A look back at summer's weather
| 11:34 UK time, Friday, 4 September 2009
Well back in April the issued their long range forecast which was 'odds on for a BBQ summer'.
And the summer did get off to a good start. June was drier, warmer and sunnier than average. The hottest place was Hawarden in Flintshire with a top temperature of 27.7 Celsius (81 Fahrenheit) recorded on the 29th.
JUNE
Rainfall 77.4mm (average 86.2mm)
Mean temperature 14.0 Celsius (average 12.7 Celsius)
Sunshine 214.0 hours (average 169.8 hours)
Unfortunately, the BBQ summer fizzled out in the July. After a hot start with temperatures soaring to 28.7 Celsius (84 Fahrenheit) at Trawsgoed in Ceredigion, July went rapidly downhill with over 2 and half times the normal monthly rainfall. The Royal Welsh Show in Llanelwedd started off dry but the wellies soon came in handy!
JULY
Rainfall 215.9mm (average 78.4mm)
Mean temperature 14.8 Celsius (average 15.0 Celsius)
Sunshine 156.8 hours (average 183.3 hours)
August was a little better but very mixed. Fortunately, though, it was dry for most of the time at the National Eisteddfod in Bala. And we did have a handful of fine and warm days. The hottest place was Hawarden in Flintshire with a high of 24.5 Celsius (76 Fahrenheit) on the 19th.
AUGUST
Rainfall 95.1mm (average 106.0mm)
Mean temperature 15.0 Celsius (average 14.75 Celsius)
Sunshine 156.9 hours (average 172.0 hours)
Overall the summer was wetter than average (because of the high rainfall in July) but slightly warmer and, this may come as a surprise, but sunshine was bang on target thanks to June which was the best month.
It wasn't quite the BBQ summer we had hoped for but not a total washout either. In fact this summer was less wet than the summers of 2007 and 2008 and even a little warmer and sunnier as well!
Recently the weather has been very autumnal but there is a hint of high pressure by the middle of next week bringing a spell of more settled weather and sunshine.
Derek Brockway
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