*Archive:* Daily weather statistics and Daily BBC Reviews

[highcliffe2]

Nationwide extremes for 14-07-2004

WARMEST

Weather station Altitude Daytime Temperature

Ballykelly 2 metres °C

Benson 63 metres °C

Birmingham 99 metres °C

Blackpool 10 metres °C

Boscombe Down 124 metres °C

Brize Norton 88 metres °C

Coltishall 20 metres °C

Coningsby 7 metres °C

Cork 153 metres °C

Cranwell 67 metres °C

COLDEST

Weather station Altitude Overnight Temperature

Lerwick 82 metres 7.9°C

Baltasound 15 metres 8.4°C

Sella Ness 7 metres 9.4°C

Kirkwall 21 metres 9.7°C

Loch Glascarnoch 265 metres 9.8°C

Fair Isle 59 metres 10.0°C

Redhill 63 metres 10.0°C

Boscombe Down 124 metres 10.1°C

Dunkeswell 255 metres 10.1°C

Altnaharra 81 metres 10.3°C

WETTEST

Weather station Altitude Total Daily Rainfall

Llanbedr 0 metres 25.0mm

Capel Curig 216 metres 11.0mm

Walney Island 15 metres 9.0mm

Crosby 8 metres 8.0mm

Isle of Man/Ronaldsway 17 metres 8.0mm

Valley 11 metres 8.0mm

West Freugh 12 metres 8.0mm

St.Bees Head 124 metres 7.0mm

Aberdaron 95 metres 6.0mm

Dundrennan 114 metres 6.0mm

[highcliffe2]

By Kirsty McCabe

It was a cloudy, damp and foggy start to the day...

Cloudy, damp and foggy. Not the ideal adjectives for July weather but they were perfect for today.

A fairly active warm front swept across the UK last night and today, bringing in a lot of cloud and a fair amount of rain and drizzle.

The good thing about the cloud was that it kept the overnight temperatures up. The coldest place first thing this morning was Lerwick in Shetland with 8C (46F) - much warmer than the previous night. Unfortunately, it didn't get much warmer here with cloud throughout the day, accompanied by rain in the afternoon. No surprise then that Lerwick was the coldest place for the third day in a row, peaking at a paltry 11C (52F).

Compared to yesterday, sunshine was at a real premium today. Many places started off grey and drizzly, and in parts of Cornwall and Devon it was foggy all day. Overall, Scotland had the best of the driest and brightest weather, although many places throughout the UK did improve as the day went on and a few more holes were punched in the cloud. Aberdeen and the Isle of Wight saw the most sunshine today with 6.2 hours worth. Not a lot when you compare it to the 13.1 hours that Southport in Sefton got yesterday.

The heaviest rain associated with the warm front occurred this morning across Northern Ireland, southern Scotland and many parts of England and Wales. The heavier bursts mainly affected western hills of the UK, making Capel Curig in Gwynedd today's wettest place with 11.4mm (0.45 inches) of rain.

When we finally got some sunshine it was notably warmer today, especially in eastern and central parts of Scotland and England. The honour of warmest place today went to Church Lawford in Warwickshire, which escaped much of the cloud and drizzly rain and recorded a rather humid 24C (75F).

This warm and humid theme would continue into the night for England and Wales, but it would remain fresher further north. The outlook for tomorrow is rain for central parts, and sunshine and showers further north.

Information thanks to the BBC Weather Website

[highcliffe2]

Nationwide extremes for 15-07-2004

WARMEST

Weather station Altitude Daytime Temperature

Farnborough 65 metres 24.3°C

London MET 5 metres 24.1°C

London/Heathrow 24 metres 24.0°C

Northolt 40 metres 24.0°C

Shoeburyness 2 metres 24.0°C

Manston 55 metres 23.8°C

Yeovilton 23 metres 23.8°C

Odiham 123 metres 23.5°C

Charlwood 80 metres 23.4°C

Middle Wallop 91 metres 23.4°C

COLDEST

Weather station Altitude Overnight Temperature

Lough Fea 225 metres 7.0°C

Castlederg 51 metres 8.0°C

Charterhall 112 metres 8.3°C

Leuchars 12 metres 8.3°C

Aboyne 140 metres 8.6°C

Ballykelly 2 metres 8.6°C

Eskdalemuir 242 metres 8.7°C

Loch Glascarnoch 265 metres 8.9°C

Aviemore 220 metres 9.0°C

Machrihanish 13 metres 9.1°C

WETTEST

Weather station Altitude Total Daily Rainfall

Llanbedr 0 metres 20.0mm

Scampton 61 metres 14.6mm

Leek Thorncliffe 299 metres 13.0mm

Rhyl 77 metres 13.0mm

Liscombe 348 metres 12.0mm

Waddington 70 metres 11.6mm

Hawarden 10 metres 11.2mm

Capel Curig 216 metres 11.0mm

Crosby 8 metres 10.0mm

Holbeach 3 metres 9.8mm

[highcliffe2]

By Matt Taylor

Is Summer stuck in a bunker?

