More On The Supposed Record Temperature At Kinlochewe

By Paul Homewood

As reported the other day, a new record temperature for January is being claimed:

The UK has provisionally recorded its warmest ever January temperature, as parts of Scotland hit 19.6C.

The temperature was recorded at Kinlochewe village in Wester Ross, in the Highlands, also making it a new winter record for Scotland, according to the Met Office.

Meteorologist Becky Mitchell told Sky News southern winds have dragged milder air from Africa across the UK, which have triggered higher-than-normal temperatures.

The winds are also bringing a Saharan dust cloud to parts of the UK, which may result in red dust settling on streets and cars over the next 24 hours.

The new record temperature beats the previous January highs of 18.3C set at Inchmarlo and Aboyne in 2003 and Aber in 1958 and 1971.

In January 1972, a foehn event caused the temperature in Montana, in the US, to rise from -48C to 9C – an increase of 57 degrees.

Part of the reason for the spike is what’s called the foehn effect, which is the movement of air from the wet and cold side of a mountain to warmer and drier conditions on the other side.

When a distant wind hits mountainous parts of the country, the air can sometimes be pushed up to the top – with the air losing its moisture and becoming drier as it rises.

By the time it comes down on the other side of the hill, the relatively dry air warms as it descends.

The phenomenon is most common in mountainous regions, such as the Scottish Highlands.

This can create a contrast in conditions in Scotland, as the west could experience wet weather, while the lower-lying east enjoys warmth and sunshine.

https://news.sky.com/story/uk-records-its-warmest-ever-january-temperature-13058549

Rather than the foehn effect being part of the reason for the spike, it is the whole reason, against the background of a strong, mild south-westerly airflow.

The Met Office has three other weather stations close to Kinlochewe, all at lower altitudes:

The Met Office have given me the temperatures there on the same day:

Aultbea: 16.5C

Poolewe: 17.9C

Port Henderson: 14.5C

These vary hugely from the 19.6C at Kinlochewe, proving without doubt that the temperature there was extremely localised.

There was also a later report that Achfary might have broke the Kinlochewe record:

A map of the UK showing the new UK maximum temperature for January with 19.9 °C being recorded at Achfary in the northwest Highlands.

The Met Office say the temperature at Cassley only hit 17.5C, again showing the micro climate at Achfary.

Achfary, by the way, is in somebody’s front garden, seemingly within 10m of both the house and the road below the garden. This would make it an unsatisfactory Class 4 (out of 5) on the WMO scale: