Diary of Highlights

1st to 7th
Low pressure to the west slowly moved east and north, driving bands of rain and showers across the region. The 4th onwards saw showers often heavy and thundery, with hail in many places. Warm at first, colder later as winds veered from the south to the north west. The south east saw most sunshine.

8th to 14th
The Azores high extended a weak ridge across southern parts of the UK. It was chilly at first with some overnight frost, minus 4.0°C being registered at Sennybridge/Wales on the 9th.

After a few showers on the 8th, and a little light rain on the 9th and 10th, mainly dry warm weather with good sunny periods prevailed. Northern areas were cloudy at times, and some light rain spread in later on the 14th to the north west.

15th to 21st
Active depressions resided close to or over the UK bringing a second spell of unsettled weather, however it was dry and warm at first, particularly in the south east.

Fronts made erratic progress eastwards during the 17th and 18th bringing lower temps and copious amounts of rain to many places. Some local flooding was reported in the Midlands.

Further bands of rain and showers affected most areas from the 19th to the 21st, with hail and thunder mixed in, however the sun shone in between.

Reigate in Surrey experienced a violent thunderstorm later on the 19th, with heavy hail sleet and wet snow, children were seen making snowmen!

22nd to 25th
After scattered light showers on the 22nd, very warm sunny weather arrived with 23.4°C reached in central London on the 24th. There was patchy hill and coastal fog in places, and thunder later in north on the 25th.

26th to 30th
Low pressure developing off south England caused bands of thundery rain to affect many areas with numerous reports of local flooding and lightning strikes.

On the 26th one band stretched from north east England to the Seven estuary. There was 33mm in an hour during a storm at Sheffield which caused local flooding; also a shop was struck in Selby.

Overnight on 26/27th, Worcestershire was hit by storms with many homes or businesses struck by lightning and some local flooding. Near Worcester, 43mm fell in two hours. The south east and East Anglia were also affected later on the 27th with outbreaks in south east London causing much disruption to rail services during evening rush hour. Heavy hail and local flooding were reported from a number of localities.

The 28th saw more outbreaks over the south east and East Anglia, a particularly violent storm broke out around the South Downs / Sussex area during the late afternoon.

It was warm at first but became colder on the 28th as north north east winds picked up. The 29th saw more rain heavy at times and again early on the 30th in the south.