Map of record-breaking high temperatures in France, 31 October 2014 and 1 November 2014. Graphic: Météo-France

By Christopher C. Burt
3 November 2014  (wunderground.com) – The first weekend of November has brought an interesting contrast of weather regimes between the Eastern U.S. and Western Europe. All-time November warmth enveloped portions of Western Europe while the Eastern U.S. endured an early season snowstorm and some daily record low temperatures (in the Southeast).

Western European Warmth

An anomalously strong upper-level high-pressure dome has brought record warm temperatures to parts of Western Europe the past few days. In the U.K. on October 31st, Gravesend, Kent (just east of London) saw its temperature peak at 23.7°C (74.7°F), the warmest temperature ever observed so late in the year for the nation. The warmest October temperature on record for the U.K. is 29.9°C (85.8°F) at Gravesend on October 1, 2011 and the warmest November reading just 21.7°C (71.1°F) at Prestatyn on November 4, 1946, so we see how unusual was last Friday’s figure from Gravesend. In France temperatures peaked at 30.1°C (86.2°F) at Biscarosse and Dax in the southwestern part of the country and an amazing 30.5°C (86.9°F) at Arachon, truly phenomenal warmth for this time of the year (keep in mind that the latitude of these three sites is around 44° N!). These are the warmest temperatures ever recorded so late in the year for France:  as reported here on the Meteo France web site. On Saturday, November 1st, the warmth expanded eastward over the Low Countries, Germany, and Scandinavia. In Norway, Orsta-Volda/Hovden (62° 11’ N) reached 19.2°C (66.6°F), not too far from the Norwegian November national record of 21.8°C (71.2°F) set at Tafjord on November 6, 2003. In France all time November heat records were set at four of Paris’s weather stations:

  • Paris Montsouris: 21.4°C (70.5°F) previous record 21.0°C/69.8°F on Nov. 2, 1899
  • Paris Roissy: 20.7°C (69.3°F) previous record 19.7°C/67.5°F on Nov. 8, 1983
  • Paris Le Bourget: 20.6°C (69.1°F) previous record 20.3°C/68.5°F on Nov. 6, 1955
  • Paris Orly: 20.5°C (68.9°F) previous record 20.1°C/68.2°F on Nov. 6, 1955 and Nov. 3, 1933

Holland broke its all-time national heat record for November when the temperature peaked at 22.0°C (71.6°F) at Ell on November 1st. The previous national record was 21.1°C (70.0°F) at Maastricht on Nov. 4, 1994. Maastricht reached 21.4°C (70.5°F), obviously its new November record along with Eindhoven with 20.6°C (69.1°F), Amsterdam with 18.2°C (64.8°F), Rotterdam 18.3°C (64.9°F), Einhoven 20.6°C (69.1°F), and others. In Germany, all-time November warmth was observed at Dusseldorf Lohausen : 20.4°C (68.7°F), Kohl Bonn Airport: 20.2°C (68.4°F), and Bremen: 20.1°C (68.2°F). In Belgium, Spa La Sauveniere saw its November record broken with a 19.5°C (67.1°F) reading. Of course, the above is just a partial list. Literally hundreds of records were set in the region (this following an exceptionally warm October as well). [more]

Record Warmth in Western Europe/Record Cold and Snow in Eastern U.S.