The 2nd began with rather cloudy skies in many areas, with the weakened front reversing and pushing rain and sleet into E Scotland. Cloud also spread E into W and N Ireland, and W Scotland ahead of another frontal system. Clearer skies in parts of SW Scotland, Wales and W England led to an air frost in places, and it remained rather cold in much of Scotland during the day. Rain spread to Ireland and W Scotland during the morning and afternoon, and lingered across parts of N Scotland. Most places had little sunshine, although parts of SW England again had a rather sunny day and also the best of any warmth. The evening brought clearing skies to SE England, and an air frost in places. (Saunton Sands 9C, Saughall -5C, Lerwick 28mm, Saunton Sands 6.2h.)
The 3rd was a generally cloudy day across the British Isles. However, early clear skies led to an air frost in SE England and East Anglia. The rain and snow in the W continued to push E, affecting an area from SE Scotland to W Wales and SW England. Snow continued to fall in places as the precipitation moved E, but the extent and intensity of the precipitation decreased rapidly and by mid-morning was confined the SW England, parts of S Wales and the S Midlands. According to the Met Office, snow fell as far S as Bristol, Cardiff and Somerset. Cloudy skies led to a cold day in some E and SE parts of England, while by the evening light rain and snow was confined to parts of East Anglia and the E Midlands. (St Mary's 12C, Wattisham 1C maximum, Redhill -7C minimum, Lough Fea 2mm, Belfast and Norwich 1.9h.)
The 4th began with cloudy skies across all areas apart from areas of S Ireland; there was some light rain and drizzle in parts of S England, along with some fog patches, and there was also a foggy start under the clearer skies in S Ireland. S Ireland turned cloudy during the morning, and most other places also had a cloudy day. A few areas of S England did see sunny spells after early mist had lifted. By midday there was rain in W Scotland and W Ireland, falling from an E'ward moving front, and by midnight this had reached Wales and Cent Scotland. The evening saw widespread fog forming in S England again. (Guernsey 11C, Emley Moor -3C, Port Ellen 9mm, Torquay 6.5h.)
During the early hours of the 5th light rain spread E into E areas of England and Scotland, lifting temperatures in the E as it did so. The fog cleared at the same time and by 0900GMT temperatures were 5C or more everywhere at sea level. Patchy rain and drizzle fell across the British Isles throughout the day, while in the late afternoon and evening it turned drier across Ireland and much of Scotland, but with a few showers here. Temperartures at 2400GMT were still as high as 10C from S Scotland southwards. (Prestatyn 12C, Braemar -2C, Capel Curig 15mm, Torquay 1.0h.)
The 6th began with little cloud across Ireland, but cloudy and mild conditions elsewhere. Early rain and drizzle across England and Wales pushed S during the morning, introducing a ridge of clearer air to all parts. There were some showers in W Ireland and W Scotland during the morning, while the afternoon and evening saw cloud and rain returning NE'wards into SW England and S Ireland as the front changed direction. There were gales for a while in the N and W, with gusts over 50 mph in the most exposed parts. By midnight cloud had spread to all areas apart from some extreme E areas of England and Scotland. (Torquay 13C, Altnaharra 2C, Capel Curig 24mm, Isle of Man 5.7h.)
There was a cloudy start to the 7th in most places, with mild air in the S around dawn pushing steadily N during the day. The warm and moist air meant a cloudy day for most places, away from places along the S coast of England. The front introducing the mild air gave light falls of rain as it pushed N, while in the second half of the day a more active cold front spread some heavier rain E through Ireland, Wales, and W areas of England and Scotland. The front was accompanied by strong winds with gusts to 50kn in coastal areas, and the rain was followed by showers around Ireland. (St Mary's 12C, Aboyne -2C, Eskdalemuir 6mm, Bognor Regis 6.1h.)
A cloudy start meant no early air frost on the 8th. An area of rain, heavcy in places pushed E across Cent and E parts of the British Isles by dawn, with some strong winds in places. A gust of 74mph was recorded on Southampton Water, and a few trees were felled as a result. Flooding caused a landslip near Stranraer. The rain continued to be followed by showers, while falling pressure across Ireland marked another area of winds and low pressure, the latter tracking across N Ireland and W Scotland during the day, with MSL pressure down to 970mb to the W of Orkney by 2400GMT. The low brought heavy rain to N England and S and W areas of Scotland, although as the low moved N the evening brought a clearance of the cloud and rain showers across much of Britain, away from the Sw where showers lingered. (Torquay 13C, Coningsby 2C, Tulloch Bridge 48mm, Guernsey 4.8h.)
The 9th started with showers mainly in parts of SW and NE England, around Ireland and in W Scotland. Bands of showers then spread E along trough lines during the day, with thunder reported in parts of S Ireland around dawn and in S Wales and the S Midlands around midday. The evening saw a clearance in the cloud and showers in most E parts of Britain, but further rain was by then spreading into W Ireland and W Scotland as another low moved towards the Hebrides. (Torquay 13C, Lough Fea 2, Eskdalemuir 15mm, Isle of Wight 4.7h.)
There was some air frost early on the 10th in E Scotland but most places had a mild night despite a lack of cloud early on. Cloud and rain soon spread E, however, although in most places rainfall amounts were small. The rain was locally heavy for a time across Northern Ireland and Scotland and the winds to gale force were observed here. Further rain spread across Ireland during the morning, and then into W Scotland and W England during the afternoon and evening. There were some heavy falls in W Scotland along with reports of thunder late in the afternoon, while temperatures during the day were agian generally on the mild side. (Teignmouth 13C, Dyce -1C, Lusa 21mm, Leuchars 3.1h.)
Clearing skies affected Scotland and N England before dawn into the 11th, as an area of rain spread E and SE away from S Britain. The clearance coincided with colder air and snow showers were soon falling over the higher ground of Scotland. These showers were blustery; as they became established further S across Ireland and W England during the day they fell mostly as rain, but were accompanied by thunder and hail in places. In Penzance at 1530GMT there was a violent shower with large hail and thunder, with power cuts as a result nearby. The mildest time of the day was generally early morning before the earlier froint had cleared. A waterspout was also seen over the Bristol Channel. Gusts reached 58mph at Scilly at 1800GMT, although the evening saw the showers dying down except in S Ireland, SW England and W Scotland. (Herne Bay 11C, Aviemore 2C maximum, Aboyne 0C minimum, Tulloch Bridge 24mm, Aberdeen 4.3h.)
Weather on the 12th was the result of a low pressure system that tracked E along the English Channel/S England in the morning (around 986mb), and another low that reached NW Ireland (971mb) at 2400GMT. Most areas had a clear start to the day although there was some light rain in W Scotland by dawn. However, cloud and rain spread E through S parts of Ireland, Wales and England; falls here were heavy in places. As this rain passed, clouds cleared and a blustery day followed. W and Cent Scotland continued to have showery conditions for much of the day, with snow on high ground, while other parts of Britain had a mostly sunny day. The evening, however, brought further cloud and rain across Ireland and into Cent parts of England and SW Scotland. Thundery showers occurred in W Ireland during the early evening. (Jersey 13C, Fyvie Castle 0C, Isle of Wight 24mm, Teignmouth 5.5h.)
The low over NW Ireland at midnight swept rapidly across N England/S Scotland during the morning of the 13th. This low pushed a band of rain generally E across Britain, although N Scotland remained dry until late-morning showers began. The rain and low had cleared E Britain by midday, although heavy rain continued for a while over the Channel Islands. Showers developed in this clearer air, especially in W Scotland and over Ireland, although a few even penetrated into E areas of England and Scotland. (Torquay 11C, Lossiemouth -4C, West Freugh 19mm, Ross-on-Wye 5.2h.)
Low pressure continued to dominate into the 14th, as a shallow depression crossed S England during the day. There was a slight frost in some N areas of Britain before dawn, and although the night started clear in S Britain cloud and rain had pushed E into S Ireland and Cent S England by dawn. In Penzance the rain was preceded by a slight thunderstorm shortly afetr midnight. This rain was heavy in places and was followed by showers from the W as the low passed. The rain turned to sleet/snow in parts of S Wales and the Midlands, with over 5cm falling in places. Snow also fell in parts of S and Cent Ireland. The rain and snow generally cleared from England late in the afternoon and by midnight skies were largely clear here, but daytime showers across Scotland and W Ireland continued into the evening, with snow over some of the higher ground. (Jersey 10C, Aboyne -2C, Aberport 18mm, Swanage 4.0h.)
A few showers continued into the 15th over W Scotland, while clearing skies across much of England and wales led to a cold start to the day here. By dawn cloud had spread E across Ireland, introducing rain in the W, ahead of another low that tracked across Cent Ireland towards Cumbria during the day. Snow preceded the rain across some parts of N Ireland and the rain pushed across England, Wales and S Scotland during the day givng heavy falls in places, to be followed by showers across Ireland and W Britain in the evening. N Scotland remained largely dry, while snow fell for a while over high ground in N England and S Scotland. (Ross-on-Wye 12C, Aberdeen -2C, Capel Curig 40mm, Clacton 5.4h.)
Low pressure tracked E on the 16th across N England and into the North Sea during the morning. Broken cloud and strong winds (Aberport recorrded a gust to 73mph) meant no air frost S of the low centre, but cold air across Cent and N Scotland allowed an air frost in places here. Rain fell in parts of East Anglia, N England and S Scotland in the morning, with snow over high ground; at 0900GMT 10cm of lying snow was measured at Boltshope Park. The rain cleared from NE England late in the afternoon, and there were showers in W parts of Ireland. Howeverm as a col developed ahead of the next low over W parts of the British Isles, winds died down and showers faded. The evening brought an area of rain and snow to E Scotland but by midnoight most inladn areas of the British Isles were clear of cloud. (Jersey 11C, Lossiemouth -5C, Capel Curig 21mm, Eastboutrne 6.9h.)
The 17th began with mostly clear skies, except across Scotland where there was some snow before dawn in the E. Sferics were reported shortly after midnight near the Channel Islands, and cloud and rain spread into S Ireand and SW England before dawn. The clear skies meant an air frost in places, with some freezing fog in parts of Northern Ireland and NW England that lingered until late morning in places. The rain and shwoers cleared from much of the SW later in the morning, but were more persistent over the Channel Islands. The early cloud across Scotland cleared and many places had a sunny day, but further cloud spread into SE and E parts of England in the late afternoon and evening (and also into NW Scotland), despite generally rising pressure that reached 1026mb at Valentia by 2400GMT. (St Mary's 9C, Shap Fell -6C, Rhyl 13mm, Isle of Wight 7.0h.)
The 18th dawned clear in most inland areas with a frost in many places. Around W Ireland and W and N parts of Scotland there was a little more cloud and showery activity later in the night. This cloud cover extended across much of Scotland and Ireland by mid-morning, introducing warmer air. Rain spread to E and SE Scotland by midday, preceded by snow in places, but tended to die out across Ireland as pressure continued to rise here. By the eveniung most of England and wales had also clouded over and patchy rain fell in most places here by midnight. (St Mary's 11C, Tyndrum -6C, Sloy 13mm, Eastbourne 7.5h.)
Cloud cover was extensive overight into the 19th, and much of the British Isles then had a rather cloudy day. Rain was persistent over W and N Scotland during the day, with heavy falls in parts; localised flooding was reported in the Highlands. It was a mild day everywhere except in the extreme N of Scotland - temperatures elsewhere were around 10C at 2400GMT. Rain also fell over S Scotland, N and E England, Ireland and N Wales, but further S is was much drier. (Leuchars 14C, Baltasound 5C maximum, Redhill 2C minimum, Loch Glascarnoch 61mm, Torquay 3.6h.)
Early air frost was confined to parts of the Northern Isles at low levels on the 20th; elsewhere a moist SW/W airflow meant a rather cloudy if mild day. By dawn rain was widespread over much of E and N England, S Ireland and N Wales, with lighter falls elsewhere across England. During the afternoon the rain slowly pushed E and by mid-evening was affecting mostly E and SE counties of England and Scotland. However, it remained cloudy once the rain had cleared with temperatures above 7C almost everywhere at low levels at the end of the day. (Great Malvern 12C, Baltasound -2C, Leek 28mm, Torquay 3.4h.)
The 21st brought a weak ridge of high pressure the British Isles, although fronts were never from from E coasts of England and Scotland, and from W Ireland and W Scotland. It dawned cloudy in most places, and remained that way for much of the day. Some light rain affected parts of E Scotland and E NE England during the morning, while light showers and then rain affected W parts of the British Isles, before pushing across ireland during the evening. (Bournemouth 10C, Eskdalemuir 0C, Lerwick 9mm, Leuchars 1.8h.)
The 22nd was another arther cloudy day, with low pressure crossing from S Ireland to Frace as the day progressed. Early rain spread into SW England, Wales and E Scotland by dawn, introducing warmer air as it did so. Although amounts in N parts were generally small, there were heavier falls across S Wales and S England later in the morning and into the afternoon. Although the bulk of the rain cleared the SE during the evening, much of S England continued to experience drizzle and poor visibility after the rain cleared. Following the rain in the N there were sunny periods in N Wales and E Scotland, although fog developed in S Scotland in the evening. (Colwyn Bay 14C, Aboyne 3C, Milford Haven 22mm, Colwyn Bay 3.6h.)
There was a mostly cloudy start to the 23rd across the British Isles, with mist and fog in favoured locations. Clearer skies in parts of N and E Scotland led to an early air frost here. It soon clouded over in most clear spots as a front spread from the W, bringing rain to W Ireland by dawn that steadily spread E across the British Isles during the day. By mid-afternoon it had turned clearer with showers in W Ireland. The rain continued to spread E and cleared all but a few E coast areas of England by midnight, by when skies had cleared W of a line from Durham to Weymouth (apart from a few showery clouds in SW Ireland and W Scotland). (St Mary's Scilly, Aboyne -3C, St Bees Head 12mm, Southport 0.8h.)
W airflow on the 24th meant that showers were largely confined to W districts. A lack of overnight meant a widespread ground frost and an air frost in a few sheltered N areas, but by midday showers had spread across W Scotland and W Ireland. Gusts to 40kn accompanied the showers in some N and W areas, and the showers fell as snow over higher ground in Scotland. However, away from the showers most places had a very sunny day. (Guernsey 11C, Fyvie Castle -1C, Buxton 11mm, Eastbourne 7.9h.)
By dawn on the 25th there was cloud in SW England, showers in N and NW Scotland, and mostly clear skies elsewhere. This meant an air frost in many places, with a widespread ground frost, a some fog patches in Cent S England. The cloud in the SW spread across S England as the day progressed, followed by light rain. Cloud and shwoers affected Ireland during the day, although it turned clearer again in the evening. Over N Scotland rain and light snow fell during the day, with heavier falls of snow over the higher ground. Elsewhere, it was a generally sunny day, but with an air frost returned to many places by midnight. (Guernsey 10C, Redhill -5C, Loch Glascarnoch 12mm, Scarborough 7.3h.)
Rain in S England gradually cleared during the morning of the 26th, after giving some slight snow over hills and moors. Further N there was a widespread slight air frost, with mist and fog patches in places in E England and S Ireland. Showers extended across N and E Ireland, and N and E Scotland during the morning, giving falls of hail and snow in places. The afternoon saw showers in Ne England. Much of England had a rather cloudy day, but by midnight clearer skies further W had spread into Wales and SW Scotland, as snow continued to fall over high ground in Scotland. (St Mary's Scilly 8C, Shap Fell -6C, Guernsey 15mm, Ronaldsway 7.1h.)
Snow fell into the 27th in E coastal counties of England and Scotland, leaving a ground covering in parts of Norfolk, Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. Away from S wales and S England there was a slight air frost under largely clear skies. Snow depths at 0900GMT included 5cm at Boltshope Park. Wintry showers continued in the E during the day, with falls also in W Wales. The cloud in S England broke up during late morning, while by the middle of the day an organised band of wintry weather was spread S over N Scotland. By evening this had moved to N Ireland and S Scotland, to be followed by snow showers in N Scotland. These showers were accompanied by a strong widn with gusts over 50kn in exposed N areas. The line of snow reached N England and East Anglia later in the evening, as skies clouded over ahead of it in S England. A driver died and 10 passengers were taken to hospital following a crash involving two coaches on black ice near Driffield before dawn. Twenty three schools in NE Scotland were either closed or partially shut as a precaution amid fears the area could be hit by heavy snow. British Airways cancelled 20 flights, all from Heathrow and Gatwick. (Pembrey Sands 9C, Warcop 0C maximum, Saughall -5C minimum, Lerwick 6mm, Tenby 6.8h.)
A line of snow pushed S through SE England shortly after midnight on the 28th, giving slight falls; by dawn the skies had largely cleared here and with, clear skies over all parts of the British Isles except N and W Scotland, air and ground frosts were widespread, but generally slight in intensity. Snow continued to fall in N and Cent Scotland with 23cm of snow reported lying 'over the top of Aviemore' according to the BBC. By mid-morning thunder and blowing snow was being reported from the Northern Isles. There were further light snow showers over parts of SE England during the morning, but an organised band of rain (in the W) and snow accompanied by thunder spread S during the day, reaching the London area during the evening rush-hour. The snowfall was short-lived, but it soon covered the ground. As the snow passed the skies cleared and any snow that had melted soon re-froze to ice. Snow depths at 0900GMT included Coningsby 13cm, Fylingdales 12cm, Glenlivet 11cm, Boltshope Park 10cm, Waddington and Fair Isle 9cm. In N Wales heavy snow fell in the Dolgellau, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Abergele, Bangor and Wrexham areas; a few schools were closed as a result. Trains between Paddington and S Wales were delayed. The London Underground and trains also suffered problems (due to cold conditions in the morning and snow in the evening) and some flights from Heathrow and Gatwick airports were cancelled. In Crystal Palace, S London, people abandoned their cars as the snow made it impossible to drive up the surrounding slopes. A heavy thunderstorm with snow in the Reading and Bracknell areas was a rare sight; there have been only 8 days with thunder in January since and including January 1973; for all months only nine days have recorded both thunder and snow or sleet (only four thunder and snowfall) in that time (31 years). (Teignmouth and Falmouth 8C, Loch Glascarnoch 0C maximum, Scampton -8C minimum, Barra 14mm, Bournemouth 5.8h.)
The 29th began with clear skies except in N and W Scotland, allowing a widespread air frost and the freezing of lying snow cover. Wintry showers continued overnight through N Scotland. Snow depths at 0900GMT included 30cm at Fylingdales, 28cm at Glenlivet, 22cm at Aviemore and 12cm at Dyce. Although broken cloud extended S into N England later in the day, much of England and Wales had a sunny day. Showers spread into N Ireland later in the morning, and falls continued across N and W Scotland also. More extensive cloud spread across Ireland during the day with light rain in S Ireland before midnight, and rain also fell in W Scotland by then. A widespread, by slight, air frost again formed across much of England and wales by midnight, but 9C at Scilly and 7C at Valentia indcated a warming influence of the SW airflow there blowing over the seas. During the morning AA Roadwatch said breakdown teams were dealing with twice as many incidents as normal. A number of train services were also affected by cold and ice, with airports reporting continuing cancellations. On London Underground, the weather caused delays on sections of the Metropolitan, Piccadilly and Central lines. There were icy road conditions throughout Britain, with the worst snow in Scotland and the worst ice in the Midlands. A 70-year-old man died when his Range Rover left a snow-covered private road and turned over in the grounds of Ravensthorpe Manor near Thirsk. In Scotland, an estimated 70,000 children missed classes as severe weather led to the closure of more than 300 schools. Schools were also reported closed in many other boroughs across England and Wales. (Falmouth 9C, Lerwick 1C maximum, Katesbridge -8C minimum, Altnaharra 15mm, Eastbourne 8.9h.)
