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.