Category Archives: monthly summary

London weather, Monthly Review, monthly summary, Wanstead Park history, Weather

Spring in Wanstead Park

June 6, 2021 wansteadmeteo Leave a comment

Spring in this neck of the woods was really mixed.

A chilly start to March became fairly benign before ending with the warmest March day locally since at least 1959.

April then turned much colder and drier; just 2.4mm of rain fell during the month – the driest April since 2007 and fourth driest in a local rainfall series back to 1797! Sunshine was abundant with over 200 hours. But clear skies at that time of year, with a polar continental airmass, often means air frost. And the ten recorded overnight was far higher than normal.

May saw things warm up slightly but the month still finished a degree colder than average. Some 80mm of rain fell which is over one and a half times what we’d normally expect. The wettest May since 2007 – the month playing catch up on the total absence of April showers that bring the spring flowers! It was a dull month with only 126 hours of sunshine, 69 per cent of average – the dullest since 1990 was third dullest back to 1881.

In terms of flora and fauna the colder weather played havoc with the trees, bud burst coming much later than recent years. As I write this on June 6th some of the later budders like false acacia have only just come into full leaf. The birds, as they normally do, just seem to get on with it raising their young. I’m not sure what the food supply has been like but judging by the amount of healthy juvenile fledglings I’ve seen I would guess that it has been a good season so far?

Here’s the stats.
March 8C (+0.3) 30.9mm (76%) 90.9 hours (84%)24.1C on 30th (a record that had stood since 1965)
April 7.2C (-2.6) 2.4mm (5.5%) 202.6 hours (127%)
10 air frosts in April, much higher than normal
May 12.1 (-1) 80mm (156%) 125.6hours (69%)
Spring 2021: Mean : 9.1C (1.1C below average, coldest since 2013, 111th coldest) Rain : 113mm (84% of average, wettest since 2018, 150th wettest ) Sun : 425.4 hrs (94% of average, dullest for three years. 51st dullest) The average masked extremes.

London weather, Monthly Review, monthly summary, UK climatology, Weather

November 2019: coldest for nine years

December 4, 2019 wansteadmeteo 3 Comments

The November monthly mean finished 6.4C, that’s 1.6C below average, the coldest November since 2010. It was the third month of 2019 where the monthly mean temperature finished below average.

The wet theme of October carried on into November; the 68.5mm collected was 116 per cent of the 1981-2010 average, slightly drier than last years.

Some 59.7hrs of sunshine were recorded, 102 per cent of average, the dullest for four years.

There were six air frosts.

You can find my thoughts on how winter is going to pan out here.

To view full stats follow this link:http://1drv.ms/1kiTuzv

Summary for November 2019 – to follow

Climate of London, London weather, Monthly Review, monthly summary, UK climatology, UK rainfall, Weather

October 2019: wettest since 2004

November 6, 2019 wansteadmeteo 3 Comments

The wet theme of the final week of September carried on into October; the 100.3mm collected was 150 per cent of the 1981-2010 average, the wettest 10th month for 15 years.

The monthly mean finished 11C, that’s 0.8C below average, the coldest October since 2012. It is only the second month of 2019 where the monthly mean temperature finishes below average.

Only 72hrs of sunshine were recorded, 68 per cent of average, the dullest October since 2002.

The area’s first frost arrived 10 days before the median date back to 1959. And 3 days earlier than last year. A shower with >5mm hail was observed on the 9th.

To view full stats follow this link:http://1drv.ms/1kiTuzv

Summary for October 2019

Temperature (°C):

Mean (1 minute) 11.5

Mean (min+max) 11.3

Mean Minimum 7.6

Mean Maximum 15.0

Minimum -0.8 day 27

Maximum 20.4 day 14

Highest Minimum 11.9 day 05

Lowest Maximum 10.3 day 28

Air frosts 1

Rainfall (mm):

Total for month 100.3

Wettest day 16.6 day 05

High rain rate 20.1 day 01

Rain days 20

Dry days 11

Wind (mph):

Highest Gust 21.3 day 25

Average Speed 2.0

Wind Run 1492.7 miles

Gale days 0

Pressure (mb):

Maximum 1026.6 day 29

Minimum 996.6 day 01

Days with snow falling 0

Days with snow lying at 0900 0

Total hours of sunshine 72

Monthly Review, monthly summary, UK climatology, UK rainfall, Weather

September 2019: wettest since 2006

October 1, 2019 wansteadmeteo 2 Comments

Most of the rain of September 2019 fell in the last week making what was a fairly unremarkable month weatherwise the wettest September for 13 years.