The 30th saw fronts pushing N and E across the British Isles, introducing milder air to much of England, Wales and Ireland by midnight. Ahead of the early cloud there was an early air frost across Cent and E parts of England and Wales, while cloudy skies across Scotland meant little air frost at sea level. As the fronts progressed across Britain they brought rain, which was hevay in some W areas. Lying snow in E Scotland and E England kept the temperatures lower here, although much of the snow did melt across E England. Across Scotland, precipitation in the colder air consisted of snow and sleet, with rain in S Scotland during the second half of the day. (St Mary's Scilly 11C, Redhill -5C, Capel Curig 27mm, Jersey 3.8h.)
Into the 31st heavy rain spread across England, Wales and Ireland, as low pressure (centre 973mb at 1200GMT) pushed into W Ireland. Rain fell across s Scotland. By mid-morning there was a strong wind over much of England, Wales and Ireland with gusts to 60kn around exposed coasts. The Needles recorded a gust of 85mph. Roads became blocked as trees were blown down and the old Severn Bridge and the QE2 Bridge on the M25 at Dartford were both closed. Although it was mild in these S areas, parts of NW Scotland had a sharp air frost to begin the day, and it remained very cold in N Scotland throughout the day. As the warmer air in the s pushed N into Scotland there were heavy falls of snow in the Southern Uplands and the central lowlands; 6cm of snow fell at Saughall. By the end of the day there were 63 flood warnings in force across England and Wales and river levels were continuing to rise rapidly. Prolonged periods of rain and sleet caused waterlogged football pitches in most of Scotland, resulting in the cancellation of 11 senior games. 13 games in the three top senior leagues in England were also called off. In the afternoon and evening the rain eased off across Ireland and W Britain, turning more showery, and the winds decreased slowly. (Ashford, Co. Wicklow 14C, Kinbrace -8C maximum, Kinbrace -12C minimum, Capel Curig 74mm, Lerwick 4.7h.)
The 2nd saw a warm front spreading NE across the British Isles, before further rain and drizzle spread SE into SW Scotland and much of Ireland by midnight. Ahead of the rain there were clear skies for much of the night in E England and Scotland, although by lunchtime cloud and rain had spread N into S Scotland and N England - with cloudy skies further N. The rain turned heavy in parts of W Scotland, while rain and drizzle affected Ireland for most of the afternoon and evening, before clearing from NW ireland for a while in the evening. During the evening a rain crossed N Ireland and spread into Wales and NW England, with continuing falls over W Scotland. (Church Fenton 15C, Fyvie Castle 0C, Lusa 39mm, Colwyn Bay 3.1h.)
The 3rd was a mild day, and very wet in places,as persistent frontal rain affected W areas of the British Isles for much of the day, later spreading SE into other parts of England. Flood warnings were in force for many parts of the UK, with severe flood warnings issued for Wales. In NE Scotland a foehn wind led to a temperature of 16.7C at Lossiemouth, a record for February there. The blustery SW airflow was accompanied by gusts to 60kn in exposed coastal areas, although the winds did ease in some W areas later in the day as pressure rose. An exception was in N and NW Scotland, where the influence of a deep low towards Iceland continued to give gales and 60kn gusts. At Capel Curig, the day's rainfall total to 1800GMT amounts to about 80% of the normal February total. The villages of Llanrwst and Trefriw in the Conwy Valley were among the worst affected flooded areas. Floodwaters cut off the village of Trefriw, stranding residents for nearly two days. (Lossiemouth 17C, Lerwick 6C, Capel Curig 166mm, Kinloss 3h.)
During the early hours of the 4th there were showers in N and W Scotland, light rain and drizzle in S Ireland, S Wales and s England, and largely clear skies elsewhere. Rain spread N during the morning into N Wales, the Midlands and N England - with the day producing another large total in Capel Curig. The rain continued to move N during the day, affecting N Scotland later in the evening, while at the same time it cleared from the W across much of England and Wales. This left a patchy cloud cover, but largely dry conditions, acrocc most of Ireland, England and wales by midnight. However, light rain and drizzle did linger at this time across S England and S Wales. According to the BBC weather website, at 2100GMT there were 82 separate flood warnings in force across the UK - 40 of these in Wales. The day was, however, mild in all areas, after an unusually mild night. According to the Met Office on the night of the 3rd-4th the Central England Minimum Temperature was 11.2C, exceeding the previous warmest February night value of 10.3C. The mean maximum temperature for the 4th also broke records, reaching 12.5C against the previous best of 12.0C (53F). The daily CET series dates back to 1772. At Forest Hill (SE London) 17.8C was the highest February temperature for six years, while the overnight minimum of 12.0C was the highest in the 29-year February record. At Stubbins (Lancashire) the total rainfall for 6 days 30th January-4th February 2004 amounted to 135.7 mm; there was local minor flooding and rivers there are on flood watch. (Gravesend 18C, Leuchars 6C, Capel Curig 95mm, Torquay 3.9h.)
A mild SW'ly airflow on the 5th meant no morning air frost at low levels, but a rather cloudy day for some places. The day dawned with patchy cloud across the British Isles with light rain in S England and in showers N and NW parts of Scotland. These showers became more widespread as the day developed, and a thunderstorm gave 9mm of rain in under an hour at both East Kilbride and Edinburgh. Thunder affected N Ireland in the early afternoon, and W Scotland later in the day. It remained rather cloudy in S England for much of the day, with furthewr rain and drizzle giving poor visibility at times. Across Ireland there were variable amounts of cloud with showers during the day, while parts of N England and N Wales had a very sunny day. (Saunton Sands 15C, Aboyne 3C, Loch Glascarnoch 35mm, Colwyn Bay 7.2h.)
The mild SW'ly flow continued on the 6th, although a shallow low crossed England during the second half of the day. Showers continued to affect N Ireland and NW Scotland overnight, while cloud and rain lingered across S England, only slowly edging S. This rain had alsmost cleared SE England by midday, by when another area of rain was beginning to spread across S Ireland and into SW England and S Wales. There were also reported of thunder with this second area of rain. Showers continued across N Scotland throughout the day, while the rain over England had cleared all by parts of East Anglia by midnight - with clear skies following on behind in an airflow that now had a NW component. (Guernsey 13C, Baltasound 3C, Aviemore 32mm, Leuchars 5.7h.)
A slightly cooler W/NW airflow fed across the British Isles on the 7th; early on the showers were largely confined to W Ireland and W Scotland, but a line of showers soon spread E from S Ireland across S England. This line was accompanied by an area of strong, blustery winds. Across Scotland and N England the showers turned to snow in places as they spread E and SE, with the Met Office reporting 10cm of lying snow at Boltshope Park by 2100GMT. The evening saw a cold front finally reaching S England and S Ireland, with gusts to 60kn in W Scotland and W Ireland, and 50kn gusts around the Irish Sea coasts. In central Scotland, heavy snow, well into the second-half of the game, forced the abandonment of the Scottish Cup tie being played at Cumbernauld. (Guernsey 11C, Loch Glascarnoch 0C, Ballypatrick Forest 16mm, Falmouth 8.0h.)
A strong NW'ly airflow continued to feed across the British Isles on the 8th. Clear skies led to an air frost in a few N spots, although the strong wind prevented elsewhere. Snow showers continued to affect Scotland and N England, while the wind gusted to 60kn around N coasts and to 40kn at many inland sites across England and Wales during the morning. The winds eased considerably in the afternoon and evening, with cloud and showers dissipating later in the afternoon so that by midnight most places away from N Scotland were clear off cloud. However, snow showers continued cross N Scotland in the evening. (Eastbourne 10C, Aviemore 0C maximum, Aboyne -5C minimum, Buxton (Derbyshire) 11mm, Falmouth 8.7h.)
While it remained clear in the E into the 9th, cloud spread across much of W Scotland and Ireland into W Wales by dawn. As a result some of the sharpest air frosts were in S and E England. Wintry showers continued across N Scotland and in parts of NE Scotland into the morning. Some light rain and snow affected Ireland during the morning, as the cloud continued to spread further E. In the afternoon there was W Britain, while during the evening parts of East Anglia had another air frost before the cloud arrived from the W. Across Scotland, the light rain had spread to many E parts by midnight. (Guernsey 9C, Benson -7C, Lerwick 4mm, Norwich 8.4h.)
The 10th dawned with widespread cloud, with rain over N Scotland and in parts of N England and Cent Ireland. Temperatures rose during the day, and did not fall back much in the evening, as the cloud persisted in many areas. The rain in N Scotland gradually faded, but not before there had been some heavy falls in places, and skies partially cleared in the evening in E Scotland. During the afternoon light rain in N England spread S towards East Anglia. (Aberdeen 13C, Redhill -5C, Cassley 55mm, Scarborough 7.1h.)
High pressure was firmly established across the British Isles by 0000GMT on the 11th with MSL pressure of 1033mb at Scilly. Light winds and a front gave a rather gloomy day in many places, and there was some light rain and drizzle in parts of E England and N Scotland. There were sunny spells in places, and in the evening a general clearance of the cloud occurred across Ireland. (Plymouth 14C, Bognor Regis 2C, Lerwick 3mm, Guernsey 7.9h.)
Clear skies across N and E Scotland, and in Ireland into the 12th resulted in air and ground frosts here, while elsewhere there was a grey, cloudy start to the day. Light rain and drizzle occurred in S England and mist and fog patches formed here and in parts of Cent Ireland - and the mist and fog was slow to clear during the day. Light rain and drizzle also fell in parts of the Midlands, Wales and S Ireland before the day had ended, although amounts were small. MSL pressure was around 1034mb across S England at 2400GMT. (Colwyn Bay 13C, Aboyne -3C, Watnall 1mm, Aviemore 5.7h.)
Cloudy high pressure weather was the theme for the 13th, with MSL pressure oaround 1035mb in Sussex for much of the day. Patchy cloud across E Scotland overnight allowed an air frost in places here, while towards dawn clear skies developed in W Ireland. The cloud was the result of a weak fronta that meandered slowly across Ireland and N Britain, and that resulted in ligth rain in these areas as well as in Wales, the Midlands and S England. Parts of SW England saw breaks in the cloud during the day, and by midnight these were also occurring in much of Wales, W Britain and Ireland. (Skegness 12, Kinbrace -3C, Tiree 4mm, Torquay 6.9h.)
High pressure (centre 1034mb over Northern Ireland at 0000GMT) persisted throughout the 14th. Clear skies in Britain and across parts of Ireland allowed an early air frost in some places here, while mist and fog had developed by dawn in S Ireland and parts of Cent and S England. Mist and rain affected parts of NE England for much of the day, and much of Cent and E Britain had a dull day. The best of any sunshine was across Ireland, SW England and the Channel Islands, and the clear skies here led to an air frost during the evening across N and Cent Ireland. Around Penzance it was warm enough for sea breezes, giving a typical 'summer' line of cumulus along the convergence zone down the spine of the peninsula, and prolonged sunshine right on the coast. (Penzance 13C, Castlederg -3C, Bridlington 15mm, Jersey 7.8h.)
The mainly cloudy high pressure system continued to dominate the weather into the 15th. Some clear skies led to an air frost in parts of W Scotland and N Ireland, and W areas of the British Isles again had the best of any sunshine. In the E it was a mainly cloudy day, with rain and drizzle in areas of E Scotland, E and Cent S England. Light rain and drizzle also fell during the day in W and S Ireland, with light rain in the extreme W parts of Scotland in the evening - these falls were associated with a front lying N-S to the W of the British Isles. (Llanbedr and Trawscoed 11C, Tulloch Bridge -5C, Bridlington 5mm, Torquay 9h.)
Although the high pressure continued throughout the 16th, the front to the W of the British Isles at 0000GMT slowly pushed E towards Wales and Cent England during the day. A few clear skies overnight allowed an air frost in selected parts of N Scotland, N England and N Ireland, while there were fog patches by dawn in Cent and S England. The fog was slow to clear in places, while as the fronts pushed E they gave only small amounts of rain and drizzle, but introduced warmer air to W areas. The evening saw clearer skies returning to W Ireland. (Colwyn Bay 12C, Katesbridge -3C, Glasgow 3mm, Saunton Sands 9h.)
The frontal rain continued to push SE during the 17th, allowing high pressure to became firmly established from the W; MSL pressure rose to 1037mn in W Scotland by 1200GMT. There was light rain from S Scotland to SW England overnight and this slowly spread SE, followed by clearer skies in the N and W. By midnight the light rain was confined to a few parts of cent S England and NE England; elsewhere was largely cloud-free except for parts of N Scotland and SW Ireland. Although any morning air frost was mostly scattered across N Scotland, by the end of the evening air frost was developing in many of these clear areas. (Bournemouth 11C, Altnaharra -2C, Carlisle 6mm, Glasgow 8.7h.)
Clear skies led to an air frost on the 18th across much of Cent and S Scotland, Ireland, Wales and NW England. Early cloud in NE England and Cent S England soon began pushing W and spreading out to affect much of E and cent England during the day; the cloud was associated with a cold front that spread a little rain to some E areas. Elsewhere, except for parts of N Scotland, it was a clear and sunny day, with air frost again being widespread during the evening. At Dun Laoghaire 9.2h of sunshine was close to the maximum possible for the time of year; last year 9.1h at Casement was said to be the most in a day in February since 1987 in Ireland. (Bournemouth 10C, Katesbridge -7C, Herne Bay 3mm, Newquay 9.6h.)
With high pressure persisting throughout the 19th (1035mb across N Scotland for much of the day), the W-ward moving cold front slowly fizzled out as it crossed Wales and SW England. Ahead of the front there was a sharp front in parts of Scotland and Cent Ireland while, although the early cloud meant a milder start in E and S parts of Britain, this cloud had largely cleared by late morning. This enable most of the British Isles to have a sunny day, althought there were some light showers across the Channel Islands. With an E wind in most places the day felt cold and an air frost returned to several inland areas in the British Isles by midnight under the largely-clear skies. (Crosby 10C, Kinbrace -8C, Margate 2mm, Weymouth 9.6h.)
There was a widespread ground frost, and an air frost in some inland areas (especially in the N) on the 20th. Clear skies and an E'ly airflow during the day meant a sunny but cold day generally. However, there were areas of cloud, notably across S England and S and Cent Scotland, and in these areas daytime temperatures rose very little. By late afternoon and evening, the cloud in S England was thick enough to produce some light sleet and snow; this spread from Hampshire into the West Country, south-east Wales and SW England. (Altnaharra 9C, Herne Bay 3C maximum, Aboyne -8C minimum, Redesdale Camp 1mm, Isle of Man 9.6h.)
Patchy overnight cloud into the 21st meant a widespread inland air frost around dawn. There was early cloud in N Scotland and SW England and SE Ireland, and also low cloud drifting onshore in NE England. It remained largely cloudy in these areas throughout the day, with the best of the sunshine being across Cent and N Ireland, N Wales and NW England. The cloud in N Scotland spread slowly S, giving falls of light rain that turned to sleet and snow over the higher ground. Under clear skies across Ireland, Wales and S Scotland an air frost reformed in the evening. (Llanbedr 11C, Tulloch Bridge -7C, Isle of Scilly 3mm, Morecambe 9.0h.)
During the 22nd the wind direction backed to a more N'ly direction, as a cold front pushed S over Scotland introducing colder air in the N. There was early cloud in much of Scotland, and in E and S England. Elsewhere, clear skies led to an air frost inland by dawn. Snow showers were affecting N and E Scotland at low levels by dawn, and these spread down to NE England by midday, later spreading to East Anglia. The showers were accompnaied by a storng wind with gusts to 40kn in places. These showers only affected E coastal areas of England and, away from the cloudy area of S England much of Wales, Ireland and W and Cent England had a sunny day. (Saunton Sands 9C, Lerwick 1C maximum, Katesbridge -5C minimum, Lerwick 4mm, Leuchars 8.1h.)
There was a widespread inland air frost from Cent Scotland S'wards on the 23rd, and also across much of Ireland. Overnight snow showers continued down E Scotland and E England, and these fed into parts of NW England later in the morning. Cloud developed across Ireland during the morning and persisted for much of the day, with rain showers in W Ireland in the evening. Snow showers continued to fall in E England in the afternoon, with a few reported from the Midlands. Later in the afternoon thicker cloud led to rain across W Scotland and this spread E, as cloud in E England lifted a little to give a frosty eveining - with midnight temperatures down as low as -4C in parts of Hampshire. (Tiree 8C, Trawscoed -6C, Kirkwall 4mm, Torquay 9.6h.)
Largely clear early into the 24th meant a widespread air frost in inland sites in the British Isles, but much of England, Ireland and Wales soon turned cloudy as a front pushed S. This brought light rain in most places, with light sleet and snow on some higher ground, as far S as S England. Snow showers were heavier across Scotland, and were accompanied by gusts to 50kn in the Northern Isles. Frontal snow pushed S through NE England during the evening, while temperatures fell to near freezing across NW England and Scotland again. (Falmouth 10C, Lerwick 1C maximum, Redhill -7C minimum, Lerwick 10mm, Torquay 6.4h.) The cold front that lay across S parts of Ireland and England at 0000GMT on the 25th finally cleared to the S during the morning, leaving the whole of the British Isles in a N'ly airflow. There was widespread air frost except in some S areas where the frontal cloud was slow to clear, while snow showers continued overnight in N Scotland. These were heavy at times and gave blizzard conditions as the wind gustsed to 60kn in the Northern Isles. In Aberdeenshire the A90 was blocked in places as the heavy falls spread S. Snow showers also fell around the coasts of Britain and Ireland, with hail in places too. There were falls of snow in parts of Sw Ireland and snow showers in Cent S Englandd, SW England and parts of E England. Across many inland areas of the British Isles the day was very sunny with low dew points in many inland areas; in the Birmingham area at 1500GMT the temperature was 3C with a dew point of -8C. (Falmouth 8C, Loch Glascarnoch 0C maximum, Warcop Range -7C minimum, Lerwick 24mm, Leuchars 9h.)
