SE, London and East Anglia - Weather Records and Statistics

[Blessed Weather]

New record highest minimum overnight temperature 19th July 2022

Kenley (Croydon, S. London) sets new UK record of 25.8C: Met Office tweet 19th July:

The UK has provisionally seen the highest daily minimum temperature on record. Temperatures didn't fall below 25°C in places, exceeding the previous highest daily minimum record of 23.9°C, recorded in Brighton on 3rd August 1990.

Source: Twitter @metoffice

[Blessed Weather]

Heat - 19th July 2022

Stats for the Eastern Counties:

Every county in the region set new maximum temperature records on Tuesday, some counties beating the record set just the day before! Pitsford (Northamptonshire) was the highest in this region, recording a high of 40.2°C

Source: Dan Holley, Weatherquest. Twitter @danholley_

[Blessed Weather]

July 2022

The Met Office anomaly maps for July 2022 show the extent of the serious rainfall deficit across the Region this last month. But on the plus side, an above average month for sunshine and warmth.

Rainfall:  Sunshine:  Mean Temp:

Source: https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-and-data/uk-actual-and-anomaly-maps

Extracts from a Met Office press release issued 1st Aug 2022:

July 2022 was the driest July for England since 1935, and the driest July on record for East Anglia, southeast and southern England, according to provisional statistics from the Met Office.

Regions in the south and east were especially dry, with southern England reporting its driest July on record in a series that goes back to 1836, with 10.5mm of rain, which is just 17% of its average rainfall. In addition, 13 counties across southern and eastern England reported their driest July on record, including Hampshire, Surrey, Berkshire, Dorset and Kent.  

Full article: https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/press-office/news/weather-and-climate/2022/driest-july-in-england-since-1935

East Anglia stats:

Focussing in, the stats for East Anglia reveal:

• 3rd warmest July on record (+1.8°C)
• Driest July on record (10%)
• Above-average sunshine (120%)
• Notice 1976 doesn't appear in any of these Top 5... At just 58% of the average rainfall, this is the 4th driest January to July period on record.

Source: Dan Holley, Weatherquest. Twitter @danholley_

Edited August 2, 2022 by Blessed Weather
Mean temp anom and MetO press release added.

[Mesoscale]

Who won the record temp contest btw? I guessed 40.1c at Elstree on the Monday. Obviously wasn't me

Edited August 1, 2022 by Mesoscale

[Blessed Weather]

20 hours ago, Mesoscale said:

Who won the record temp contest btw? I guessed 40.1c at Elstree on the Monday. Obviously wasn't me

Although the UK record of 40.3C was set at Coningsby, Lincolnshire, on Tues 19th July, the competition rules stated it (the competition) was for the period 13th - 18th July. From what I can see, the max on Monday 18th was 38.1C at Cambridge and two members guessed that temperature:

Bradley in Kent 38.1C
Crackerjack 38.1C

Sources:

Mon 18th highest temps: https://www.netweather.tv/weather-forecasts/news/11555-temperature-records-begin-to-fall-after-only-part-one-of-this-uk-heatwave-event

Bradley and Crackerjack entries on Paul's spreadsheet: https://community.netweather.tv/topic/97404-competition-how-hot-is-it-going-to-be/?do=findComment&comment=4691213

[SunSean]

Here are some stats for London Heathrow for July 2022 featuring the last 20 years-

Edited August 4, 2022 by SunSean

[Blessed Weather]

August 2022

The Met Office anomaly maps for August 2022 show yet another month with below average rainfall for most of the Region. The small areas of blue (above average rainfall) the result of heavy, thundery showers, particularly on August 26th. But in keeping with the overall lovely summer of 2022 an above average month for sunshine and warmth. Here's the national anomaly maps from the Met Office:

Sunshine:  Temp:  Rainfall:

Source: https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-and-data/uk-actual-and-anomaly-maps

