List of atmospheric pressure records in Europe


The following is a List of atmospheric pressure records in Europe and the extratropical Northern Atlantic.
Extreme pressure values in Europe show both seasonal and geographical differentiation. The greatest pressure extremes occur in winter with the deepest lows occurring to the northwest of the continent with a diminishing influence of low pressure to the southeast towards Central Europe and Southeast Europe. This is related to the main cyclonic centre of the Icelandic low, and the North Atlantic extratropical storm track, close to which have been observed some of the lowest atmospheric pressures of the Northern Hemisphere outside the tropics. Extreme high values are favoured over the north east of Europe where intense cold and long winter nights lead to cooling of the air column by radiative cooling causing sinking air reinforcing the development of the highest pressures. Other influences include the semi-permanent Azores high, and Siberian highs.

Land-based observations in Europe

Land-based records for Europe:
Other high values have been reported:
Pressure is thought to have risen above 1060 hPa in Europe on only 12 occasions between 1871–2010, in the years 1893, 1899, 1907, 1915, 1920, 1938, 1944, 1946, 1956, 1972, 1995 and 2008. To this list might also be included high pressure anticyclones in 1954 and 2012, and 1869. The most notable high in Europe peaked in January 1907. This was an unusual development that brought high pressure to the west, and holds the officially-recognised record across multiple countries from Scandinavia to Central Europe.
Another value reported:

Iceland

Iceland monthly maximum figures for atmospheric pressure

Iceland list of atmospheric pressure over 1050 hPa

High pressure in Iceland has exceeded 1050 hPa 4 times in the twentieth century and five times in the nineteenth century.
DateLocationpressure hPaNotes
23 December 1836Reykjavik1050.9
3 January 1841Reykjavik1058.0
11 December 1846Reykjavik1051.7
6 March 1883Stykkishólmur1050.7
12 January 1890Akureyri1051.6
26 February 1890Stykkishólmur1050.0
14 January 1891Westman Isles1051.1
14 February 1892Akureyri and Stykkishólmur1051.8
16 December 1917Stykkishólmur1054.2
26 February 1962Akureyri1051.7
17 January 1977Galtarviti, Keflavik1051.1
14–15 April 1991Several stations1050
25–26 February 2006Several stations1050
28 March 2020Hjarðarland1050.5named "Keywan" by FUB.

Climatic Research Unit Emulate data 1874–2002, also gives values on 10 March 1887 at Stykkishólmur 1052.43 hPa and also 9 January 1977 at the same location 1050.47 hPa.

Iceland monthly minimum figures for atmospheric pressure

In July the pressure in Iceland has only dropped below 975 hPa or lower three times over the entire record extending back to the 1820s. These cases were 974.1 hPa in Stykkishólmur on 18 July 1901, 974.3 hPa in Stykkishólmur on 19 July 1923 and 975.0 hPa in Reykjavík 11 July 1912.—to which can be added 22 July 2012, with 972.4 hPa reported on the Westman Isles, becoming the new national record for the month.
A recent low pressure on 30 December 2015 was recorded at Kirkjubaejarklaustur at 930.2 hPa, the lowest pressure recorded on land in Iceland since 1989.

Faroe Islands

The Danish Meteorological Institute report record atmospheric pressure for the Faroe Islands as:
Climatic Research Unit Emulate data 1874–2002 give 3 dates when pressure exceeded 1050 hPa in Tórshavn.
Datepressure hPa
8 January 18961052.64
1 February 19021052.43
21 February 19441050.33

Ireland

list the following national records for atmospheric pressure:

Ireland monthly maximum figures for atmospheric pressure

Ireland monthly minimum figures for atmospheric pressure

Isle of Man

1957–2005
An earlier value on 8 December 1886, Cronkbourne.

United Kingdom and Ireland

For the United Kingdom, the Met Office record the record figures for atmospheric pressure as:
Though the lowest pressure may be second to the Night of the big wind low, which saw a value of at Sumburgh Head, Shetland on non-calibrated, non-standard equipment 6–7 January 1839, with the mainland at Cape Wrath reporting an observed pressure of.
On 26 January 1884, during the Ochtertyre storm the Ben Nevis summit weather station recorded a low pressure of 784.7 hPa this is proposed as being almost certainly the lowest surface pressure ever recorded in the UK, though due to altitude and not being a value reduced to sea level is not considered comparable to the other records presented here.
A low pressure of 914.0mb affected the UK during the Braer Storm on 10 January 1993, however this figure is discounted as this reading was not recorded in the UK.

