What is the history behind lettering Bracknell fronts/centres?
(with effect from 1st April, 2000, the scheme whereby letters were assigned to fronts & centres on Bracknell analysis and short-range prognosis charts ceased. The ‘tracking’ of low pressure centres was also stopped. This was a direct consequence of withdrawal of one of the support rosters within the NMC. “NMC Bracknell” itself ‘ceased to be’ in 2003, when the Met Office HQ relocated to Exeter. To avoid re-numbering the FAQ series though, I shall maintain this abbreviated entry for the time being, as there is some historical interest.) [ the text below, and that for 2B.17, was kindly supplied by Martin Stubbs. ] As far as is known the practice in the UK Met Office was always to allocate letters to the features on the charts (up to April, 2000) although it is thought that this may have been a numbering system which was started in about 1944 (Lettering of pressure centres, particularly areas of low pressure, may in fact date back to the latter part of the 19th century). In fact the WMO In