The 133rd Open Golf Championship began today in Troon, and for the most part it was a fine day with some sunshine - a far cry from the 82mm (3.3 inches) of rain that fell in Troon on this day in 1939. For much of Scotland it was also to be a decent day, but elsewhere it was 'par for the course' yet again with a good deal of cloud and some outbreaks of rain.

For much of the country, western Scotland included, it was a cloudy and rather murky overnight period. Near western coasts and hills the cloud lowered to give extensive mist and fog, as well as patchy rain and drizzle. Underneath all that cloud it was to be a rather humid night though. In Central London, for example, the temperature held at a sultry 17 Celsius (63F).

There were breaks in the cloud across northern and eastern Scotland, and temporarily in parts of Northern Ireland, due to their position north of a wriggling weather front. Here it was to be a much fresher and more comfortable night, with Lough Fea (County Tyrone) seeing the temperature drop to 7 Celsius (45F).

It may have been a chillier start, but for much of Scotland and for a few in Northern Ireland the day teed-off to a fairly bright, even sunny start in places. The sunny spells also continued in Scotland, despite the odd light shower. Lerwick (Shetland) had the best slice of sunshine with 10.3 hours in total. However, as Lerwick was situated in the fresher air, to the north of the weather front that divided the country, it was also the day's coolest spot. The temperature here stalled at 14 Celsius (57F).

Across England, Wales, and much of Northern Ireland the day began on a much grimmer note. It was grey and damp in many areas, and for some it was to stay that way - it hardly felt like Summer. Western coasts and hills, for instance, held on to a good deal of mist and fog. The cloud began to thicken further in the north as a ripple developed on the weather front. This piled persistent rain into Northern Ireland during the morning, and then northern Wales, northern England, and the Midlands in the afternoon. Llanbedr (Gwynedd) was the day's water trap with 20.4mm (0.8 inches) of rain in total.

As the rain moved into East Anglia during the evening, the cloud to south did break a little to allow some sunshine through. It didn't take much sunshine to lift the temperatures either. Many places saw the temperature edge into the low twenties, but it was South Farnborough (Hampshire) that was first to the 19th hole with a maximum of 24 Celsius (75F).

Related Links: BBC Weather feature - St.Swithins Day

Information thanks to the BBC Weather Website

[highcliffe2]

Nationwide extremes for 16-07-2004

WARMEST

Weather station Altitude Daytime Temperature

Gravesend 3 metres 24.8°C

London MET 5 metres 24.0°C

London/Heathrow 24 metres 24.0°C

Northolt 40 metres 23.9°C

Shoeburyness 2 metres 23.3°C

Pershore 32 metres 23.1°C

Holbeach 3 metres 22.9°C

Andrewsfield 87 metres 22.5°C

Farnborough 65 metres 22.3°C

Manston 55 metres 22.3°C

COLDEST

Weather station Altitude Overnight Temperature

Aboyne 140 metres 5.3°C

Aviemore 220 metres 6.7°C

Loch Glascarnoch 265 metres 7.1°C

Sella Ness 7 metres 7.2°C

Castlederg 51 metres 7.5°C

Tain Range 4 metres 7.7°C

Baltasound 15 metres 7.9°C

Lough Fea 225 metres 7.9°C

Lossiemouth 13 metres 8.1°C

Aberdeen/Dyce 65 metres 8.2°C

WETTEST

Weather station Altitude Total Daily Rainfall

Skye/Lusa 18 metres 15.0mm

Liscombe 348 metres 9.0mm

Marham 23 metres 8.2mm

Coltishall 20 metres 8.0mm

Chivenor 8 metres 7.0mm

Cottesmore 138 metres 7.0mm

St, Athan 49 metres 7.0mm

Wittering 84 metres 7.0mm

Cardiff Weather Centre 9 metres 6.2mm

Aultbea 11 metres 6.0mm

[highcliffe2]

