry and warm for a time in the second week, with variable amounts of cloud.  Cool, windy weather with sunshine and showers returned between the 15th and 20th, with gales and frequent squally showers on the 17th.  After a warm, sunny anticyclonic spell, a northerly blast on the 27th saw heavy snow showers creep inland during the morning, which temporarily gave an inch of snow cover, though this melted during the afternoon.  Further wet snow fell on the 28th but none of it accumulated on the ground.  Hail occurred on a record-equalling 6 days this month, beaten subsequently only by April 2008.

April 1995- Mostly warm dry and sunny, but a cold northerly outbreak with wintry showers from the 18th to 21st

High pressure was exceptionally domin/at during the first half of April 1995, and until the 11th this resulted in warm dry weather with variable amounts of cloud.  The 12th-14th were very sunny, and warm by day.  An abrupt switch-around occurred over the Easter weekend, with snow showers early on the 18th although these did not settle.  There were further showers, mostly of rain or hail, on the 19th, 20th and 21st and the 20th was particularly disturbed with a dramatic hailstorm around mid-afternoon which deposited an inch of hail cover.  After a wet day on the 22nd, it was dry but often cloudy until the 27th, then the sun returned and the 30th was very warm. 

May 1995- Hot sunny start, cold and showery 8th-20th, then warmer while remaining generally showery

The first week was exceptionally warm and sunny, giving a taster of the summer to come, with 24.8C on the 4th the highest May value that I have recorded.  A big switch-around on the 7th/8th brought in a spell of cold northerly winds, and there were some sleety showers late on the 11th with a temperature of only 4C.  It was dull and wet on the 16th/17th, otherwise the emphasis was on sunshine and showers.  It turned warm but often cloudy between the 20th and 26th, with southerly winds, then the last few days had sunshine and showers and near-normal temperatures.  Showers were particularly heavy on the 28th.

June 1995- Cool cloudy first half, warm sunny second half

The theme of northerly winds and sunshine and showers continued during the first eight days of June, but we were often rationed with just occasional sunny intervals in between the showers.  Showers were particularly heavy on the 1st, 4th and 7th, while the 3rd was a dull wet day.  Northerly winds continued to persist between the 9th and 15th, and although the 9th, 14th and 15th were quite sunny, the period 10th-13th was exceptionally cold and dull with some light rain at times.  The 16th-20th were much warmer, with westerly winds, a fair amount of cloud and occasional showery rain.  The last third of the month was dry and sunny except for an incursion of sea fog on the 24th/25th, and it was generally warm by day.

July 1995- Hot, dry and sunny, especially in the last third, showers and thunderstorms midmonth

Cloudy, humid weather dominated for most of the first week, then the second week started mainly dry and sunny but low cloud advanced from the North Sea at times.  Thunderstorms hit overnight 11th/12th followed by a spell of warm weather with sunshine and showers, the showers were heavy on the 14th and 15th and accompanied by thunder on the latter date.  From the 18th onwards the weather was predomin/atly dry and sunny, and became hot and humid at times, notably the 19th/20th and again from the 27th onwards.  The 28th had a particularly “sultry” feel.  Onshore winds brought some sea fog on the last two days but the sun burnt it off quite quickly.  

August 1995- Exceptionally hot, dry and sunny, especially hot between the 15th and 22nd

High pressure persisted almost without a break until the 23rd, bringing frequent hot sunny weather and only 1mm of rain in total.  Onshore winds kept temperatures relatively near average during the first week, but after that it was generally hot.  A front brought some showery rain late on the 12th, otherwise it was rainless.  The 15th-22nd was the hottest spell, with maxima between 25 and 29C on 7 days out of 8, and maxima of 21C or above occurred on 16 consecutive days.  The last week was more unsettled, with a day of dramatic showers, hail and thunder on the 27th, then the last four days were mostly cloudy, in contrast to the rest of the month.

September 1995- Dull and very wet start, brighter mid to late month, cold north-westerly winds near the end

 The first 13 days of September were very wet, in contrast to the dry summer.  There were frequent slow-moving bands of cloud and rain, and a mix of sun and sharp showers in between the rain belts.  It was showery around midmonth, then it became mainly settled but with quite a lot of low cloud resulting from easterly winds.  Cold, showery north-westerlies prevailed from the 24th onwards, with large hail on the afternoon of the 24th, and a notably cold night overnight 27th/28th- the second coldest September night recorded, behind the 28th September 1993.

October 1995- Exceptionally dry and warm, generally sunny, exceptional reminder of summer around the 8th

The first week was predomin/atly windy bright and showery, but the weather turned on the 8th, with unbroken sunshine and a high of 23C- notably high for this late in the season, and the highest October figure that I have recorded.  The 9th was also sunny, and almost as warm.  The weather thereafter was predomin/atly sunny and dry, with temperatures often well above the average, and areas of cloud and rain mainly kept away to the north-west.   This October has not been exceeded since as far as maximum temperatures are concerned, although October 2001 was subsequently warmer because of a higher average minimum.

November 1995- Mostly cloudy, warm and damp (not as warm as 1994), exceptional rainfall midmonth, Arctic outbreak on the 17th

High pressure dominated during the first week.  The first three days were cloudy and mild but it became colder with hazy sunshine and some frost on the 4th-6th.  From the 7th to 14th, south-easterly winds brought warm cloudy weather.  A slow moving area of rain gave an exceptional 52mm on the 15th, followed by a northerly blast.  Showers turned increasingly wintry late on the 16th and a dusting of snow accumulated early on the 17th, and only partially melted during the day.  The afternoon of the 17th had frequent hail showers accompanied by thunder.  Mostly mild, cloudy weather returned after the 19th, but it was bright and showery on the 27th and 28th.  The last two days were very gloomy.  Overall the month was outstandingly wet because of the prolonged frontal rainstorms leading up to the northerly outbreak on the 17th.

December 1995- Mostly cold and cloudy with easterly winds, an exceptional Arctic outbreak during the Christmas period

It started with four dull days, then it turned brighter on the 5th with showers that turned increasingly wintry.  The 6th was surprisingly warm, and rather dull, but there was some wet snow on the 7th.  High pressure dominated until the 18th and brought mostly dry weather with a fair amount of cloud at times.  Arctic air tried to establish on the 20th but failed, then returned with a vengeance for Christmas, and a polar low brought a spell of snow south-eastwards on Christmas Eve, giving about 3cm of snow cover.  It was the second white Christmas in three years, with frequent heavy blowing snow showers on Christmas Day, and it then turned exceptionally cold.  The maximum of -3.6C on the 29th, in freezing fog, is the lowest I have recorded, and the minimum of -9.6C was beaten subsequently only on 3 March 2001.