One of the most widely used daily synoptic classifications for the British Isles
is that developed by the late Professor H.H. Lamb. The full original Lamb Catalogue runs from 1 January
1861 to 3 February 1997, the last day classified by Professor Lamb before his
terminal illness brought the catalogue to a close (Professor Lamb died on Friday
27 June 1997). The original Lamb Catalogue was published in full in 1972 in
Geophysical Memoirs
(London), vol. 16 (116), 85pp. Values for 1972 to 1995 inclusive appear in the book
Climates of the British Isles,
edited by Mike Hulme and Elaine Barrow and published by
Routledge in April 1997. The original Lamb Catalogue for the years 1996 and 1997 is reproduced below.
In addition to the eight directional components (NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW and N),
there are the two vorticity components (A, anticyclonicity, and C, cyclonicity)
and also an unclassifiable type (U). The full original Lamb Catalogue may be obtained by ftp from
the Climatic Research Unit (click on the icon below):
The Climatic Research Unit, in conjunction with the Hadley Centre, has established
a real-time objective 'Lamb-type' classification to continue the data series. This objective classification is
based on the original suggestion of Arthur Jenkinson and extends from 1st January 1880 onwards. The objective
Lamb Catalogue is updated monthly by the Hadley Centre. For a comparison
of Lamb circulation types with this objective classification scheme see the
paper by Jones et al. (Jones,P.D., Hulme,M. and Briffa,K.R. 1993: A comparison of
Lamb circulation types with an objective classification derived from grid-point
mean-sea-level pressure data Int. J. Climatol., 13, 655-664). The
objective Jenkinson 'Lamb' Catalogue for 1997 onwards can be viewed below and the full
Catalogue (from 1880 through February 2000) may be obtained by
ftp from the Climatic Research Unit (click on the icon below):
In these two data files, each day is allocated a code, corresponding to one of the 28 categories of the Lamb Catalogue. The data file is arranged one line per month (starting in January 1861, original Lamb, or January 1880, Jenkinson Lamb), thus containing between 28-31 valid codes per line. The coding system is as follows:
0 | anticyclonic | ............ | 20 | cyclonic | |
1 | ANE | 11 | NE | 21 | CNE |
2 | AE | 12 | E | 22 | CE |
3 | ASE | 13 | SE | 23 | CSE |
4 | AS | 14 | S | 24 | CS |
5 | ASW | 15 | SW | 25 | CSW |
6 | AW | 16 | W | 26 | CW |
7 | ANW | 17 | NW | 27 | CNW |
8 | AN | 18 | N | 28 | CN |
Original Lamb Catalogue for 1996
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | ||
1 | SE | AE | AN | A | NE | W | CNW | CW | A | W | W | ANW | 1 |
2 | A | ANE | N | A | NE | A | W | AW | A | NW | W | W | 2 |
3 | S | A | N | A | NE | SW | C | A | A | AW | CW | NW | 3 |
4 | S | A | AN | A | A | ASW | C | A | AE | W | C | C | 4 |
5 | S | SW | A | A | U | SW | NW | CS | AE | W | C | C | 5 |
6 | SE | C | A | A | NE | A | NW | C | AE | NW | CW | U | 6 |
7 | S | C | AE | A | A | A | N | C | AE | W | CNW | A | 7 |
8 | S | C | E | SW | ANE | AW | W | C | ANE | A | CW | A | 8 |
9 | S | S | SE | ASW | NE | ASW | W | CS | N | ANW | W | A | 9 |
10 | S | C | ASE | S | NE | SW | W | C | N | A | C | ASE | 10 |
11 | CSE | C | ASW | S | E | W | W | C | NW | SW | C | A | 11 |