East Anglia Stats - Summer 2022

Focussing in on East Anglia it was:

• the hottest summer on record (back to 1884)
• the 3rd sunniest summer on record (127% of avg)
• the 4th driest summer on record (42% of avg)

For combined temperature + rainfall there is only one summer that was more extreme, but falls in the cold+wet category

EA stats and chart courtesy of Dan Holley, Twitter @danholley_

Edited September 2, 2022 by Blessed Weather
Improved layout

[Blessed Weather]

September 2022

The Met Office anomaly maps for September show that overall - versus the 1981-2010 long-term average - it was an average month for sunshine but with slightly warmer temperatures. Rainfall an interesting one, with a very patchy picture across the Region as a result of two occurences of heavy showers/spells of rain on the 8th/9th and 13th of the month which impacted the south of the Region more than the north. The result saw areas such as Suffolk and Cambridgeshire continued with their ongoing run of below average rainfall months, whereas parts of Surrey, Sussex and Kent saw considerably more rain than average.

Sunshine:  Temps:  Rainfall:

Source: https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-and-data/uk-actual-and-anomaly-maps

[Blessed Weather]

October 2022

The Met Office anomaly maps for October 2022 show an above average sunny and warm month for the Region (versus 1981-2010 period). Rainfall wasn't far from average overall, although there was a variance between west an east of the Region, largely as a result of the tracking and potency of some periods of heavy, thundery rain between the 18th and 23rd. Here's the national anomaly maps from the Met Office:

Sunshine:  Mean Temp:  Rainfall:

East Anglia Stats:

Focusing in on East Anglia it was:

• 4th warmest October on record (+2.1°C)
• Near-average rainfall (96%)
• Tied 4th sunniest October on record (137%)

At just 65% of average rainfall, this is the 3rd driest, #1 warmest and #1 sunniest year-to-date on record.

Sources:

Met Office charts: https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-and-data/uk-actual-and-anomaly-maps
East Anglia stats and graphic courtesy of Dan Holley, Twitter @danholley_

[Blessed Weather]

November 2022

The Met Office anomaly maps for November 2022 show the change from the sunny and dry conditions of October to a much duller and wetter month. The one consistent fact:- the run of above-average-temperatures continues.

Sunshine  Mean Temp  Rainfall

Source: https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-and-data/uk-actual-and-anomaly-maps

East Anglia Stats and Year-to-Date

• 4th warmest November on record (+2.0°C)
• Wettest November since 2009 (156%)
• Duller than average (83%)
• Rainfall for the year-to-date is at 75% of average (joint 10th driest year on record).
• Still on track for the warmest year on record

If December rainfall ends up <70%, this year will fall back into the Top 5 driest on record. December needs to be more than 2°C below average to NOT be the warmest year on record.

Source: East Anglia Stats courtesy of Dan Holley. Twitter @danholley_

[Blessed Weather]

East Anglia 2022

Here's a look back at 2022 in East Anglia, although I suspect the stats are fairly representative of the Region as a whole. It's been quite a remarkable year with some notable weather and several records broken:

• Warmest year on record (+1.0°C)
• 8th driest year on record (76%)
• Sunniest year on record (121%)
• Featuring:
  • THE sunniest Jan
  • THE sunniest Mar
  • 4th warmest May
  • 3rd warmest Jul
  • THE driest Jul
  • 2nd warmest Aug
  • 3rd sunniest Aug
  • 4th warmest Oct
  • 4th warmest Nov

Chart and stats courtesy of Dan Holley, Weatherquest. Twitter @danholley_
 

Edited February 2, 2023 by Blessed Weather
Picture image added.

