WWII Weather

Hi all,
Im a WWII gamer and I am looking for information about the weather during WWII. We are trying to create a formula by which the weather in our game corrolates with the weather at the time of the actual campiagn. I can find 60yr avereges for specific locations but no records of the actual weather from 39-45. I cannot imagine the info is out there, but it cannot hurt to ask.

J_S

 

short, but maybe of interest to you.. Weather's pivotal role in WWII - The Weather Network

http://wwiiarchives.net/servlet/document/98/2/0 not sure this is of use to you, and it needs translation..

 

Hi, Johnny!

If is interesting for you, Daily Weather Maps Home Page - NOAA Central Library offers to you his daily meteorological maps over the continental territory of the USA.







Jan.

 

Thanks All,

The information was not what I wanted but all the links you provided gave me other info I did not know I needed. Great stuff. Thanks again.

J_S

 

There really is no easily accessable weather data for WW II for much of Europe as this information was partially classified by both sides (to prevent the other side from knowing what it was over potential aerial targets and such). So, it is really hard to find specific accurate data that goes day-by-day. There are general records from various meterological orgainzations but many of these are restricted to researchers only. Good luck with your hunt.

 

I would think that some of the newspapers that have online archives might be a good source. Most of them aren't free however.

 

Day by day weather was reported in the S3 report. It's a big job but the daily weather could be compiled for any region by reading the daily S3 report from any unit operating in that area.

 

I never really noticed ww2 weather but does it seem to rain alot in normandy?

 

We have been able to find a 60 year averege weather for each location by month. It gives us days of rain, snow, cloud, fog, sunshine and temperatures for each month of the year. We have decided that will be our format. It will allow us to create a formula to set probable weather conditions for a battle during any month in any theater of Operations. It will add a twist to the game by changing line of sight and attack distances during the game.

Thanks for the links

J_S

 

I think that these PDF, are interesting for all:

• http://www.wrma.org/2009_euro_pres/MeteorologyandD-Day6June1944.pdf Meteorology and D-Day, 6 June 1944
• http://www.rmets.org/pdf/hist03.pdf METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES LEADING TO D-DAY by R J Ogden
• http://www.meteohistory.org/2004proceedings1.1/pdfs/08fleming.pdf Sverre Petterssen, the Bergen School, and the Forecasts for D-Day James R. Fleming

Jan.

 

Regimental war diaries often note the weather for each day, because it was such an important factor in the battle plan. I have found online various transcriptions of these for Canadian regiments.

For example: http://victorian.fortunecity.com/finsbury/764/July_44.htm

WAR DIARY

1st. Bn. Black Watch (RHR) of Canada
Month of July, 1944.​

FOLKESTONE, KENT, ENGLAND., 1st. Sat.
Weather - cloudy. Dominion Day. Everyone is in excellent spirits. Last minute preparations are going on. We can now look forward to that for which we have been asking for so long - a crack at Fritz. The veh. Party left at 0100 hrs. For RUMFORD their concentration area.
CLYNDE, 2nd. Sun.
Weather - fog in the morning, clearing in the afternoon. At 1130 hrs. the marching party left for the concentration area and arrived around 1800 hrs. at CLYNDE. After a very welcome meal most of the boys went to see a play in the camp.
CLYNDE, 3rd. Mon.
Weather - raining. The morning was spent in resting and final equiping. We were pleased to hear, later in the day, that during the evening we would be permitted to visit the neighbouring town, BRIGHTON, EASTBOURNE etc.. Everyone was back on time at 2300 hrs..
CLYNDE, 4th. Tues.
Weather - cloudy, clearing on afternoon. As everyone was C.B.the day was spent in resting. It was announced that we would be moving early the following morning to our embarkation area. During the evening the boys drew emergency rations for two days, and completed final packing.
NEWHAVEN, 5th. Wed.
Weather - clear and fine. Early this morning we were transported to NEWHAVEN HARBOUR in TCVs. and boarded a small cruising vessel, the "ISLE OF GUERNSEY" along with the REGIMENT DE MAISSONEUVE and the CALGARY HIGHLANDERS. We were very crowded, averaging 58 men per room. At twilight the pipes of the BLACK WATCH and the CALGARY HIGHLANDERS played as the ship weighed anchor, and we pushed out into the CHANNEL as sailors and Tommys on the dock gave us the "Thumbs up".
FRANCE

