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graphs      CLIMATE-UK.COM'S  REVIEW  OF  THE  BRITISH  METEOROLOGICAL  SCENE
     MONTHLY  SUMMARY
     No. 570       For     JUNE    2003
          WARMEST SINCE 1976.  MOST AREAS QUITE SUNNY, BUT WITH VARIABLE RAINFALL
Text Box: Mean sea-level pressure was 13 mbar below normal over the Atlantic at 53°N 35°W - an unprecedentedly large negative anomaly for June in this region. The anomalous flow over the British Isles was therefore markedly southerly with a cyclonic bias, resulting in a very warm but rather changeable month. A sluggish southerly flow during the opening days of June gave way to a more vigorous southwesterly type between the 4th and 11th. Fronts crossed the country at frequent intervals although they were sometimes weak in the east. The 1st was very warm in eastern Britain with 26.1°C recorded at Lossiemouth (Morayshire) but thunderstorms broke out in many places especially the following night, with 50-60mm in the Hastings area leading to short-lived flooding there. From the 2nd to the 10th rain fell almost daily and was heavy at times in western and northern regions, but amounts in the east were generally small. Sunshine was variable rather than plentiful although Leuchars (Fife) recorded 15.1hr on the 11th, and most days were rather warm, especially in eastern, central and southern districts. High pressure lay over the British Isles from the 12th to the 16th, bringing warm and sunny weather to much of the UK, and it became hot on the 15th and 16th with highs of 26-29°C in eastern England. Thunderstorms on the 17th were particularly severe in east and northeast England, and Coningsby (Lincs) collected 34mm of rain. After a short spell of cloudier westerlies, high pressure returned between the 20th Text Box: and 22nd, renewing the very warm weather with 30.5°C recorded on the latter date at Shepshed (Leics), but thundery rain spread eastwards during the day. After a brief interruption, fine and warm weather resumed between the 24th and 26th. In northern Scotland it stayed dry and very warm until the month's end with 25°C exceeded locally, but the rest of the UK became less settled although it remained quite warm - indeed on the 29th Jersey airport logged 28.1°C. On the 30th a vigorous depression tracked northeast across England bringing widespread heavy rain and some thunder; Penistone (S.Yorks) recorded 68mm in 24 hours. The provisional Central England Temperature ranked June 2003 as the fifth warmest of the last 100 years; after 1940, 1950, 1970 and 1976, but the mean maximum temperature was second only to that of 1976. The month was remarkable for consistent warmth rather than for any spell of exceptional heat: at Heathrow only one day failed to reach 21°C and none passed 28°C. Monthly rainfall, averaged nationally, was above the long-term mean, but in eastern, central and southern districts most of the rain fell in a few heavy downpours (notably on the 30th) and the perceived character of the month was dry. Aberdeen airport recorded just 17mm - only June 1982 was drier in a 60-year long record there - but Marham (Norfolk) collected 125mm, roughly three times the local average. Sunshine was up to 30 per cent below normal in some western and northern regions, but around 25 per cent above in parts of the Midlands and eastern England.
                                                                                                                                         
                       TEMPERATURE                                SUNSHINE                             RAINFALL        
                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                 
                                          Highest and lowest totals                     Highest and lowest totals        
                                              on record for month    
Maximum fall in 24 hrs (beginning 09 h)
                    on record for month    
Days with snow or sleet
 
Days with fog (Vis <220 yards at 09 h)
 
                                                                                         
     
Difference from average
   
Difference from average
 
Highest maximum
   
Lowest minimum
   
No. of days with grass minimum below 0ºC
   
Days of no sunshine
 
Maximum duration
       
First year of record
         
Days of no rainfall (0.1 mm or less)
         
First year of record
         
Days with thunder
     
       PLACE  
Mean Maximum
   
Mean minimum
             
No. of air frosts
       
Total for month
                   
Total for month
                   
                               
% of average
                   
% of average
                 
                                                                     
                                   
Highest
   
Lowest
 
Year
             
Highest
   
Lowest
 
Year
       
             
Date
   
Date
         
Date
         
Year
         
Date
         
Year
           
                                                                     
      ºC       ºC       ºC       ºC             Hrs       Hrs         Hrs       Hrs       mm       mm         mm     mm          
                                                                                                                                         
