REVIEWS OF UNITED KINGDOM STATISTICAL SOURCES Editor: W. F. Maunder Volume I Personal Social Services, B. P. Davies Voluntary Organizations in the Personal Social Service Field, G. J. Murray Volume II Central Government Routine Health Statistics, Michael Alderson Social Security Statistics, Frank Whitehead Volume III Housing in Great Britain, Stuart Farthing Housing in Northern Ireland, Michael Fleming Volume IV Leisure, F. M. M. Lewes and S. R. Parker Tourism, L. J. Lickorish Volume V General Sources of Statistics, G. F. Lock Volume VI Wealth, A. B. Atkinson and A. J. Harrison Personal Incomes, T. Stark Volume VII Road Passenger Transport, D. L. Munby Road Goods Transport, A. H. Watson Volume VIII Land Use, J. T. Coppock Town and Country Planning, L. F. Gebbett Volume IX Health Surveys and Related Studies, M. Alderson and R. Dowie Volume X Ports and Inland Waterways, R. E. Baxter Civil Aviation, Celia M. Phillips Volume XI Coal, D. J. Harris Gas, H. Nabb Electricity Industries, D. Nuttall Volume XII Construction and the Related Professions, M. C. Fleming Volume XIII Wages and Earnings, Andrew Dean Volume XIV Rail Transport, D.H. Aldcroft Sea Transport, Derrick Mort Volume XV Crime, Monica A. Walker Volume XVI Iron and Steel, David W. Heal Shipbuilding, Anthony Slaven REVIEWS OF UNITED KINGDOM STATISTICAL SOURCES Edited by W. F. Maunder Professor Emeritus of Economic and Social Statistics, University of Exeter VOLUME XVII WEATHER by B. W. ATKINSON Professor of Geography, Queen Mary College, University of London WATER by E. C. PENNING-ROWSELL and D. J. PARKER Flood Hazard Research Centre, Middlesex Polytechnic Published for The Royal Statistical Society and Economic and Social Research Council by PERGAMON PRESS OXFORD · NEW YORK · BEIJING · FRANKFURT SÄO PAULO·SYDNEY·TOKYO·TORONTO U.K. Pergamon Press, Headington Hill Hall, Oxford OX3 OBW, England U.S.A. Pergamon Press, Maxwell House, Fairview Park, Elmsford, New York 10523, U.S.A. PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC Pergamon Press, Qianmen Hotel, Beijing, OF CHINA People's Republic of China FEDERAL REPUBLIC Pergamon Press, Hammerweg 6, OF GERMANY D-6242 Kronberg, Federal Republic of Germany BRAZIL Pergamon Editora, Rua Eça de Queiros, 346, CEP 04011, Sâo Paulo, Brazil AUSTRALIA Pergamon Press Australia, P.O. Box 544, Potts Point, N.S.W. 2011, Australia JAPAN Pergamon Press, 8th Floor, Matsuoka Central Building, 1-7-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160, Japan CANADA Pergamon Press Canada, Suite 104, 150 Consumers Road, Willowdale, Ontario M2J 1P9, Canada Copyright © 1985 Royal Statistical Society and Economic * and Social Research Council All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means: electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without permission in writing from the publishers. First edition 1985 Reprinted 1986 Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Atkinson, Bruce Wilson. Weather. (Reviews of United Kingdom statistical sources; v. 17) Includes index. 1. Great Britain — Climate — Statistical services. 2. Weather — Statistical services. 3. Water — Statistical services. I. Penning-Rowsell, Edmund. Water. 1985. II. Royal Statistical Society (Great Britain) III. Economic and Social Research Council (Great Britain) IV. Title. V. Series QC989.G69A85 1985 016.5516941'021 85-6594 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Atkinson, B. W. Weather, Water, — (Reviews of United Kingdom Statistical Sources; v. 17) 1. Great Britain — Climate — Statistical Services 2. Water-supply — Statistical services I. Title II. Penning-Rowsell, Edmund C. Water III. Parker, Dennis J. IV. Royal Statistical Society V. Economic and Social Research Council VI. Series 551.6941Ό7 QC989.G7 ISBN 0-08-031844-4 Printed in Great Britain by A. Wheaton & Co. Ltd., Exeter FOREWORD The Sources and Nature of the Statistics of the United Kingdom, produced under the auspices of the Royal Statistical Society and edited by Maurice Kendall,filled a notable gap on the library shelves when it made its appearance in the early post-war years.Through a series of critical reviews by many of the foremost national experts, it constituted a valuable contemporary guide to statisticians working in many fields as well as a bench-mark to which historians of the development of Statistics in this country are likely to return again and again. The Social Science Research Council* and the Society were both delighted when Professor Maunder came forward with the proposal that a revised version should be produced, indicating as well his willingness to take on the onerous task of editor. The two bodies were more than happy to act as co-sponsors of the project and to help in its planning through a joint steering committee. The result, we are confident, will be judged a worthy successor to the previous volumes by the very much larger "statistics public' that has come into being in the intervening years. Dr C.S.SMITH Mrs E.J.SNELL Secretary Honorary Secretary Economic and Social Research Council Royal Statistical Society November 1984 November 1984 * SSRC is now the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). MEMBERSHIP OF THE JOINT STEERING COMMITTEE (November 1984) Chairman: Miss S. V. Cunliffe Representing the Royal Statistical Society: Mr M. C. Fessey Dr S. Rosenbaum Representing the Economic and Social Research Council: Mr I. Maclean Miss J. Morris Secretary: Mr D. E. Allen INTRODUCTION TO VOLUME XVII The subjects which comprise this volume call for little special editorial comment: the coverage of sources on weather and water data is a central part of the remit of the series for a comprehensive treatment of economic and social topics. The status of water as a production industry places it firmly within the economic field while weather is of such basic importance in so many contexts that its inclusion here will be of interest, it is hoped, to other disciplines in addition to the social sciences. The primary aim of this series is to act as a work of reference to the sources of statistical material of all kinds, both official and unofficial. It seeks to enable the user to discover what data are available on the subject in which he is interested, from where they may be obtained, and what the limitations are to their use. Data are regarded as available not only if published in the normal printed format but also if they are likely to be released to a bona fide enquirer in any other form, such as duplicated documents, computer print-out or even magnetic tape. On the other hand, no reference is made to material which, even if it is known to exist, is not accessible to the general run of potential users. The distinction, of course, is not clear-cut and mention of a source is not to be regarded as a guarantee that data will be released; in particular cases it may very well be a matter for negotiation. The latter caution applies with particular force to the question of obtaining computer print-outs of custom specified tabulations. Where original records are held on magnetic tape it might appear that there should be no insuperable problem, apart from confidentiality, in obtaining any feasible analysis at a cost; in practice, it may well turn out that there are capacity restraints which override any simple cost calculation. Thus, what is requested might make demands on computer and programming resources to such an extent that the routine work of the agency concerned would be intolerably affected. The intention is that the source for each topic should be reviewed in detail, and the brief supplied to authors has called for comprehensive coverage at the level of 'national interest'. This term does not denote any necessary restriction to statistics collected on a national basis (still less, of course, to national aggregates) but it means that sources of a purely local character, without wider interest in either content or methodology, are excluded. Indeed, the mere task of identifying all material of this latter kind is an impossibility. The interpretation of the brief has obviously involved discretion and it is up to the users of these reviews to say what unreasonable gaps become apparent to them. They are cordially invited to do so by communicating with me. To facilitate the use of the series as a work of reference, certain features have been incorporated which warrant a word or two of explanation. First, the text of each review is designed, in so far as varying subject matter permits, to follow a standard form of arrangement so that users may expect a similar pattern to be followed throughout the Xll INTRODUCTION series. The starting point is a brief summary of the activity concerned and its organisation, in order to give a clear background understanding of how data are collected, what is being measured, the stage at which measurements are made, what the reporting units are, the channels through which returns are routed and where they are processed. As a further part of this introductory material, there is a discussion of the specific problems of definition and measurement to which the topic gives rise. The core sections on available sources which follow are arranged at the author's discretion - by origin, by subject subdivision, or by type of data; there is too much heterogeneity between topics to permit any imposition of complete uniformity on all authors. The final section is devoted to a discussion of general shortcomings and possibly desirable improvements. In case a contrary expectation should be aroused, it should be said that authors have not been asked to produce a comprehensive plan for the reform of statistical reporting in the whole of their field. However, a review of existing sources is a natural opportunity to make some