12 | C | C | U | ASE | A | A | W | CN | N | U | NE | U | 12 |
13 | CS | ANE | SE | U | A | A | W | N | AN | S | N | A | 13 |
14 | S | A | SE | ASE | ANE | A | A | A | A | U | A | W | 14 |
15 | S | A | SE | ASW | NE | A | A | A | A | C | A | U | 15 |
16 | AS | NW | C | U | NE | A | A | A | ASE | C | U | S | 16 |
17 | S | W | SE | SW | NE | AN | A | ASW | SE | SW | N | S | 17 |
18 | S | C | E | CSW | CNE | A | A | S | E | SW | U | S | 18 |
19 | SE | NE | E | SW | C | A | A | C | E | SW | C | E | 19 |
20 | E | A | E | S | C | CNE | A | C | E | SW | CN | E | 20 |
21 | E | A | CE | C | C | N | ASW | C | AE | AW | CNW | E | 21 |
22 | E | NW | E | CS | CS | N | C | S | A | AS | CNW | E | 22 |
23 | E | W | A | C | C | AN | C | C | A | S | CN | E | 23 |
24 | E | CS | A | W | CW | A | N | C | SW | S | C | AE | 24 |
25 | E | C | AE | W | CW | AW | A | C | CSW | CS | C | A | 25 |
26 | E | CW | NE | AW | C | A | A | C | SW | C | ANE | A | 26 |
27 | E | U | A | W | U | AW | A | CN | W | C | U | A | 27 |
28 | E | A | ANW | N | AW | W | U | N | SW | C | A | AE | 28 |
29 | E | A | ANE | C | W | CW | C | AN | W | N | A | ANE | 29 |
30 | E | A | C | S | W | CW | NW | W | AW | CNW | E | 30 | |
31 | E | A | W | CW | A | CW | E | 31 |
Original Lamb Catalogue for 1997
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | ||
1 | ANE | S | 1 | ||||||||||
2 | NE | W | 2 | ||||||||||
3 | E | SW | 3 | ||||||||||
4 | AE | 4 | |||||||||||
5 | ANE | 5 | |||||||||||
6 | AE | 6 | |||||||||||
7 | A | 7 | |||||||||||
8 | A | 8 | |||||||||||
9 | AE | 9 | |||||||||||
10 | AS | 10 | |||||||||||
11 | S | 11 | |||||||||||
12 | SW | 12 | |||||||||||
13 | SW | 13 | |||||||||||
14 | SW | 14 | |||||||||||
15 | SW | 15 | |||||||||||
16 | S | 16 | |||||||||||
17 | SW | 17 | |||||||||||
18 | SW | 18 | |||||||||||
19 | E | 19 | |||||||||||
20 | A | 20 | |||||||||||
21 | A | 21 | |||||||||||
22 | C | 22 | |||||||||||
23 | A | 23 | |||||||||||
24 | A | 24 | |||||||||||
25 | A | 25 | |||||||||||
26 | A | 26 | |||||||||||
27 | A | 27 | |||||||||||
28 | A | 28 | |||||||||||
29 | A | 29 | |||||||||||
30 | A | 30 | |||||||||||
31 | A | 31 |
Objective Jenkinson-Lamb Catalogue for 1997
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | ||
1 | AE | AS | ASW | AW | A | AE | CN | W | C | AW | A | U | 1 |
2 | N | SW | W | A | A | AE | C | AW | SW | ANW | A | N | 2 |
3 | E | A | AW | NW | ASE | E | C | A | S | A | ASE | NE | 3 |
4 | ANE | W | A | A | C | A | CNW | ASE | SW | AW | SE | A | 4 |
5 | ANE | AW | SW | W | C | AS | A | ASE | W | AW | C | AW | 5 |
6 | ANE | ASW | A | A | N | CSE | AW | AE | W | SW | C | W | 6 |
7 | A | W | SW | A | CNW | C | A | AE | NW | C | C | SW | 7 |
8 | A | AW | A | A | C | CS | A | ASW | AW | CSW | C | C | 8 |
9 | A | SW | A | A | C | SW | A | W | ANW | C | C | CW | 9 |
10 | A | SW | A | A | C | AS | A | A | A | C | C | CSW | 10 |
11 | S | W | A | AN | C | SE | S | SE | SW | NW | C | CSW | 11 |
12 | SW | CSW | SW | A | C | C | S | SE | C | N | C | ANW | 12 |
13 | SW | C | A | A | CSW | C | CS | A | NW | N | W | A | 13 |
14 | ASW | W | W | A | W | N | W | A | AW | A | SW | A | 14 |
15 | A | NW | W | A | A | A | SW | ASW | SW | C | SW | A | 15 |
16 | AS | S | ASW | A | SE | A | CW | A | AW | S | S | A | 16 |
17 | S | CSW | A | A | SE | A | NW | SW | NW | CSW | S | SE | 17 |