Nationwide extremes for 17-07-2004

WARMEST

Weather station Altitude Daytime Temperature

Northolt 40 metres 24.9°C

London/Heathrow 24 metres 24.6°C

London MET 5 metres 24.5°C

Bedford 85 metres 24.1°C

Coningsby 7 metres 24.0°C

Farnborough 65 metres 23.9°C

Gravesend 3 metres 23.8°C

Weybourne 21 metres 23.8°C

Benson 63 metres 23.7°C

Holbeach 3 metres 23.7°C

COLDEST

Weather station Altitude Overnight Temperature

Sella Ness 7 metres 7.2°C

Aboyne 140 metres 7.6°C

Altnaharra 81 metres 7.8°C

Baltasound 15 metres 8.3°C

Eskdalemuir 242 metres 8.3°C

Loch Glascarnoch 265 metres 8.3°C

Shap 249 metres 8.6°C

Albemarle 141 metres 8.8°C

Lerwick 82 metres 8.8°C

Aberdeen/Dyce 65 metres 8.9°C

WETTEST

Weather station Altitude Total Daily Rainfall

Aberdaron 95 metres 15.0mm

Lake Vyrnwy 360 metres 15.0mm

Warcop 227 metres 15.0mm

Bingley 262 metres 14.0mm

Capel Curig 216 metres 14.0mm

Disforth 36 metres 13.0mm

Manchester 78 metres 13.0mm

Manston 55 metres 12.0mm

Hawarden 10 metres 11.0mm

Topcliffe 25 metres 11.0mm

[highcliffe2]

By Kirsty McCabe

A cracking summer day...

It was another disappointing day if you were after summer sunshine, but it was a cracker of a day for summer storms.

During the morning, a plume of warm, moist air made its way northwards from the continent triggering massive thunderstorms as it swept across the southeast of England up to East Anglia. Marble-sized chunks of hail were reported in Crystal Palace in London and the hail even cracked a windscreen in East Thurrock in Essex.

With all the heavy downbursts across Sussex, Kent, Greater London, Suffolk and Norfolk it seemed likely that today's highest rainfall would occur somewhere in these areas, but it seems the showers fell in between the rainfall recorders.

Officially, the wettest place today was Sloy in Argyll and Bute with 26.4 mm (1.04 inches) thanks to organised bands of showery rain that had been rattling across Scotland and Northern Ireland since the previous evening.

Scotland took 2 other titles today, with the lowest overnight temperature going to Sella Ness in Shetland with 7C (45F), and the lowest daytime maximum temperature going to a cloud-covered Fair Isle (between Orkney and Shetland) with 14C (57C). Not very warm at all, especially when you compare it to London's overnight temperature, a hot and sticky 16C (60F).

Thankfully, the hot and sticky nights that have plagued southern parts of the UK recently are coming to an end. A slow-moving cold front moved southeastwards across the UK today, bringing in cooler and fresher air. A welcome relief for Devon and Cornwall, which for the past three days has been swathed in mist and fog.

The difference in temperature along this front was quite dramatic. If you had driven from one end of the Vale of York to the other for example, you would have seen your car thermometer drop from 21C in Church Fenton to 11C in Leeming. Ahead of the front, it was another muggy and hot day. Today's highest temperature of 25C (77F) was recorded at Northolt in London.

At the start of the day, the front straddled much of the UK, from southwest England to southern Scotland. There was a fair amount of cloud and rain on the front, with some heavier bursts of rain across parts of Wales and the Pennines, but not heavy enough to beat Sloy.

Towards the evening the front had moved out over the North Sea with just its tail end draped across East Anglia and Kent. That brought some more heavy showers to these areas.

It was left to the Channel Islands to make an attempt at summer. Guernsey did us proud by recording the most sunshine today with 9 hours worth.

Information thanks to the BBC Weather Website

[highcliffe2]