Overnight into the 26th cloud and snow showers were largely confined to N and Cent Scotland, parts of N Ireland and a few coastal areas of W Wales and E England. Elsewhere, small amounts of cloud meant a frosty start to the day. At Dyce 11cm of snow were reported lying by morning and many roads and schools were closed around there as a result. Heavy snow fell in Northern Ireland during the morning and falls further S in Ireland were also widespread by midday - these fell as rain in places but had largely cleared by early afternoon. Port Glenone recorded 6cm of snowfall. Snow was also more widespread across England and Wales; while falls were slight in many places up to 15cm was reported lying on some Welsh roads. Thunder was reported in Cornwall during the early afternoon as snow showers reacxhed SW England, and light snow also fell in Cent S England. Falls also extended down the E side of England and these persisted late into the evening in parts of NE England, by which time inland skies had again cleared in most places to give another air frost. (Torquay 8C, Sennybridge 0C maximum, Tulloch Bridge -8C minimum, Lerwick 16mm, Eastbourne 8.9h.)
The cold N'ly airflow continued throughout the 27th, with a widespread air frost to start the day. In parts of Scotland and Wales schools were closed, and conditions were especially bad in the Northern Isles, Highland and Aberdeenshire where raods were blocked by drifting snow. The Met Office reported that in Lerwick the precipitation total in the period 24th to 27th amounted to 108mm of rain, roughly the average for the entire month. Snow depths included 18cm at Glenlivet and 12cm at Boltshope Park by the end the day. Snbowfall was agin widepread and heavy in N and Cent Scotland with showery falls extending down both E and W coastal areas of Britain, and into the Channel Islands. Precipitation fell as hail in places, and winds gusted to 40kn across N Scotland. The afternoon and evening brought rain and snow showers to W Ireland for a while. (Saunton Sands 8C, Redesdale Camp 0C maximum, Sennybridge -11C minimum, Lerwick 41mm, Cardiff 9h.)
By dawn on the 28th cloud and snow showers were confined to E and Cent S England, with clear skies further W; these clear skies led to a very sharp air frost in parts of Scotland and Wales. This clear-cloudy split lasted for much of the day, although there was cloud later in the day across N Scotland, while the cloud in E England largely cleared in the evening. A few showers affected parts of Wales and SW England, but the heaviest snow fell in NE England, with lighter falls further S into East Anglia. (Saunton Sands 8C, Sennybridge -10C, Loftus 15mm, Isle of Man 9.2h.)
Snow showers continued overnight in NE England and parts of East Anglia but in most places the 29th dawned with fairly clear skies and another air frost. There were also overnight wintry showers in parts of N Scotland and the Channel Islands, while the early snow in East Anglia pushed into parts of Cent S England later in the morning, giving mostly light falls. A change in wind direction brought warmer air and light rain or drizzle to NW and N Scotland, while much of Ireland, S Scotland and W Britain had a sunny day. The cloud cleared from most places except N Scotland in the evening, giving another widespread frost although at lerwick the temperature at 2400GMT was 6C. (Saunton Sands 9C, Loch Glascarnoch -11C, Altnaharra 10mm, Falmouth 10.5h.)
The high pressure slipped SE into NW France on the 2nd, as fronts pushed across Ireland. The day dawned with a little cloud in W Ireland but a widespread air frost elsewhere under clear skies; lingering snow cover across E Scotland and helped to lower overnight temperatures here. As the day progressed this cloud spread E, reaching all but the extreme E corners of England by midnight. Rain started falling in W Ireland early in the afternoon and by midnight had spread into parts of W Scotland and E Ireland, accompanied by a rise in temperature. Midnight saw a return to frosty conditions in E England, however. (Saunton Sands 10C, Aboyne -12C, No measureable rain except across Ireland, Clacton and Eastbourne 9.8h.)
The 3rd dawned with clear skies and air frost in parts of SE England and East Anglia, and rather cloudy skies elsewhere. Much of this clear region did not cloud over until midday, while the overnight rain that had spread to SW Scotland and parts of S Wales only spread slowly E during the day. In most places falls were slight, and by midday the precipitation had turned showery across W Ireland. By midnight rain was confined to E Britain and S England, while showers across Ireland turned heavy in places with Dublin reporting a thunderstorm with hail at 2400GMT. (St. Angelo and Cork 13C, Redhill -7C, Valentia 20mm, Clacton 7.7h.)
The overnight rain had cleared all but E parts of east Anglia by dawn on the 4th, but by then there was widespread fog across SE, Cent S England and parts of the Midlands. Clearer skies across much of Ireland, W wales and Scotland had led to an air frost in E Scotland and a few fog patches there too. In some coastal areas of E England the fog lingered for much of the day, while much of S England had a generally cloudy day. Elsewhere, there were sunny spells and across most of the British Isles winds were fairly light during the day as a weak col formed. Fog and mist developed again in S England and parts of E England and S Wales in the evening. (Shobdon 13C, Altnaharra -4C, Baltasound 11mm, Aberdeen 8.2h.)
Mist, fog and low cloud into the meant an air frost formed only in parts of Ireland, the Midlands and Cent Scotland on the 5th. Fog in E and S England was slow to clear in some places, while a weak front produced light rain in extreme E parts of SE England and East Anglia during the day. Much of England had a cloudy day, with the best sunshine occurring across Ireland and Scotland, once early fog had cleared from some Cent areas of Ireland. Showers affected some W areas of Ireland and also N Scotland, with further showers from N England to the N Midlands. (Thorney Island 13C, Katesbridge -4C, Church Fenton 13mm, Tiree 8.9h.)
The 6th saw a slow rise in air pressure from the W, with readings up to 1030.6mb at Valentia at 2100GMT. Clear skies overnight ahead of this rise resulted in air frost over Ireland and S Scotland. Much of England again dawned with low cloud, and some patchy rain in the E that soon cleared. dense fog over east Anglia also cleared later in the morning. Showers affected Scotland throughout much of the day, accompanied by gusts to 40kn in the N. The afternoon saw a clearance of much of the cloud over Wales and W England, but this redeveloped in the evening, especially in the E and S, with some light rain in S England. (Shobdon and Great Malvern 12C, Katesbridge -4C, Sella Ness 8mm, Torquay 8.5h.)
Early cloud was confined on the 7th to N and W Scotland, E and S England and a few parts of W Ireland. Rain shwoers continued until mid afternoon across N Scotland and some also fell in Cent and S England during the day, mixed with hail and slight snow in places. This latter area was the result of a S-ward moving band, and there were a few sharp falls in temperature under the heavier showers. There was a slight air frost in parts of S Scotland while, as the day progresses, the cloud across England gradually cleared in all except extreme E parts. By midnight MSL pressure was up to 1036mb over Cent Scotland, while some inland sites from N Scotland to S England were reporting air frosts. (Sloy 12C, Saughall -4C, Buxton 8mm, Saunton Sands 10h.)
Overnight into the 8th low cloud developed across much of England while most other areas, apart from N Scotland, remained clear. Air frost was consequently widespread across Ireland and scotland and it was these areas that had prolonged sunshine under the continuing high pressure. Cloud cover across England again cleared towards the E, with only E England being cloudy by midnight. There was the odd shower in cent S England before the cloud cleared from here, with some light rain and drizzle in NE England. By midnight Eskdalemuir was reporting a MSL pressure of 1040.4mb. (Aboyne 12C, Tyndrum -7C, Scarborough 2mm, Isle of Man 10.4h.)
Mostly clear skies into the 9th meant a widespread air.ground frost across the British Isles. Cloud cover during the day was patchy but, with a general airflow from the E, confined more to E areas of England and Scotland. Some isolated rain or drizzle fell in SE England, with snow and sleet in places. These snow showers also spread to parts of East Anglia and the east Midlands in the evening. (Altnaharra 10C, Tyndrum -8C, Manston 0.4mm, Newquay 10.2h.)
The 10th began with rain and wintry showers across parts of E England and largely clear skies elsewhere. Falls were generally slight; however, showers of sleet and snow later developed over S Scotland and parts of N Ireland and in the afternoon a few snow showers spread W into Cent S England. MSL pressure fell slowely everywhere during the day, and by midnight light frontal rain had pushed Ne into the SW corner of Ireland, although at Lerwick MSL pressure was still 1031.9mb. (Saunton Sands 10C, Yeovilton -5C, Coltishall 3mm, Falmouth 9.5h.)
There was a rather cold and cloudy start to the 11th in most places, with a generally SE surface flow and light rain spreading across S Ireland into Cornwall. Wintry showers continued overnight in NE England and SE Scotland, with light rain and sleet also seen in Essex and Kent. The rain in the SW continued to move N and E, preceded by sleet and snow over the higher ground in SW England and by midnight falls were also seen over W Wales. Rain fell across much of Ireland and later in SW Scotland during the day, and a fresh SE wind continued to blow making it feel rather cold everywhere. Gusts reached 40kn in Scotlnd, with 50kn in exposed places. (St Mary's Scilly 8C, Dunkeswell -3C, St Mary's Scilly 11mm, Hunstanton 4.3h.)
The 12th began with cloud over much of Britain and wintry weather across NE Ireland, Wales and much of Cent and S England. In the slightly warmer air of S Ireland and SW England the precipitation consisted of rain at lower levels. North of Cardiff many roads were closed for a time, and the M4 was down to one lane because of snow between Cardiff and Bridgend. Numerous schools in the area were closed here and in Gloucestershire. This wintry weather gradually moved E during the morning, to be followed by more extensive rain in the afternoon and evening from a shallow low that pushed NE along the English Channel and into Kent later in the day. This gave some heavy falls of rain in SW England. Cent and N England had light rain at times during the day, and across Ireland the earlier rain and snow turned to showers of rain later. Showers also affected Scotland, especially in the E and gusts of 30-50kn continued here for much of the day. In the evening there was a clearance of the cloud across much of Ireland. (Chivenor and Saunton Sands 11C, Buxton (Derbyshire) -2C, Plymouth 35mm, Kinloss 5.3h.)
Clearing skies spread from Ireland into Wales and SW England into the 13th with air frost being largely confined to Cent Ireland as a result. Light rain continued across Cent and N England, and in N Scotland. As this rain spread NE it diminished in intensity and showers developed in the clearer air across S England and S Wales. These showers spread into n England in the afternoon and evening, and thunder was heard in Cent and SE England. In the afternoon rain spread across S Ireland, gradually becoming heavier, and then into W Wales and SW England. (Guernsey 13C, Castlederg -1C, Exmouth 14mm, Isle of Wight 10.0h.)
Cloud spread rapidly E across much of the British Isles early on the 14th and low pressure headed towards NW Scotland bringing fronts towards Ireland. There was rain in S England at first, with more widespread rain crossing Ireland and reaching much of W Britain by midday. By midday showers had followed the rain over Ireland, and these spread to much of Wales and england during the afternoon, with temperatures of 10C being widespread here by early evening. There was some heavy rain in S Scotland for a while but by midnight most of the showers had died down with light rain then mainly over N and Cent parts of Scotland. At 2400GMT the low was centred to the W of Shetland (centre 977mb) and was resulting in gusts to 50-60kn over N and Cent Scotland. (Kinloss 14C, Tain Range -2C, Eskdalemuir 34mm, Newquay 4.0h.)
A mild SW flow dominated the weather with bands of frontal rain rushing NE'wards at times during the 15th. By dawn the largely clear overnight skies had been replaced by cloud over Ireland with light rain in the W. There were mist and fog patches over SW and S Eng;and by dawn but better visibility across N Scotland where gusts of 50-70kn were reported at 0600GMT. The rain was heavy in places during the day, especially over parts of Scotland. By midnight a frontal band lay across N England and N Ireland, with misty and drizzly conditions to the S and clearer but still mild air to the N. Temperatures were around 12C across much of Cent England. (Kinloss 16C, Lough Fea 4C, Loch Glascarnoch 23mm, Kinloss 6.3h.)
The 16th was another rather mild day due to the prevailing SW airflow across the British Isles, ahead of a low to the W of Ireland. In parts of E England temperatrures remained above 10C overnight and then rose rapiddly to 15-16C. Cloud and rain were largely confined to N and W Scotland during the day, but in the afternoon and evening a cold front spread E across Ireland, wales and N England giving some rain to most places here. Winds were strongest across scotland, with gusts to 60kn in places, and 40kn gusts being widespread. The cold front brought little change in temperature as it moved E, but the air became drier and dew points fell at it's passage. (Cleethorpes 18C, Fyvie Castle 6C, Tulloch Bridge 14mm, Guernsey 10h.)
The cold front pushed S during the 17th until the evening, when it stalled across S England. It brought some rain, mostly light, which gradually became confined to S Wales and SW England. There was early mist and fog in Cent S England ahead of the front, and these returned later in the evening. Behind the front the day was mostly clear and sunny, except in N Scotland where there were widespread showers; these died down in the evening. (Margate 18C, Redhill 0C, Loch Glascarnoch 14mm, Aberdeen 10h.)
Overnight cloud was mostly confined to S Ireland and S England into the 18th. This meant a dull start to the day with light rain in these areas, while further frontal cloud and rain spread across ireland and into Wales and W Scotland by midday. The mildest air was to be found in the SE corner of England, until it was swept away to the E during the afternoon. Meanwhile, the cloud and rain in the W turned to showers across Ireland by midday (with hail in places), and pushed rapidly E across the British Isles during the afternoon and evening. Showers followed across britain for a while, but by late evening these were confined mainly to W parts of Scotland and Ireland, with clear skies elsewhere. By midnight pressure had started to fall rapidly in SW ireland and moderate rain had started falling there. (Gravesend 16C, Topcliffe -1C, Machrihanish 10mm, Lerwick 5.6h.)
A deepening depression crossed from SW Ireland to NE scotland during the morning of the 19th, accompanied by rain and stroing winds to the S of the centre. Gusts included 80mph at Capel Curig, 71mph at Whitby and 68mph at Durham. In North Yorkshire lorries were blown over and some areas lost power for a while. Snow fell in the late morning in S and E Scotland with 14cm reported lying in South Lanarkshire. By midday the rain was mainly confined to S England and East Anglia, lying along a trailing cold front and there were mainly clear skies in W areas. Showers were heavy across Scotland in the afternoon and were accompanied by thunder in the W, while in the evening further rain spread E into Ireland and W Britain. (Torquay 14C, Tain Range 0C, Capel Curig 35mm, Isle of Man 6.5h.)
Windy conditions continued for much of the 20th, as a strong W flow persisted to the S of low pressure located just N of Scotland. Three people were reported killed by flying debris. The rain in SW Ireland soon spread across mosr areas, but falls were generally short-lived as the fronts were driven E quite rapidly. The rain turned to snow across higher ground in Scotland, and was followed by blustery showers in many parts. Ferries on the Irish Sea suffered delays and cancellations and lorries were agin blown over on some roads. In the Midlands tiles were dislodged and an empty building collapsed in Salford. In parts of East Anglia dry topsoil was lifted by the wind and led to reports of blowing dust. Some football matches were postponed or abandoned due to the wind and the rain and the horse racing at Uttoxeter was abandoned. Gusts of 85mph were reported in S Wales with 70mph gusts in the Midlands and Lincolnshire. In the evening the showers that remained truned thundery in W Ireland, but in many areas the cloud cleared and the wind dropped - although gusts to 40-50kn were still widespread at midnight. (Coningsby 17C, Aviemore -1C, Eskdalemuir 25mm, Lerwick 8h.)
The 21st was also a blustery day, although peak winds were slightly below those of the previous day. After a largely clear night, cloud soon developed in W Britain and spread E during the morning with showers soon following. There were sferics over SW Ireland before dawn and these then became widespread across much of Ireland in the early afternoon, and later over much of Wales and Cent England. Gusts included 63mph at Cottesmore and 57mph on Guernsey, and 40kn gusts were widespread elsewhere. Strong winds caused problems on the the River Thames at Putney where about 40 people had to be rescued after boats capsised during a rowing event. The showers died down in the evening and by midnight were confined mainly to SW Britain, S Ireland and W Scotland, with some of these continuing to fall as hail. (Bournemouth 13C, Baltasound -1C, Port Ellen 16mm, Swanage 9h.)
A NW airflow on the 22nd, with SE'ward moving troughs, mean a day of sunshine and some heavy showers. Overnight cloud was patchy, but it was a little too windy for much air frost. There were overnight showers on W-facing coats, with hail reported from Ireland, and these spread inland as showers developed in the morning. In the afternoon thunder was reported in East Anglia with hail and thunder around the Solent, while snow showers fell over the higher ground of Cent Scotland. By early evening the showers diminished in many areas as the cloud dissipated, except in S Scotland and N England where another trough allowed the convection to linger a little longer. (Lee-on-Solent 13C, Redesdale Camp -1C, Ballypatrick Forest 13mm, Ross-on-Wye 9h.)
The NW'ly flow turned slightly more to the N on the 23rd, but many areas again reported showery activity throughout the British Isles. There was a ground frost by dawn in many inland areas under largely clear skies. Shawbury reported snow falling at 0300GMT, and snow again fell on Scottish mountains above 300 metres giving a further covering of snow. Sferics were reported in the late morning and early afternoon over much of S Britain and in parts of SW Ireland, with hail also falling in S England. As the wind veered, and night approached, the cloud became confined to E areas of England and Scotland, and temperatures fell rapidly in the weakening wind in inland Ireland by midnight. (Saunton Sands 12C, Saughall -2C, Altnaharra 9mm, Prestatyn 10h.)
Overnight cloud was mostly confined to E Britain and N Scotland into the 24th, with a slight air frost occurring under clear skies and light winds in many other areas. Showers continued overnight across Scotland, and by late morning were also falling in E and S England, and around some Scottish coasts. Again, these fell as snow over higher ground, especially in Scotland, with hail in other areas. The afternoon saw frontal cloud pushing in NW Scotland, despite the 1200GMT MSL pressure being 1035.1mb at Belmullet, and this cloud spread into N England and N Ireland by midnight, accompanied by rain across Ireland and Scotland. A few shwoers continued in parts of E England in the evening, with a ground frost forming in clear areas here by midnight. (Saunton Sands 11C, Trawscoed -3C, Scarborough 8mm, Newquay 11h.)
A shallow low and accompanying fronts travelled S through the British Isles on the 25th, bringing further rain and showers to many areas. By dawn cloud had spread to most areas, although skies were clearing in N Ireland and W Scotland, and light rain spread gradually S. Ahead of the rain thunder was heard in London, while during the morning showers developed again across N Scotland. The showers fell as sleet and hail in places; across Ireland the afternoon was largely clear but further frontal cloud spread in from the W in the evening. By midnight skies had, however, cleared across much of England and Wales, while Scotland remained cloudy with rain and drizzle in the NE. (Machrihanish 12C, Benson -4C, Bingley 7mm, Clacton 9.3h.)
After a clear start to the 26th across much of England and Wales, the cloud across Scotland spread S by dawn as a weak front pushed some light rain into S Scotland by then. Many areas remained cloudy throughout the day as the light rain spread into S England by late evening, although a notable exception was E Scotland where the temperature rose to 15-16C in places as the sun appeared. Despite the cloud pressure remained high across S Britain, although N Scotland had a rather dull day with rain and drizzle that continued into the evening as a cold front approached from the W. (Leuchars 16C, Sennybridge -3C, Kirkwall 4mm, Margate 9.8h.)
On the 27th the British was surrounded by frontal bands on all sides, resulting in a generally cloudy day, but with little rain as the fronts made little progress inland. Overnight rain and drizzle was mostly confined to SE England and N Scotland, and during the day light rain also affected parts of Ireland and E Scotland. Cloud cleared across W Ireland later in the afternoon, before it clouded over there as a cold front finally pushed E from the Atlantic. (Leuchars 16C, Langdon Bay 1C, Loch Glascarnoch 3mm, Leuchars 5.8h.)