JUNO BEACH, 6th. Thur.
Weather - clear and very warm. After a very quiet crossing we arrived around COURSEUILLE in FRANCE. We passed alongside the battleship H.M.S. "RODNEY" which had been assisting in shelling the enemy and breaking up his panzer attacks. This part of the Channel was busier than St. Catherine Street in a Saturday night. We reached shore and marched off to a nearby field where we shed our "Mae Wests", then marched through BANNVILLE where we had some tea and some bully beef. After an hours rest we marched through STE. CROIX and on to our area at VALERY-sur-MER where Maj. MOTZFELD, the officer of the advance party, was waiting to meet us.
VALERY-sur-MER., 7th. Wed.
Weather - clear in the morning, clouding up in afternoon. The day was occupied in maintenance and general cleaning up. During the night a force of 480 Lancasters bombed CAEN from about 12000 feet, not a single enemy plane interrupting the proceedings. Our known losses were three bombers and one fighter. One of the Lancasters, out of control, plunged headlong into the sea and burst into flames. The crew managed to bail out and are believed to have landed in the Allied lines.
VALERY-sur-MER., FRANCE., 8th. Thur.
Weather - clear and fine. The vehicle party arrived last night around 0200 hrs. and today they are all busy on maintenance, etc. In the afternoon we paraded for inspection by Lt. Gen. SIMONDS. The Corps Commander reminded us that we should uphold our good name by our conduct and fighting.
VALERY-sur-MER., 9th. Wed.
Church parades were held today for Protestants and for Catholics. In the afternoon the N.C.O.s attended a lecture on tank recognition.
VALERY-sur-MER., 10th. Thur.
Weather - clear and warm. The advance party, composed of Maj. Motzfeld and Sgt. Ritchie, left this morning to recce our new concentration area as we are soon expecting to participate in the attack crossing the River ORNE. The recce party buried some Canadians and some Jerrys. An O Group was held about 2100 hrs for our move to the forward area. We started moving about midnight and reached our destination at 0400 hrs. Our artillery can be heard giving the Hun no rest.
FRANKEVILLE, 11th. Fri
Weather - cold and raining. Everyone dug in this morning and enjoyed a sleep for part of the day. Nine enemy aircraft flew over our positions during the afternoon and four were shot down. 4th. Cdn. Inf. Bde. moved into the line during the night. There was some shelling in our area, but no one was hurt.
FRANKEVILLE, 12th. Sat.
Weather - Same routine - everyone improving upon their slit trenches after the few shells we had yesterday. At 1430 six enemy aircraft were seen diving on Bde. H.Q. Two were seen crashing towards the lines of the REG. DE MAISSONEUVE who incidentally wounded and captured a sniper.
FRANKEVILLE, 13th. Sun.
Weather - cloudy and showers. No news of any move. The ARDENNE ABBEY received a few hits during air raids around our area, but we suffered no casualties.
FRANKEVILLE, 14th. Mon.
Weather - clear and warm. Bastille Day was celebrated at ROTS today. The guard of honour was provided by the REGIMENT DE MAISSONEUVE, our Bn. sending over as representatives Sgt. Carton from B. Coy. and Cpl. Lessard from the I. Secn. They reported that it had been a most interesting and impressive ceremony and that it had been broadcast in French to MONTREAL. A straffing raid was made by 12 F.W. and M.E. 109s, and of the three shot down one fell in flames in the area of the Regt. de MAISSONEUVE. Shells fell in our D Coy area, wounding Sgt. Hulley and L/cpl Alexander.
FRANKEVILLE, 15th. Tues.
Weather - clear and very warm. Not much change. It is now known that we will take part in the crossing of the River ORNE at CAEN and push SOUTH. During the night an extremely heavy artillery barrage commenced and continued, practically non-stop, all night. A Coy searched VERSON for snipers and suspect civilians, finding none.
FRANKEVILLE, 16th. Wed.
Weather - clear and warm. Same routine. The C.O. attended an O Group at the Bde regarding our first major operation. Lt. DUFFIELD, the Scout Officer, returned from the front line, having been attached to the ROYAL REGIMENT OF CANADA, 4th Cdn. Inf. Bde., and held lectures on the precautions to be taken against enemy snipers and mortar fire, both of which had been giving the lads up front a lot of trouble. These lectures were found by all to be absorbingly interesting. The Bn O group was disturbed when a few shells landed near the HQ Coy office and Capt. STUART'S dug-out. The CO made the personnel of BHQ carry out some drill on the emplacement of slit trenches.
FRANKEVILLE, 17th. Thur.
Weather - clear and warm. In the afternoon the CO held an O Group in which he outlined the plan of the Higher Command for the break out from CAEN. The 5 Bde will lead the advance for the 2nd Inf. Div., the BLACK WATCH making the river crossing for the Bde, using 18 men Assault boats, and establish a bridgehead in FAUBERG de VAUCELLES. During the O Group the Bn was mortared, one bomb landing immediately behind B Coy 60cwt cooker, killing Pts. BLEAU, WATT, GARRET and WOOD, and wounding several others. At twilight, just after burying these men, the padre, Capt. BERLIS was wounded by another mortar bomb.
CAEN, Map refs Sheet 7F/1, 18th. Fri.
Weather - clear and warm. The terrific rumble of bombs falling on CAEN was heard at sunrise this morning as the RAF with more than 1000 bombers opened up the new offensive. After them appeared another 1000 bombers, dropping fragmentation bombs. The Bn moved by march route to CAEN at 0920 hrs and concentrated on the southern side of the town. By this time the 3rd Div, had crossed the River ORNE above VAUCELLES and were clearing towards it. Between noon and 2030 hrs there were four O Groups, the Bn being mortared during three of them. During the afternoon Lt. Jock NEILL was reported missing and Sgt. Nelson wounded by enemy s.a. fire from the east bank while making a recce of the area selected for the crossing. The final plan: B Coy with 36 men from Support Coy plus one sec. Carrier Pl would carry the boats across the Racetrack 0367 and cross in daylight, two pls plus the dismounted carrier sec at 032673 and one pl at 035676; D Coy taking up posn along the ditch and line of trees bordering the river would be Fire Coy. This was the only cover in the Race track area. C, A, and D Coys would cross on a Kapok bridge, erected and placed by A Coy. due to the possibility of 3rd Div troops being in the area, the artillery concentration which we asked for was rejected. D Coy would be in posn by H-15. H hour was 2215 hrs, when Bn broke from their cover at 031679, the platoons setting out their crossing points by the most direct routes. When the two pls making for the crossing point on the right flank had gone 300 of the 800 yds total distance it was seen that D Coy had been delayed and had just reached the Western end of the Race track. B Coy kept on, and when the lead boat was approx. 50 yds from the river the enemy opened fire with machine guns and mortars from the high ground along the east bank. The men kept on until casualties made it impossible for those not hit to support the boats. Those who were still able made for the ditch and were joined by D Coy and the enemy was engaged by fire.
The pl. making the crossing on the left flank met with no opposition. B Coy suffered 36 casualties including Lt. AUSTIN who died of wounds, and Maj. STEVENSON, wounded. The only boat not holed by enemy fire was the lead boat in Cpl. Watson and a few men gallantly managed to cross the river, though Cpl. WATSON and other were killed in doing so. During this action the Bn Medical Orderlies did magnificent work under fire, notable among whom was Cpl. STEELE of B Coy who tended the wounded under heavy fire with complete disregard of danger. At last light enemy planes bombed the racetrack, and upon darkness falling the Bn crossed on Kapok bridge and occupied the town without resistance. The night was spent in patrolling, neutralizing enemy snipers and digging in.
NOTE 1
`