[Harry's House]

Days of thunder heard at my house in Pagham in each year from 2016:

2016: 10

2017: 11

2018: 12

2019: 10

2020: 4

2021: 9 (omitting 8th September when I was away and I could well have missed thunder on that day)

2022: 17, the highest I've observed since the thundery year of 1999 when I observed 19 days when I was living in Shinfield near Reading

Days of sleet/snow at my house in Pagham in each winter period from 2015/16:

2015/16: 3

2016/17: 3

2017/18: 12 (estimated)

2018/19: 6 (estimated)

2019/20: 1

2020/21: 8

2021/22: 6

20222/23: 1 up to and including 2nd January

[Blessed Weather]

Days with thunder in 2022.

For the record. Parts of West Sussex achieved 20 days with thunder.

Stats and charts courtesy of Convective Weather.
Website: http://www.convectiveweather.co.uk/
Twitter: @convectivewx.

 

 

[Blessed Weather]

January 2023

Charts cover the whole Region, but stats are for East Anglia:

• 2nd sunniest January on record (behind 2022!)
• Slightly warmer than average (+0.5°C)
• Slightly drier than average (91%)

Chart and stats courtesy of Dan Holley, Weatherquest. Twitter @danholley_

 

[Freeze]

13 minutes ago, Blessed Weather said:

Days with thunder in 2022.

For the record. Parts of West Sussex achieved 20 days with thunder.

Stats and charts courtesy of Convective Weather.
Website: http://www.convectiveweather.co.uk/
Twitter: @convectivewx.

 

 

That's about right, was the most thundery year I can remember here and that chart proves it. Thanks for this!

[Harry's House]

As I mentioned earlier, I had 'only' 17 days in 2022. One notable aspect of the thundery activity here was that so much of it was during dusk or overnight.

[Blessed Weather]

February 2023 and Winter 2022/23

The charts cover the whole of our Region and show that overall it was a milder, drier and sunnier February when compared with the long term (1991-2020) average.

East Anglia Stats Feb 2023:

• Driest Feb since 1959
• 3rd driest on record (14%)
• 7th sunniest on record (137%)
• Notably warmer than average (+1.6°C)

East Anglia Winter 2022/23:

• Sunniest winter on record (136%)
• Much drier than normal (67%)
• Slightly warmer than average (+0.2°C)

Charts and stats courtesy of Dan Holley, Weatherquest. Twitter @danholley_

[Blessed Weather]

Drought to continue in Summer 2023?

With the winter months of Dec, Jan and Feb all seeing below average rainfall in most parts of the Region (see relevant posts above) are we heading for another summer of drought conditions? This tweet from Dan Holley at Weatherquest shows the shortfall in East Anglia rainfall over the last 12 months:

Past 12-month period is 9th driest on record. For same period, 2011/12 was THE driest – hosepipe ban was introduced early April 2012, followed by 10th wettest spring & 8th wettest summer on record. Latest Met Office 3-month UK outlook favours a drier than avg spring.

Chart and analysis courtesy of Dan Holley, Weatherquest. Twitter @danholley_

This article in the Telegraph on the 2nd March also highlighting the risk. Extracts:

Hosepipe bans ‘almost inevitable’ after driest February in 30 years
Meteorologist warns that ‘there would be a lot of alarm bells ringing’ if current pattern of unusually dry weather continues

Hosepipe bans and drought restrictions are “almost inevitable” this year, after England had the driest February in 30 years, meteorologists have said. England had an average of 15.3mm of rain last month, 23 per cent of its average, making it the driest on record since 1993. “If March remains dry, and March is on average the driest month of the year in Reading, the reimposition of last summer’s water restrictions must be almost inevitable,” said Dr Stephen Burt of the University’s Department of Meteorology. “Obviously, lots of things can happen between now and the summer,” he said. “But if it remains dry for the next month, I think there would be a lot of alarm bells ringing.” Bedfordshire, Greater London and Essex are all seeing figures that put last month among the top five driest Februarys on record.

