Where Has The Summer Gone?

[cdnnl77]

True, there are a few nice days here and there, not more than "one day wonders" (or 2-3 days if you're lucky).

Other than that: very unsettled with a lot of rain, endlessly grey skies, breezy, even cold...and it's June...not "Junevember"...and then the forecasters say how it's still warmer than average and dry...

Will this be a re-run of the similar summers of 2007-2009 and is it the fault of El Nino / La Nina (spelling?) in the Pacific which seems to be able to affect weather across the whole world?

Would be nice to see a bit of sun to lift the mood!! I can understand why people emigrate to sunnier climes.

[Polar Maritime]

Summer hasnt gone anywhere, its only just started..... give it a chance

[Summer Sun]

In some peoples mind's summer starts after the longest day, so ample time yet.

[Ben_Cambs]

Unfortunately at the moment we have persistant High Pressure around Greenland, which has forced the jet stream slightly South of the UK , running in a W-E direction. This means that only temporary ridges of High Pressure can build in, before they are flattened by the next Low Pressure system. For a prologned anti-cyclonic warm spell of weather, we need to see heights(pressure) drop over Greenland and see a +NAO pattern develop to push the jet stream North of the UK, so this gives HP a chance to build over the UK.

It is very hard to tell how this summer will pan out though, but the current pattern we are in looks to remain with us for another 10 days or so at least. So more unsettled weather looks likely, with temporary ridges of HP for the South in particular, with temperatures around average or slightly below, occasionally slightly above in the South.

Also, welcome to the forum!

Edited June 15, 2011 by Ben_Cambs

[I remember Atlantic 252]

In some peoples mind's summer starts after the longest day, so ample time yet.

some people but not mine, I always say summer generally goes downhill after wimbledon, and best of winter over just after new years day, thats the best of though, still lots of warm days to go this year yet

[Skip Spence]

we may be just a fortnight into summer but all the indications suggest we are highly unlikely to enjoy any sustained sunshine/heat this side of July (and quite possibly beyond). that means at least a third of the season down the pan with the solstice disappearing in the rear-view mirror. hardly an encouraging start.

it is of course quite possible that the second half may be a distinct improvement (though by no means a certainty) which would be very welcome with school holidays approaching. personally, my preference is to have the sunniest/warmest conditions in the first half (assuming that it's hardly ever gonna be settled the whole period).

hey ho; guess we need to be realistic given that this is the UK and not Crete.

[DAVID SNOW]

we may be just a fortnight into summer but all the indications suggest we are highly unlikely to enjoy any sustained sunshine/heat this side of July (and quite possibly beyond). that means at least a third of the season down the pan with the solstice disappearing in the rear-view mirror. hardly an encouraging start.

it is of course quite possible that the second half may be a distinct improvement (though by no means a certainty) which would be very welcome with school holidays approaching. personally, my preference is to have the sunniest/warmest conditions in the first half (assuming that it's hardly ever gonna be settled the whole period).

hey ho; guess we need to be realistic given that this is the UK and not Crete.

Yep, normal UK summer.

We are not Cretins.....Are we?

[sunny scunny]

Plenty of warm,sunny days here so far this month and another one today So a good start to the summer here B)

[TEITS]

some people but not mine, I always say summer generally goes downhill after wimbledon, and best of winter over just after new years day, thats the best of though, still lots of warm days to go this year yet

Thats isn't what the stats say though.

If you look back you often find the peak of summer is between mid July/August and it is during this period when the hottest temps are recorded. You will also find in winter that many of the great cold spells began after the New years. The winters of Dec 1981, 2010 are the exception and far from the norm.

CET averages are:

June 14.1C

July 16.5C

July 16.2C

Dec 5.1C

Jan 4.2C

Feb 4.2C

So based on these your wrong!

[AderynCoch]

Early summer though is usually somewhat drier and sunnier, which can make a big difference in perceptions. I feel that July 2010 was awful here, even though it was warmer than average, thanks to the ridiculous amount of rain and the exceptional lack of sunshine. August 2010 was easily a better month for me, despite the CET being nearly 2C lower (though in absolute terms it was still pretty lacklustre). The one thing June usually lacks compared with July and August is significant heat.

January and February certainly should be more wintry than December, but interestingly for the period 1988-2010 December has actually been the coldest month.

[Weather-history]

I don't think the summer so far has been awful, there have been good days and bad days but it hasn't been consistently bad such as June 1987 and 1991 were up to this stage. June 1987 was dire, very dull, cool and wet.

[Ja23]

Greenland stole it. But we'll take it back...

[Thundery wintry showers]

I don't think the summer so far has been awful, there have been good days and bad days but it hasn't been consistently bad such as June 1987 and 1991 were up to this stage. June 1987 was dire, very dull, cool and wet.

Philip Eden had 1-13 June as slightly cooler, wetter and sunnier than average over England and Wales, so certainly nothing compared to June 1987. Indeed, some areas might have already had more sunshine than June 1987 had all month!

