Variability in the frequency of unusual weather over approximately the last century

Weather varies on many time scales. In this paper an attempt is made to answer the question: has the variability become greater in recent years? The matter is considered, over a period of about the last 100 years, from the point of view of: (a) surface pressure anomalies over much of the northern hemisphere and over a more limited area near Britain; (b) surface temperature for central England, and at three individual British stations; and (c) rainfall for England and Wales, and at three individual British stations. Time scales considered range from a pentad to a year. No trend towards increased variability of any of these elements is apparent over the period considered; the analysis does, however, highlight the unusual nature of the 1975–76 drought in southern England, and draws attention to exceptional changes of temperature from one 3‐month period to the next, embracing the winter of 1974–75 and the summers of 1975 and 1976.