United Kingdom monthly maximum figures for atmospheric pressure

MonthDateLocationpressure hPaAlternative and UK only records
January31 January 1902Aberdeen Observatory, Aberdeenshire1053.6†
February1 February 1902Aberdeen Observatory, Aberdeenshire1052.9
March29 March 2020South Uist, Outer Hebrides1051.2Previously 3 March 1990 St Mary's Airport, Isles of Scilly 1047.9 hPa. The value from 9 March 1953 Tynemouth of 1048.6 is thought to be from an erroneous value transcription of 1043.6.
April11 April 1938Eskdalemuir, Dumfriesshire1044.5
May16 May 1943Dublin Airport, Ireland1042.2UK value: 1881, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Armagh 1042 hPa.
June14 June 1959Clones Co. Monaghan1043.1UK value: 14 June 1959, "Northern Ireland" 1043 hPa. 15 June 1874 Scotland >1040 hPa.
July16 July 1996Aboyne, Aberdeenshire1039.2
August25 August 1968Kirkwall, Orkney1037.4
September11 September 2009Ballykelly, Co. Londonderry1042.0*Previously 19 September 1986 Shawbury, Shropshire 1041.2 hPa.
October31 October 1956Dyce, Aberdeenshire1045.6
November10 November 1999Aviemore, Invernessshire1046.7
December24 December 1926Wick, Caithness1051.9

United Kingdom list of atmospheric pressure over 1050 hPa

DateLocationpressure hPa
24 February 1808Gordon Castle, Moray Scotland1050.0
8–9 January 1820Kinfauns Castle, Perth Scotland1051.7
9 January 1896Ochtertyre, Perth Scotland1053.4
31 January 1902Aberdeen, Scotland 1053.6
28 January 1905Falmouth, Cornwall1053.1
23 January 1907Aberdeen, Scotland1051.8
24 December 1926Wick, Scotland1051.9
26 January 1932Stonyhurst, Sheffield and Meltham, West Yorkshire1051.0
16 January 1957Belmullet, Co Mayo Ireland and Benbecula, Scotland1050.9
19 January 2020Mumbles Head, Wales.1050.5
29 March 2020South Uist, Scotland.1051.2

In the period of instrumental measurement the atmospheric pressure has exceeded 1048 hPa somewhere over the United Kingdom and Ireland on 18 occasions. On 10 of these times, the pressure exceeded 1050 hPa. Intense high pressure is usually seen during midwinter with eight of the 10 occasions where 1050 hPa has been exceeded occurring in January.
Pressure values have been recorded to have exceeded 1050 hPa in all areas of the UK and Ireland except south east England, though values close to this are documented from January 1882 and January 1905. To which high pressure in January 2020 saw a value of 1049.6 at Heathrow Airport measured, which is thought to be likely the highest pressure seen in the region with records back to 1692.

United Kingdom monthly minimum figures for atmospheric pressure

MonthDateLocationpressure hPaAlternative and UK only records
January26 January 1884Ochtertyre, Perthshire925.6Alternative: 6–7 January 1839, Sumburgh Head, Shetland during the Night of the big wind storm,.
February4 February 1951Midleton, Co. Cork942.3UK value: 9 February 1988, Benbecula 944.0 hPa.
March9 March 1876Wick, Caithness946.2
April1 April 1948Malin Head, Co. Donegal952.9UK value: 1 April 1948, The Hebrides 953 hPa.
May8 May 1943Sealand, Flintshire 968.0
June28 June 1938Lerwick, Shetland968.4
July8 July 1964Sule Skerry, Northern Isles967.9
August14 August 1954Belmullet, Co. Mayo967.7UK value: 30 August 1992, NE Scotland ~972 hPa.
September21 September 1953Claremorris, Co. Mayo957.1UK value: 16–17 September 1935, "Central England" 960 hPa.
October14 October 1981Cawdor Castle, Highland 946.8**Cyclone Oratia
November11 November 1877Monach Lighthouse, Outer Hebrides939.7
December8 December 1886Belfast, Antrim927.2On the morning of 8 December 1886, the barometer may have fallen as low as 924 mbar over northern Ireland, although the lowest authenticated value was 927.2 mbar at Belfast at 1330h, close to the centre of the depression.