Source: (paywalled) https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/03/01/hosepipe-bans-almost-inevitable-driest-february-30-years/

Finally, this from the BBC:

East of England faces drought, says water firm

The East of England faces a probable drought this summer after winter rainfall was not as heavy as required. Anglian Water said the area remained in "drought status" despite it seeing a roughly average amount of rainfall in recent months.

Full story here.

[Stroudley]

3.8mm the total for us on the Sussex coast. 

7% of the average for February...

[Blessed Weather]

The latest EUMETSAT satellite image measuring soil water content on 1st March 2023 shows the current deficit in soil moisture across Europe. Within the image it clearly shows that East Anglia and the SE corner of our Region is entering Spring much drier than the long term average. Obviously not a good position to be in after 3 drier than average winter months.

Source: Nahel Belgherze Twitter @WxNB_ showing Copernicus Soil Moisture Index.

[Blessed Weather]

March 2023

After a prolonged dry spell and an especially dry Dec, Jan and Feb, Mother Nature has made an effort to rectify the rainfall shortfall by giving England the wettest March since 1981. Will it help? This from Environment Agency Executive Director and National Drought Group chair John Leyland:

“Rainfall in March has helped water levels improve, but it follows on the heels of a very dry February so there is a need to remain vigilant – especially in areas that have not recovered from the drought last year."

Above quote from the Met Office March weather analysis Wettest March in over 40 years for England and Wales

As to be expected, the rainfall also resulted in a very cloudy month with well below the long-term average sunshine amounts. Temperatures, after a cold, dry start to the month, ended up near average as the milder, wet weather set in.

Anomalies versus the 1991-2020 average:

Zooming in on East Anglia, these interesting facts from Dan Holley at Weatherquest:

"March 2023 produced the highest number of March rain days on record, and was 5th wettest on record with 91.5mm (232% of avg). Following 3rd driest Feb on record, this is the 5th biggest swing in rainfall between any month, and THE biggest Feb-Mar swing on record."

Source: Twitter @danholley_

 

[Blessed Weather]

April 2023

Following a wet March, April 2023 has also been wetter than the long-term average for most of the Region, particularly wet for parts of Kent, although parts of Essex and Hertfordshire around average rainfall. Otherwise a month with near average sunshine and temperatures. The Met Office anomaly maps versus the 1991-2020 average:

Rain  Sunshine  Temps

Source: https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-and-data/uk-actual-and-anomaly-maps

For East Anglia, Dan Holley of Weatherquest reporting that April was:

• Slightly cooler than average (-0.4°C)
• Slightly sunnier than average (+8%)
• Notably wetter than average (+35%)

Source: Dan Holley, Weatherquest. Twitter @ danholley_

 

Edited May 6, 2023 by Blessed Weather
Tidied up.

[MAF]

well the weather didn't follow the script, Louis was well behaved (unfortunately) but all in all God save the King  

[MAF]

I have had the privilege to watch things today and am so proud to see the Royal Artillery (based in Woolwich) be an important part of it.

my view was from St Vincent's Citadel which is just by Admiralty Arch, and it was great to see our armed forces perform so greatly.

[alexisj9]

14 hours ago, Blessed Weather said:

April 2023

Following a wet March, April 2023 has also been wetter than the long-term average for most of the Region, particularly wet for parts of Kent, although parts of Essex and Hertfordshire around average rainfall. Otherwise a month with near average sunshine and temperatures. The Met Office anomaly maps versus the 1991-2020 average:

Rain  Sunshine  Temps

Source: https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-and-data/uk-actual-and-anomaly-maps

For East Anglia, Dan Holley of Weatherquest reporting that April was:

• Slightly cooler than average (-0.4°C)
• Slightly sunnier than average (+8%)
• Notably wetter than average (+35%)

Source: Dan Holley, Weatherquest. Twitter @ danholley_

 

The blue bit in this corner on the cloud anomaly can't be right, when most people in the Midlands, central south coast where moaning about no sun, it was sunny here for the most part. If it's right, must be normal for that area to be very cloudy in April.