Nationwide extremes for 18-07-2004

WARMEST

Weather station Altitude Daytime Temperature

London MET 5 metres 22.7°C

London/Heathrow 24 metres 22.6°C

Northolt 40 metres 22.4°C

Shoeburyness 2 metres 21.8°C

Charlwood 80 metres 21.3°C

Andrewsfield 87 metres 21.1°C

Manston 55 metres 20.9°C

Church Lawford 107 metres 20.8°C

Boulmer 23 metres 20.7°C

Gravesend 3 metres 20.7°C

COLDEST

Weather station Altitude Overnight Temperature

Aboyne 140 metres 4.2°C

Redesdale 207 metres 7.0°C

Charterhall 112 metres 7.2°C

Kirkwall 21 metres 7.3°C

Strathallan 35 metres 7.4°C

Lough Fea 225 metres 7.5°C

Capel Curig 216 metres 7.6°C

Leuchars 12 metres 7.8°C

Drumalbin 245 metres 7.9°C

Glenanne 161 metres 7.9°C

WETTEST

Weather station Altitude Total Daily Rainfall

Skye/Lusa 18 metres 15.0mm

Cork 153 metres 14.0mm

Loch Glascarnoch 265 metres 7.0mm

Pershore 32 metres 6.0mm

South Uist Range 10 metres 6.0mm

Aultbea 11 metres 5.2mm

Ballypatrick Forest 156 metres 5.0mm

Wattisham 87 metres 5.0mm

Rosehearty 4 metres 4.2mm

Andrewsfield 87 metres 4.0mm

[highcliffe2]

Nationwide extremes for 19-07-2004

WARMEST

Weather station Altitude Daytime Temperature

London MET 5 metres 24.2°C

Gravesend 3 metres 23.6°C

Northolt 40 metres 23.5°C

Charlwood 80 metres 22.8°C

London/Heathrow 24 metres 22.8°C

Holbeach 3 metres 21.9°C

Farnborough 65 metres 21.8°C

Great Malvern 46 metres 21.8°C

Pershore 32 metres 21.8°C

Bedford 85 metres 21.7°C

COLDEST

Weather station Altitude Overnight Temperature

Aboyne 140 metres 3.8°C

Topcliffe 25 metres 5.1°C

Trawscoed 63 metres 5.1°C

Shobdon 99 metres 5.3°C

Strathallan 35 metres 5.3°C

Shawbury 76 metres 5.5°C

Hereford/Credenhill 76 metres 5.6°C

Redhill 63 metres 5.8°C

Albemarle 141 metres 6.1°C

Hawarden 10 metres 6.2°C

WETTEST

Weather station Altitude Total Daily Rainfall

Holbeach 3 metres 26.0mm

Wainfleet 5 metres 15.0mm

Aberporth 133 metres 11.0mm

Milford-Haven 37 metres 10.0mm

Aberdeen/Dyce 65 metres 6.0mm

Capel Curig 216 metres 6.0mm

Cork 153 metres 6.0mm

Tiree 12 metres 6.0mm

Wattisham 87 metres 6.0mm

Llanbedr 0 metres 4.0mm

[highcliffe2]

By Kirsty McCabe

A pleasant day for many

It felt quite summery today across many parts of the UK, especially in southern and eastern parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland and much of England and Wales.

It was certainly a very different day for those living in eastern parts of England. Last night, heavy and thundery downpours raged across parts of Lincolnshire, the east Midlands and East Anglia, only gradually easing overnight.

This morning, residents awoke to clear skies and sunshine with just some higher level cirrus cloud easing in later in the day. Despite being shower-free today, the wettest place over the past 24 hours was Holbeach in Lincolnshire with 26.8 mm (1.06 inches).

There was some wet weather around today. Yet again showers battered western and northern Scotland throughout the day, and a few popped up in Northern Ireland later on. Western parts of Wales also got some wet weather as a band of cloud and rain edged northwards into northwest England during the day.

But where we did see plenty of sunshine, the temperatures soon rose. They had a long way to go in Bramham in North Yorkshire, which was the coldest place overnight with a chilly 3C (37F). But get warmer they did, peaking at 21C (70F).

The warmest place today was again Central London, something I can attest to when I went for a jog round my nearby common. The maximum temperature in London was 24C (75F), and Jersey and Herne Bay came pretty close with 23C (73F).

Lerwick in the Shetland Isles, on the other hand, was the coldest place today with 15C (59F). Its northerly location is probably more to blame for the low temperature than the weather, as it was quite bright here during the day with cloud at times. Tiree, on the other hand, can blame its 15C on cloud and rain and a paltry 2.3 hours of sunshine.

The sunniest place today was Hastings in East Sussex with 13.3 hours worth, 11 hours more than Tiree. Scarborough, Torquay and the Isle of Wight weren't far behind, all enjoying more than 12 hours of sunshine.

