SHETLAND LIVE

 

Also named Nyttårsorkanen. This affected much of northern Scotland and western Norway, unofficial records of gusts in excess of 130 knots (67 m/s) were recorded in Shetland, while Statfjord-B in the North Sea recorded wind gusts in excess of 145 knots (75 m/s). DNMI estimated the strongest sustained winds (10 min. average) to have reached 90 knots (45 m/s), comparable to a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson-scale. Very few fatalities occurred, mainly due to the very low population of the islands and the fact that the islanders are used to very high winds.

During Xmas Eve night, a polar low approached northern Scotland and this gave the severest weather for the month.
There were severe blizzards and gales with drifting snow. The Shetlands was worst hit with depth of level snow at 35cm
and drifts well in excess of this. A state of emergency was declared on the Islands.
DECEMBER 1995

A daily summary

                       1995  Day 1974-94                               1995  Day  1974-94  
Mean Maximum Temperature     5.0         6.6    Highest Max temp            10.1   11    11.5
Mean Minimum Temperature     2.6         4.0    Lowest Min temp             -4.5   28    -4.3
Mean Sea Temperature         8.7         8.0    Lowest grass minimum        -8.9   28   -11.5
30 cm Earth temperature      6.0         5.8    Days with ground frost      15            8.8
100cm Earth temperature      7.4         6.8    Days with air frost         10            2.9
Total Rainfall (mm)         51.1       106.7    Days with snow/sleet        17           10.7
Wettest Day (mm)            13.3    7   14.4    Days with snow cover 09hr   13            3.0
Rain Days (> 0.1mm)         19          26.0    Days with hail              15           12.9
Wet Days (> 0.9mm)          10          21.0    Days with fog during 24hrs   7            2.2
Total sunshine, hrs         26.4        15.9    Days with fog at 09hrs       3            0.2
Sunniest day, hrs            5.5   30    3.3    Days with NIL sun           17           15.6
Mean wind speed, kts        16.4        20.0    Days with gale               5            9.7
Maximum gust, kts           82     24   71.3    Days with thunder            0            0.5
Mean Sea Level pressure   1021.2      1005.3    Days with aurora             0            2.7

Wind Direction (%)
                North       25.8        11.4                 S. West         3.2         16.1
                N. East     12.9         2.7                 West            9.7         18.0
                East        12.9         8.1                 N. West         6.5          9.2
                S. East     16.1        12.4
                South        9.7        19.9                 CALM            3.2          2.2
snow image on SIC website