  *Hampstead   22.3   +3.4   12.5   +2.1   27.6   16   09.3   09   00   00   00   13.1   15   208   115   1910   284   1957   121   1923   17   19.9   22   050   085   1910   136   1971   03   1925   03   00   00  
  Thorney Island   20.5   +1.0   12.6   +2.1   25.0   29   07.7   09   00   00   00   14.8   09   244   104   1958   311   1975   138   1990   19   07.2   22   029   076   1941   111   1971   06   1976   05   00   00  
  *Coltishall   20.9   +3.1   11.7   +1.7   24.2   19   06.2   21   00   00   01   13.9   09   167   084   1979   283   1989   141   1987   16   18.6   30   074   185   1964   125   1980   07   1976   04   00   00  
  *Wittering   21.4   +3.3   11.4   +1.6   27.5   16   07.2   21   00   00   00   13.6   19   196   096   1955   284   1976   096   1987   16   13.6   22   058   117   1955   153   1982   03   1962   03   00   00  
                                                                     
  Lyneham   20.9   +2.4   11.3   +2.0   25.6   16   07.9   09   00   00   00   14.4   12   221   108   1952   306   1957   113   1997   19   17.4   22   044   075   1945   145   1971   03   1962   01   00   00  
  Ross-on-Wye   21.7   +2.9   11.3   +1.5   27.0   16   06.0   20   00   00   00   14.3   15   240   124   1915   318   1925   117   1990   17   21.6   22   042   084   1859   165   1982   00   1925   02   00   00  
  *St Athan   19.2   +1.5   12.0   +2.0   24.8   16   07.9   20   00   00   01   15.0   15   201   094   1954   323   1957   140   1972   12   15.0   07   065   106   1954   151   1954   05   1975   01   00   00  
  St Mawgan   18.0   +1.4   11.8   +1.3   22.2   16   08.8   13   00   00   01   15.0   20   240   111   1945   310   1975   133   1997   15   35.0   29   093   166   1944   130   1997   08   1962   01   00   00  
                                                                     
  *Edgbaston   20.9   +2.8   12.3   +2.5   28.1   22   08.0   20   00   00   01   12.8   15   192   102   1887   283   1957   095   1923   16   24.4   22   066   124   1887   144   1998   04   1942   03   00   00  
  Valley   17.6   +1.0   11.9   +1.8   23.3   25   09.1   05   00   00   00   13.9   14   215   099   1946   305   1975   134   1987   16   20.4   29   059   111   1941   112   1998   01   1942   01   00   00  
  Ringway   20.4   +2.2   11.5   +1.7   26.9   22   08.3   29   00   00   02   15.0   29   207   109   1945   285   1957   103   1987   13   12.6   30   064   101   1942   174   1987   12   1942   00   00   00  
  *Watnall   21.0   +2.9   11.5   +1.7   29.1   22   08.6   21   00   00   01   12.8   29   159   078   1948   261   1960   103   1987   14   27.6   30   098   195   1942   164   1982   08   1975   04   00   00  
                                                                     
  Leeming   21.0   +3.0   10.7   +1.7   26.5   22   06.5   03   00   00   00   13.8   25   224   127   1945   298   1957   092   1987   15   38.8   30   080   186   1947   148   1982   09   1976   03   00   00  
  *Boulmer   18.1   +2.3   10.4   +2.0   21.8   01   07.9   03   00   00   01   13.4   25   177   104   1945   261   1957   127   1982   14   21.0   27   070   140   1945   146   1997   09   1976   02   00   00  
  Eskdalemuir   17.6   +1.3   08.9   +2.1   22.0   25   03.2   09   00   00   01   15.3   26   181   110   1911   276   1957   082   1912   14   08.6   17   057   060   1911   260   1931   13   1992   00   00   00  
  *Bishopton   18.3   +0.7   10.1   +1.5   24.7   26   05.8   09   00   00   01   13.5   25   143   077   1921   279   1995   089   1966   11   25.6   27   082   141   1921   131   2002   10   1988   00   00   00  
                                                                     
  Leuchars   18.5   +1.9   10.0   +1.7   22.5   17   06.7   03   00   00   02   15.2   25   227   118   1922   264   1949   104   1982   16   17.4   27   047   104   1922   115   1931   07   1940   00   00   00  
  Dyce   17.9   +1.9   10.8   +3.0   20.8   06   07.9   05   00   00   03   14.6   07   201   115   1941   245   1970   095   1966   16   05.0   12   017   031   1941   146   1997   14   1982   01   00   00  
  *Stornoway   15.9   +1.6   10.7   +2.6   22.3   26   06.9   09   00   00   04   12.5   02   122   069   1880   278   1970   072   1984   08   08.6   23   066   099   1943   112   1994   15   1982   00   00   00  
  *Aldergrove   17.9   +1.4   10.7   +1.7   21.1   25   08.1   09   00   00   01   15.9   29   159   083   1927   287   1957   103   1980   12   07.6   26   048   091   1927   129   1980   11   1941   01   00   00  
                                                                     
                                                                                                                                         
  Stations marked with an asterisk record sunshine electronically; comparisons      
  with earlier records are therefore somewhat speculative. Thorney Island's      
  sunshine figures are from a nearby site.