Some 63.9mm of rain fell which is 123 per cent of average.

The monthly mean finished 15.8C, that’s 0.4C above average, the warmest September for 3 years, 0.6C warmer than last year.

Sunshine, at 150.5hrs, 107 per cent of average but over 30 hours fewer than last year.

To view full stats follow this link:http://1drv.ms/1kiTuzv

Summary for September 2019

Temperature (°C):

Mean (1 minute) 15.5

Mean (min+max) 15.8

Mean Minimum 11.1

Mean Maximum 20.5

Minimum 5.2 day 17

Maximum 26.0 day 15

Highest Minimum 15.7 day 23

Lowest Maximum 16.1 day 09

Air frosts 0

Rainfall (mm):

Total for month 63.9

Wettest day 14.9 day 24

High rain rate 28.2 day 27

Rain days 14

Dry days 16

Wind (mph):

Highest Gust 23.5 day 27

Average Speed 2.5

Wind Run 1809.2 miles

Gale days 0

Pressure (mb):

Maximum 1036.8 day 13

Minimum 992.3 day 29

Days with snow falling 0

Days with snow lying at 0900 0

Total hours of sunshine 0.0

Climate Change, London weather, Monthly Review, monthly summary, UK climatology, UK rainfall, Weather

June 2019: record heat spike

July 2, 2019 wansteadmeteo 2 Comments

June 2019 saw no high temperature records broken but a jump in anomaly, produced on the 29th by the 3rd hottest June day back to 1959, is higher than any I can find back to that year..

The only phenomena similar that I can find, albeit in the other direction, is the Beast from the East in March 2018 that sent temperatures plummeting.

The month finished a little above average though the final figure, like May and April, masked cool warm spells.

The mean temperature finished 16.9C that’s 0.8C above average, the coolest for 3 years.

Rainfall was 63mm, 123% of average, the wettest for 2 years. Sunshine was 158 hours, 88.7% of average, and dullest for 3 years.

A timelapse of the longest day can be found here.

To view full stats follow this link:http://1drv.ms/1kiTuzv

‘Feels like’ maxima.

June 1981-2019 maximum anomalies

The 12 month rolling rainfall total, thanks to a wetter than average month, has moved above 500mm again.

Summary for June 2019

Temperature (°C):

Mean (1 minute) 16.8

Mean (min+max) 16.9

Mean Minimum 12.1

Mean Maximum 21.7

Minimum 7.1 day 08

Maximum 33.6 day 29

Highest Minimum 18.0 day 24

Lowest Maximum 14.4 day 10

Air frosts 0

Rainfall (mm):

Total for month 63.3

Wettest day 18.7 day 10

High rain rate 20.1 day 09

Rain days 13

Dry days 17

Wind (mph):

Highest Gust 24.4 day 08

Average Speed 2.7

Wind Run 1932.6 miles

Gale days 0

Pressure (mb):

Maximum 1031.5 day 27

Minimum 998.4 day 07

Days with snow falling 0

Days with snow lying at 0900 0

Total hours of sunshine 0.0

London weather, Monthly Review, monthly summary, UK climatology, Weather

May 2019: average but dry

June 3, 2019 wansteadmeteo 2 Comments

May finished average though the final figure, like April, masked cool warm spells.

The mean temperature finished 13.2C that’s 0.1C above average and nearly 2C cooler than last May.

Only 28.3mm of precipitation were recorded, 55.3 per cent of the 1981-2010 average.

Some 175.8 hours of sunshine were recorded, that’s 96.8 per cent of average..

To view full stats follow this link:http://1drv.ms/1kiTuzv

‘Feels like’ maxima.

May 1981-2019 maximum anomalies

The 12 month rolling rainfall total has fallen below 470mm for the first time since July 2017.