Cyclone Oratia is estimated to have reached a low of 941 hPa in peer reviewed literature, though the lowest pressure occurred between Aberdeen and Norway over the North Sea and is not a land-based observation. The lowest land-based reported UK pressure during this storm was recorded from RAF Fylingdales at 951.2 hPa.
On 7 September 1995, Scilly Isles, reported a low pressure of 966 hPa. The lowest minimum recorded values for the months May to August lie within 0.5 of 968 hPa.
The 20th Century low pressure record in the UK occurred on 20 December 1982 at Sule Skerry it may have dropped as low as 936 mbar.

United Kingdom list of atmospheric pressure below 950 hPa (incomplete)

Based on Burt and Met Office.
Scotland
Same as UK national records.
Northern Ireland
Wales
England
Alt. 8 December 1886, Newton Reigny in Cumbria,.

Norway

the joint venture between the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation and the Norwegian Meteorological Institute give the national pressure records as:
A value of 702.0 mm Hg at Bergen Lungegård Hospital on January 27, 1884 is also reported, which is likely to be from the same low as the UK record from Ochtertyre the previous day. Other sources give a pressure value of 939.8 hPa or 939.7 hPa in Bergen on 27 January 1884.
Both records in same winter as each other and those of Denmark.
MonthDateLocationpressure hParefNotes
February28 February 2018Tynset, Hedmark1061.0-
October5 October 2016Otta1054.3*Previously 14 October 1896, Dalen, Telemark, 1044.0 hPa.

Norway uses a different formula for correction of air pressure to sea level than Sweden. This affects the result for high altitude stations in cold weather.

Denmark

The Danish Meteorological Institute report record barometric pressure for Denmark as:
Danish records both occurred within a month during the same winter, and same winter as Norwegian records.

Denmark monthly maximum figures for atmospheric pressure

MonthDateLocationpressure hParefNotes
January23 January 1907Skagen and Copenhagen1062.2
February7 February 2012Thyborøn1050.32012 value exceeds 1961–1990 maximum.
March30 March 1977Bornholm Airport1047.012 March 1880, Hammer Odde 1049.4 hPa.
April16 April 1962Skagen1040.6
May3 May 1990Christiansø Lighthouse1041.6
June7 June 1962Skagen1038.8
July16 July 1972Christiansø Lighthouse1031.9
August18 August 1966Christiansø Lighthouse1032.8
September29 September 2015Østerbro1042.2*Previously 18 September 1904, Hammer Odde Lighthouse 1038.8 hPa.
October5 October 2016Skagen1045.5*Previously 6 October 1877, Hammer Odde Lighthouse 1044.7 hPa.
November18 November 1985Skagen1052.4
December24 December 1962Fornæs Lighthouse and Værløse Air Base1051.6

Denmark list of barometric pressure over 1050 hPa

Denmark monthly minimum figures for atmospheric pressure

Sweden

The Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute give the nation's barometric records as:

Sweden monthly maximum figures for atmospheric pressure

Sweden monthly minimum figures for atmospheric pressure

Finland

According to the Finnish Meteorological Institute:
Though a reported low value by Weather Underground weather historian Christopher Burt on 1 March 1990 at an unknown location is reported at 939.7 hPa. Helsingin Sanomat report a value at Turku Airport on 28 February 1990 of 939.8 hPa, with the previous record reported as being from 16 December 1982 on Moikpää, in the Kvarken at 942.1 hPa.

Baltics

Maximum pressure in Europe 22–23 January 1907 recorded in Pärnu, Estonia and Riga, Latvia at 1067.1 mbar. The Free University of Berlin state the European air pressure record is 23 January 1907 in Riga at 1068.7 hPa.

Estonia

As reported by the Estonian Weather Service
‡The Estonian Weather Service report on their website the record maximum observed air pressure in the country as 1060.3 hPa recorded 23 January 1907 in Tallinn. This figure is not supported by NOAA reanalysis charts and the values reported from neighbouring Finland and Latvia probably make this figure an underestimation or error. A possible maximum pressure value for the whole of Europe is thought to have occurred during the 22–23 January 1907 high pressure event with a record set in Pärnu, Estonia and Riga, Latvia at 1067.1 mbar. Though this value is exceeded by the value on 23 January 1907 in Riga reported at 1068.7 hPa by the Free University of Berlin's student generated reports, at which time the pressure is estimated to have reached around 1070 hPa by Yr.no in the Gulf of Riga.