 

Thanks for sharing your indagations, Michelle!




Jan.

 

Could you please share what you found?
I'm looking for the same thing as well.
Thanks

 

Here's a download of an Excel spreadsheet with a summary of weather and locations of the Black Watch Regiment in Europe from July 44 to wars end. We use it to apply weather situations to Axis and Allies Mini's games we play.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/28096553/Black Watch Weather Diary.xlsx


J_S

 

I don't know if 1940 is of interest to you - but Patrick Bishop's Battle Of Britain: A Day-by-Day Chronology details the weather for each day of flying operations that is described.

It's also worth noting that if you can find it, some considerable scientific research has been done in the last decade on weather in Scandanavia and Northern Europe in the years 1940, 1941, 1942, and 1943.....for these years saw a global La Nina event that resulted in particularly cold winters in higher latitudes because the Jetstream moved south in those years.

During WESERUBUNG in 1940, for instance, the Spring Thaw in Norway was 7-8 weeks late in arriving, leading to a whole range of issues for the Allied forces there; it's one of the reasons the airfield at Bardofuss was only available in the very last days of the campaign at Narvik, and why a second field at Bodo was so late being identified and marked out.

 

Given the info your provided I thought you might enjoy reading this explanation of winter weather in the Eastern Front.

Effects of Climate on Combat in European Russia

J_S

 

Hey Johnny,
I just remembered I asked you for this 4 years ago and didn't come back to check if you ever posted it

Thank you so much!
-jer

 

Some newspaper acrhives go back that far now and they often have local weather.