Summary for May 2019

Temperature (°C):

Mean (1 minute) 13.3

Mean (min+max) 13.2

Mean Minimum 8.1

Mean Maximum 18.4

Minimum 2.5 day 11

Maximum 25.3 day 23

Highest Minimum 16.0 day 25

Lowest Maximum 10.9 day 04

Air frosts 0

Rainfall (mm):

Total for month 28.3

Wettest day 7.3 day 07

High rain rate 52.3 day 26

Rain days 11

Dry days 20

Wind (mph):

Highest Gust 20.6 day 04

Average Speed 1.9

Wind Run 1637 miles

Gale days 0

Pressure (mb):

Maximum 1041.8 day 13

Minimum 991.6 day 08

Days with snow falling 0

Days with snow lying at 0900 0

Total hours of sunshine 0.0

London weather, Monthly Review, monthly summary, UK rainfall, Weather

March 2019: mild and wet

April 14, 2019 wansteadmeteo 1 Comment

March was mild, particularly compared with last year. And wet though, like February, the rain fell at the start of the month, leaving a dry end.

The mean temperature finished 9.4C that’s 1.7C above average and over 3C warmer than last March.

Some 54.5mm of precipitation was recorded, 134 per cent of the 1981-2010 average.

Some 109 hours of sunshine were recorded, that’s precisely average.

Just one air frost was recorded.

To view full stats follow this link:http://1drv.ms/1kiTuzv

‘Feels like’ maxima.

cold spell, London snowfall, London weather, Monthly Review, monthly summary, UK rainfall, UK snowfall, Weather

January 2019: rather cold, dry

February 1, 2019 wansteadmeteo 1 Comment

January was most notable for being on the cold side, in contrast to December.

The mean temperature finished 4.1C, 1.1C below average, over 2C colder than last January.

Some 32.9mm of precipitation was recorded, 62 per cent of the 1981-2010 average, about half what fell last year, the driest January since 2006

Some 55 hours of sunshine were recorded, that’s 109 per cent of average, sunnier than last year.

Fourteen air frosts were recorded.

There were four days where snow fell but only one day of snow lying, 1cm on 23rd.

To view full stats follow this link:http://1drv.ms/1kiTuzv

My winter forecast went a bit awry in December – I predicted a mean of +0.8C, the outcome was +1.7C. January has been much better, I predicted -1.2C, the outcome is -1.1C! Also… “And another cold spell end of January into the first week of February?”

For February I predicted a mean of -1.7C. The current pattern to continue and signs on the EC of a more robust cold spell with air supplied by a Scandinavian high?

London weather, Monthly Review, monthly summary, Weather

December 2018: average and benign

January 1, 2019 wansteadmeteo 3 Comments

December was most notable for benign weather, totally in contrast to last December which saw snowfall.

The mean temperature finished 7.3C, 1.7C above average, the mildest December for three years though still over 3C cooler than that record breaking December

Some 60.4mm of rainfall was recorded, 114 per cent of the 1981-2010 average, over 20mm less than last year.

Some 39 hours of sunshine were recorded, that’s 97 per cent of average, duller than last year.

Five air frosts were recorded though only one was colder than -1C.

To view full stats follow this link:http://1drv.ms/1kiTuzv

Summary for December 2018

Temperature (°C):

Mean (min+max) 7.3

Mean Minimum 4.4

Mean Maximum 10.1

Minimum -2.5 day 24

Maximum 15.5 day 2

Highest Minimum 11.5 day 06

Lowest Maximum 4.1 day 14

Air frosts 5

Rainfall (mm):

Total for month 60.4

Wettest day 11.4 day 20

High rain rate 20.1 day 20

Rain days 14

Dry days 17

Wind (mph):

Highest Gust 26.6 day 21

Average Speed 3.0

Wind Run 2223.4 miles

Gale days 0

Pressure (mb):

Maximum 1036.8 day 31

Minimum 980.4 day 01

Days with snow falling 0

Days with snow lying at 0900 0

Total hours of sunshine 39.0

London weather, Monthly Review, monthly summary, UK climatology, Weather

November 2018: average and rather sunny

December 4, 2018 wansteadmeteo 1 Comment

November was most notable for the amount of sunshine. Some 79 hours were recorded, that’s 135 per cent of average, the sunniest November for two years.

The mean temperature finished 8.4C, 0.4C above average, the mildest November for three years.

Some 72.5mm of rainfall was recorded, 122 per cent of the 1981-2010 average, the wettest November for two years.

To view full stats follow this link:http://1drv.ms/1kiTuzv