The cloud in W Ireland soom disspiated overnight, but in most other places the 28th dawned cloudy, with light rain in SW England, W and SW Scotland. Showers continued overnight in the Northern Isles. During the morning cloud gradually dissipated over Scotland and NW England, while showers became widespread across Ireland. The clearance spread slowly SE into the afternoon and evening, and later in the afternoon the showers cleared across Ireland, so that by midnight cloud was largely confined to S England. A few showers did, however, linger in the Northern Isles. (Leuchars 15C, Fyvie Castle 2C, Lusa 9mm, Hastings 9.0h.)
Cloud developed across Cent and N England into the 29th, with mist and fog patches forming in S Wales and S England by dawn. There was also some light overnight in SW Scotland, but largely clear skies elsewhere after the showers died down in the Northern Isles. There were further light rain showers in N Scotland during the day, and also in SW Scotland. Elsewhere, the day was rather cloudy, although this cloud did break up in most areas, away from Scotland, during the evening. Parts of SW England, and the Channel isles did have a sunny day, however; a sea breeze was reported from Bridlington, according to the Met Office. (Saunton Sands 16C, Aboyne -3C, Lerwick 2mm, Jersey 11.2h.)
There was cloud overnight across much of Scotland and in parts of Ireland, while in NW Scotland and elsewhere in Britain clear skies led to an air frost in places by dawn on the 30th. Mist and fog formed in parts of the Midlands and S England during the early hours, but once this lifted much of England and Wales had a sunny and almost cloudless day. The cloud across Scotland and Ireland lingered until the evening, with cover remaining in some coastal areas by midnight. (Bournemouth 18C, Altnaharra -5C, No measureable rain, Torquay 12.2h.)
There was little cloud during the early hours of the 31st away from the E coast of Britain and SW England, resulting in a widespread ground frost. S England also had some early mist and fog, but in most places across England and Wales any early cloud soon broke to give a warm and sunny day. SW England saw rather more cloud with some light rain and drizzle later in the afternoon and evening, and cloud was also rather more widespread over Ireland. Cloud lingered in the Northern Isles until the late afternoon, while in the evening cloud spread across most other parts of Britain with rather misty conditions in many places. (Northolt 20C, Aviemore -2C, Teignmouth 0.8mm, Cleethorpes 12.6h.)
A largely cloudy start to the 2nd meant no air frost at low levels. The cloud marked an area of rain that spread NE across the British Isles throughout the day - by midday the rain only affected E England, E and N scotland with sunshine and showers following on behind. With a S airflow these showers were largely confined to some S-facing coastal areas and during the evening they cleared over much of inland England and Wales. By midnight the earlier rain was confined to Shetland, while a second band was beginning to affect S Ireland and SW England. (Cent London 17C, Fifeness and Scarborough 5C, Aberdeen 23mm, Torquay 10.1h.)
Clear skies early on the 3rd led to a touch of ground frost in sheltered areas, but by mid-morning cloud had spread NE across much of the British Isles as early rain in the SW spread NE across most areas. Further bands of rain and some heavy showers followed; these were accomapnied by thunder during the afternoon across parts of Ireland, S Scotland and N England while torrentoial rain at forfar led to the cancellation of the Scottish League football fixture there. Winds turned gusty across England in the afternoon and further rain, heavy in places, spread E here with a shaallow low forming over N England by midnight (999mb). As the rain spread E the wind veered from S to W followed by a clearance in the cloud across Ireland. Skies also cleared across much of E Scotland in the evening. (Cleethorpes 16C, Redhill 2C, Tulloch bridge 31mm, Cleethorpes 8.2h.)
The overnight across England cleared to the E into the 4th, and clear skies spread to all areas during the night. In E Scotland there was some air frost in places as skies were clear here throughout the night. Showers soon developed across Ireland during the morning and these spread to many parts of England and Scotland also as the day proceeded. Some showers were heavy and thundery with hail also reported falling, partricularly in parts of S England. However, by midnight the skies were clearing in most areas, away from W-facing coasts where some showers lingered. (Guernsey 15C, Aboyne -1C, Buxton (Derbyshire) 26mm, Swanage 9.5h.)
The 5th saw a continuation of blustery and showery weather with the wind veering slowly around to the NW. these showers were agin heavy in places, especially in parts of E England where thunder was also reported later in the afternoon. As the sun set the showers agin died down and by midnight skies were clear in inland areas and even along most W-facing coasts. (Guernsey 13C, Aboyne 1C, Tulloch Bridge 14mm, Lerwick 8.4h.)
Little overnight cloud led to a widespread ground frost early on the 6th with an air frost in some sheltered parts of Scotland. Early rain and showers in the W and NW of the British Isles soon spread SE to affect all parts and giving some heavy falls of rain. The showers also gave hail and thunder, the latter especially in parts of S England and East Anglia in the afternoon. The evening again saw a gradual clearance of the showers, and by midnight cloud was mostly confined to parts of N England and N Scotland. (Prestwick 13C, Kinbrace -4C, Loch Glascarnoch 19mm, Tiree 9.2h.)
There was patchy cloud overnight into the 7th with some showers lingering in W Ireland and in E Britain. These showers continued throughout the morning, gradually spreading inland to give falls of hail in places, with sferics in parts of SE England in the late afternoon and evening. The evening again saw a clearance of the cloud and showers, with showers at midnight being mostly confined to some E coast areas of England and Scotand. MSL pressure had risen to 1026.1mb at Valentia by midnight. (Bishopton 13C, Saughall -1C, Aviemore 14mm, Falmouth 11.4h.)
Despite the ridge of high pressure prevailing on the 8th, and area of frontal rain spread SE across Ireland and Scotland later in the day. Claer skies initially led to a ground frost in many areas but by mid-morning cloud and light rain had spread S into W Scotland and the Northern Isles, with rather cloudy skies elsewhere. The rain continued to spread slowly S, and ahead of it there were some showers of rain - some of these turned heavy in the afternoon in S England. By midnight the rain (and drizzle) lay across S Ireland and Scotland, while the showers over England had cleared to give a touch of ground frost in many places. (Tain Range 13C, Dalmally -2C, Kirkwall 6mm, Jersey 10.2h.)
Early rain and drizzle on the 9th meant a cloudy start to the day over much of Scotland and Ireland, while clearer skies elsewhere led to a widespread ground frost with some air frost. There were also early mist and fog patches in parts of Cent and S England. Later in the morning the cloud spread into Wales and the Midlands with some light rain later in N England. The afternoon saw showers, including some of snow, in N Scotland as a cold front spread slowly S here, introducing colder air and clearer air. By midnight the frontal rain over England had reached the S coast with light rain falling in S England and East Anglia. (Leuchars 17C, Sennybridge -4C, West Freugh 5mm, Torquay 11.8h.)
The early hours of the 10th were generally cloudy across the British Isles - the rain areas continued to spread generally S but they slowly fizzled out so that little rain fell away from S England during the day. Although high pressure persisted in most places during the day, a shallow low and associated fronts spread across the Northern Isles later in the day with showers here turning to light rain and drizzle, and with some sea fog forming. Elsewhere, winds became gradually light and variable as a very slack pressure gradient set in over the British Isles by midnight. (Torquay 15C, Redhill 0C, High Wycombe 3mm, Cleethorpes 5.6h.)
High pressure, light and variable winds, and a rather cloudy day on the 11th were the result of an anticyclone centred over E England with bands of cloud and some rain in N and NW parts. Away from Scotland most places had a dry day although Cornwall did see some light rain in the morning from the remnants of a dying front. Mist and fog affected some Irish Sea coasts, but the widespread cloud did prevent much of a drop in temperature during the evening except for the SE corner of England. (Great Malvern 15C, Redhill -2C, Lerwick 2mm, Torquay 9.6h.)
Temperatures to the S and E of London fell low enough for an air frost early on the 12th, but elsewhere mostly cloudy skies meant a mild night. The heaviest of any rain and showers occurred across Scotland. Mist and fog affected parts of E Ireland and Irish Sea coasts, and lingered in the latter area for much of the day in places. Ireland, Wales and England had a mostly cloudy day, but there was a clearance in some W parts during the late afternoon and evening. Cloud was much less across SW England and the Channel Islands for most of the day. (Enfield 18C, Redhill -3C, Aberdeen 6mm, Guernsey 11.9h.)
Clear skies in many areas for a while into the 13th led to a ground frost, but much of E and S England had a cloudy start with some light rain in East Anglia. Cloud and rain also spread into Ireland and W Scotland by dawn, and then continued to move SE reaching W Wales and N England by midnight. The cloud in the S and E cleared, as did the rain here, to give a warm and sunny day across much of Cent and S England. (Great Malvern 17C, Redesdale camp -1C, Lerwick 11mm, Manchester and Weymouth 8.6h.)
There was little cloud throughout the 14th in much of the SE corner of England; there were a few fog patches around dawn, while the evening brought some low cloud, and mist and fog patches that drifted inland a little. Consequently, there was an early ground in some places here, followed by a sunny day. Further n and W there was a cloudy start to the day, with patchy light rain from Wales and the Midlands to NW Scotland where there was some quite heavy rain for a time. Frontal cloud brought further rain during the afternoon to W Ireland and W Scotland, while winds gusted over N Scotland to 50kn in a few places, ahead of a deep low to the W of Scotland. (Gravesend 18C, Redhill -1C, Lusa 14mm, Margate and Weymouth 12.2h.)
Frontal cloud and rain spread slowly E during the 15th from W Ireland and W Scotland to lie E of Scotland and through Wales and the Midlands to SW England by midnight. Ahead of the front there were clear skies in parts of E and Cent England around dawn, with mist and fog in cent S England. Showers and lower temperatures followed the rain and as these died out a little in the evening there were largely clear skies across much of Ireland, NW England and Scotland. (Gravesend 17C, Boscombe Down 2C, Eskdalemuir 16mm, Torquay 11.4h.)
Apart from showers that developed, and then died back, the 16th saw largely clear skies across much of Ireland, NW England and Scotland. Early cloud across Kent and East Anglia broke up in the morning to give a bright afternoon here. Elsewhere, the day was rather cloudy with light to moderate rain, although the rainbands giving these falls was quite narrow. The rain was accompanied by thunder in places, especially around Humberside and the NE Midlands. (Cent London 21C, Aboyne -3C, Woodford 15mm, Belfast 12.7h.)
During the 17th this line of cloud and rain finally cleared to the E of England, although by dawn the rain had mostly faded away. However, another area of cloud and rain spread E into W Scotland and Cent Ireland by midday and then made only slow progress into Wales and Cent England. As the earlier cloud cleared it turned warm and sunny in E England, until the pressure started to fall as the next rainband approached here. (Cent London 16C, Aboyne -4C, Killowen 21mm, London 10.5h.)
The 18th was unusually cyclonic for the time of year. The lowest MSL barometric pressure today at Stratfield Mortimer, West Berkshire was 976.1mb at 1220GMT; the barometer has fallen below 980mb here in April on only two previous occasions since local records commenced in 1949, namely 978.9mb at 18h on 4 April 1962 and 972.4mb at 0130GMT on 1 April 1994. Today's 976.1mb was also the only occasion on the 55-year record of a value below 980mb occurring between the first week of April and early October. A similar low centre also occurred over S Scotland - down to 972mb at 2400GMT in SE Scotland. There was rain in much of E and Cent Britain, with showery conditions over Ireland (where hail was observed). As the day progressed both the rain and the showers moved E, with largely clear skies over Ireland and Wales by midnight. Some localised flooding was reported in the Midlands, with sleet and wet snow falling over the highest ground of Wales and the SW England. At Carlton-in-Cleveland it was the wettest April day (beginning at 0900GMT) in the 21-year record, with 32.6mm falling. Local flooding was also reported. (Guernsey 13C, Altnaharra -2C, Eskdalemuir 32mm, Ronaldsway 8.2h.)
The 19th began with cloud and rain over N England and much of Scotland, and with clear conditions elsewhere along with a few showers. The cloud and rain in the N, along with the low centre, gradually transferred NW; a gust to 51kn was measured at Fair Isle shortly after dawn. Showers developed across Cent and S parts of England during the morning, and were accompanied by hail and thunder during the afternoon. Thundery rain also affected E parts of Ireland in the afternoon and evening, while showers across S Ireland and in SW England and SW Wales lingered into the evening. Great Malvern 14C, Redhill 0C, Scarborough 25mm, Tenby 11h.)
Cyclonic conditions continued into the 20th. Rain and drizzle spread into S Ireland and much of SW England in the early hours and this gradually spread N and NE during the day. Ahead of this rain, and away from W Scotland, overnight skies largely cleared, although a trough gave thundery activity around Glasgow shortly after dawn. By late evening the cloud and rain had spread as far N as Mull and SE Scotland, with lighter rain and drizzle extending S across much of Britain. Conditions across Ireland were then rather more showery, with gusts to 40kn on the W coast. (Lossiemouth 16C, Redhill -2C, Eskdalemuir 21mm, Clacton 12h.)
Low pressure, troughs and fronts resulted in a SW airflow and bands of rain on the 21st. The rain continued to move NE overnight with the heaviest falling over N Scotland and E England by mid-morning. Light rain and drizzle continued across much of S England and parts of the Midlands overnight and throughout the morning. A wave developed along the front responsible for this light rain, and in the evening this wave resulted in thunderstorms in SE England - which brought clear skies to much of England and Wales as they cleared to the E. The day was largely showery across Ireland, while some more general rain fell over Scotland, along with fog around the coast of the Northern Isles later in the day. (Herne Bay 18C, Cassley 5C, Middle Wallop 18mm, Belfast 6.8h.)
A ridge of high pressure slowly developed across the British Isles on the 22nd, with MSL pressure rising to 1025mb in SW England by midnight. The morning began with largely clear skies away from SW and Cent S England and in N Scotland. Mist and fog soon cleared from all these areas and away from Ireland and W Scotland most places had a sunny day. Frontal cloud and rain affected W Ireland and W Scotland as rain spread NE here during the day. Showers also affected areas from Derbyshire to SE Wales for a while. (Great Malvern 18C, Katesbridge 0C, Lusa 23mm, Isle of Man 11.7h.)
High pressure continued to affect the S half of the British Isles on the 23rd, with MSL pressure rising to 1028mb in E Kent by midnight. Much of S and Cent England had a warm and sunny day after the clearance of some coastal fog patches, but there were cloudier skies further N and W. Cloud and rain spread across Scotland during the day, after an early ground frost in E Scotland and it remained rather cloudy over Scotland into the evening. (Cent London 20C, Aboyne -1C, South Uist Range 6mm, Falmouth 13.5h.)
Anticyclonic sunshine again affected most of England and Wales during the 24th. Cloudy skies prevailed across Ireland and Scotland, although these cleared over much of Ireland in the evening. Light rain and drizzle fell in parts of N Ireland and W and N Scotland, while coastal areas of SW England and the Irish sea saw sea fog from time to time during the day. (Cent London 24C, Redhill 2C, Lerwick and Lusa 1mm, Weymouth 13.3h.)
By midday on the 25th rain was largely confined to light falls across N Scotland, with most other areas having a generally dry and sunny day. Mist and fog again affected some Irish Sea coasts, while a few showers developed over England during the afternoon, with widespread sferics over NE England into the evening. At Ashford, Co. Wicklow, 13.4h of sunshine was recorded during the day - roughly the greatest possible there at this time of year. At Normanby the temperature of 22.6C made this the second warmest April day since records started here in 1997. (Coleshill 22C, Katesbridge -2C, Aultbea 6mm, Weymouth 13.2h.)
Across most parts of the British Isles the 26th dawn largely cloud-free. There was early fog in some coastal areas of N Scotland and Cent S England, while cloud spread across Northern Ireland and N and W parts of Scotland during the day giving falls of rain. Another band of cloud developed by mid-morning from SE Wales to NE England which produced some light rain by midday in the NE. The band developed and thunderstorms in the NE, which then spread to SE Wales; one location near Sheffield reported a fall of 33mm of precipitation in one hour. Roads were flooded in Tyne and Wear and County Durham, and in the evening 43mm fell in two hours near Worcester. In Bromsgrove two homes had to be evacuated after a lightning strike caused a severe fire. Lightning struck the roof of Leominster police station in Herefordshire. 23.7mm fell at Warstock between 1910GMT/26th to 0140GMT/27th. Rain and showers also fell across W Scotland and Ireland in the afternoon, although these cleared into the evening in Ireland. (Cent London 22C, Eskdalemuir 0C, Scarborough 7mm, Torquay 13.4h.)
There was some overnight rain in Cent England into the 27th although thundery activity soon died down. An area of organised rain pushed SE during the might and by mid-morning lay from E Scotland to N Wales. While slow-moving, it did give some heavy falls across N England for a while. It remained cloudy across much of Britain but with clearer skies and showers over Ireland, that died back to the coasts there in the evening. The late afternoon and evening brought thunderstorms to East Anglia, Cent S and SE England. At Forest Hill (SE London) 25.9mm of precipitation fell during 1600-1800GMT during a prolonged thunderstorm; around 1710GMT 10mm diameter hail fell - which caused local damage to trees with young leaves - there was also local flooding and severe disruption to some train services in SE London. In London parts of the Underground were closed due to flooding as the rush hour approached. (Hastings 21C, Castlederg 4C, Pershore 32mm, Dublin Airport 12.5h.)
Away from Ireland the 28th dawned rather cloudy. Overnight rain lay from E Scotland to N Wales, with falls over many parts of England. Outbreaks of thunder continued across the Se corner of England for much of the morning, and over Cent S England into the afternoon. Heavy rain also fell over the Channel Islands, accompanied by thunder. Hill fog in Yorkshire led to low daytime temperatures here, while showers fell in N Scotland throughout the day in the N wind. In West Sussex 32mm fell in four hours at Itchingfield in the afternoon, while the greatest sunshine duration was to be found in W Scotland and in parts of Ireland. (Southend 18C, Altnaharra 1C, Jersey 29mm, Cork 13.4h.)
Apart from a few showers in SW and N Ireland, the 29th danwed with largely clear skies across Ireland - and this was the prelude to a sunny days with showers here. Much of England began the day with cloud and rain, and although the rain turned lighter as it moved E in the afternoon it remained cloudy in most places - as a result the County Cricket Championships suffered with some venues losing all play for a second consecutive day. N and E Scotland, and much of E Wales dawned cloudy as did all but the SW corner of Scotland. Over Wales early rain soon moved E while across Scotland rain and drizzle lingered in the E. (West Freugh 14C, Saughall 0C, Southend 21mm, Shannon 13.5h.)
The 30th dawned with cloudy conditions across most of the British Isles, and with some light rain in S England and in parts of N Scotland. This rain was heavy for part of the day in E Scotland and by midday rain in Cent S England was moderately heavy in places, with further rain and showers in S Ireland. There was hill and coastal fog in parts of S Scotland and N England - which persisted all day in some E coast areas. The rain in S England moved slowly W, giving misty conditions along the S coast. The rain in S Ireland cleared in the early afternoon, and clearing skies then spread to much of Ireland, N Wales and parts of W Scotland. (Walney Island 17C, Sennybridge 0C, Dyce 20mm, Tiree 10.5h.)
