Moans, ramps and banter

[B87]

 danm Maxes will be below average by the end of the month. May looking poor to start as well.

We will need something special to get sunshine back on track for 2024. May will need 300 hours basically. 

[raz.org.rain]

 

[Azazel]

 SunSean did you copy this from Markyo’s diary?

I am of course, just playing

[B87]

 TwisterGirl81 Here's London since January 2023. Very few decent months in the last 16.

Only 2 months last year were drier and sunnier than average, and the last month to see below 50mm of rain was May 2023. Very little in the way of warmth in either spring, with nothing above 23c until June in 2023.

Edited April 24 by B87

[*Stormforce~beka*]

How's it sooo light right now?!

[TwisterGirl81]

 *Stormforce~beka* the grey skies act as an illuminator

Currently finished the monthly percentages of rainfall since last January….just awful is all I can say.

Just about to start sunshine percentages then I will post my findings for Exeter 

[markyo]

If only we could have temps like tonight all summer nights...clear skies, gentle breeze. would be perfect

[MP-R]

 baddie It’s more down to the air source. You can get the same effect in winter months but obviously it’s a lot colder.

That said, I’ve also seen some pretty stunning sunsets from Atlantic sourced setups.

[WYorksWeather]

I think maxima are likely to recover close to average or a little above that around the turn of the month, but nothing overly impressive. Unfortunately, the early signal for FI is currently renewed northern blocking...

The British climate really is everything at the wrong time of year right now. This late April into early May period if we do get two significant northerly / easterly outbreaks, shifted back three months, would have meant two properly cold and snowy spells in January and February. Then, if we take what we actually got from mid to late January through most of February, with a very active Azores high at times and very mild, we could have had some genuine warmth through late March and April.

The problem with the mildness is as last year it was focused so heavily in February.

If we look at mean maxima on the CET we had 8.4, 10.0, 10.2 and 13.0 for the first four months last year. This year we have had 7.6, 10.7, 11.5 and 13.7.

For both years, I think most people would say if you knock a degree each off February and March and add 2C to April it would have been a dramatic improvement.

[*Stormforce~beka*]

 TwisterGirl81 Pure blue sky here! Per 2023s standard. Cloud by day then clear at night!

[B87]

I hope 2025 will see something more like 2003. It seems almost impossible to have average or above average sun in every month of the year (only 2003 managed it), yet it seems easy to have majority or multiple dull months in a row (like 1987, 1998, 2013, 2021 etc).

[*Stormforce~beka*]

 midlandsun Yea your right mate!

[TwisterGirl81]

Ok well overall in 2023 Exeter had 112% of its annual rainfall and 96% of its sunshine (January,, May and June really boosted otherwise poor sunshine amounts) I have to be honest I’m actually shocked at the results…the reality felt somewhat worse that the above figure suggests 

2023

January 82% rainfall 128% sunshine

February 13% rainfall 87% sunshine

March 165% rainfall 42% sunshine

April 107% rainfall 79% sunshine

May 85% rainfall 127% sunshine

June 25% rainfall 135% sunshine

July 205% rainfall 74% sunshine

August 87% rainfall 88% sunshine

September 199% rainfall 97% sunshine

October 124% rainfall 97% sunshine

November 115% rainfall 107% sunshine

December 138% rainfall 73% sunshine 

 

2024

January 58% rainfall 126% sunshine

February 187% rainfall 51% sunshine

March 188% rainfall 81% sunshine 

As for April we are about 20mm away from our April rainfall average which I expect we’ll receive more than that this weekend, some websites predict us 30mm+ this weekend alone. As for sunshine we have 60 hours of sunshine to get by next week to reach April average which given the forecast I just don’t see us reaching so I think it’ll be a wetter and duller month overall but I wouldn’t imagine huge percentage deficit, probably moderately so….so I guess that’s a positive given how some months have been.

