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Summer cooling down

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sunset
Sunset, Norfolk

Phil

Alvechurch amateur weatherman Phil Thomas records the changes.

August continued the warm weather, much has it had been in July, with some very hot days. There was a maximum temperature of 28.2C on the 7th.

The weather from then onwards changed to a “more normal UK summer” with wind and rain and turning much cooler. However, because of the very hot first week, the mean temperature of 18.1C was still 1.6C above the local mean.

August 2018 (to the 21st)
Mean Max  23.1C  1.8 above average
Mean Min   13.1C   1.4 above average
Mean        18.1C    1.6 above average
Rainfall   27mm   52% of average
Sunshine  92.9 hrs  62% of average

June/July 2018 was one of the driest periods in my station’s history (since 1990). There were 33 days with no recorded rainfall, from June 16th (1.2mm) to July 20th (1.4mm). There were days in this spell where rain was felt in the air but there was no record seen in my 5” rain gauge.

There were many very hot days, but relatively cooler nights giving a mean of 19.7C, 2.8C above the local mean.

July 2018
Mean Max  26.0C  4.4 above average
Mean Min   13.3C  1.1 above average
Mean       19.7C    2.8 above average
Rainfall     24.7mm   40% of average
Sunshine  253.1 hrs  161% of average

Outlook
For the start of September it looks likely that the weather pattern will only change slowly. Areas of high pressure and associated settled weather will probably increasingly dominate, with some longer dry spells.

However, there is also likely to be some more changeable weather at times in some places, with outbreaks of rain and strong winds.

Temperatures by day are likely to be generally warmer than average. There will be an increasing chance of chillier nights, as would be expected going further into September.

More information at https://www.alvechurchweather.metsite.com  

You can see an improved HD weather-cam, updated at one-minute intervals, at: https://www.alvechurchweather.metsite.com/webcam_alvechurch.php