Mist and fog developed widely overnight into the 2nd over Cent S England, the Midlands, and parts of SW England as the rain finally moved W; cloudy conditions affected much of N and Cent Scotland overnight, but other areas generally had little overnight cloud. The mist and fog cleared during late morning in most places, with the remainder of the day being mostly dry. Cloudy skies affected much of Scotland, parts of Ireland, and areas of S England during the day - but many places had several hours of bright sunshine. Light rain and showers affected part of N Scotland later in the day, with gusts to 30kn around the coasts here. (Cent London 20C, Redhill 0C, Lerwick, Aultbea and Wainfleet 3mm, Isle of Wight 14.1h.)
Cloud spread cross much of S Ireland, England and Wales into the 3rd, with light rain across Wales, the N Midlands and in parts of N England. As this had spread S skies cleared over much of Scotland, especially in the E, and this pattern of cloud ahead of, and clearer skies behind, the rainband continued as the rain spread slowly SE during the day. The clear air was colder than the cloudy air, and produced a few showers in W Ireland and in parts of W and N Scotland. Later in the evening more generally, and heavier, rain spread into W Ireland and W Scotland, gradually spreading E into Wales by midnight. (Manston 17C, Redhill 1C, Lowestoft 14mm, Leuchars 11h.)
According to the Met Office the 4th saw an exceptionally deep low pressure over the United Kingdom. Recorded at 971mb over N Scotland, it was the lowest pressure anywhere in the northern hemisphere and the lowest in May over the British Isles for over 50 years. As a result there were gales and heavy rain over Scotland, N England and N Wales. By dawn the rain was clearing from N Ireland, with further rain falling by then over SW, Cent S England the Midlands and NE England. As the showers followed the rain across the British Isles there were thunderstorms in places. Reports mentioning thunder came from parts of SW England, N Ireland, N England and the London area, with hail also reported. By late afternoon the rain had given way to showers everywhere, except in E Scotland. (Great Malvern 13C, Redhill 1C, Capel Curig 42mm, Ross-on-Wye 9h.)
The low centre was slow moving on the 5th, across SW Scotland. As a result some of the heaviest rain was found in this region, accompanied by thunderstorms in places. In the Bracknell area 977.0mb at about 0100GMT was the lowest pressure on record in the area since before 1946. Showers were widespread to the S of the low, but some light rain and showers also fell across N Scotland. In the late afternoon thunderstorms developed across E England and also in W Scotland, while across W Ireland and in E parts of SE England and East Anglia clouds cleared shortly before midnight. (Gravesend 14C, Redesdale Camp 2C, Rhyl 30mm, Guernsey 10.8h.)
The low continued to be slow-moving on the 6th, across SW Scotland and Northern Ireland. Cleared in some inland areas as the showers died out temporarily, but the shower activity again picked up in the morning. There were also a few thunderstorms in the afternoon, particularly around the low centre. Cloud was more broken than on the previous day, with the showers being more scattered and thereby allowing more sunshine to occur. By midnight there was very little cloud across the British Isles as pressure rose slowly in most places. (Durham 16C, Bingley 3C, Port Glenone 13mm, Tiree 11.9h.)
Although some cloud and mist spread inland into the 7th, sheltered areas had a ground frost before dawn, with an air frost in some N districts. There were a few overnight showers in Ireland, S Wales and SW England (and also some light rain in the Northern Isles). Further rain spread on to the E coasts of England and Scotland around midday and early into the afternoon, as the showers continued over Ireland and SW England. Thunder was reported in Kent during the afternoon, while the rain made only slow progress W during the day - reaching SW Scotland and NW England later in the day. The showers over Ireland died out in the afternoon, and there were largely clear skies in parts of W Britain throughout the day. (Strathallan 19C, Shap Fell -2C, Wattisham 15mm, Exmouth 13.7h.)
Britain dawned mostly cloudy on the 8th, with little cloud over Ireland. Rain from the E fell in most places during the day, although Ireland remained largely dry apart from a short spell of rain in Northern Ireland, and some light drizzle in SW Ireland, during the afternoon. After a night of heavy rain 24.4mm was measured at Benfleet at 0900h. Most of Scotland, Wales and England had a cloudy day as the rain continued to spread W, diminishing in intensity all the time. Despite NW'ly winds there, the warmest places was Shetland, with Baltasound getting to within 2C of its all-time highest May temperature. Further rain developed later in the afternoon across N England and Cent and E Scotland, accompanied by thunder in places. At Penzance visibility was reported to be over 60km. (Baltasound 19C, Claremorris -0.3C, Herne Bay 23mm, Belmullet 14.3h.)
Much of England and Wales had another cloudy day on the 9th, but there some breaks in the cloud, especially in SW England and W Wales - an over NW England in the evening. Clear skies across NW Scotland by dawn spread to most other parts of Scotland in the afternoon. Early in the day there was coastal fog around Cornwall and along parts of the North Sea coast. Rain in S England largely died out in the morning, while there were showers across Scotland, accompanied by thunder, for a while. Showers also fell over parts of the E Midlands and N England, while the warmest place was again in N Scotland. (Altnaharra 21C, Culdrose 3C, Charterhall 9mm, Newquay 13.7h.)
Showers died down into the 10th, with mist and fog patches forming in many inland areas of England and S Scotland by dawn. In many E and S counties of Britain it remained cloudy overnight and rather misty. By late morning convective clouds were developing in many areas and these turned showery, and thundery over Cent and S Scotland, N and W England, and also in Wales. In Scotland, one man died after being struck by lightning on Ben Oss (1029m), near Tyndrum at about 1800GMT. Flooding was reported in Abergavenny and Looe, Cornwall, and a tornado was sighted at Brecon. According to the Met Office, most of the 24.6mm that fell at Leek occurred in one hour. Low cloud across N Scotland brought some light rain and drizzle, and much lower temperatures than on previous days. Light drizzle also affected W Ireland for much of the day. (Glasgow 22C, Shap Fell 3C, Leek 25mm, Torquay 12.2h.)
The 11th saw pressure gradually rising during the day in all areas, reaching 1026.7mb at Belmullet by 2400GMT. Despite this, most areas had a cloudy start to the day. With some coastal mist in NE England and around Irish Sea coasts, and some drizzle in NE England and N Scotland. Light drizzle also continued in W Ireland, and it also fell around Irish Sea coasts during the day. Thunderstorms developed later in Wales, and in SW and Cent S England. Some were also observed around Perth. A tornado was sighted over Dartmoor. (Cardiff 21C, Redhill 6C, Weymouth 23mm, Tenby 12.5h.)
The 12th began with mainly cloudy skies, except in NW Scotland where little cloud cover led to a few pockets of air frost before dawn. The cloud was quick to disappear across much of Scotland leading to a sunny day here, but cloudier conditions prevailed across S and Cent parts of the British Isles, with some light showers later in the day in parts of Wales. A frontal system spread further cloud E across Scotland and Ireland later in the day, with some light rain in W areas here by midnight. (Glasgow 19C, Loch Glascarnoch 1C, Strathallan 3mm, Stornoway 14h.)
The 13th saw high pressure prevailing across the British Isles, while a frontal system pushed slowly E across Scotland and N parts of Ireland. Overnight skies remained cloudy, with some mist in places and patchy light rain across parts of Scotland, W Ireland and W Wales. Despite the frontal cloud there was little rain during the day across Scotland, while rain and drizzle across Ireland persisted for most of the day in the W. Across England and Wales the day was rather cloudy with sunny intervals, and although temperatures rose inland across England sea breezes kept it rather cooler along the E coast. By midnight pressure was rising over most of the S half of the British Isles, with 1026.3mb reported at Scilly. (Leeming 18C, Leconfield 2C, Lusa 2mm, Herne Bay 9.7h.)
With rising pressure 14th there was a break-up of the cloud in parts of S Britain overnight. This allowed some mist and form to form for a while in parts of Cent S England, with some ground frost in other sheltered locations. Across most of England and Wales it was a dry day with sunny spells, although some showers were reported in NE England and the East Midlands. W Ireland and Scotland had a rather cloudy day, with some rain especially over N Scotland. However, this had largely cleared by midnight apart from some drizzle in the Northern Isles and parts of SW Scotland, by which time MSL pressure had risen to 1029mb in Cornwall. (Cent London 21C, Altnaharra 0C, Baltasound 8mm, Torquay 12.4h.)
High pressure became firmly established over the British Isles on the 15th. Most overnight cloud was confined to W Ireland and W Scotland while clear skies elsewhere led to some mist around coastal areas of S England. Cloud in W areas lingered throughout the day, with light rain and drizzle in W and N Scotland, while E Scotland warmed considerably during the day. E Ireland, Wales and W England had a mostly sunny day, but E England was plagued by cloud for a while, that cleared back to the E coast in the evening. By late evening pressure has risen to almost 1032mb at Cork. (Aboyne 23C, Sennybridge 3C, Lerwick 2mm, Rosslare 13.9h.)
The high pressure persisted into the 16th across the British Isles, with most areas seeing very little cloud during the day. There were a few exceptions, however. Across w Ireland, W and N Scotland an area of cloud lingered for much of the day, giving some light falls of rain and drizzle in N and W Scotland early on. Short-lived areas of cloud also affected parts of NE and S England for a while during the day, while sunshine was hazy in parts of the Midlands and cent S England until early mist had cleared. (Saunton Sands 24C, Shap Fell 3C, Lerwick 2mm, Leuchars and Rosslare 14.8h.)
Across England and Wales the 17th brought a day of very little cloud and prolonged sunshine in most areas. The clear skies did give some ground in a few locations around dawn, however. By dawn, much of Ireland and W and Cent Scotland were cloudy with light rain in some W areas. This area of cloud and light rain spread SE during the morning, before fizzling out during the afternoon as it encountered the high pressure. Showers followed in the NW for a while in the afternoon and evening, and by midnight there was little cloud over Scotland except in the extreme N and W. (Cent London 25C, Redhill 3C, Lusa 4mm, Margate 14.5h.)
The 18th saw the area of high pressure weakening slightly as fronts spread SE across N Britain and into N Ireland. Cloud spread across much of Scotland overnight, while other areas of the British Isles remained largely cloud free. The cloud remained largely confined to Scotland throughout the day, giving moderately heavy falls of rain in some N and W parts, but it was not until the evening that cloud also spread to W Ireland and parts of NE England; Belmullet was reporting light drizzle by 2100GMT. After a ground frost in some sheltered cloud-free areas around dawn, and an air frost at Katesbridge, most of the British Isles had a warm and sunny day. (Cent London 24C, Katesbridge 1C, Baltasound 9mm, Ashford, Co. Wicklow 14.7h.)
The cloud in W Ireland and across Scotland pushed slowly S early on the 19th, introducing cooler air in its wake and giving a few blustery showers across N Scotland. From the Midlands southwards, there was very little cloud across England and Wales and another warm and sunny day resulted. As the cloud spread S, lying from Lincolnshire to S Ireland by midnight, it fizzled out the cloud dissipated and the rain stopped so that falls across England and S Ireland were mostly slight. At 2100GMT there was a temperature difference of about 5C either side of the frontal cloud. (Cent London 25C, Trawscoed 5C, Baltasound and Lerwick 6mm, Eastbourne 14.7h.)
The remnants of the front finally cleared S England during the 20th, while troughs that gave some spells of rain affected N Britain. There were fog patches in parts of Cent S England around dawn, and by midday cloud had spread s to most parts of S England. Showers continued to fall in the cooler air behind the front, mostly across n Scotland but also falling as far S as Wales. In the late afternoon and evening there were thunderstorms from E Hampshire to Kent with reports of 15mm of rain about two hours from Shoreham. By midnight the cloud had cleared from most of Ireland, Wales and W England as high pressure became re-established here. (Bournemouth 23C, Baltasound 8C maximum, Lerwick 3C minimum, Altnaharra 14mm, Weymouth 14.2h.)
High pressure became established from the W over the British Isles on the 21st. Early cloud was mostly confined to W Scotland and E counties of Britain, with an air frost in parts of Cumbria and SW Scotland. The cloud in E England brought some early light rain and showers, and these continued until the early afternoon in some Cent S areas of England. Showers also fell over Northern Ireland and in N Scotland at first, gradually spreading further s during the day. Skies largely cleared everywhere in the evening, except over some parts of N Scotland while showers lingered in the Northern Isles. (Falmouth 19C, Shap Fell 2C, Watnall 10mm, Saunton Sands 15h.)
High pressure prevailed throughout the 22nd with reading of 1032mb across much of Ireland during the day. There was little cloud overnight leading to a widespread ground frost. Frontal cloud affected N Scotland with light falls of rain here, and patchy cloud also gave falls in parts of Kent and Wales. It was a breezy day in the Channel Islands with gusts to 35kn. The evening saw the cloud clearing from most places, except in the northern isles where light showers continued, and in parts of NE England. (Falmouth 20C, Lerwick 6C maximum, Saughall 1C, Eskdalemuir 4mm, Scarborough 16.1h.)
High pressure and little overnight cloud into the 23rd meant a ground in some sheltered areas. Cloud cover during the day was then largely light and scattered, leading to a very sunny day in most places. More extensive cloud prevailed across N Scotland during the afternoon and evening, with some light rain falling. There were a number of gorse fires in west Cornwall over the last couple of days. (Great Malvern 23C, Katesbridge 1C, Lerwick 2mm, Isle of Man 15.3h.)
Overnight cloud was largely confined to N Scotland, where some light rain fell early on the 24th; elsewhere, the day dawned with little or no cloud. This led to another widespread ground frost. The cloud across Scotland spread to S Scotland, with some light rain in SW Scotland also; elsewhere cloud was broken and the day mostly sunny. (Great Malvern 21C, Sennybridge 0C, Lerwick 4mm, Isle of Wight 15.1h.)
Although pressure fell slowly during the 25th, continuing high pressure meant a mostly dry day. There was again a cold start to the day in some inland areas, although areas of low cloud in S England meant a relatively warm start to the day here. Frontal cloud spread S during the day, bringing cloud and colder air to E parts of Britain but with little rain over England. The best of the sunshine was in W parts of Britain and over Ireland. In Penzance this was the nineteenth consecutive day without any rain, while most notable thing there has been the amount of sunshine; today was the twelfth consecutive day with little or no cloud on the coast. (Jersey 21C, Altnaharra 1C, Baltasound 2mm, Isle of Man 15.0h.)
There was little early cloud away from some E and S coastal areas of England and Scotland early on the 26th, with an air frost resulting at some sheltered Scottish sites. Much of the cloud during the day remained confined to the E side of the British Isles, although it did gradually spread W in England and clear from E Scotland. There were a few showers overnight in the Northern Isles, and in the East Midlands and around SE Wales and the Bristol area during the afternoon. These then spread to other parts of S England into the evening with reports of thunder in places. (Saunton Sands 22C, Loch Glascarnoch -2C, Filton 7mm, Tiree 14.8h.)
The 27th dawned with little cloud in most W and N parts of the British Isles, but with cloudier skies in parts of S and E England and the Midlands. Under the clear skies there was an air frost in parts of N Scotland. Some cloud developed across Ireland as the day progressed and there were variable amounts of cloud across S and E England; generally, however, it was a warm and sunny day, although temperatures in the N were lower than those in the S. During the evening rain spread into SW Ireland and SW England, spreading to the Isle of Man and much of S Ireland by midnight. (Jersey 23C, Kinbrace -4C, Credenhill 11mm, Torquay 15h.)
Overnight into the 28th cloud spread across much of the W half of the British Isles, with rain reaching W Wales and SW Scotland by 0600GMT. The cloud helped to keep temperatures up in Ireland and W Wales - the minimum at Valley was 14C. In the E temperatures were lower, with a ground frost under clear skies in places. Although the cloud and rain spread E during the day, it remained mostly sunny in coastal areas of East Anglia and Kent. By early afternoon the rain had reached a line Hampshire to Dundee, and had given way to brighter conditions across Ireland and by midnight the rain was confined largely to W England, Wales and parts of Scotland. (Lossiemouth 21C, Aboyne -1C, Sennybridge 8mm, Cromer 14.3h.)
Much of Britain had a mild night under cloudy skies into the 29th, although minima were lower across Ireland. The frontal rain slowly diminished in intensity as it spread E across England and Wales during the day. As the rain passed it turned brighter in the W with showers in places. There were also thunderstorms in W Scotland, and later in Lincolnshire. The rain also resulted in some coastal fog - by midnight the visibility was down to 100m in some coastal areas of E Scotland. (Margate 22C, Coltishall 6C, Loch Glascarnoch 20mm, Falmouth 8.9h.)
Although cloud gradually developed during the early hours of the 30th, there was little rain and few showers, while the visibility along the coast of E Scotland remained generally below 200m until about 0900GMT. Showers developed across Ireland during the morning, and later across England as the day progressed. Some of these turned thundery, and a funnel cloud was sighted in Teesdale around midday. At Wainfleet, 14.2mm fell in just one hour, although on the whole the showers were quite isolated. As the showers died down in the evening skies cleared in most places across the British Isles; around parts of the Northern Isles there was extensive fog in the late afternoon and evening. (Aboyne 22C, Redesdale Camp 2C, Wainfleet 24mm, Falmouth 14.3h.)
Although many places had clear skies in the early hours of the 31st, cloud and rain spread NE into SW Ireland and Cornwall by dawn, and many coastal areas and inland parts of Cent S England were misty. The cloud and rain continued to spread NE during the morning and there was also rain in N Scotland during this time. The progress of the rain was slow however, and by the end of the day it had reached SE and NW England. Ahead of the cloud some places had a sunny day, with warm condition in the SE. (Gravesend 23C, Shap Fell 2C, Dunkeswell 7mm, Tiree 15.5h.)
The rain cleared NE Scotland on the 2nd, although the day dawned rather cloudy across much of Scotland, with little cloud further S. Cloud amounts were variable during the day, and in the afternoon and evening there was some rain in W Ireland and W Scotland with spots of rain in E Kent. By midnight this rain had turned heavier in W Scotland, and had spread into Northern Ireland and NW Wales. (Bournemouth 22C, Katesbridge 4C, Baltasound 6mm, Newquay 14.9h.)
The 3rd dawned rather cloudy in most places and remained that way throughout the day. The early rain in the W continued to spread E, across Scotland and into N England and N Wales by 0900GMT. Falls were heavy in places. Parts of the S cast of England remained sunny with little cloud, although by midday the rain had reached Norfolk and the Midlands. AS the rain continued to spread E it brightened up in some W parts, although by midnight light rain and drizzle was affecting much of England, with further light falls in W Ireland and showers in W Scotland. (Torquay 23C, Redhill 6C, Machrihanish 20mm, Torquay 15.1h.)
