UK's warmest microclimates

[sam140]

Along with Torquay, Ilfracoombe looks like it has good potential even in the coldest UK weather.

Looking at the forecast minimums this week are -1c. Like Torquay has good protection from surrounding higher ground and the coldest wind direction for both locations is off the coast.

The Phoenix canariensis_CIDP were untouched in both of these locations last year, unlike many eslewhere in cornwall & southwest that got hammered.

Does anyone have any further additions

[Imran Khalid]

Dont forget The Wirral and Chalk

[grub]

Boldeva

[medjool]

Leominster not here -7c now! otherwise southsea,ventnor,bournemouth,portland,pembrokeshire in parts,the gower,thanet etc

[SteveW]

The Hoo peninsular
http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/2480?area=ME3
Last year my washy and Phoenix canariensis_CIDP came through virtually untouched,and more importantly managed to overwinter both musa helens hybrid and yunnanensis in the ground too

[Conifers]

For maximum average winter temperature, probably somewhere like Torquay or Tresco Abbey.

For least severe absolute minimum, probably Mingulay at the southern end of the Outer Hebrides. Or perhaps more likely St. Kilda. They are more completely surrounded by Gulf Stream water than anywhere else.

[stephenprudence]

Apparently Torquay is -8C tonight, and I suggest that's just a little inland, so I guess at least -4C or -5C right on the coast

[Alexander]

No places left there to escape for the cold? End of hardytropicals...

Alexander

[Dave Brown]

Most places that 'Normally' have the best microclimate are subject to wind direction, and as that is predominantly from a westerly direction. Torquay is protected from all directions except the East, and if the wind comes from that direction it has crossed 250 miles of English Channel. As the SW is milder anyway, it comes out near the top of 'Best Microclimates'

Chalk (Gravesend) has a good microclimate enabling hotter temperatures in summer/autumn, and the North Kent Coast holds the record for warmest UK recorded temperatures. but is exposed to NE winds in winter/spring, as these winds have travelled acoss about 80 miles of North Sea, then another 80 miles or so of Thames Estuary. the biting easterlies are somewhat modified, so not as mild as the SW, but not as cold as eastern england generally.

The western Isles Scillies, Hebredies, Wirrel etc, and western Ireland probably have the mildest winter temps, but when the Gulf Stream loses it's umph, like it seems to now, I presume caused by the current solar dimming phase, these places can lose their source of warmth from time to time, with cold air flows pushing out further west than normal. This Easerly flow cancels out the normal sea breezes, giving unusual still radiation frost conditions even on the coast. Irish Dave (David N) has commented on this being a bad winter for Galway. These winters bring out rarely seen temperature patterns like the -7 to -9C seen on the Cornish coasts last winter

We'll have to wait until March/April to see who the real winners/losers are in this type of winter

[dyls]

So far here, we've had a couple of nights that have dipped below freezing on the ground but I don't think we've had an air frost yet.

However, we just got the first snowfall at my house in 3 years, which halfheartedly settled in some places (although go 100 feet higher and there's about 3 inches settled).

[Nathan]

I would have to include central London in the list of warmest micro-climates. It very rarely drops below freezing in winter (though can get cold maximum temps in easterlies) It is the warmest place in the summer too...

[Dave Brown]

I would have to include central London in the list of warmest micro-climates. It very rarely drops below freezing in winter (though can get cold maximum temps in easterlies) It is the warmest place in the summer too...

Yes Central London does have a good Man made microclimate, but the area affected is tiny, the suburbs are colder then here, where I am affected by the estuary affect in winter. London has the warmest night temps in the UK in summer and much of the time the warmest days, but is not the warmest place as is much more cloudy than the estuary, which is why the North Kent coast holds the heat records.

[Robin Cassell]

The peninsula of south west scotland...directly north of Isle of man..Port patrick on one side and Stranrare on the other..consistantly warmer than most of U.K...Stayed there 3 consecutive Februarys and was surprised how mild.

[Bamboo Stix]

The wirral

[sam140]

What exactly will determine the sea breeze to shut down. How far would you have to get away from the coast to get say -8c, surely you could not get that temperature adjacent to the coastal strip or say torquay or portsmouth. What could be the absolute minmium adjacent to the coast if the sea temperature is at 8c