18 | SW | CSW | CSW | A | CE | SW | AN | A | A | SW | S | SE | 18 |
19 | CSE | ASW | CNW | A | C | C | A | ASE | AE | A | S | SE | 19 |
20 | A | W | NW | A | C | C | A | S | A | AE | CS | C | 20 |
21 | A | W | A | ANW | CNE | C | A | SW | A | ASE | C | ASW | 21 |
22 | AS | W | A | A | U | C | AS | W | A | A | CS | S | 22 |
23 | C | SW | C | ASW | AE | N | AS | ASW | A | A | S | S | 23 |
24 | SW | CSW | C | CW | A | A | C | A | A | A | S | CSW | 24 |
25 | A | C | W | ASE | A | C | C | AS | A | A | SE | CW | 25 |
26 | ASW | C | SW | S | A | CNE | W | SW | A | A | CSE | C | 26 |
27 | A | A | W | CSE | A | NE | NW | CS | A | ASE | SE | W | 27 |
28 | A | SW | NW | CSW | A | NE | AW | C | A | A | C | W | 28 |
29 | A | A | CNW | A | NE | A | C | SW | A | C | U | 29 | |
30 | A | A | A | A | N | SW | C | A | SW | CN | SW | 30 | |
31 | A | A | A | W | S | A | C | 31 |
Objective Jenkinson-Lamb Catalogue for 1998 (awaiting completion)
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | ||
1 | SW | W | SE | A | CSE | N | S | C | CN | A | 1 | ||
2 | C | CW | CSE | AN | CE | A | C | E | C | A | 2 | ||
3 | CSW | CSW | C | AN | C | SW | CNE | AS | C | A | 3 | ||
4 | W | C | C | A | A | W | SE | CSE | N | N | 4 | ||
5 | CW | CNW | C | W | S | ANW | C | NE | W | N | 5 | ||
6 | AW | SW | C | C | S | W | S | AE | NW | A | 6 | ||
7 | CSW | C | C | CSW | U | AW | CS | AE | ASW | A | 7 | ||
8 | SW | C | C | SW | NW | AW | C | A | SW | SW | 8 | ||
9 | SW | U | C | C | C | A | C | CS | SW | 9 | |||
10 | SW | SW | CNE | NW | C | AS | C | CNW | W | SW | 10 | ||
11 | S | CN | NE | A | CN | U | CNW | W | A | W | 11 | ||
12 | SW | ANW | N | SE | ANW | C | CW | NW | C | SW | 12 | ||
13 | SW | NW | N | SE | S | NW | CN | SW | C | W | 13 | ||
14 | C | A | CNW | AS | C | W | N | W | C | SW | 14 | ||
15 | CSW | A | CN | A | CNE | W | NW | W | N | AW | 15 | ||
16 | C | A | C | A | N | AW | NW | AS | A | A | 16 | ||
17 | AW | A | CN | A | A | W | A | C | S | SW | 17 | ||
18 | CS | ANW | AN | A | SW | A | SW | AW | AS | W | 18 | ||
19 | C | A | S | A | AS | AW | A | NW | S | CNW | 19 | ||
20 | A | A | C | A | S | W | A | A | AS | N | 20 | ||
21 | ASW | A | S | AN | C | CNW | A | CSW | SW | A | 21 | ||
22 | SW | A | S | A | W | NW | A | SW | SW | AW | 22 | ||
23 | SE | A | CS | ANW | SW | W | A | CW | A | SW | 23 | ||
24 | A | W | CSW | NW | SW | N | SE | ASW | SW | W | 24 | ||
25 | A | SW | CSW | NW | C | AW | SE | CNW | SW | W | 25 | ||
26 | A | SW | CSW | C | C | N | CE | W | W | W | 26 | ||
27 | A | W | C | CNE | C | A | C | SW | W | CW | 27 | ||
28 | A | SW | C | CNE | CW | A | C | CW | SW | CW | 28 | ||
29 | A | ASW | CSE | CE | CNW | A | C | NW | W | S | 29 | ||
30 | A | C | NE | E | C | A | C | A | CS | 30 | |||
31 | A | ANW | CE | AS | W | S | 31 |
Objective Jenkinson-Lamb Catalogue for 1999
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | ||
1 | CS | A | W | S | A | A | SW | ASE | A | W | SW | NW | 1 |
2 | CS | A | SW | SE | A | A | A | SE | ASW | C | W | NW | 2 |
3 | CSW | A | C | SE | A | C | SE | CSE | ASW | C | AW | SW | 3 |
4 | CSW | W | C | S | A | C | CS | SE | A | NW | SW | W | 4 |
5 | SW | NW | CN | SW | SE | C | C | CE | A | A | CSW | ANW | 5 |
6 | C | NW | CN | SW | SE | C | U | SE | U | A | CN | W | 6 |
7 | NW | N | CN | NW | SE | CN | A | CSE | W | W | AW | W | 7 |