The 4th began with largely cloudy conditions, and rain stretching from W Scotland to S Ireland, and to Cent S England and East Anglia. Falls were generally slightly, however. The rain in S areas cleared away to the s and much of England, Wales S and E Scotland had a warm day, as did the whole of Ireland. Coastal mist and fog lingered in a few places, however. By midnight, further light rain and drizzle had spread into the W and SW of Ireland. (Bournemouth 25C, Aboyne 7C, Manston 4mm, Bournemouth 9.6h.)
The 5th began with a warm night in most places, and with little cloud in E counties of England. In Cent London the temperature did not fall below 16C. There was some light rain in NW Ireland, N Scotland and in Berkshire to begin the day. Skies cleared during the morning in SW England, and this clearance spread into Wales and the Midlands as skies clouded over in E England. Light rain affected W Ireland later in the day, with light falls also in W Scotland; in N Scotland the rain had mostly died out by mid-afternoon. (Aboyne 24C, Redesdale 4C, Kirkwall 5mm, Skegness 14.6h.)
Apart from some clear skies, temporarily, in parts of Wales and W England, in most places the 6th dawned rather cloudy. The cloud brought falls of further light rain throughout the day in N Scotland. W Ireland had light rain during the morning. London again began with a high minimum temperature (17C) with 15C the minimum in Cardiff, Lincoln and Aberdeen, according to the Met Office. While Scotland remained cloudy for much of the day, there was a gradual break-up of the cloud over the S half of the British Isles. On the Channel Islands it was a sunny from dawn to dusk. (Cardiff, Jersey and Dishforth, Redhill 7C, Wick 7mm, Jersey 15.3h.)
The 7th began with decreasing amounts of cloud across N and W areas of the British Isles, and little cloud elsewhere. Minimum temperatures in cent London did not drop below 17C. There was some very slight rain overnight in N Scotland, and later in the morning in the extreme W of Scotland and in N Ireland. Elsewhere it was a dry day, and a very warm one in S England and the Midlands. During the evening, while there were some fog patches around the Irish Sea coasts, thunderstorms broke out over Anglesey and the Isle of Man. (Cent London 29C, Fair Isle 13C maximum, Redhill 7C minimum, Aultbea 2mm, Isle of Wight 15.2h.)
The 8th brought another high set of minimum temperatures with many places away from N Scotland remaining above 10C. While cloud was unbroken in some parts of Ireland and Scotland, it was mostly cirrus over much of England enabling the morning's transit of Venus to be watched. A warm S flow and sunshine for much of the day led to very high temperatures in the E half of England, especially in East Anglia, the East Midlands and SE England. There was some light rain in E Scotland in the late morning and into the afternoon, while the evening brought localised thunderstorms in NE England and moderate rain over SW Ireland. One of these began at 1618GMT at Leconfield; after early rain, hailstones up to the size of large marbles fell. 23mm of precipitation fell in total, with the ground being covered by hail; the storm left a lot of very sorry looking plants with lots of holes in them. (Cent London 31C, Kinbrace 4C, Leconfield 13mm, Herne Bay 14h.)
The 9th began with another warm night across much of England with outbreaks of light rain across the SW corner of Britain by 0600GMT. Rain was also affecting parts of W and S Scotland at this time with a few showers across Ireland. In the Northern Iles there was early rain and fog patchesw, and the rain took a while to clear here, with fog lingering all day in some places. The rain in S England gradually cleared during the morning, and apart from some showers across Scotland most places had a cooler and fairly dry day. In the afternoon and evening another area of cloud and rain began to move into SW England, and some thundery showers broke out over N Ireland. (Southend 26C, Lerwick 8C, Baltasound 21mm, Jersey 10h.)
The 10th saw unsettled weather in many places as troughts and fronts pushed E through a weak ridge of high pressure. There were showers overnight across Scotland and N England, and in W Ireland. These turned thundery later in the morning over NE Ireland and SW Scotland, with sferics also reported from NE Scotland during the late afternoon. At Gleneagles the golf competition was suspended for a while due to the risk of lightning. Showers also affected England and Wales at times during the day, while an area of more general rain and drizzle reached the Western Isles during the evening. (Weybourne 25C, Kinbrace 5C, Altnaharra 27mm, Anglesey 11.5h.)
An area of frontal rain led to a rather cloud day across Scotland on the 11th, with rain or showers for much of the day. Some of the showers turned thundery in Cent and E parts. There was a cloudy and warm start to the day across S England and the Channel Islands, with rain, drizzle, mist or fog until midday in the Channel Islands. While the cloud in S England tended to clear by midday it remainded generally cloudy throughout the day in N England. Across Ireland, variable cloud and showers persisted until the early afternoon, but these cleared later in the day. (Herne Bay 22C, Fylingdales 8C, Tain Range 38mm, Southend 7.4h.)
Rising pressure across the British Isles on the 12th brought a warm and mostly dary day to England, Wales and Ireland, albeit with variable amounts of cloud. Showers around Scotland and E England overnight continued into the day, being slowest to clear in East Anglia and SE England. The cloudy areas in E England gradually cleared in the evening, altan area of frontal cloud did spread into W Scotland before midnight. (Eastbourne 22C, Lerwick 7C, Inverbervie 9mm, Jersey 15h.)
MSL pressure by 0300GMT on the 13th was as high as 1033mb in Cornwall, and these antocyclonic conditions meant a warm and sunny day for most of England and Wales. In most places the day began with mild conditions, although a few parts of Cumbria and S Scotland were noticeably cooler around dawn, as were some places across Wales. Cloud spread Scotland and Ireland during the early hours and these countries remained cloudy for much of the day, with rain and drizzle in the W. However, the cloud over Ireland cleared during the evening, and the cloud in E Scotland also broke up around this time. The temperature at Dyce at 2400GMT was 17C. Across the Northern Isles and the Hebrides light rain and drizzle continued into the evening. (Heathrow 25C, Shap Fell 3C, Lusa 3mm, Oxford 16h (unreliable sunshine value).)
While Scotland had a mostly cloudy start to the 14th, across other parts of the British Isles there were increasing amounts of cloud in the early hours. It was a warm night in S England and a warm day followed across much of England, Wales and Ireland away from the slightly cooler coasts. During the morning there was some rain and drizzle in W Ireland, and in W and N Scotland, and this made some progress E across scotland later in the day. Pressure fell slowly in most places later in the day, but was still over 1032mb at Valentia by 2400GMT with clear skies then stretching across England, Wales and S Ireland. (Heathrow 29C, ,Redhill 8C, Kirkwall 14mm, Cork 15.9h.)
The early hours of the 15th saw cloud spread across much of Ireland and SE into N England and N Wales, with some light rain in N Ireland and S Scotland. Most places had another warm night and a warm day followed across S England, despite the cloud continuing to edge S. It was cooler in the cloudier N areas where the wind also picked up; there were gusts to 30kn in the Northern Isles and light rain as far S as manchester and Dublin in the early afternoon. The rain then faded, with just light drizzle reported in N Ireland and W Scotland during the evening. (Bournemouth 29C, Trawscoed 7C, Kirkwall 6mm, Oxford 16.4h (unreliable sunshine value).)
Most places had some overnight cloud into the 16th, with minimum temperatures consequently not too low anywhere. Rain affected W and Cent Scotland by mid-morning, while there were early reports of mist and fog around the coasts of Cornwall and W Wales. The rain area slowly pushed E across Scotland during the day, with falls in N Ireland during the afternoon. After variable amounts of cloud across England and Wales during the day, skies cleared here in most places in the evening; by midnight, however, cloud had returned in N England (with some rain in the NE) and in SW England. Cloud and some light rain also affected Ireland in the evening, with further light rain in S Scotland. (Coleshill 27C, Shap Fell 5C, Stornoway and Aultbea 12mm, Newquay 14h.)
By dawn on the 17th a front had pushed rain and cloud across much of the British Isles from the W. This rain cleared the S by late morning, and was then followed by widespread showers in the NW flow - but with many places avoiding them altogether. In the later afternoon and evening the showers died down a little, as cloud cleared across parts of Ireland. At Guernsey Airport rainfall and sunshine totals for the first seventeen days of the month were 3.6mm and 187.1h. (Langdon Bay 22C, Lerwick 7C, Kirkwall 8mm, Hastings 14h.)
Band of rain affected much of the British Isles on the 18th. Rain and showers were particularly heavy during the day in parts of N England, N Ireland and Scotland. Heavy showers also fell in parts of Wales, with thunderstorms reported over SW Scotland and E Ireland, especially later in the afternoon. Falls were lighter and fewer over S England (away from the SW peninsula). Most showers died out in the evening; by midnight cloud was confined to N and Cent Scotland, E England and SW England - with showers over N Scotland and SW England. (Hastings 20C, Loch Glascarnoch 4C, Bishopton 27mm, Bournemouth 11h.)
Claer skies across much of England, Wales and Ireland into the 19th led to a touch of ground frost in places around dawn with an air frost around Shap Fell. Rain and showers continued overnight across Scotland and tyhese spread S during the day through Britain and Ireland. The rain was heavcy in parts of Scotland, with the Met Office reporting snowfall on the tops of some Scottish mountains. As one line of heavy showers spread SE, there was a thunderstorm at Birmingham at noon, a funnel cloud reported at Walton-on-Naze and hailstones in Lincolnshire, according to the Met Office. Thunder also affected the Midlands, Norfolk and Suffolk, with another area of thundery activity in the evening from Hampshire to Kent. Showers continued into the evening across W Ireland, and parts of Scotland and N England, but skies cleared by midnight across Cent S England and much of SE England. (Torquay 20C, Shap Fell 0C, Aviemore 21mm, Exmouth 14h.)
It was rather cloudy leading into the 20th, even in areas that ended the previous eveing under clear skies. The day continued rather cloudy in most areas, with showers continuing to affect many places. There were thunderstorms in parts of S Scotland and England. Although these showers died down in mnay areas during the evening, it remained rather cloudy by midnight. (Gravesend 18C, Redhill 2C, Bognor Regis 13mm, Fishguard 10h.)
During the 21st the NW surface flow gradually weakened as a surface col developed over the British Isles. The day dawned with variable amounts of cloud and a slight ground frost in some favoured locations. Howver, cloud develop during the morning, resulting in some heavy, but localised showers. The Met Office reported 11mm of rain falling in one hour at both Larkhill and South Uist and sferics were widespread from the late morning into the afternoon from SW England to NE England. The showers died out in the late afternoon and evening, and by midnight most places were cloud-free. Two notable exceptions to this were N Scotland, and an area from SW Ireland to Devon - with light rain starting to fall at Valentia ahead of the next frontal system. Gravesend 21C, Shap Fell 1C, Norwich 24mm, Isle of Wight 15h.)
Rain in SW Ireland spread N and also into Cornwall by dawn on the 22nd, with associated cloud extending into N Ireland and the Midlands. Ahead of this cloud there was a ground frost in shelterd parts of Cent Scotland. The cloud and rain continued to spread NE during the day, and by midnoght was affecting all of England, Wales and Ireland, and parts of S Scotland. The rain was associated with an unusually low depression for mid-June with MSL pressure down to 983mb just of S Ireland by midnight. The rain was heavy in places with gusts to 40kn in exposed places. (Colwyn Bay 23C, Tyndrum 1C, Roches Point 37mm, Tiree 16h.)
The low pressure continued to dominate the weather on the 23rd, with 982mb being reported off SE Ireland before the low moved across Wales and England later in the day. Heavy rain spread into N Ireland and S Scotland overnight, with falls also being widespread over S parts of the British Isles. Showers followed the ain as the low became slow-moving off the NE coast of England. Sferics were reported in the late afternoon over parts of N England. In Cornwall a landslide destroyed several gardens in Truro and parts of Plymouth were flooded. Around the coasts of England there were gusts to 60mph, causing further damage to Brighton's West Pier. Powerlines were blown down in Kent and Essex and the Severn Crossing was closed; ferry services across the English Channel were suspended. By midnight skies were clearing across Ireland and the rain was largely confined to N England, S and E Scotland. (Keswick 21C, Altnaharra 6C, Lough Fea 45mm, St. Louis, Jersey 7.9h.)
With a slow-moving area of low pressure over the North Sea on the 24th, a NW showery airflow dominated the weather. Rain and drizzle in E areas of England and Scotland was slow to clear and lingered in some coastal areas at 2400GMT. Showers soon developed in W areas and affected many places during the day, especially across N Britain. Sferics were reported from NW Ireland around dawn. During the evening the showery activity died down with clear skies across much of Ireland and W Britain later in the evening. (Bournemouth 20C, Saughall 6C, Buxton (Derbyshire) 46mm, St. Louis, Jersey 12h.)
A ridge of high pressure spread N across the British Isles on the 25th, later retreating to the E as a frontal system approached SW Ireland in the evening. Rain cleared E Scotland and NE England by mid-morning and most parts of the British Isles then had a sunny day with very little cloud. MSL pressure rose to 1021mb in Kent in the evening, by when rain had spread NE into W Ireland and Cornwall, and frontal cloud had spread across much of S Ireland, S Wales and SW England. (London 22C, Katesbridge 1C, Skegness 10mm, Exmouth 16h.)
The 26th saw frontal cloud spreading N and E across most of the British Isles, accompanied by blustery winds and widespread rain. Clear skies ahead of this cloud resulted in some low temperatures in E Scotland, but in Cork 33mm of rain fell in the six hours ending 0600GMT. As the rain cleared much of Ireland by midday, there was a clearance in the cloud there before showers developed in the afternoon. These also spread into SW Scotland, and sferics were reported from N Ireland and W Scotland during the late afternoon and evening. Spells of rain continued across much of S and the extreme E of England throughout the evening, with some rain and showers over Scotland too. (St Angelo 22C, Aboyne 1C, Culdrose 22mm, Lerwick 15.1h.)
Showers continued across parts of Scotland and W Ireland into the 27th, while the rain in E and S England soon cleared. Across much of England and Wales there was a warm and rather humid night. Cloud soon started building up in the morning and by the afternoon there were some heavy showers in W parts of tyhe British Isles. These soon spread E during the afternoon giving heavy falls in places, with widespread thunder and sferics reported over many areas. There was some flash flooding and reports of funnel cloud in Aberdeenshire, with 14mm reported in 30 minutes at Kinloss. The showers were quite blustery, and as the skies cleared after the showers in the evening - there was very little cloud away from a still-wet NE Scotland - temperatures dropped wuite quickly. (Gravesend Broadness 24C, Redesdale Camp 8C, Kinloss 19mm, Colwyn Bay 12.2h.)
The was little cloud across the British Isles into the 28th, although notable exceptions were the extreme N of Scotland, where there was some light rain, and W Ireland where rain and showers developed by dawn. The rain in the Northern Isles continued until early afternoon, while the rain and showers in W Ireland slowly spread E across N Wales, N England and S Scotland as the day progressed. Away from these two rain areas, most places had a dry, if rather cloudy, day. (Shoeburyness 21C, Katesbridge 3C, Lerwick 27mm, St. Louis, Jersey 13.7h.)
Cloud and rain continued spread E'wards into the 29th, although in many E areas falls were slight. Some parts of the SE and E remained dry throughout the day as the rain was rather patchy in places, but all areas saw a veil off cloud by midnight. This led to a rather uniform temperature distribution at sea level by midnight, with 11C across the Northern Isles and 14C in much of S England and S Ireland. (Herne Bay 23C, Kinbrace 5C, Eskdalemuir and Capel Curig 10mm, Jersey 13.8h.)
The 30th began with cloudy skies everywhere and with little variation in the dawn temperature. Bands of rain crossed the British Isles throughout the day - some of these falls were heavy with thunderstorms over NE Scotland and NE England during the late afternoon and evening. 16mm of rain fell in one hour at Kinloss. The skies cleared across Ireland during the morning as overnight rain turned to showers and this breaking-up of the cloud slowly spread SE, leadig to sunny spells in most places between the showers. The showers died down in the evening, and cloud cleared from many places by midnight. (Margate 22C, Bramham 11C, Eskdalemuir 23mm, Jersey 7h.)
Bands of rain and showers affected many areas overnight and into the 2nd; these continued throughout the day with some heavy falls in Cent S England, both before dawn and later in the afternoon. Sferics were reported from parts of Kent and Sussex arund dawn, with further thundery activity during the late afternoon in parts of E England. Rain and showers affected Ireland and W Scotland at first, and these spread into E Scotland later with accompanying thunder in the afternoon. By midnight showers were still affecting many W areas of the British Isles. (Skegness 21C, Aboyne 2C, Boscombe Down 42mm, Isle of Wight 12.8h.)
The 3rd was rather showery day across the British Isles. By dawn an area of general rain was affecting much of N England and S Scotland, giving some heavy falls in places. Elsewhere, clear skies soon turned cloudy and showers fell in many districts. The afternoon brought some thundery outbreaks across NE England and areas of E Scotland, while across S England showers gradually died out later in the afternoon. The evening saw showers dying down in most inland areas, and skies clearing here partially too. (Northolt 21C, Loch Glascarnoch 6C, Spadeadam 19mm, Southend 12.5h.)
Cloud rapidly developed across much of the British Isles before dawn on the 4th, leading to a mostly mild night. Early showers affected some W coastal areas, while frontal cloud spread rain into the Channel Islands and SW England by dawn. This rain spread to affect much of S England by midday, while showers developed across Ireland and parts of N England and S Scotland. These were thundery during the late morning and early afternoon, with the Met Office reporting 11mm at East Kilbride in one hour. Rain in the S continued to push E, clearing much of SE England by late evening, while showers continued to fall over parts of Scotland. By midnight cloud was mostly confined to N Scotland, with some also lying from Northumberland to S Wales. A small tornado occurred over Oakengates near Telford in the evening. (Great Malvern 21C, Bramham 7C, Stoneyhurst 20mm, Fishguard 12.4h.)
A NW'ly airflow on the 5th brought another day of showers across the British Isles. Clear skies in many inland areas away from N and Cent Scotland led to a cold sstart in some sheltered places. Although showers were soon widespread across Scotland and N parts of Ireland, cloud was rather slow to develop over much of England and Wales. Some did eventually occur across parts of N England, and sferics and thunderstorms were reported across NE England during the late afternoon and evening. At Grasby a thunderstorm developed on what appeared to be a sea breeze front. Much of S England had a mainly dry and sunny day with little cloud after dark here. (Bournemouth 22C, Benson 4C, Stornoway 18mm, Newquay 14.2h.)
A weak area of high pressure was noted across the British Isles for a while on the 6th, sandwiched between an early trough over N Britain and one late in the day in the S. MSL pressure rose to about 1023mb in East Anglia by 1200GMT. The troughs brought early rain and showers across Scotland and N Ireland - these spread for a time to parts of N England and lingered throughout the day in N Scotland. The afternoon and evening brought some scattered showers in S parts of England and Wales, and there were thunderstorms across NE Engkand during the evening. A tornado was reported seen at Sealand just to the west of Chester; drivers travelling along the A550 saw the tornado touch the ground before it moved off towards the east in the direction of Chester. (Cent London 25C, Sennybridge 2C, Scarborough 13mm, Oxford 15h.)
