Diary of Highlights

1st to 6th
The month started very unsettled with wet and often very windy weather affecting all areas. During the period 1800 on the 2nd to 1800 on the 4th, Capel Curig recorded 77.2mm of rain, with gusts of 58 knots on the 4th. Additionally on the 4th, Wittering recorded a gust of 56 knots in a heavy shower. Heavy showers with thunder occurred over North Wales, Merseyside and Norfolk late in the afternoon of the 5th.

7th to 11th
The weather settled down as high pressure built across the area, giving 10 hours of sunshine at Hunstanton on the 10th. Low pressure, however, over Biscay started to drift northwards on the 8th, bringing rain into the far southwest on the 9th, St Mary's (Isles of Scilly) recording 26.8mm.

20th to 26th
Low pressure remained in control with a number of frontal systems moving across the area. It was particularly wet over southern England on the 20th with thunderstorms in places, and over Wales on the 22nd and 23rd, with Capel Curig recording 65.2mm of rain on the 22nd and Sennybridge 40mm on the 23rd.

On the 25th, strong winds affected many areas with gusts of 60 knots at Mumbles and 40 to 50 knots across southern England. It was a little calmer on the 26th with a slight air frost at Redhill in Surrey.

27th to 29th
This period was dominated by a deep area of low pressure centred to the west and southwest of Cornwall. Its central pressure fell to 953hPa hPa on the 27th, bringing severe gales to Devon, Cornwall and South Wales.

Gusts of 59 knots were reported from Brixham on the 27th and a tornado occurred at Swanage on the 28th. Heavy rain, spring tides and gale force south to south-easterly winds brought flooding to many coastal areas of Cornwall, Devon and Dorset.

30th to 31st
High pressure built in across England and Wales to give a quieter end to the month, however with light winds and clear skies overnight, dense fog patches developed in places.