Tuesday May 22 2012
Weather Archive
Weather Report with Phil Thomas
Very warm and very dry
Posted on October 23 2011 at 1:37:06 0 comments
Alvechurch amateur weatherman Phil Thomas records the changes.
Rainfall to October 23 was only 396.8mm compared the 20-year local average of 611.9mm up to this day of the year. This is only 65 per cent of what it should be, with October normally being one of the wetter months of the year.
Because of the very low rainfall and slightly above average temperatures the ground moisture levels are very much below average, hence the very dry soil conditions and low stream and river levels.
Locally there is quite a marked soil moisture deficit. Evaporation levels are presently at 637.5mm compared to actual rainfall of only 396.8mm. The local farm pond at my site is almost dry.
September 2011
September started warm with slightly above average temperatures, the middle of the month being changeable and cooler. It was very dry locally with only 35.9mm (59 per cent) of average rainfall.
The end of the month saw a very hot/warm spell, especially the last three days. A maximum temperature of 27.2C was reached on the 30th, the second highest temperature recorded for September since my records started 21 years ago. The previous highest was 27.4C in 2000.
Mean Max 19.8C 1.6C above average
Mean Min 10.4C 0.8C above average
Mean 15.1C 1.2C above average
Rainfall 35.9mm 59% of average
Sunshine 142.6 hrs 113% of average
High Max 27.2C on 30th
October 2011 (to 23rd)
The beginning of October started as September had finished with some very hot days. The highest was the 1st reaching a max of 27.5C, the previous high max for this month being 25.9C in 1995. The high temperatures lasted for the first three days of the month, before turning cooler and returning to near normal values. From the 16th onwards the temperature dropped with a couple of ground frosts bringing the month’s average slightly lower, but still a very high 2.9C above the local average.
Mean Max 17.0C 3.0C above average
Mean Min 9.1C 2.7C above average
Mean 13.0C 2.9C above average
Rainfall 17.5mm 19% of average
Sunshine 99.7hrs 108% of average
High Max 27.5C on 1st
The month ahead
The outlook for the month ahead is for more of the same. There could be a tendency for more Atlantic blocking leading to drier weather as some of the weather front don’t exert their full autumnal influence. So possibly chilly at times with a return to more changeable wet and windy weather a little later.
More information at http://www.alvechurchweather.metsite.com
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