A deepening area of low pressure running along N France on the 7th brought a stormy day to S Britain. The day began with some thunderstorms over NW England during the early hours. Thereafter, there were variable amoiunts of cloud and scattered showers acroff N Britain. Frontal cloud had spread to S Ireland, S Wales, S England and the S Midlands by mid-morning, by which time there was heavy rain falling in the Channel Islands accompanied by 35kn gusts. The wind and rain spread N with 40kn gusts across much of S England by mid-afternoon and 50kn gusts at locations bordering the English Channel. Trees were felled, and many large branches brought down, in S England, and put cuts affected aboiut 10000 people. In the evening an area of thundery activity spread N into SE England, moderate to heavy rain continued to fall across much of Cent S and SW England, and across the Midlands and East Anglia. In Penzance 39.6mm rain fell from 1500GMT until 0900GMT on the 8th. (Thorney Island 25C, Altnaharra 3C, Jersey 29mm, Tiree 14.2h.)
As the low over N France slowly filled and moved E on the 8th, its accomapanying rain area spread slowly N. There was little overnight cloud in Scotland and Ireland, and falling temperatures resulted in a ground frost in parts of N Scotland. Developing cloud did result in some light rain and showers in parts of Ireland and Scotland, but amounts were generally small here. Rain continued to affect much of England, although as it spread N it also cleared from E England. It was a cold day in the Midlands, with Shawbury, Nottingham and Birmingham all having their coldest July day since records began in the 1940s. During the afternoon and into the evening heavy thunderstorms developed in E England; at Wittering (according to the Met Office) 108mm fell in 18 hours, with 51mm in two hours during a thunderstorm. Local floods resulted, causing disruption to roads and railways. Gusts to 50kn occurred in parts of SW England early in the day (59kn at Culdrose), but the wind slowly eased as the day progressed. The Lizard lifeboat was out all night during 7th/8th. (Norwich 21C, Sennybridge 10C maximum, Altnaharra 0C minimum, Wittering 108mm, Tiree 16.3h.)
While much of Britain had a cloudy night, there were breaks in the cloud over Ireland into the 9th. Despite the cloud the N wind led to a cold start to the day. By mid-morning the rain was largely confined to NE England and E Scotland; while the rain cleared from e England late in the afternoon, it persisted over NE Scotland for much of the day. Showers developed in a few places in the W during the day, with thunder reported from Avon. (Lee-on-Solent 20C, Saughall 3C, Cleethorpes 13mm, Tiree 12.3h.)
While much of the British Isles remained cloudy into the 10th, there was a general clearance in the cloud across much of SE England. A NW'ly flow led to another cool day across Britain, and the clear skies in the SE were short-lived as convective clouds rapidly developed during the morning. Heavy showers soon developed here, and they also fell in many other areas during the day. There were sferics around midday and into early afternoon in S England and the S Midlands. More general rain fell in N and NE Scotland, while another area of frontal rain spread into SW Ireland by midnight. (Shoeburyness 20C, Newry Carbane 4C, St. Angelo 9mm, Jersey 14.9h.)
Most areas remained cloudy into the 11th, with rain falling in E and N Scotland, and also in SW Ireland by dawn. Rain and showers were also widespread over SW and Cent S England in the early hours. Rain and showers in S England gradually faded by late afternoon. Rain (and subsequent showers) pushed NE and E across Ireland for most of the day, with clear skies developing here in the W in the evening. The rain across E Scotland pushed slowly S, giving some light falls in NE England later, but showers continued over W Scotland throughout the evening. (Teignmouth 20C, Eskdalemuir 6C, Bournemouth 9mm, Saunton Sands 14.9h.)
Clear skies over Ireland gradually clouded over during the morning of the 12th as a few showers broke out in the E. However, more general cloud spread from the w in the afternoon here, as frontal rain pushed E and Se across Ireland, heavy in NW Ireland at first in the late afternoon but later breaking up by midnight. Across Britain there were falls of rain in W Scotland overnight, with light rain and drizzle later in the day in E Scotland and parts of E England. (Torquay 21C, Leuchars 6C, Jersey 5mm, Isle of Man 10.2h.)
There were varying amounts of cloud overnight into the 13th, with clear skies in parts of Scotland and N Ireland leading to a cool start to the day in places here. Light rain had affected SW Ireland, Cornwall and the Channel Islands by dawn, while cloud in E Britain produced a few overnight showers. The rain and the cloud in the SW faltered during the morning, then continued to push NE during the afternoon, reaching much of W Scotland and W Wales by midnight, introducing milder air as it did so. There was very occasional further rain in E Britain during the day. (Cardiff 22C, Katesbridge 4C, Newcastle 2mm, Southport 13.1h.)
The cloud and rain continued to spread E during the early hours of the 14th, while a second band (the cold front) then spread SE across Scotland during the morning. It was a mild night everywhere because of the cloud, and in the warm sector ahead of the advancing cold front it was a humid day. Fog patches occurred around some coasts in SW England and Wales, and these were slow to clear in places. Although falls of rain were mostly slight, there were some heavy bursts in N Ireland and S Scotland. (Church Lawford 24C, Lerwick 8C, Capel Curig 11mm, Isle of Wight 6.1h.)
A frontal system lay from S Ireland across Wales to East Anglia throughout the 15th, giving a marked N-S split to the weather. To the S it was a rather warm and humid night, with a minimum temperature of 17C in Cent London. Overnight and for much of the morning it was generally cloudy across the British Isles, with mist and fog around some coasts this was again slow to clear from around Cornwall and Devon. Cloud persisted in most places into the afternoon, and not until the evening did a clearance spread E into W Ireland; the evening saw further fog develop around Irish Sea coasts. The best of any sunshine was in the Northern Isles, while the slow-moving front in the S gave spells of rain and drizzle for much of England, Wales and Ireland throughout the day. More persistent rain affected N Ireland, N Wales, N England and later the Midlands as a kink developed along the front; the front had cleared S Ireland by midnight, however. (South Farnborough 24C, Lough Fea 7C, Llanbedr 20mm, Lerwick 10.3h.)
Much of England and Wales again dawned cloudy with outbreaks of light rain and drizzle on the 16th, as the front continued to linger over S Wales and the Midlands. Fog patches persisted around some coasts of SW England throughout the day the humid air persisted and it was another very warm night in S England. Clear skies across Ireland clouded over in the morning as showers and outbreaks of rain spread E, and bands of showers also affected Scotland throughout the day. Across England the rain and drizzle finally retreated S into S England during the evening, although there was some more persistent rain over S Ireland around this time. (Gravesend 25C, Aboyne 5C, Lusa 15mm, Isle of Man 7.4h.)
The front across S Britain finally pushed E during the 17th, but not until after another mild and humid night in S England; minimum temperatures of 14C-16C were widespread. Fog again persisted overnight around Cornwall, and the dawn dawned with some rain in S England, S Wales and S Ireland and further rain in parts of Scotland. By midday skies were clearing across W Ireland parts of W Scotland. As the rain began finally to push E, sferics were reported from the Isle of Wight to Norfolk in late morning, and these moved E (reaching Kent by mid-afternoon) with the rain as the day progressed. Severe thunderstorms occurred across the SE England and East Anglia; marble-sized hail was reported in Crystal Palace in London and the hail cracked a windscreen in East Thurrock. Large hail diameters were alos reported at Ilford (3cm), Dover (3cm) and Sandgate (4cm). In Maldon, Essex a thunderstorm lasted from 1140GMT to 1225GMT; torrential rain led to flash flooding in the town with several overhead strikes and some trees being reported to have been hit. By early evening cloud was confined to parts of S England and N and SW Scotland, with showers across Scotland slowly fading as the evening progressed. (Northolt 25C, Sella Ness 7C, Sloy 26mm, Guernsey 9.0h.)
The 18th dawned with clear skies across much of the British Isles, but with cloud lingering across S England and a few falls of light rain there in places. A few sferics were reported from W Scotland around dawn and by midday scattered showers were occurring across parts of Ireland, W and NE Scotland, and Cent S England. Rain fell in parts of E England during late morning and into the early afternoon, and across Cent England and W and N Scotland later in the evening. Most places, however, had a generally dry and bright day. There was a report of a funnel cloud sighted near Brixworth around 1700GMT; ten minutes after the first sighting the cloud diminished and this was followed by about 30 minutes of rainfall. Later in the evening there were some heavy thunderstorms in Lincolnshire, East Anglia and the East Midlands.(Cent London 23C, Katesbridge 3C, Dunstaffnage 15mm, Isle of Man 13.0h.)
Overnight storms cleared from E England early on the 19th, which dawned largely cloud-free away from W Scotland and W Ireland; here, showers continued throughout the night in places. Showers continued across Ireland and W Britain for much of the day, while more general rain affected S Ireland and Wales (and later SW Scotland) during the late morning onwards. Rain and showers spread E across much of Scotland, and in N England, during the second half of the day. (Cent London 24C, Bramham 3C, Holbeach 27mm, Hastings 13.3h.)
A succession of fronts crossed the British Isles on the 20th, bringing more rain and rather humid conditions to most areas as the day progressed. Cooler and less humid air returned to Ireland in the evening. Rain spread into n parts of Ireland during the morning, with the Met office reporting 22mm falling in two hours at Enniskillen as the rain turned heavy. The rain was slow-moving in the morning during the morning, spreading into SW Scotland and Cornwall by midday. It then made further progress E during the remainder of the day, preceded by some heavy showers in E England; in Nottingham 11.6mm of rain fell in one hour during one such shower in the early evening. By midnight much of Britain was cloud with rain in many areas and fog patches around Irish Sea coasts. Skies across Ireland were beginning to clear by midnight. (Pershore 25C, Aboyne 5C, St Angelo 25mm, Jersey 13.0h.)
The 21st began with warm air across the British Isles, and minimum temperatures at sea level remaining above 10C; around the London area minima of 15C-17C were more common. Overnight rain eased off as the day dawned. Cloudy skies were mostly to be found across S England where it was a rather humid day, with a few scattered showers. Showers also affected Cent England, while in the evening a more general band of rain spread E over W Scotland and N Ireland. (Rotherham 24C, Derrylin 11C, Topcliffe 13mm, Colwyn Bay 10.2h.)
A weakening front crossed Britain in the early hours of the 22nd giving some slight falls of rain and a rather warm night in S England and S Wales. This was followed by a cold front which, by mid-morning, was giving outbreaks of rain and showers over NW Scotland and from SW England to the Midlands. Behind this rain, Ireland had a generally bright day with a few showers. The rain over England moved slowly NE, with some heavy falls over Wales and the Midlands in the afternoon, as the rain in the Midlands turned thundery. This thundery rain pushed NE, and during the evening another area of heavy rain and thunderstorms spread N into the extreme SE of England and then into East Anglia. Most of the rain had cleared from E Britain by midnight, although by then further outbreaks were affecting W Scotland. Flash flooding was reported from Lincolnshire, and in parts of the SW Midlands. According to the Met Office, the evening brought 28.6mm of rain one hour to Scampton. A thunderstorm in W Northamptonshire in the evening caused floods, fallen trees, traffic accidents and damaged buildings. In Daventry, a day care centre roof collapsed, pubs were flooded and thousands of homes were left without power Eyewitnesses described the storm as "a mini tornado" and said six or seven inches of rain fell within minutes. (Charlwood and Cent London 28C, Redesdale 7C, Lyneham 29mm, Herne Bay 12.5h.)
Thunderstorms cleared East Anglia by 0300GMT on the 23rd, and away from W and Cent Scotland and SW areas of England and Ireland most places dawned with little cloud. There was rain in some of the cloud NW areas, and some fog around SW and Cent S England, the Midlands and the Northern Isles. Most of England and Wales had a sunny day with little cloud; across Ireland cloud amounts were variable with rain showers in the W, while much of Scotland soon clouded over in the morning and rain and showers penetrated E into some E areas. (Lee-on-Solent 26C, Aboyne 5C, Scampton 30mm, Newquay 13.0h.)
While high pressure dominated the weather in S areas on the 24th, a front spread E and S from NW Scotland to Northern Ireland and N England by midnight. Scotland and Ireland dawned cloudy with rain in N Ireland and W Scotland, and this rain spread through Scotland to N England, giving heavy falls in places. Gusts to 40kn occurred over the Northern Isles during the day, but during the evening the cloud broke in parts of Scotland as the rain turned to showers. After a largely fine night over most of England and Wales, there were fog patches in SW and Cent S England around dawn. These soon cleared to give a mostly warm and sunny day, but with increasing cloud cover from the W, and rain in NW Wales and N England during the late afternoon and evening. (Southend 25C, Ashford, Co. Wicklow 5C, Aultbea 17mm, Southend 14.4h.)
Frontal cloud lingered through the British Isles on the 25th, with small waves developments giving enhanced spells of rain in places along it. Some of this rain was heavy at times, while the front also gave a rather cloudier day than of late in S areas. As the front spread slowly S, there were some falls of light rain in S England in the afternoon, while NW England and S Scotland saw a reduction in cloud cover in the later afternoon and evening. Showers and light rain continued, however, to affect extreme N parts of Scotand into the evening, as they had done throughout the day. (Bournemouth 24C, Kinbrace 7C, Port Ellen 14mm, Isle of Wight 12h.)
Away from N England and SE Scotland the 26th dawned generally cloudy, with frontal cloud extending from N Ireland through Cent parts of England. This front weakened during the day as high pressure developed to the SW of the British Isles. Fog was reported in parts of S Scotland near dawn, while in the cloudy areas to the S there were also falls of mostly light rain at times in the morning. Although the rain faded as the front decayed, it remained mostly cloudy in W areas; by late afternoon most of E Britain from SE Scotland to Kent was clear of cloud and this clearance extended W during the evening. At midnight light drizzle was being reported from places in W Ireland and W Scotland, and also around N parts of the Irish Sea. (Dishforth 23C, Eskdalemuir 3C, Leek Thorncliffe 8mm, Edinburgh 10h.)
During the 27th the anticyclone transferred to the North Sea, but frontal rain and drizzle fell around N Scotland throughout the day. The day began mostly cloudy everywhere, with clear skies in E England being replaced by some low cloud in places. Low cloud and drizzle around the Irish Sea in the early hours also brought some thick fog to W Wales, but this precipitation dies out as the pressure rose from the W. While Scotland W Britain remained mostly cloudy during the day, cloud cleared across Ireland in the afternoon, and sunny spells were reported from E England and SE Scotland. In the evening there were reports of light rain and drizzle from Stornoway to Cornwall, with mists returning around some coasts of the Irish Sea. (London 26C, Aboyne 7C, Lerwick 7mm, Hunstanton 13h.)
SE winds on the W flank of an anticyclone gave a warm day to many places on the 28th. There was a cloudy start to the day in most areas away from SE England and W Ireland, with overnight rain and drizzle in parts of S Wales, W and SW Scotand. Amounts were mostly small, although the rain did later affect some E areas of Scotland. Broken cloud led to a warm and sunny day in many E and Se parts of Britain, with fairly warm conditions elsewhere. Kirkwall was reporting 18C at 1500GMT, although around the Northern Isles generally it was a rather misty/foggy day with thick fog from time to time. (London 29C, Redhill 8C, Eskdalemuir 9mm, Hastings 13.9h.)
In many places there was a cloudy start to the 29th, with light rain in W Ireland, amd mist in S Scotland and parts of England and Cent Ireland. By mid-morning the rain was widespread from the Western Isles through E Ireland to Cornwall. This rain continued to spread E during the day, giving short-lived heavy falls in places, reaching E Scotland to London by midnight; in many places falls were only slight, but during the evening there were reports of thunderstorms across the Isle of Man, N England and SE Scotland, with storms also in SW England. Ahead of the advancing cloud and rain it was a hot day in E and Cent parts of England. As the rain passed, shwoers developed during the afternoon over Ireland, before skies cleared there in the evening. (London 30C, Sennybridge 9C, Church Fenton 13mm, Clacton 13.4h.)
The 30th started with light rain clearing some E counties and fog patches around the Northern Isles; in some areas remnants of low cloud from this rain this allowed lingering mist patches for much of the morning. In most places the day was then dry and sunny, although N Scotland was a notable exception to this. In the late afternoon and evening there were showers over parts of E NE England, which turned thundery. The Met Office site at Coningsby recorded over 17mm in two hours from a late afternoon thunderstorm. Later in the evening rain approached S Ireland and SW England. (Marham 27C, Katesbridge 9C, Coningsby 17mm, Torquay 13.1h.)
Rain spread cross S Ireland before dawn on the 31st, with further rain spreading E to W Scotland. Much of Britain began the day with rather cloudy skies and with mist and fog in E coastal areas. This fog persisted throughout the day in the Northern Isles while mist and low cloud persisted in many E coast areas. These areas of rain continued to spread E during the morning, finally clearing into the North Sea off E Scotland and NE England by early afternoon. High pressure was centred off W Wales by midday, and this led to a clearance of much of the cloud across all by E coastal counties of Britain by early afternoon, and a very warm afternoon as a result in the SE corner of England. Later in the afternoon and into the evening cloud and then light rain spread into SW Ireland. (Cent London 29C, Sennybridge 9C, Eskdalemuir 5mm, Southend 14.2h.)
The 2nd dawned with mist and fog around the Northern Isles, thundery activity in S Cornwall and the Dublin area, and rather cloudy skies with some fog in E coastal counties of England. It remained generally foggy in the Northern Isles throughout the day, with some light rain and drizzle both here and in other areas of N Scotland. Away from the E coast, where an onshore wind and cloudy skies for much of the day kept temperatures low, much of England and Wales had a very warm and rather humid day. The thundery activity gradually became more widespread over SW England, Wales and Ireland, and gradually spread N as the day progressed. Cloud cover generally increased across Britain during the day, and by midnight most areas of the British Isles were rather cloudy, with mist and fog around coasts of the Irish Sea. Around Ashford, Co. Wicklow, during a thunderstorms trees and building were struck by lightning in the early afternoon. (Northolt 29C, Shap Fell 8C, Glenanne 6mm, Kinloss 13.4h.)
The 3rd dawned rather cloudy in most places, after a generally mild night. Early thunderstorms in the Channel Islands cleared to give rather foggy conditions at 0600GMT, with dense fog around the Northern Isles. These foggy conditions persisted in the Northern isles for much of the day, the fog thickening again in the evening. NW England also had some early thunderstorms, while by mid-morning the storms over the English Channel had moved N to the S Midlands, before dying out further N. Ireland had some rain and showers, before clearing skies spread E into W Ireland during the evening. During the afternoon further storms developed in S England and spread N, with one person being killed in the Midlands at Bloxwich, and four other being thrown to the ground after lightning struck nearby them in Hyde Park, London. Heavy rain caused localised flooding around W London, and heavy rain also fell in other areas as the storms made progress NW'wards in the evening. As storms drains overflowed into the Thames in London, the storms were also blamed for the death of hundreds of fish. In High Wycombe 42.4mm of rain was measured in 38 minutes, while 10km due S in Maidenhead the inside of the raingauge remained dry. (Charlwood 29C, Fair Isle 12C, Pershore 47mm, Skegness 8.4h.)