Information thanks to the BBC Weather Website

[highcliffe2]

Nationwide extremes for 20-07-2004

WARMEST

Weather station Altitude Daytime Temperature

Pershore 32 metres 25.5°C

Northolt 40 metres 25.4°C

Benson 63 metres 25.3°C

Great Malvern 46 metres 25.2°C

Brize Norton 88 metres 24.7°C

Church Fenton 9 metres 24.7°C

Little Rissington 215 metres 24.7°C

London/Heathrow 24 metres 24.7°C

Linton-On-Ouse 16 metres 24.5°C

London MET 5 metres 24.5°C

COLDEST

Weather station Altitude Overnight Temperature

Aboyne 140 metres 5.3°C

Tain Range 4 metres 6.0°C

Loch Glascarnoch 265 metres 6.1°C

Aviemore 220 metres 7.2°C

Redhill 63 metres 7.2°C

Benson 63 metres 7.3°C

Altnaharra 81 metres 7.5°C

Bournemouth 11 metres 7.7°C

Leuchars 12 metres 7.7°C

Middle Wallop 91 metres 7.8°C

WETTEST

Weather station Altitude Total Daily Rainfall

St.Angelo 47 metres 35.0mm

Castlederg 51 metres 15.6mm

Valentia 9 metres 14.0mm

Nottingham Weather Centre 117 metres 13.0mm

Keswick 81 metres 12.2mm

Tiree 12 metres 11.0mm

Spadeadam 285 metres 10.0mm

Ballykelly 2 metres 9.2mm

London/Heathrow 24 metres 9.0mm

Barra 3 metres 8.2mm

[highcliffe2]

By Helen Young

Summer warmth but tempered by rain from the west

Last night there were a few showery bursts of rain around especially in Southern Scotland and Northern England but for many it was a dry night albeit fairly cloudy. Aboyne in Aberdeenshire saw temperatures fall to 5 Celsius, 41 Fahrenheit and this was the cold spot but for many it was a mild, close night with temperatures not dropping below double figures.

Rain reached Northern Ireland during the night and this turned quite heavy. In fact this rain was so slow moving during the morning that County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland reported the most rainfall, just over 25mm or 1 inch in 24 hours up until 6pm today. The rain remained over Northern Ireland into the afternoon and there was the odd heavier burst. Enniskillen in Northen Ireland reported a huge 22mm in 2 hours during the early afternoon. This rain eventually continued eastwards during daylight hours, arriving in western parts of the mainland by early evening.

Ahead of this band of rain it was fairly sunny and warm. At last it felt more like summer and temperatures responded to the sun. Pershore in Worcestershire was officially the hot spot, recording 25.5 Celsius but Northolt, Benson and Great Malvern all reported just over 25 Celsius. The sunniest spot was Jersey in the Channel Islands with 13 hours worth.

In the warm sunshine a few heavy showers developed during the afternoon. Some turned thundery. Northolt, to the west of London recorded 6.8mm in 1 hour in a thunderstorm mid afternoon and more impressively Nottingham caught 11.6mm in 1 hour a few hours later, causing problems for drivers in the rush home.

Tiree (Inner Hebrides) and Fair Isle (between Orkney and Shetland) were joint cold spots today, 14 Celsius, 57 Fahrenheit.

During the evening the rain continued to move eastwards eventually arriving on the eastern side of the mainland. For Northern Ireland, Wales and Southwest England the rain cleared to showers during the second half of the night.

Information thanks to the BBC Weather Website

[highcliffe2]

Nationwide extremes for 21-07-2004

WARMEST

Weather station Altitude Daytime Temperature

Gravesend 3 metres 24.2°C

London MET 5 metres 24.2°C

Shoeburyness 2 metres 23.8°C

Church Fenton 9 metres 23.7°C

Linton-On-Ouse 16 metres 23.7°C

Topcliffe 25 metres 23.7°C

Coningsby 7 metres 23.6°C

Leconfield 0 metres 23.6°C

Donna Nook 8 metres 23.3°C

Kinloss 7 metres 23.3°C

COLDEST

Weather station Altitude Overnight Temperature

Cork 153 metres 10.2°C

Castlederg 51 metres 11.4°C

Lough Fea 225 metres 11.5°C

Glenanne 161 metres 11.7°C

Roches Point 40 metres 11.8°C

Fair Isle 59 metres 12.1°C

Lerwick 82 metres 12.3°C

St.Angelo 47 metres 12.5°C

Ballypatrick Forest 156 metres 12.6°C

Lake Vyrnwy 360 metres 12.6°C

WETTEST

Weather station Altitude Total Daily Rainfall

Topcliffe 25 metres 12.8mm

Disforth 36 metres 11.0mm

Skye/Lusa 18 metres 8.2mm

Albemarle 141 metres 8.0mm

Leeming 40 metres 7.0mm

Newcastle Weather Centre 30 metres 6.2mm

Omicron Persei 8 28 metres 6.0mm

Coningsby 7 metres 6.0mm

Dundrennan 114 metres 6.0mm

Eskdalemuir 242 metres 5.4mm

[highcliffe2]

By Isobel Lang

Some warm sunshine and only a few showers

Our weather has been dominated by areas of low pressure, and the past 24 hours have reflected that.