8 | C | NW | C | A | CSE | CN | A | E | ASW | W | AW | W | 8 |
9 | N | N | CNE | AW | CS | NW | A | CE | SW | NW | A | C | 9 |
10 | A | N | A | SW | S | N | A | NE | A | W | A | CNW | 10 |
11 | A | A | SW | NW | C | AN | A | A | S | AW | A | C | 11 |
12 | SW | SW | SW | C | C | NE | A | A | C | A | A | C | 12 |
13 | NW | A | CSW | CN | C | ANW | A | SW | C | A | A | CNW | 13 |
14 | NW | SW | SW | C | CN | SW | W | C | AW | A | A | C | 14 |
15 | W | AW | SW | CN | AN | A | W | CNW | S | A | A | N | 15 |
16 | SW | NW | SW | C | A | ASW | W | CW | S | SE | NW | ANW | 16 |
17 | SW | NW | AW | ANE | A | W | SW | CSW | C | SE | N | CW | 17 |
18 | W | NW | W | U | A | A | W | C | S | SE | NW | NW | 18 |
19 | SW | W | ANW | A | E | AW | S | C | S | SE | N | N | 19 |
20 | SW | W | A | SE | U | CW | C | N | CE | E | A | A | 20 |
21 | W | W | CW | C | SW | NW | CW | A | C | SE | A | S | 21 |
22 | A | NW | N | C | W | A | NW | A | C | CSE | AW | SW | 22 |
23 | SW | N | NW | C | W | AS | A | ASE | C | CSE | W | W | 23 |
24 | W | C | SW | C | W | A | AW | SE | C | C | SW | CSW | 24 |
25 | C | AW | C | S | W | A | ANW | SE | C | C | W | C | 25 |
26 | W | W | C | SE | SW | S | A | C | U | CN | SW | CW | 26 |
27 | NW | SW | C | AE | ASW | C | A | W | C | ASW | W | W | 27 |
28 | CNW | W | A | A | C | C | A | A | C | W | CSW | NW | 28 |
29 | W | SW | A | CN | C | A | ASW | C | A | CNW | NW | 29 | |
30 | A | SW | A | ANE | W | ASE | W | C | S | SW | W | 30 | |
31 | A | SW | A | AS | A | SW | AW | 31 |
Objective Jenkinson-Lamb Catalogue for 2000
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | ||
1 | NW | NW | 1 | ||||||||||
2 | W | W | 2 | ||||||||||
3 | CW | ANW | 3 | ||||||||||
4 | CNW | NW | 4 | ||||||||||
5 | CNW | NW | 5 | ||||||||||
6 | CSW | NW | 6 | ||||||||||
7 | NW | NW | 7 | ||||||||||
8 | W | NW | 8 | ||||||||||
9 | W | W | 9 | ||||||||||
10 | NW | CW | 10 | ||||||||||
11 | NW | W | 11 | ||||||||||
12 | W | W | 12 | ||||||||||
13 | S | SW | 13 | ||||||||||
14 | A | CNW | 14 | ||||||||||
15 | A | W | 15 | ||||||||||
16 | A | W | 16 | ||||||||||
17 | A | SW | 17 | ||||||||||
18 | A | CW | 18 | ||||||||||
19 | A | A | 19 | ||||||||||
20 | A | N | 20 | ||||||||||
21 | A | W | 21 | ||||||||||
22 | A | CN | 22 | ||||||||||
23 | A | NW | 23 | ||||||||||
24 | A | W | 24 | ||||||||||
25 | A | AW | 25 | ||||||||||
26 | A | NW | 26 | ||||||||||
27 | A | W | 27 | ||||||||||
28 | W | W | 28 | ||||||||||
29 | W | CW | 29 | ||||||||||
30 | W | 30 | |||||||||||
31 | W | 31 |
Objective Jenkinson-Lamb Catalogue for 2001
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | ||
1 | 1 | ||||||||||||
2 | 2 | ||||||||||||
3 | 3 | ||||||||||||
4 | 4 | ||||||||||||
5 | 5 | ||||||||||||
6 | 6 | ||||||||||||
7 | 7 | ||||||||||||
8 | 8 | ||||||||||||
9 | 9 | ||||||||||||
10 | 10 | ||||||||||||
11 | 11 | ||||||||||||
12 | 12 | ||||||||||||
13 | 13 | ||||||||||||
14 | 14 | ||||||||||||
15 | 15 | ||||||||||||
16 | 16 | ||||||||||||
17 | 17 | ||||||||||||
18 | 18 | ||||||||||||
19 | 19 | ||||||||||||
20 | 20 | ||||||||||||
21 | 21 | ||||||||||||
22 | 22 | ||||||||||||
23 | 23 | ||||||||||||
24 | 24 | ||||||||||||
25 | 25 | ||||||||||||
26 | 26 | ||||||||||||
27 | 27 | ||||||||||||
28 | 28 | ||||||||||||
29 | 29 | ||||||||||||
30 | 30 | ||||||||||||
31 | 31 |