Spring 2021: Moans, Groans, Ramps and Banter.

[Summer Sun]

When was the last time the warmest day of spring occurred in March?

[hillbilly]

2 minutes ago, B87 said:

If this summer was a record-breakingly awful June, a near average July and a decent but not unusual August, failing to reach 30c and having the warmest day of the year in September, then I wouldn't take that offer.

The summers of 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1998 were poor in London. 

We must have faired better than you then.I would call both 1991 and 1992 quite decent with 1992 slightly better,1993 was average if cooler but 1998 was the worst summer i can remember until the horrors of 2008 and 2012.

You call 219 hours of sun near normal for July,we have only had 3 Julys give more than that in 30 years,even 1995 didnt reach that in these parts.

 

[B87]

5 minutes ago, hillbilly said:

We must have faired better than you then.I would call both 1991 and 1992 quite decent with 1992 slightly better,1993 was average if cooler but 1998 was the worst summer i can remember until the horrors of 2008 and 2012.

You call 219 hours of sun near normal for July,we have only had 3 Julys give more than that in 30 years,even 1995 didnt reach that in these parts.

 

Here are those years here. 1992 had a great May and a decent June, but July and August were poor. 1993 was a cooler version of 1992, 1998 had a terrible June/July but a sunny August. July here averages 218 hours of sun with the new normals.

1991

 

1992

 

1993

 

1998

Edited May 15, 2021 by B87

[Sunny76]

39 minutes ago, B87 said:

May 1991 had 9mm of rain in London, but that counts for little when the average high was 15.7c with only 139 hours of sun. Then followed up by the 2nd coldest and dullest June on record at the time (17.8c av max, 135 hours sun). July was 23.2c with 219 hours of sun, near normal. August was sunny and slightly warmer than average, with 24.1c and 242 hours. It was a poor summer - a decent but unremarkable August wasn't compensation for a June about as bad as it can possibly get in this part of the world.

It will hit harder this year with everyone wanting to get back to normal life, to then be cheated out of a summer.

I’m with you on this. Maybe we Londoners and southern folk require a warmer sunnier summer. I would hazard a guess, even in the best summers of 1983,84, 89, 90, 94, and 95, there were probably a fair share of cooler days and weather us down sarth! would consider poor. 
 

A warm sunny august is not enough in my book to salvage summer, if the weather has been cool, or mild and cloudy with rain and no sunny days. 
 

1991-93, 96-98 were all either poor or what I would class as disappointing summers. 91 took ages to get going, 92 had a decent warm and sunny May, and parts of June were hot and sunny, but July and august were mostly unsettled, but some decent thunderstorms across the south.

1993 had a decent mid May spell, and a 2 week hot spell in mid to late June, but July and august were very poor.

1996 had a dull wet July, mediocre august with lots of cloudy days, 97 had a cloudy June, unsettled July and humid august, with lots of cloudy days. Not great at all. 
 

98 had a cold July and the august wasn’t great either. 

Edited May 15, 2021 by Sunny76

[B87]

3 minutes ago, Sunny76 said:

I’m with you on this. Maybe we Londoners and southern folk require a warmer sunnier summer. I would hazard a guess, even in the best summers of 1983,84, 89, 90, 94, and 95, there were probably a fair share of cooler days and weather us down sarth! would consider poor. 
 

A warm sunny august is not enough in my book to salvage summer, if the weather has been cool, or mild and cloudy with rain and no sunny days. 
 

1991-93, 96-98 were all either poor or what I would class as disappointing summers. 91 took ages to get going, 92 had a decent warm and sunny May, and parts of June were hot and sunny, but July and august were mostly unsettled, but some decent thunderstorms across the south.

1993 had a decent mid May spell, and a 2 week hot spell in mid to late June, but July and august were very poor.

1996 had a dull wet July, mediocre august with lots of cloudy days, 97 had a cloudy June, unsettled July and humid august, with lots of cloudy days. Not great at all. 
 

98 had a cold July and the august wasn’t great either. 

Summer 1996 had average temperatures overall, but it was sunny and dry. 1997 had a poor June, average July and the warm, thundery August.

[Weather Enthusiast91]

Just thought I'd remind you all that the nights will start drawing in again in just 6 weeks time. 

Edited May 15, 2021 by Weather Enthusiast91

[Azazel]

3 hours ago, B87 said:

So that ECMWF 42 day forecast has pretty much zero sign of any above average temperatures all the way to 28 June. This is a catastrophe.

Wow well that’s it then. Guess I’ll be going on the antidepressants this year and trying to knuckle down until next March. Just 10 more months to go. 

[Sunny76]

2 minutes ago, Weather Enthusiast91 said:

Just thought I'd remind you all that the nights will start drawing in again in just 6 weeks time. 

Go away! Lol

[Sunny76]

2 minutes ago, Azazel said:

Wow well that’s it then. Guess I’ll be going on the antidepressants this year and trying to knuckle down until next March. Just 10 more months to go. 

It’s a euro tournament summer. They are mostly poor.

[reef]

Just saying... 

Back to spring discussion please.

[damianslaw]

There is a thread about summer 2021, many posts in here are about summers of yesteryear whilst interesting, they don't really belong in here, if want to discuss summers of the 1990s suggest use historic thread.