suggestions for future policy on the collection and publication of statistics within the scope concerned and authors have been encouraged to take full advantage of it. Secondly, detailed factual information about statistical series and other data is given in a Quick Reference List (QRL). The exact nature of the entries is best seen by glancing at the list and accordingly they are not described here. Again, the ordering is not prescribed except that entries are not classified by publication source since it is presumed that it is this which is unknown to the reader. In general, the routine type of information which is given in the QRL is not repeated verbally in the text; the former, however, serves as a search route to the latter in that a reference (by section number) is shown against a QRL entry when there is a related discussion in the text. Third, a subject index to each review acts as a more or less conventional line of enquiry on textual references; however, it is a computerised system and, for an individual review, the only peculiarity which it introduces is the possibility of easily permuting entries. Thus an entry in the index to the second review in this volume is: Rivers & estuaries pollution which is also shown as: Estuaries pollution Rivers & as well as: Pollution Rivers & estuaries The object at this level is merely to facilitate search by giving as many variants as possible. In addition, it also makes possible selective searches by keywrd over any combination of reviews and a printout of the entries found may then be prepared. Fourth, each review contains two listings of publications. The QRL Key gives full details of the publications shown as sources and text references to them are made in the form [QRL serial number]; this list is confined essentially to data publications. The other listing is a general bibliography of works discussing wider aspects; text references in this case are made in the form [B serial number]. Finally, an attempt is made to reproduce the more important returns or forms used in data collection so that it may be seen what tabulations it is possible to make as well as helping to clarify the basis of those actually available. Unfortunately, there are INTRODUCTION Xlll severe practical limitations on the number of such forms that it is possible to append to a review and authors perforce have to be highly selective. If all or any of these features succeed in their intention of increasing the value of the series in its basic function as a work of reference it will be gratifying; the extent to which the purpose is achieved, however, will be difficult to assess without 'feedback' from the readership. Users, therefore, will be rendering an essential service if they will send me a note of specific instances where, in consulting a review, they have failed to find the information sought. As editor, I must express my very grateful thanks to all the members of the Joint Steering Committee of the Royal Statistical Society and the Economic and Social Research Council. It would be unfair to saddle them with any responsibility for shortcomings in execution but they have directed the overall strategy with as admirable a mixture of guidance and forbearance as any editor of such a series could desire. Especial thanks are due to the Secretary of the Committee who is an unfailing source of help even when sorely pressed by the more urgent demands of his other offices. As this is the first introduction to be written since the death of Sir Roy Allen, it is appropriate to record the debt which this series owes to him. The whole project is deeply indebted to him both for the nurturing of the original concept and for his several years of service as the first chairman of the Steering Committee. The authors join me in thanking all those who gave up their time to attend the seminar held to discuss the first drafts of their reviews and which contributed materially to improving the final versions. We are most grateful to Pergamon Press Ltd. for their continued support and in particular to the Production Department who put all the pieces together. The subject index entries have been compiled by Mrs. Marian Guest who has also acted as editorial assistant throughout. Special thanks are due to Mr.Ray Burnley who has masterminded our use of the Lasercomp System at Oxford University Computer Service and to the latter for the use of this facility. Finally, we also wish to record our appreciation of the permission granted us to reproduce certain copyright material by the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office. University of Exeter W.F. Maunder April 1984 29: WEATHER Professor B. W. ATKINSON Department of Geography Queen Mary College University of London REFERENCE DATE OF SOURCES REVIEWED This Review was completed in 1982: its structure and broad content remained valid up to going to press.