During the early hours of Wednesday morning a fairly active frontal system brought heavy showers to eastern areas of Scotland and England. 12mm of rain fell in Topcliffe (North Yorkshire) in just 2 hours.

With the extent of cloud across the UK, temperatures held up well with the lowest value a warm 11 Celsius, 52 Fahrenheit in Derrylin (County Down). London fell no lower than a sultry 17 Celsius, 63 Fahrenheit.

The morning dawned cloudy for many of us, even rather drizzly in places. But as the morning developed skies brightened slowly, and by the afternoon there were some stark contrasts. Parts of central and Northern Britain enjoyed a good deal of sunshine making the day feel positively summery - for example a balmy 23 Celsius, 73 Fahrenheit in Lossiemouth on the Moray Firth. Rotherham in Yorkshire was the warmest place peaking at 24 Celsius, 75 Fahrenheit.

It was a lovely day for Colwyn Bay in Conwy with just over 10 hours of summer sun.

More southern areas of England and Wales remained largely cloudy and there were a few light showers scattered around.

The Northern Isles remained under the influence of our front and stayed largely cloudy and damp with visibility decreasing to a poor 100 metres through the day.

During the late evening the next Atlantic front was spreading its cloud across Northern Ireland and Western Scotland threatening rain before midnight.

You may find it heartening to know that our weather is set to settle down somewhat during this weekend.

Information thanks to the BBC Weather Website

[J10]

Many thanks for doing this highcliffe, informative as always.

[highcliffe2]

Thanks Julian, I aim to please :shock:

Nationwide extremes for 22-07-2004

WARMEST

Weather station Altitude Daytime Temperature

Charlwood 80 metres 27.6°C

London MET 5 metres 27.6°C

Gravesend 3 metres 27.2°C

Northolt 40 metres 26.9°C

London/Heathrow 24 metres 26.7°C

Herstmonceux 17 metres 26.4°C

Benson 63 metres 25.9°C

Farnborough 65 metres 25.5°C

Kenley 170 metres 25.4°C

Redhill 63 metres 25.4°C

COLDEST

Weather station Altitude Overnight Temperature

Redesdale 207 metres 6.6°C

Aboyne 140 metres 6.7°C

Altnaharra 81 metres 7.9°C

Castlederg 51 metres 8.3°C

Leuchars 12 metres 8.5°C

Charterhall 112 metres 8.6°C

Sennybridge 309 metres 9.0°C

Edinburgh/Gogarbank 57 metres 9.2°C

Kinloss 7 metres 9.3°C

Redhill 63 metres 9.6°C

WETTEST

Weather station Altitude Total Daily Rainfall

Lyneham 145 metres 28.0mm

Cottesmore 138 metres 27.0mm

Church Lawford 107 metres 25.0mm

Coleshill 96 metres 25.0mm

Milford-Haven 37 metres 10.4mm

Pershore 32 metres 10.2mm

Cranwell 67 metres 9.0mm

Wittering 84 metres 8.0mm

Cardinham 200 metres 6.2mm

Liscombe 348 metres 6.0mm

[highcliffe2]

By Matt Taylor

In with a whimper. Out with a bang!

I enjoy my sleep! However, over recent nights it's become too warm and humid to get a decent night's sleep in. Therefore, the longer the humid weather lasts, the grumpier I become.

To a certain extent, the weather in the UK is itself no different. The longer the sultry conditions last, the greater the chance of the weather grumpily exploding to epic proportions. That very thing happened this afternoon.

The day actually began on a reasonably quiet note. During the night a lot of cloud fed in across the country as a weather front moved in from the west. It brought with it some patchy rain. Under the cloud it was another sticky night for most. London and Lincoln, for instance, hovered around 16 Celsius (61F), although the temperature at Redesdale (Northumberland) dipped to 7 Celsius (45F).

Further cloud and outbreaks of rain continued to filter haphazardly up the western side of Scotland, England, and Wales during the morning, as the weather front fragmented. To the west of this area, the skies brightened across Northern Ireland, and eventually western Scotland, with a scattering of showers. It was a little fresher here, and at Fair Isle (Northern Isles) the mercury never got above 13 Celsius (55F).

To the east of the front though, it remained very warm and humid despite the extensive cloud. The sun did shine for some, with Herne Bay (Kent) bucking the trend at 12.5 hours. However, you didn't need much sunshine for the temperature to soar. Central London and Charlwood (Surrey) sweltered at a sticky 28 Celsius (82F). And then it all went bang!