[hillbilly]

29 minutes ago, Weather Enthusiast91 said:

Just thought I'd remind you all that the nights will start drawing in again in just 6 weeks time. 

Maybe but even in 8 weeks you would have to be watching the clock very carefully to notice any difference in sunset at all!

[Britneyfan]

I have had a few bbqs this month so I can’t complain too much, the warmest bbq was on Sunday when it was 21° 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, B87 said:

Half way point of May and the average max so far is 15.5c, and already 9 rain days with plenty more forecast. Sunshine is about 75 hours once you correct it, which means there is still a chance of reaching the average (209 hours) if the final week is sunny.

Your doing well, only averaging 14.0c here

[al78]

1 hour ago, Azazel said:

Wow well that’s it then. Guess I’ll be going on the antidepressants this year and trying to knuckle down until next March. Just 10 more months to go. 

You could always cheer yourself up by finding out the uncertainty on a weather forecast at 42 days lead.

[Azazel]

Just now, al78 said:

You could always cheer yourself up by finding out the uncertainty on a weather forecast at 42 days lead.

True - but as I’ve said before, for me personally, my favourite time of the year is April, May and early June because in basically every year I can remember we’ve had some nice weather in that period and the shackles of winter feel released. Psychologically I feel optimistic because the daylight is still increasing and it’s wonderful to sit outside and smell/watch the sweet foliage come to life.

Not a single day this year (bar ONE in March) and doesn’t look like there will be another before the nights start drawing in.

I just ventured outside before bed and timed it perfectly with a torrential downpour which could’ve genuinely been 6pm on a November Tuesday evening. 

It’s bleak. 

[SummerShower]

29 minutes ago, Azazel said:

I just ventured outside before bed and timed it perfectly with a torrential downpour which could’ve genuinely been 6pm on a November Tuesday evening. 

It’s bleak. 

Just experiencing that downpour now here, 20 miles east of you.  Surprised ot hasn't died out yet

But yes, feels like 6.30pm on a Tuesday November evening

The tequila is making it ok though..

Edited May 15, 2021 by SummerShower

[al78]

1 hour ago, Azazel said:

True - but as I’ve said before, for me personally, my favourite time of the year is April, May and early June because in basically every year I can remember we’ve had some nice weather in that period and the shackles of winter feel released. Psychologically I feel optimistic because the daylight is still increasing and it’s wonderful to sit outside and smell/watch the sweet foliage come to life.

Not a single day this year (bar ONE in March) and doesn’t look like there will be another before the nights start drawing in.

I just ventured outside before bed and timed it perfectly with a torrential downpour which could’ve genuinely been 6pm on a November Tuesday evening. 

It’s bleak. 

Yes I know what you mean. I was planning to go for a training hike on the South Downs tomorrow but I am not putting myself on exposed treeless highest ground in the region with the thunderstorm risk that is forecast. I can't do training walks in the week because I have a day job, so it is frustrating when the opportunity on the weekend gets blown away. I'd have been more happy with hours of steady rain than thunderstorms tomorrow given my plan to test my waterproofs. Next weekend is my last chance before I head up to the Scottish highlands for a point-to-point trek.

[Guest]

My best friend was supposed to be coming down on Friday from the midlands to play golf and hopefully sit outside and enjoy Bournemouth a bit. Not seen him in eight months. If we don’t rearrange looks like we’ll hammered in the pub by about 5pm as golfs clearly not happening.....

Edited May 16, 2021 by Alderc

[Weather-history]

From a meteorological point of view, I'm enjoying this spring, it has been one of the most fascinating for years.

There was early season heat, an unusual April that was exceptonally frosty, sunny and dry and now May, there have some pretty active convective conditions. 

 

[Petorious]

35 minutes ago, Weather-history said:

From a meteorological point of view, I'm enjoying this spring, it has been one of the most fascinating for years.

There was early season heat, an unusual April that was exceptonally frosty, sunny and dry and now May, there have some pretty active convective conditions. 

And in every other single way it has been dreadful! For the gardens, for the farmers, for the mind etc just dreadful!

People say it has to change but it doesn't. And it does not look like it is going to any time soon, not in the reliable.

Sick to death of it.

Edited May 16, 2021 by Petorious

[78/79]

39 minutes ago, Petorious said:

And in every other single way it has been dreadful! For the gardens, for the farmers, for the mind etc just dreadful!

People say it has to change but it doesn't. And it does not look like it is going to any time soon, not in the reliable.

Sick to death of it.

I'll second that, after 14 months of pure misery, just when we could really use some decent weather, we get  subjected to this useless crock of  crap. You really couldn't make it up. 

[Guest]

Well it’s a dire morning, the showers are merging into spells of heavy rain. Absolute cats and dogs. 

[MP-R]

12 hours ago, B87 said:

Here are those years here. 1992 had a great May and a decent June, but July and August were poor. 1993 was a cooler version of 1992, 1998 had a terrible June/July but a sunny August. July here averages 218 hours of sun with the new normals.

1991

 

1992

 

1993

 

1998

Where does one find those tables? They’re set out really nicely!

[Nick L]

That's it for me based on model output, this is the worst spring I can remember. I can count on one hand how many days I've been able to sit outside without needing a jacket.