Lets hope May and Summer really makes us forget this wet and dull period  

 

 

 

Edited April 24 by TwisterGirl81

[WYorksWeather]

I think for most people on here it's probably going to take a fair bit to redeem this year from here. I'm guessing we go for a consistently very warm or hot and sunny extended summer period from May to September (but with no 35C or higher at any point) with most rainfall coming from multiple violent thundery breakdowns would be pretty popular. We'd then probably need a mild first half to October swinging into a cold and crisp second half, continuing into November, with then a seasonably cold and snowy December especially over the Christmas and New Year period.

Still time for things to change - I think it's a bit crazy to write off the entire year at this stage! These days the envelope for warm and/or hot weather includes May and runs right through to the end of September or even into early October.

[*Stormforce~beka*]

 SunSean This has provided me with much entertainment and giggles as IBS forces me me to camp in the bathroom! Thank you ...

Edited April 24 by *Stormforce~beka*

[lassie23]

I am loving this weather .....loving it. It reminds me of Christmas and who doesn't like being reminded of that?

[raz.org.rain]

 WYorksWeather yeah but there's also people writing off summer because of the La Niña flip, it's honestly beyond depressing how much pessimism is around right now.

[B87]

 TwisterGirl81 And the same for here...

2023

January 113% rainfall 120% sunshine

February 9% rainfall 111% sunshine

March 238% rainfall 54% sunshine

April 156% rainfall 93% sunshine

May 84% rainfall 107% sunshine

June 120% rainfall 137% sunshine

July 134% rainfall 78% sunshine

August 100% rainfall 95% sunshine

September 120% rainfall 117% sunshine

October 179% rainfall 107% sunshine

November 118% rainfall 114% sunshine

December 134% rainfall 41% sunshine 

 

2024

January 86% rainfall 126% sunshine

February 223% rainfall 67% sunshine

March 219% rainfall 82% sunshine

[Wold Topper]

 markyo absolutely, 2°c outside, log burner roaring away at the end of April, superb weather....NOT

[In Absence of True Seasons]

 TwisterGirl81 Since the cold snap in January lol. That's been the only spell of properly non-dull weather this year. Prior to that...it was September 2023.

It all comes back to the temps vs sunshine levels discussion. Yes, this April hasn't overall been notably cold, but there's nothing warm or even pleasant about 14/15c when it's thick, dark cloud and intermittent drizzle. At this time of year, cloud cover makes all the difference as to how 'warm' it actually feels. 

[In Absence of True Seasons]

 SunSean Stellar work, sir.

Edited April 24 by In Absence of True Seasons

[TwisterGirl81]

 B87 well one positive is that you guys had 7 above average sunshine months peppered amongst some very dull months. Rainfall looks even more above average where you are last year.

When I was calculating I came to the realisation that maybe we just have unrealistic expectations given we are in the north west quadrant of Europe right by the North Atlantic. We have wild sways in weather and a cloud magnet many times but when it’s sunny there is no where more beautiful than some of England's beautiful land, weather just lets it down a bit sometimes and the government a lot. Last year come May the weather did a complete 180 so hopefully the same happens again for longer 

[B87]

 TwisterGirl81 It was only really June that was meaningfully sunny last year. You can get a 120% sunny January or February just from 1 or 2 extra sunny days compared to normal. 

Overall, 2023 had slightly below average sunshine and well above average rainfall. It was the wettest year since 2014 and the 3rd wettest on record.

If we actually saw the conditions we normally get over the last 2 years, there wouldn't be any pessimism around like there currently is.

Edited April 24 by B87

[TwisterGirl81]

 In Absence of True Seasons I agree, I how it would be to live somewhere with proper seasons and had reliably sunny warm summers, lots of sunshine with decent spring/summer thunderstorms for good measure, some snow a few times a year, I think a continental climate would suit me better, I don’t know about anyone else

Edited April 24 by TwisterGirl81

[In Absence of True Seasons]

 *Stormforce~beka* hope you feel better! I know first hand how much it can suck (although my issues aren't precisely the same)