A number of thundery showers then started to develop across England during the afternoon. The worst of these started as a fairly localised shower in Somerset. As it edged north-eastwards through the West Country, the Midlands, Lincolnshire, and East Yorkshire, it grew into one almighty beast. The torrential downpours that followed resulted in atrocious conditions on the roads, and flash flooding in the likes of Swindon, Cirencester, and Grimsby.

Up until 1800 BST, the wettest place was Lyneham (Wiltshire) with 28.8 mm (1.1 inches) of rain falling. This was topped during the evening at Scampton (Lincolnshire). An astonishing 28.6 mm (1.1 inches) fell in just one hour, taking their afternoon's total to 32.4 mm (1.3 inches).

Towards the end of the day the thundery showers were starting to head towards the North Sea. At last the weather is set to calm down for most over the coming days. Time, maybe, for me to get some sleep, and for the cheerier Matt to return!

Information thanks to the BBC Weather Website

[highcliffe2]

Nationwide extremes for 23-07-2004

WARMEST

Weather station Altitude Daytime Temperature

Solent M.R.S.C. 9 metres 26.0°C

Gravesend 3 metres 25.6°C

Shoeburyness 2 metres 25.6°C

London/Heathrow 24 metres 25.5°C

Thorney Island 4 metres 25.5°C

Herstmonceux 17 metres 25.3°C

London MET 5 metres 25.2°C

Charlwood 80 metres 25.1°C

Redhill 63 metres 25.1°C

Northolt 40 metres 24.9°C

COLDEST

Weather station Altitude Overnight Temperature

Aboyne 140 metres 5.2°C

Shawbury 76 metres 6.7°C

Sennybridge 309 metres 6.8°C

Strathallan 35 metres 7.3°C

Altnaharra 81 metres 7.4°C

Pembrey Sands 3 metres 7.6°C

Trawscoed 63 metres 7.9°C

Shobdon 99 metres 8.1°C

Topcliffe 25 metres 8.2°C

Albemarle 141 metres 8.4°C

WETTEST

Weather station Altitude Total Daily Rainfall

Scampton 61 metres 30.0mm

Waddington 70 metres 20.0mm

Skye/Lusa 18 metres 15.0mm

Bridlington Mrsc 15 metres 13.0mm

Weybourne 21 metres 13.0mm

Coningsby 7 metres 12.0mm

Leconfield 0 metres 11.2mm

Brize Norton 88 metres 10.0mm

Tiree 12 metres 9.0mm

Cranwell 67 metres 8.0mm

[highcliffe2]

By Michael Fish

Weather Review for Friday July 23rd 2004

What a difference a day makes. An old cliché, but in this case a very apt one. Unfortunately the reappearance of blue skies did not herald the start of summer, just something a little better than of late and then only in the south.

In the early hours thundery showers were still rumbling around across East Anglia and 'ordinary' showers were affecting western Scotland. The showers continued across western Scotland and eventually organised themselves into a band of more general rain but the rest of the country became dry with well broken cloud. Under the clearing skies a few mist and fog patches formed and with the disappearance of the muggy air, temperatures fell lower than they had for a while, bottoming out at 5C (41F) at Aboyne in Aberdeenshire.

Much of England and Wales had a glorious day of virtually unbroken sunshine, followed by a dry and clear evening. Most places in the south of the country had at least 11 hours of sunshine and Newquay (Cornwall) just pipped the others to the prize of sunniest place with 13.0 hours. The sunshine also helped to make it a warm day with many places reaching 23C (73F). Hot spot was Lee-on-Solent with 26C (79F). It was a different story for Scotland and Northern Ireland where cloudier skies and a stiff westerly breeze brought showers and kept it cooler such that the temperature only struggled to 15C (59F) at Fair Isle (Northern Isles).

The showers tended to become lighter and more scattered in the evening but only to give way to more general rain, which is set to arrive by the early hours. As our records are measured from early evening to early evening then occasionally anomalies will arise as on this occasion when the wettest place was Scampton (Lincolnshire) with 30.4mm (1.20 inches) all of which fell from a thunderstorm yesterday evening.

