England and Wales
Scotland
Northern Ireland
Summary: A changeable month. Very warm with sunny spells, broken by thundery outbreaks.
Diary of Highlights:
1st to 9th
Mostly warm with sunny periods but rather unsettled with rain at times, as weak Atlantic fronts and shallow low pressure centres crossed the region.
The Midlands and the SE had thundery showers on the 1st, with Shepshed, Leicestershire catching 39mm in 1 hour. Widespread storms affected E and SE England early on the 2nd, 60mm being reported fromst Leonards, which caused flash flooding in places.
Generally showers and outbreaks of rain affected many parts from time to time, some turned thundery in association with a secondary low which tracked NE across the region on the 8th.
10th to 16th
Generally more settled as high pressure remained close by. After the clearance of thundery rain from some central and E areas on the 10th, and some scattered showers in the NW on the 11th and 12th, it became mostly sunny dry and very warm everywhere.
An area of thunder affected the Channel Islands and coastal areas of SW England on the 14th. It became hot in places during the 15th and 16th. Thundery showers broke out in SW districts later in the evening of the 16th.
17th to 20th
During the 17th heavy thunderstorms tracked from the Midlands to Lincolnshire and NE England, also from south of London to the Essex coast.
The rain was torrential in places, with flooding and lightning strikes disrupting railway networks in the NE, especially the Tyne and Wear Metro. 24mm of rain fell in an hour at Coningsby, Lincolnshire.
A breezy few days followed, with rain and drizzle in NW areas. Mist and coastal fog affected the SW and S Wales during the 19th, thereafter a ridge of high pressure gave a warm sunny day on the 20th.
21st to 23rd
A thundery spell especially overnight the 22nd /23rd as a low moved eastwards over Scotland. Some places reported pronounced lightning. The temperature rose to 30.5°C at Shepshed, Leicestershire on the 22nd, the highest recorded in the UK so far this year.
24th to 26th
A relatively quiet period as a weak ridge stretched itself across the region from a high over Scandinavia. Early patchy mist and fog soon gave way to sunshine and warm temperatures, counties bordering the English Channel had the odd thundery outbreak overnight 25th/26th.
27th to 30th
Changeable with thundery rain at times. Heavy thundery outbreaks affected much of the N and E of England later on the 27th, followed by two days of very warm sunny conditions.
Rain in the S later on the 29th spread N during the 30th delivering copious amounts with thunder, particularly to the Midlands northwards.
Statistical details
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| England and Wales Mean Temperature Series (series began in 1961). |
The mean value for the month was 15.5°C. |
1.9°C above the 1961-90 average, which is in the well above average category. Joint 2nd warmest in series ( also 15.5°C in 1970 ), warmest 16.2°C in 1976. |
| England and Wales Series (series began in 1961). |
The total for the month was 66.5mm. |
104% of the 1961-90 average, which is in the close to average category. |
| England and Wales Sunshine Series (series began in 1961). |
The total for the month was 214 hours. |
115% of the 1961-90 average, which is in the above average category. |
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The period 1961 to 1990 is the current World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) period for taking climate statistics.