Latvia

In the period 1960 to 2014, 16 December 1997 Daugavpils a value of 1055.8 hPa recorded.

Lithuania

23 January 1907 1065.1 hPa. Deutsche Seewarte gives morning readings on 23 January 1907 in Klaipeda of and in Vilnius of. There is a mention in the Hungarian meteorological journal Időjarás of reaching in Vilnius during the exceptional January 1907 anticyclone, but in the other place the Vilnius value of is reported. According to an article in the German-Austrian expert journal Meteorologische Zeitschrift, on 23 January 1907 at 7 hrs Vilnius reached.

Kaliningrad/Königsberg

Western Europe

Channel Islands

Jersey

1862–present

Guernsey

1960–present.

Alderney

France

figures from 1951–present.
though other listed figures predate Météo-France's records.
On 28 January 1905 values of in Biarritz, and in Brest are listed in the Met Office Daily Weather Report. On the 29 January 1905, the atmospheric pressure reached a value of 1049.3 hPa in Paris.
MonthDateLocationpressure hParefNotes
January20 January 2020Abbeville1049.7
February*Possible 20th Century: February 15, 1934 Cap De La Hague 1,048.2 hPa.
March3 March 1990Pointe de Chémoulin, Saint-Nazaire Loire-Atlantique1048.9 hPa
May13 May 2019Dunkirk1040.7
September25 September 2018Valenciennes1040.0*Previously 19 September 1986 Dunkirk 1038.4

MonthDateLocationpressure hParef
May5 May 2004Cap de la Hague980.1

Belgium

The Belgian Royal Meteorological Institute gives the national record values as:
MonthDateLocationpressure hParefNotes
January20 January 2020Uccle1048.3-
May16 May 1943Uccle1039.5-
June6 June 1962Uccle1034.9-
September27 September 1906Uccle1037.9-
October23 October 1958Uccle1039.5-

MonthDateLocationpressure hParefNotes
February25 February 1989Uccle956.8*Alt On 25 February 1989 a value reported at Blankenberge of 954 hPa.
August24 August 1956Uccle980
September11 September 1903Uccle976.8
October10 October 1964Uccle971.0
November29 November 1965Uccle967

Luxembourg

MonthDateLocationpressure hParefNotes
January20 January 2020Luxembourg Findel Airport1048.0Previously 1989 1045.5 hPa.
FebruaryFebruary 1959Luxembourg Findel Airport1046.6
MarchMarch 1990Luxembourg Findel Airport1045.8
AprilApril 1947Luxembourg Findel Airport1039.9
May13 May 2019Luxembourg Findel Airport1037.5
JuneJune 2005Luxembourg Findel Airport1036.3
JulyJuly 1969Luxembourg Findel Airport1031.2
AugustAugust 1949Luxembourg Findel Airport1033.5
September25 September 2018Luxembourg Findel Airport1039.3
OctoberOctober 1983Luxembourg Findel Airport1040.0
NovemberNovember 2001Luxembourg Findel Airport1042.1
December27–28 December 2016Luxembourg Findel Airport1047.2Previously 1991 1044.0 hPa.

MonthDateLocationpressure hParefNotes
JanuaryJanuary 2009Luxembourg Findel Airport967.6
FebruaryFebruary 1989Luxembourg Findel Airport959.8
MarchMarch 1994Luxembourg Findel Airport968.6
AprilApril 1962Luxembourg Findel Airport984.2
MayMay 2009Luxembourg Findel Airport983.2
JuneJune 2009Luxembourg Findel Airport988.8
JulyJuly 1987Luxembourg Findel Airport993.7
AugustAugust 2008Luxembourg Findel Airport979.7
SeptemberSeptember 1974Luxembourg Findel Airport988.5
OctoberOctober 1990Luxembourg Findel Airport979.8
NovemberNovember 1965Luxembourg Findel Airport974.6
DecemberDecember 1976Luxembourg Findel Airport966.5

Netherlands

The Dutch Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute lists the following as national records:

Netherlands monthly maximum figures for atmospheric pressure

Netherlands monthly minimum figures for atmospheric pressure

Germany

The German weather service give the
Other record figures and locations are also presented:

Central Europe

Poland

It is likely 23 January 1907 saw a pressure of 1064.8 ± 0.5 mbar over Polish territory. Deutsche Seewarte gives morning readings on 23 January 1907 in Nowy Port of, in Darłowo and Warsaw of, in Świnoujście of and in Kraków of. According to an article in the German-Austrian expert journal Meteorologische Zeitschrift, on 23 January 1907 Suwalki reached and Warsaw at 7 hrs, while Nowy Port at 13 hrs. In another article in the same journal, Rudzki reports the highest value in Kraków of on 23 January 1907 at 10 a.m.
Other high pressures are reported as 1051.1 hPa January 22, 2006, 1050 hPa January 3, 1993 and 1048 hPa 10 December 1991.
Reanalysis data show a low record likely occurred on 17 January 1931 when a below 960 hPa low moved over the Baltic skirting the very north of today's Polish territory.