[asdasd]

It is however, surely very cold for June. The temperature on Sunday week for Glastonbury is predicted to rise to 9°c by midday, with a northern wind that "feels like" 6°c. Unlike winter the temperature is not dropping off at night, but thats a cold un.

http://bit.ly/lBgKrI

[snowlover2009]

It is however, surely very cold for June. The temperature on Sunday week for Glastonbury is predicted to rise to 9°c by midday, with a northern wind that "feels like" 6°c. Unlike winter the temperature is not dropping off at night, but thats a cold un.

http://bit.ly/lBgKrI

And still people look at the met check site after all these years? Seriously they showed snow showers for some areas last week in the night. I think some people use that site because they don't believe how unaccurate it is or just use it for hope casting because it shows something they want, just like the snow been shown last week. Not to mention the insane strong winds they predict sometimes. When has June this year or any June been forecast 10c all week as the high and just after the longest day, sorry but this is ridiculous and more fool people looking at that site....

Edited June 16, 2011 by snowlover2009

[SP1986]

Personally I'm pretty moderate in my needs for summer. I don't need heat and sunshine, but I do like wet, warm and humid weather, so if we get a few lows coming up from the south/southwest that deliver warm, humid and thundery weather I'll be happy!

[TonyH]

Its here typical British Summer 2011. Been nice again today here dodging the showers.

[sunny scunny]

Another warm and sunny day with no rain whatsoever.It seems like scunny is the only place in the uk having a summer so far

[Thundery wintry showers]

I might seem to complain a lot about the weather but it's really about the way many people are only interested in one type of weather. I, too, have fairly moderate needs for summer- mine centre primarily on sunshine and convective activity, and to a lesser extent, not too much wind and daytime temperatures in the 20s rather than the teens. I would certainly rather have "continental style" summer to what we usually get, but there's no point in having unrealistic expectations as it just results in disappointment.

I will freely admit to getting irked at the constant craving of "warm dry settled weather" because while it can mean hot sunshine, it can also mean mostly cloudy, windy weather with warm nights and the odd bit of drizzle on the northern flank of a ridge from the Azores High. It's true that this is a lot more relevant to my preferences than, say, those of someone who is after uneventful warm dry weather and isn't too bothered about sunshine, but nonetheless, we invariably get a lot of disappointment in the Model Output Discussion thread when people see high pressure, expect the former scenario and get the latter scenario.

As for June, it's been rather cool so far and slightly wetter and sunnier than normal over England and Wales according to Philip Eden- nothing out of the ordinary really, and we have certainly had cooler first halves of June in relatively recent years, e.g. 2001, 2005.

[damianslaw]

Admittedly summer 2011 has started off on a preety unsettled note, but we have had many worse starts in terms of rainfall, lack of sunshine and low temps - 2007, 2005, 2001,1995, 1991, 1987 for instance.

I think it is rating poorly by many due to the fact we have had a very lengthy dry warm spell, the change to unsettled weather has coincided exactly with the start of summer.. we were spoilt this spring such weather can't last forever, just like the conditions between 24th Nov and 27th Dec 2010 couldn't last forever - this is a maritime climate.

[ohno]

Am still waiting for the long hot summer with shades of 76 that was predicted on this very site..Guess the 2nd weekend in August when we see 25c will be it

Edited June 16, 2011 by ohno

[Bottesford]

I'd say my weather 'needs' are strongest May to July as it's my favourite time of year. Although it's nice to see exciting weather in winter - for me it's just something to help make things less dull until the good season comes around...

That being said getting 'average' weather now isn't awful as such - it just seems like a waste of the good season. A bit like a dj finally playing your favourite song after a load of rubbish ones but it happens to be the song he decides to talk all over - or worse someone does karaoke to it!

I do feel like I'm currently waiting for summer to get going. Having a period of reliably warm & dry weather really does make the season. It doesn't have to be blazing hot every single day - but knowing that you can plan a bbq or whatever for the weekend in the knowledge everyone won't have to spend it indoors because it's too wet or cold is great. Outdoor weather in the UK is brief so anything making it even briefer is most unwelcome.

I know some of you will say you can go out whatever the weather if you're prepared - but that isn't the point. Head to mainland Europe (especially Eastern or Southern) or of course the tropics to see what summer outdoor living it truly about. It isn't about hiding in four layers and shrouded in Gortex that's for sure! Living the outdoor life means having dinner, relaxing and maybe even sleeping outside wearing your normal indoor clothing. Those things are generally not fun when it's 12c and raining!

Of course our position on the globe makes reliable summers unlikely... but maybe if we keep having poor summers the vast increase in CO2 from everyone jetting off to decent weather will eventually warm the climate up enough for good summers here! Not a good solution of course but there you go...

[chionomaniac]

Am still waiting for the long hot summer with shades of 76 that was predicted on this very site..Guess the 2nd weekend in August when we see 25c will be it

Probably more likely to see shades of '76 than an end to your trolling.......

[DAVID SNOW]

Am still waiting for the long hot summer with shades of 76 that was predicted on this very site..Guess the 2nd weekend in August when we see 25c will be it

June 16.

Why not sod off until september,then come back and gloat............... Maybe.

[ohno]

June 16.

Why not sod off until september,then come back and gloat............... Maybe.

Whos gloating? we may well get a good July. But i understand the british climate quite well.. one of the next two summer months maybe August is going to be extremely wet... if we do get some good weather in July. August with go with a bang and rain for weeks on end.. Thats just my prognosis...