England and Wales
Scotland
Northern Ireland
Summary: Rather unsettled first half with some thundery rain at times. Changeable and cool at times but mainly dry second half.
Diary of Highlights:
1st - 4th
A dry sunny start to the month and hot in many places on the 2nd with Jersey climbing to 28°C. However thundery rain affected NW areas, while scattered showers broke out in the SE later. A cold front on the 3rd brought cooler conditions and thundery showers, some accompanied by hail. Although mainly dry on the 4th, occasional showers affected the NW.
5th - 11th
Mostly unsettled as low pressure hovered nearby. Overnight the 4th/5th thunderstorms and heavy rain affected SE England and East Anglia. Hook (Surrey) and Morden (Greater London) both received 42mm of rain. The next few days saw variable winds, patchy mist and fog and scattered outbreaks of rain sometimes thundery. From the 9th to the 11th a rather cool showery SWly airstream covered the region, some showers were heavy and thundery. Mumbles, near Swansea, reported a gust of 54 knots on the 10th.
12th - 17th
Generally changeable with the SE coming off best near to high pressure on the continent. The period started chilly and cloudy with some heavy thundery rain in the NW on the 13th . Thundery rain also affected northern England on the 14th, and later in the day in SE England. Conditions became brighter and very warm or hot later with 29°C being reached over the SE and East Anglia on the 17th. That same day a weak cold front edged eastwards clearing away hill and coastal fog which had been residing around W & SW parts.
18th - 21st
After some thunderstorms in the SE early on the 18th it became mainly sunny and dry but with some slight rain on the 21st. Most places had temperatures near or rather above normal especially in the SE.
22nd - 26th
Mostly settled and dry with plenty of sunshine under the influence of a ridge of high pressure stretching from the Azores. The SE and East Anglia came off best temperature wise where it was rather warm at times. A cold front brought some rain into northern districts on the 26th.
27th - 30th
Low pressure over Scandinavia fed cool NWly winds over the region, bringing good sunny periods and dry weather for the most part but with some showers in NE and central England on the 27th. The last day saw Atlantic fronts bringing patchy rain eastwards, and some heavier pulses around Snowdonia and Cumbria.
Statistical details
 |
| Central England Temperature (series begins in 1659). |
The mean value for the month was 14.3°C |
is 0.1°C above the 1961-90 normal of 14.2°C and is in the near normal category.
Others:-
2001/14.3
2000/15.1
1999/13.9
1998/14.2
1997/14.1°C |
| England and Wales Rainfall (series begins in 1766). |
The total for the month was 57mm |
88% of the 1961-90 average and is in the near normal category.
Others:-
2001/45
2000/43
1999/89
1998/120
1997/131
1996/30 mm |
| England and Wales Sunshine (series begins in 1909). |
The mean value for the month was 5.77 hours per day |
94% of the 1961-90 average and is in the near normal category.
Others:-
2001/6.93
2000/5.89
1999/7.00
1998/4.98
1996/8.10 hpd |
|
(please note, the average figures are taken from the period 1961-1990)
