Windrush Weather

September 1, 2009November 28, 2011

Monthly summary August 2009

August was not the anticipated summer month. It started with a very wet and humid period until the 6^th, this day being the wettest with a total of 37.7mm; a record amount for an August day since my records began. There was a drier interlude from the 14^th to 20^th with temperatures near the average, the 19^th being the exception when the thermometer soared to 27.1°C, the warmest of the month. The remainder of August was very changeable. The mean temperature was 0.4°C above the long-term average, principally due to the cloudy nights retaining some of the daytime warmth (+1.1°C) whereas the lack of sunshine meant the average maxima was below the long-term average (-0.7°C.). The total rainfall was 79.1mm, which is 130% of the long-term average.

The total rainfall for the summer was 233mm, which is 132% of the long-term average. The mean temperature for the summer was 0.3°C above the long-term average. Analyzing the statistics I find that the mean maximum was -0.3°C due to the variable weather but the mean minimum was +0.8°C because of the increased cloud cover. The mean temperature for this season has seen a gradual increase since my records began in 1984, except for the cold summers of 1993 and 1996. The average in the 1980’s was around 9.4°C but has risen to almost 10.4°C this year.

With the installation of an advanced weather station I now have much more information and analysis of that data. Consequently the layout of the ‘Current Statistics’ and ‘Daily Statistics’ pages has been revised to include the additional information on UV values, Solar Radiation, Humidity and hours of Sunshine.

July 1, 2009November 28, 2011

Monthly summary June 2009

Although the month started with three warm, dry days the next ten days were decidedly cool and wet with the 6^th being the wettest day of the month with 9.7m. The coolest night was the 12^th when the thermometer dropped to 4.2°C. A warm spell from 13^th to 16^th was followed by dry, cool days produced by northerly winds. However, summer returned on the 22^nd with increasingly hot, although very humid days, and thankfully for gardeners, some useful rain on the 25^th. The hottest day was the 29^th at 29.5°. The total rainfall was 41.2mm being 73% of the long-term average and the mean temperature was 0.7C above the long-term average.

June 1, 2009November 28, 2011

Monthly summary May 2009

The month was noticeable for the relatively high average air pressure with the minimum not falling below 1000.0 Mb. This resulted in 17 totally dry days and when rain fell the daily totals were not large – 8.0mm on the 14^th being the wettest day. With the rainfall for the month totalling just 31.7mm, being 52% of the long-term average, it was the driest May since 1998. Most of the shower activity centered around the 14^th – 19^th due to low pressure to the west of the country. As pressure rose again from an Azores high, temperatures picked up and brought glorious hot, sunny weather to conclude the month although maxima were trimmed due to brisk easterly winds. There were two nights with minimal air frosts on the 4^th and 10^th. May 2009 produced the 14^th consecutive month with above average temperatures (+0.7°C) with the hottest day being the 29^th when the thermometer peaked at 24.6°C.

May 1, 2009November 28, 2011

Monthly summary April 2009

The start to April was dry and warm but by the 6^th pressure was dropping and there followed cloudy and wet days, particularly over the Easter weekend, excepting the Monday, which was glorious. The 15^th gave us the warmest day with a maximum of 19.2°C but the following day gave us the wettest with a total of 21.5mm – a third of the rainfall for the whole month. However, as an anticyclone settled over the country we then experienced a dry and very warm period from the 18^th to the 23^rd. The remainder of the month was cloudy and wet, daytime maxima were close to or above the average but followed by cool nights with air frost on the 28^th (-1.1°C) and 28^th(-0.9°C).

The rainfall of 68.5mm was 112% of the long-term average. This was the third warmest April I have recorded with a mean of 9.72°C, which is 1.4°C above the long-term average – 1987 was 9.73°C and 2007 was 11.41°C.

April 1, 2009November 28, 2011

Monthly summary March 2009

March provided us with a wide variety of weather. The first couple of weeks, with low pressure predominating, brought maxima near average but depressed night time temperatures with several frosts and the majority of rainfall for the month. The wettest day occurred on the 3^rd with 16.8mm of rainfall, which was 40 % of the total for March. A spring like week started on the 15^th with warm, dry days and much sunshine all due an anticyclone which also provided eight consecutive days without rainfall. The remainder of the month brought near average maxima but some sharp frosts, namely -3.8°C and the coldest of -4.6°C on the 30^th and 21^st respectively. There were eleven air frosts which is three above the long-term average. The mean temperature was just 0.2°C above the long-term average and the total rainfall of 41.6mm was only 69% of the long-term average. The aquifer rainfall, from 16^th October – 15^th March, which is generally recognized as the period when rainfall drains through to the aquifer rather than evaporating, was 45mm below the long-term average and the driest since 2005/06.