Information thanks to the BBC Weather Website

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Nationwide extremes for 24-07-2004

WARMEST

Weather station Altitude Daytime Temperature

Shoeburyness 2 metres 24.8°C

London/Heathrow 24 metres 24.5°C

London MET 5 metres 24.4°C

Gravesend 3 metres 24.3°C

Redhill 63 metres 24.3°C

Northolt 40 metres 24.2°C

Bournemouth 11 metres 24.1°C

Farnborough 65 metres 23.9°C

Charlwood 80 metres 23.8°C

Thorney Island 4 metres 23.7°C

COLDEST

Weather station Altitude Overnight Temperature

Shobdon 99 metres 6.8°C

Yeovilton 23 metres 7.9°C

Benson 63 metres 8.2°C

Pershore 32 metres 8.2°C

Hereford/Credenhill 76 metres 8.4°C

Sennybridge 309 metres 8.4°C

Church Lawford 107 metres 8.5°C

Eskdalemuir 242 metres 8.5°C

Trawscoed 63 metres 8.5°C

Bournemouth 11 metres 8.6°C

WETTEST

Weather station Altitude Total Daily Rainfall

Aultbea 11 metres 16.0mm

Skye/Lusa 18 metres 11.0mm

Kirkwall 21 metres 9.0mm

Altnaharra 81 metres 8.0mm

Loch Glascarnoch 265 metres 8.0mm

Tulloch Bridge 237 metres 8.0mm

Tiree 12 metres 7.8mm

Lerwick 82 metres 6.8mm

Fair Isle 59 metres 6.0mm

Lossiemouth 13 metres 6.0mm

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By Kirsty McCabe

It was not a bad start to the weekend...

It was a promising start to the weekend, with plenty of sunshine around. However, the cloud soon spilled in from the northwest, bringing some heavy downpours to Scotland and Northern Ireland.

That rain got pretty heavy across parts of Scotland during the day, making driving conditions difficult at times in Aberdeenshire and South Lanarkshire. The wettest place over the past 24 hours was Aultbea in Highland, with 16.8 mm (0.66 inches) of rain.

During the afternoon things did improve across northern Scotland, as the band of cloud and rain slipped further south allowing some sunshine to peek through. But it wasn't a very warm day here, underneath all the cloud, with Tulloch Bridge in Highland only reaching 13C (55F). That wasn't much warmer than the temperature here first thing in the morning, 10.5C (51F).

Cloud may have suppressed temperatures in Scotland throughout the day, but a lack of it allowed temperatures in England to fall during the previous night. It wasn't a particularly cold night, however, with most places remaining in double figures. The coldest place this morning was Shobdon in Herefordshire with 7C (45F). But it soon warmed up here during the day, with the mercury rushing up the thermometer to 20C (68F).

During the day, the band of cloud and rain moved fairly slowly, only reaching northern parts of England and Wales by the evening. For much of the day it was glorious here, especially in southern counties of England which saw the best of the sunshine.

Families on holiday in Southend in Essex enjoyed the best of the weather, with a whopping 14.4 hours of sunshine and top temperatures of 25C (77F). Other places on the south coast, such as Eastbourne, Bognor Regis and Teignmouth, along with the Isle of Wight and Jersey, weren't far behind with plenty of warm sunshine throughout the day.

Information thanks to the BBC Weather Website

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Nationwide extremes for 25-07-2004

WARMEST

Weather station Altitude Daytime Temperature

Bournemouth 11 metres 23.8°C

London/Heathrow 24 metres 23.7°C

Northolt 40 metres 23.4°C

Charlwood 80 metres 23.3°C

London MET 5 metres 23.2°C

Redhill 63 metres 23.1°C

Shoeburyness 2 metres 22.9°C

Gravesend 3 metres 22.8°C

Strathallan 35 metres 22.8°C

Manston 55 metres 22.7°C

COLDEST

Weather station Altitude Overnight Temperature

Stornoway 9 metres 7.4°C

Cork 153 metres 7.6°C

Wick 39 metres 7.9°C

Aboyne 140 metres 8.0°C

Spadeadam 285 metres 8.6°C

Aviemore 220 metres 8.8°C

Eskdalemuir 242 metres 8.9°C

Sennybridge 309 metres 8.9°C

Drumalbin 245 metres 9.1°C

Loch Glascarnoch 265 metres 9.2°C

WETTEST

Weather station Altitude Total Daily Rainfall

Islay/Port Ellen 17 metres 14.0mm

Spadeadam 285 metres 14.0mm

Isle of Man/Ronaldsway 17 metres 12.0mm

Keswick 81 metres 11.0mm

Crosby 8 metres 10.0mm

Loftus 58 metres 10.0mm

Tiree 12 metres 10.0mm

Omicron Persei 8 28 metres 9.0mm

Dundrennan 114 metres 9.0mm

Eskdalemuir 242 metres 9.0mm

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