The start of the month brought a distinct change from the weather experienced in August. There have been ten continuous days without rainfall and maxima some 3C above the 30-year average for September. The wind strength has been very light with a maximum on the first of just 15mph and several days the maximum registered in single figures. The amount of direct sunshine recently has been equal to that recorded in late July with seven or eight hours.
Author: Eric Gilbert
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Warm, little wind and spider’s web problems
With the pressure gradient very low due the anticyclone sitting over the UK there was little wind yesterday. A maximum of 9 mph just after 0900 was the strongest gust but the wind reduced as the day progressed and dropped out completely later in the afternoon.
Overnight of the 7th / 8th there was no wind. As happens in these autumnal days a spider or spiders wound a web around my lower anemometer, on a pole high above the roof line, such that with light winds it was put out of action yesterday until I spotted it and removed the web.
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Maximum temperatures now above average
After a miserable August the first four days of September produced maxima above the 30-year average. All days were above 20C with a peak of 22.2C on the 3rd. Light winds, with a maximum of only 15mph, combined with several hours of sunshine after mist and fog cleared, produced pleasant days.
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Marlborough College Chapel and buildings
Looking west from St Peter’s tower across Marlboro
ugh College buildings and the chapel. -
Summary for August and Summer 2014
August
As a summer month, August 2014 was a disappointment. There were only eight days when the maximum temperature exceeded the 30-year mean, all at the beginning of the month. Many days in the month were several degrees below the long-term average. The mean was 1.7C below the long-term average so it is not surprising that it was the coldest August since 1993. The maximum day temperature was 25.2C, which was the lowest maximum since 1986.
Rainfall was also noteworthy as there were only eleven dry days and the total rainfall of 101.4mm was 157% of the 30-year average, which is an additional 37mm. It was the eight wettest since 1984 with August 1992 holding the record when the total precipitation was 139.5mm. In contrast, August 1995 was exceedingly dry with just 5.3mm of precipitation.Summer
The months of June and July produced above average temperatures so although August was cool, the mean for the three summer months was 0.3C above the 30-year average.
The total rainfall for the summer was 186mm, just 4mm above the 30-year average.The consecutive eight months from January to August have produced a total rainfall of 787mm, which is the highest total since my records began in 1984. It is interesting to note that there are only three years that have totals in excess of 700mm, all recent years, 727mm and 707mm in 2009 and 2008 respectively.