4th International CLIVAR Climate of the 20th Century Workshop

13-15th March 2007

Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research, Exeter, UK

Welcome to the Hadley Centre

The Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research provides a principal focus within the UK for the study of the science associated with global climate change. Established in 1990 as part of the world-renowned Met Office, it quickly achieved a leading international reputation of its own for the quality of its climate research and modelling work. Since 2003, the Hadley Centre has been located in the new Met Office building in Exeter. It now has over 150 scientists working on a wide variety of topics in climate science. More information about the Hadley Centre and its research can be found at www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/hadleycentre/index.html.

Local Information Exeter is the capital city of the county of Devon, an area of south-west England about 300 km from London. The city has 115,000 inhabitants and dates from before Roman times. It is notable for its Roman remains and ecclesiastical history, including the magnificent cathedral (11th-14th centuries) and cathedral close as well as various medieval churches and other buildings. The river Exe flows through the city, and there is a attractive quayside district with bars and cafes. All hotels, restaurants, shops and main sights are accessible on foot from the city centre, while the Met Office is 20 minutes away by the city's good transportation network.

The county of Devon has a broad range of landscapes including dramatic coastal cliffs, wide sandy beaches, wild moorlands and rolling pastoral scenery. Unlike many parts of England, Devon has managed to retain much of its traditional rustic character, and attractive villages with thatched cottages are still commonplace.  Added to this there are numerous historical monuments in the county, as well as the city of Plymouth, with its maritime history that includes Sir Francis Drake and the Mayflower. These many attractions explain why Devon has traditionally been a favourite destination for those on vacation. In recent years, Devon has emerged as a new gastronomic centre, with some of London's best chefs attracted to work in Devon by the high quality of produce, including cheese, meats and seafood.

Climate

The mean daily maximum for Exeter in March is +10 C, and the mean daily minimum is +3 C. The historical range of daily maxima is +1 C to +19 C and there are, on average, 5 air frosts per month. The mean monthly rainfall is 68 mm, with 15.6 wet days (>= 0.2 mm) per month. The average sunshine is 4 hours per day. Snow is very uncommon, with an average of only 0.1 days of lying snow.