Switzerland

Other high pressures in Switzerland are given as 3–4 March 1990 at Zurich Airport of >1047 hPa and 29 January 1989 at Schaffhausen of 1047.2 hPa, which was the highest pressure in the country since the 1950s, when values on 15 February 1959 at Kloten reached 1047.1 hPa. A high value of 1050.2 hPa at Bern on 17 January 1882 is proposed as having occurred. Though values in MeteoSwiss annals are unreduced to MSLP.

Liechtenstein

A private weather station in Balzers, southwest Liechtenstein reported on 28 December 2016 a value of 1046.4 hPa under the high named Yörn, described as a record by the Liechtensteiner Vaterland.

Austria

The highest value is likely to have occurred during the 1907 high pressure event. Deutsche Seewarte gives an evening reading on 23 January 1907 in Vienna of.
A pressure value above >1050 hPa is also proposed on internet forums on 16 January 1882.
The Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute report:

Hungary

The Hungarian Meteorological Service gives the following values:
According to an expert article in the Hungarian journal Pótfüzetek a Természettudományi Közlönyhöz, the highest reading in Budapest on 24 January 1907 was at 8 hrs. A Hungarian meteorological journal Időjarás reports in Budapest on the same day.

Slovenia

The Slovenian Environment Agency tweeted that pressure on 20 January 2020 reached 1048 hPa, slightly below the values seen on
January 24 1907 and 24 December 1963.

Italy

Southeast Europe

Croatia

Serbia

Deutsche Seewarte gives a morning reading on 24 January 1907 in Belgrade of.

Romania

Articles in expert journals Időjarás and Pótfüzetek a Természettudományi Közlönyhöz report on 24 January 1907 in Sibiu. Deutsche Seewarte gives a morning Sibiu reading on 24 January 1907 of.

Greece

Eastern Europe

Ukraine

A reading of in Ternopil on 24 January 1907 is reported by an expert article in the Hungarian journal Pótfüzetek a Természettudományi Közlönyhöz. According to an article in the German-Austrian expert journal Meteorologische Zeitschrift, Lviv reached on 23 January 1907 at 21 hrs. Deutsche Seewarte gives morning readings on 23 January 1907 in Lviv of.

Belarus

Deutsche Seewarte gives a morning reading on 24 January 1907 in Pinsk of.

Iberia

Spain

Balearic islands

Portugal

Notable non-tropical pressures over the North Atlantic

Notable atmospheric pressure reports from offshore and in the North Atlantic are:
A lower value is reported from 27–28 February 1988 at 1053 hPa centred at approximately .
For comparison, the lowest Atlantic basin tropical cyclone low pressure is Hurricane Wilma in 2005, which holds the record at 882 hPa..
Similarly low extra-tropical values elsewhere have only been documented near Antarctica, with 919 hPa observed at Casey Station on the Windmill Islands on August 8–9, 1976 at Vincennes Bay. Though this value is considerably lower than any other on record and could conceivably be a fault with the recording instrument, though values are internally consistent with readings below 940 mb at this time.
The two lowest extra-tropical pressures reported from the Pacific basin are the 8 November 2014 Bering Sea cyclone at 924 hPa, and the 13 December 2015 North Pacific low at 924 hPa.

North Atlantic low pressures below 940 hPa

During a typical winter, one or perhaps two low pressure areas in the North Atlantic will deepen below 950 hPa, with pressures only deepening below 940 hPa on average once or twice per decade. Before the satellite and weather model era, records reported barometric pressures over the extratropical North Atlantic as going as low as 925 hPa, with values below 940 hPa being very rare occurrences. The frequency of very deep depressions in the North Atlantic is thought to have increased significantly since the winter of 1982/83 to 1993.

Table of North Atlantic low pressures below 940 hPa (incomplete)