UK Summer Review
Overall, this summer was relatively wet – indeed it was the 9th wettest summer since 1910. However (and perhaps surprisingly) it was also warmer than average.
June began largely unsettled with significant rainfall across most parts of the UK. High pressure began to build after the 10th for England and Wales and exceptionally warm air was drawn up from the south with at least one area in the UK exceeding 30°C from 17th to 21st June – the first time this has happened in June since 1995. (34.5°C was recorded at Heathrow Airport on 21st which was the highest June temperature since 1976). The last few days of the month brought fresher conditions as low pressure systems brought rain to many areas, ending the month as it had begun. In fact, despite the hot, dry weather mid-month, June was among the wettest on record with 50% more rainfall on average for the whole of the UK, and Scotland experiencing its equal-wettest June with 156 cm of rainfall. Some areas of southern and eastern Scotland received twice the normal rainfall for June, whilst some areas - including Edinburgh Botanic Gardens and RAF Leuchars – had their wettest June on record.
July was generally an unsettled month with occasional periods of fine and dry weather. It began with cloud, rain and cool temperatures brought by westerlies, and weak high pressure at times for the south-east. It was particularly warm and sunny on the 17th and 18th with minimum temperatures above 15°C in many places. This ended with a thundery breakdown on the 18th and 19th as a trough moved north-eastwards from the south coast. Some of the storms were severe, with hail and torrential rain leading to flash flooding in Coverack, south-east Cornwall. Residents reported hailstones the size of 50 pence pieces smashing windows and flooding around 50 properties. Buildings, schools and hospitals were also flooded in north Wales, including Rhyl and Abergele. Some lightning damage was reported in parts of Essex, Sussex and Kent. From the 21st onwards it was wet and often cool with heavy and persistent rain at times, particularly in the south. Scotland and Northern Ireland had the best of the sunshine and experienced mostly showery rainfall at times. Rainfall across the UK was above average, with parts of central southern and south-east England receiving twice the amount of rainfall for July.
August began and ended much as July did, cool with cloud and rain, and only brief intervals of fine weather. There was a fleeting period of warmer weather from the 17th-23rd but overall it was a disappointing month, with temperatures 0.4°C below the long-term average and rainfall above normal for the UK overall.
August review and summary >>