Rain affected N England, NE Ireland and S Scotland early on the 4th, a day that again dawned mild everywhere. Fog persisted around the Northern isles in places, and there was a misty start to the day in many S areas of Britain and in the Channel Islands. Ireland remained mostly clear in the W and cloudy in the E, while despite the N'ly component to the surface flow across England it was another warm day here in the S. The rain across S Scotland and N England died out by mid-afternoon, while a NE wind brought some showers to East Anglia during the afternoon. NE Scotland remained damp throughout much of the day, with low cloud and rain. (Wisley 30C, Sennybridge 10C, Eskdalemuir 62mm, Bournemouth 13.6h.)
The 5th followed another warm night, with mist and fog by dawn in many parts of the British Isles. In the London area minimum temperatures above 16C were common. While fog finally cleared from the Northern Isles, another warm and humid day developed across S England. This led to severe thunderstorms developing to the S of London and around Swindon by early afternoon, with a few others affecting Cent s England by early afternoon. These storms spread NW'wards, giving heavy falls in places. In Gloucestershire the fire brigade asked for only 'life or death' emergency calls as they responded to appeals for help. In Reading the storms brought 30mm of rain and a 10C drop in temperature in about 30 minutes. 31.8mm of rain fell in half an hour during a thunderstorm at Warstock (West Midlands) from 1505GMT, while 3cm diameter hail was observed at Elkstone (Gloucestershire). The storms continued to spread N during the late afternoon and evening, with thunder in N England during late evening. By this time fog had returned to parts of the Northern Isles while areas of Cent and S England were again turning misty. (Wisley 29C, Castlederg 10C, Pershore 22mm (but see above), Lerwick 14.6h.)
Thunderstorms continued across parts of N England and S Scotland before dying out early on the 6th. Other places in N England and Scotland had overnight rain, while further (frontal) rain spread E across W Ireland and into SW England by dawn. The SE corner of England had a warm and humid night, with fog patches developing in places here, and along the coast of NE England where the visibility dropped below 100m. The line of frontal rain became rather broken as the day progressed, although falls of rain and drizzle were noted in W parts of Scotland, Wales and SW England for a while. Mist, fog and cloud generally cleared by late morning in E Britain to give a hot day here, with dew points up to 20C in places in East Anglia and the E Midlands. In the Northern Isles, however, fog persisted throughout the day, being thick for much of the time in places. The late afternoon and evening saw the cloud in the W breaking up, especially in the SW, with just a few scattered showers over W Scotland by midnight. (London 29C, Sennybridge 10C, St. Bees Head 24mm, Newquay 12.3h.)
The 7th was a mostly dry day across the British Isles, away from Ireland. Fog developed during the early hours across Cent S England, and persisted throughout the night and day in the Northern Isles. Some low cloud also formed in other parts of Britain before dawn, but much of this (along with the fog) had cleared by late morning. Most of England and Wales then had a hot and humid day. Cloud spread E across Ireland during the morning, with some light rain here during the afternoon and evening. By midnight the rain was confined to W Ireland, but with moderate intensity falls around Valentia. (London 31C, Ashford, Co. Wicklow 7C, Barra 1mm, Eastbourne 14.4h.)
While overnight rain into the 8th remained confined to W Ireland, low cloud and fog patches around Fife did produce some light drizzle. Elsewhere, much of Britain had a clear night, until mist developed towards dawn in some parts of Cent England, and in a few coastal areas. Fog finally cleared from the Northern Isles around mid-morning; by this time a freshening wind was accompanying the cloud and rain that had spread across Ireland and into SW Wales and SW England. Cloud and rain made gradual progress E during the day although it was another hot and humid day ahead of the rain in much of the E half of England. Gusts to 50kn occurred around Irish coasts during the day, and MSLP pressure at Valentia at 1200GMT was 988.2mb. In the late afternoon and evening the rain turned thundery in SW Scotland (accompanied by heavy rain) and also in parts of Cent S England. At midnight there was a band of rain lying from the Western Isles, through NW England and also from W Wales to Hampshire. (Northolt 31C, Aviemore 11C, Newquay 19mm, Clacton 13.5h.)
The 9th dawned after a very warm night over much of Britain, but with minimum temperature 2-3C lower across Ireland. The minimum temperature at Marham was 21.9C. At Carlton-in-Cleveland the minimum temperature of 20.1C was the highest in 21 years of records, and similar minima were recorded around the London area. A minimum of 19.5C in Coventry, made this the warmest night on record in the city - records date back to 1892. At 0600GMT air temperatures included 17C at Lerwick and 22C at Heathrow, with dew points close to 20C around the Home Counties. A deep low to the W of Ireland pushed frontal rain slowly E across W Britain during the day. This was heavy and thundery in places, although the associated cloud did prevent temperatures rising as high as in recent days in E England. NE and n Scotland dawned bright, but clouded over in the afternoon. W Ireland dawned with little cloud and this bright weather spread E across Ireland during the day, and into parts of W Wales and SW England later in the day. At Carlton-in-Coverdale the sky darkened after midday with torrential rain following shortly afterwards. The total fall in just under two hours was 40.7mm, with the rain rate at one time being recorded at 161mm per hour; this led to much debris on the roads and some flooding. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency issued two severe flood warnings for stretches of the River Earn in the evening. The Tay was also dangerously high, with warnings issued to people in Kenmore, Dunkeld, Aberfeldy and Dalguise. More than 20 flood watches were also in place across the country. (Cent London 25C, Culdrose 13C, Eskdalemuir 58mm, Lerwick 13.8h.)
There was more heavy frontal rain on the 10th, with over 50 flood warnings across England and Scotland. The day again dawned mild across Britain (17C at Lerwick at 0300GMT), but over Ireland clear skies led to some sharp temperature falls inland (a minimum of 6.9C at Ashford, Co. Wicklow). Overnight rain continued in Scotland and E and cent areas of England with heavy falls in places. Over 80mm fell in the 24 hours ending 0900GMT at Aberfeldy. Overnight cloud cleared from NE Scotland and the Northern Isles to give a sunny day here. Over S England, after early rain and some fog, it brightened up and the area had a mostly dry day along with Wales. There were variable amounts of cloud in Ireland; by 2100GMT much of Ireland, Wales, the Midlands and S England was almost clear of cloud. Notable exceptions were parts of W Ireland, with Belmullet reporting a thunderstorm around 2100GMT. Much of S Scotland, NE England and parts of Cent Scotland remained wet throughout the day. According to the met office rainfall totals in 36 hours included 103mm at Thornton Moor near Bradford, and 96mm at Skipton. After 77mm in 24 hours in Sheffield flooding occurred - this was the wettest day here since July 1973. 48-hour totals to 1800GMT included Eskdalemuir 110.0mm, Wittering 94.0mm, Spadeadam 87.8mm, Carlisle 78.0mm, Drumalbin 78.0mm and Cottesmore 74.0mm. (Aultbea 27C, Sennybridge 10C, Buxton (Derbyshire) 68mm, Lerwick 12.8h.)
Despite largely clear skies across England, Wales and Ireland into the 11th, the day again dawned mild here, with temperatures of 141-5C quite widespread at 0600GMT. Further N, ahead of a cold front, temperatures were a degree or two higher across Scotland. During the day the cold front made only slow progress N, giving some further heavy rain across Scotland. Recent wet weather helped some early fog to form across parts of England, but this generally cleared by late-morning, although parts of the Isle of Man remained foggy for much of the day. Showers broke out over S parts of Ireland, Wales and England in the afternoon, while thunderstorms occurred in the late afternoon and evening in the Midlands and N England. Further frontal rain, some of it heavy fall across SW and Cent S England and S Wales in the late afternoon and evening. The persistent heavy rain caused flooding in some parts of Scotland, forcing the evacuation of homes and travel disruption. A number of properties were evacuated in Perthshire and a family of five had a lucky escape when their car was encased in mud on the A9 near Dunkeld. Police advised that the Aberfeldy area should be avoided. Some properties in Bankfoot and Coupar Angus were evacuated and driving conditions were treacherous, with several roads and bridges closed. In some places the normal monthly rainfall for August has fallen in two days. Around Stone (Staffordshire) there was some sever flooding after 100mm fell nearby in the first 11 days of the month. (Hunstanton 27C, Sennybridge 9C, Leuchars 58mm, Clacton 12.2h.)
Low pressure to the S of Ireland (999mb at Cork at 0600GMT) pushed the frontal rain N/NE across England during the 12th, with falls also across Ireland. A front across Scotland continued to give falls overnight in N Scotland, but this weakened as it continued to push N and had faded by midnight. By mid-morning rain was falling across much of England, with showers across S England. These showers turned thundery, and then spread N during the day behind the N'ward moving front. By midnight the rain was lying across S Scotland and N England, but was mostly light in character. After further heavy rain, the village of Wark, near Hexham, was one of the worst affected areas, with at least 20 homes evacuated after the River North Tyne burst its banks. In Northumberland at one time up to 2,000 homes were without power as engineers reported 25 lightning strikes. Rising water levels at the River Caravan Park in Wooler (Northumberland) prompted the evacuation of tourists at about 0300GMT. News reports spoke of about 67mm falling in the Huddersfield area in about 45 minutes, a wall collapsed on a couple or people, and homes and shops were flooded. There was serious flooding in Newton Abbot/Kingsteignton causing traffic snarl ups and reportedly parts of Plymouth collected 4 inches of rain causing flooding. (Wolverhampton 25C, Shap Fell 11mm, Haytor 60mm, Casement 10.2h.)
There were a few thundery showers early on the 13th in East Anglia and parts of SE England, while much of the British Isles had a cloudy start to the day with mist and fog in Cent and E parts of Ireland and England. The cloud was accompanied by rain in places, especially in E Britain; as the day progressed both the cloud and rain cleared over N and W areas of Britain. The cloud was due to a slow-moving front that pushed S during the day, and by midnight the cloud and remaining light rain was largely confined to S England. (Strathallan 25C, Ashford, Co. Wicklow 9C, Coltishall 25mm, Saunton Sands 11h.)
There was some light rain early on the 14th in S England, but in most places the day dawned dry and much of Britain had a bright and sunny day once this cloud and rain had cleared to the S. Later in the morning cloud began thickening across S Ireland and SW England ahead of the next front with some light rain here during the afternoon and evening. There were light showers across the extreme N of Scotland, and later in the Western Isles. (Andrewsfield 25C, Tulloch Bridge 2C, Margate 9mm, Stornoway 14h.)
Spells of cloud and rain affected many W areas of the British Isles on the 15th, while in many parts of E Scotland and E England it was a generally dry day. Many places were dry during the morning. Later, a few of the showers were heavy in the W, and in the evening there was thunder and heavy rain in the Channel Islands, which also affected parts of SE England later in the evening. Heavy rain in some W areas of England led to falls of up to 10mm of rain in an hour. (Gravesend 26C, Kinbrace 6C, Stornoway 22mm, Aberdeen 12.4h.)
N/NE'ward moving troughs brought some heavy falls of rain to the British Isles on the 16th. The rain was accompanied by thunderstorms which affected many areas of England and E Scotland. In Cornwall, 60mm fell in two hours at Slaughterbridge. Downpours combined with a rising tide led to flash flooding and the River Valancy broke its banks at Boscastle. The floodwaters washed 30 cars and two buildings into the sea, and a bridge was swept away. The military was called in to help after several people were reported missing. Dozens of people had to be airlifted from the area. At nearby Otterham 200.4mm fell in the 24 hours beginning 0900GMT. It seems that the heavy falls may have been triggered by the convergence of winds along the coast and the high ground in the local area which also helped to generate showers. The local topography around Boscastle may also have played a role. These showers formed bands which aligned themselves with the wind helping to maintain the heavy rain across certain areas of north Cornwall for several hours, according to the Met Office. More details can be found at http://www.metoffice.com/climate/uk/interesting/20040816.html. Other thunderstorms resulted in heavy falls over Yorkshire and East Anglia during the afternoon and evening, while in Stone (Staffordshire) severe flooding occurred following an evening thunderstorm, with what many described as a small twister accounting for debris and the uprooted trees. Flooding occurred in SW Scotland after heavy rain fell there during the morning. (Coltishall 24C, Aboyne 9C, Slaughterbridge 74.5mm, Southport 10.3h.)
Low pressure and frontal cloud and rain dominated the weather on the 17th. Overnight showers in many W areas were followed by heavier thundery falls in N Ireland, N England and Scotland. Up to 12mm fell per hour in places here. Further WS there were some showers in S Ireland and parts of S England during the morning, and these were followed by more general rain in SW and Cent S England in the afternoon. This rain spread N to N England by midnight, although over Ireland the showers tended to die out from the S. (Gravesend 25C, Tulloch Bridge 6C, Kirkwall 34mm, Margate 10.3h.)
A complex area of low pressure straddled the British Isles on the 18th. Unsettled conditions meant frequent, widespread rain, and in the afternoon and evening a large area of thundery activity spread NE from S Ireland across cent and N England into E Scotland. According to the met office there were numerous warnings issued because of the heavy rain that made driving conditions quite dangerous in places. The heavy rain also caused some problem with flooding across much of the UK, especially in southwest England and parts of Scotland. There was a landslide from the excess rain in the southern Highlands that trapped 20 cars near Lochearnhead. By midnight there was still rain across Ireland and through Scotland to the Northern Isles, with showers in S England. (Marham 24C, Baltasound 8C, Camborne 63mm, Ross-on-Wye 8.5h.)
Low pressure and fronts continued to bring rain to the British Isles on the 19th. Heavy rain and thunderstorms cleared E Scotland during the morning, but rain and showers continued to affect many other parts during the morning, circulating from a depression near SW Scotland. An area of heavy rain and showers spread S into N England later in the morning giving heavy falls here. Further bands of rain also affected Ireland and Scotland, while in the afternoon showers spread along a line from Cornwall to East Anglia becoming thundery in the latter area later in the afternoon. As the low centres spread towards Scandinavia winds increased across coastal and upland areas of Scotland with gusts to 40kn in places. A number of roads in Jersey were flooded after heavy evening rain, with some properties in St Helier also damaged by flooding. (Holbeach 25C, Shobdon 9C, Lerwick 77mm, Tenby 12h.)
An unstable NW'ly airflow covered the British Isles on the 20th. The day began with rain and showers spreading SE across Scotland, Ireland and N England the sky gradually brightened over Scotland and NW Ireland as the associated cloud spread S leaving some scattered showers, noticeably over NW and N Scotland. Showers were widespread for much of the day over England and Wales, with thundery outbreaks later in the afternoon over the Midlands, SE England and East Anglia. Heavy falls of rain during the day, according to the Met Office, included 22mm in two hours at Coleshill and 42mm in one hour at Bedford. By midnight the rain and showers were mostly confined SE of a line from The Wash to Bristol, with clearing skies across much of Ireland, Wales and N England. It is already the wettest August in the 22 years of records at Carlton-in-Cleveland, and also the wettest summer, with rainfall amounting just 210% of the August average. (Marham 24C, Glen Ogle 7C, Bedford 51mm, Tiree 11h.)
A few sferics continued in the early hours of the 21st across Essex but by mid-morning overnight rain had cleared from S Britain. There was little cloud during the morning across the British Isles as a NW airflow continued to affect most parts, but this then gradually developed a westerly component as a ridge of high pressure built up from the SE. An early ground frost occurred in some sheltered parts of Cumbria and Cent Scotland. Despite the rising pressure cloud developed across many parts of Ireland and S Britain in the afternoon, and lingered during the evening. Other cloud over NE Scotland, NE Ireland and parts of E England did give some light falls of rain. (Torquay 22C, Katesbridge 1C, Marham 16mm, Isle of Man 13.2h.)
During the 22nd a ridge of high pressure across the British Isles gradually moved E as fronts spread across W areas later. Under largely clear skies over Scotland there was a ground frost in places, with an early air frost in parts of the Highlands. Elsewhere, the day dawned rather cloudy with rain across S Ireland and SW England. The rain spread N across Ireland during the morning, while in the afternoon further rain made progress E into Wales, SW Scotland, Cent S England and the Midlands. Ahead of the rain it was a warm day in Cent and E England, and a sunny one in many parts of Scotland. By midnight, however, clear skies were mostly confined to N Scotland. (Northolt 23C, Tulloch Bridge -1C, Isles of Scilly 16mm, Tiree 12.6h.)
Low pressure became established across the British Isles during the 23rd; clear skies overnight were restricted to N Scotland where there temperature fell to below the average for the time of year in places. Further S the day dawned cloudy, with some heavy rain across S and Cent England, Wales, W Scotland and N Ireland. Elsewhere in Ireland rain soon gave way to showers. By midday the rain was concentrated across N England, S Scotland and N Ireland, with the rain then pushing slowly N into Cent Scotland. To the s of the rain there were some heavy showers across England and S Ireland during the day; these turned thundery in the afternoon across parts of Ireland, the Midlands, mid-Wales and East Anglia. According to the Met Office Shawbury recorded 23mm in 1 hour, with a tornado reported in Bramshall, near Uttoxeter, in the afternoon; the latter caused some serious damage and some people were injured. (Jersey 23C, Baltasound 2C, Killowen 48mm, Lerwick 11.1h.)
Low pressure and extensive cloud meant a mild start to the 24th across much of the British Isles. This low pressure produced some bands of heavy rain in Northern Ireland, with flooding in Belfast and County Antrim. Heavy rain also affected England and Wales, with flooding in Brighton and Dover. The Environment Agency had flood warnings operating in the Midlands. The showers turned thundery over E England in the afternoon and evening. Across Scotland rain continued to move N and E, turning lighter as it did so. (Heathrow 23C, Shap Fell 11C, Shoreham 36mm, Isle of Wight 9.1h.)
The following were written by Bernard Burton.
An unstable cyclonic airflow covered the UK during the 25th, with low pressure over the North Sea. Most places had a cloudy night with rain or showers affecting many parts, heaviest in the northwest of England and in the extreme southeast. During the morning cloud breaks developed along with renewed convection, though the edge of an occluded frontal cloud band off eastern Scotland kept the adjacent coastal swathe overcast with patchy rain. By midday a fresh batch of showers, some heavy and thundery, had developed widely of the south of the UK. During the afternoon the showers over England became organised into two main curved bands lying east to northwest, that worked their way slowly south, accompanied by thunder in many places. To the north it was mostly dry except for patchy rain over eastern Scotland, and the showers over Northern Ireland advected away southeastwards. During the evening cloud melted away in most places, although a few showers continued over Wales and the south Pennines. A funnel cloud was observed at Darlington (possibly in the late afternoon). (Skegness 22C, Shobdon 9C, Manchester 42mm, Stornaway 10.9h.)
High cloud from a developing Atlantic frontal system, associated with a deepening low heading northeast towards Shetland, spread across much of the UK overnight on the 26th, and cloud had thickened enough in northwest Scotland to give patchy rain there late in the night. Elsewhere the night was dry, apart from early showers in northwest England. The south of the UK had a dry but mostly cloudy morning, with large amounts of upper cloud and capped convection, though with some sunshine getting through at times. Scotland and Northern Ireland had rain at times, persistent and heaviest in the west, with outbreaks spreading to the Pennines and northeast England by midday. Rain continued to the north of a line Hull to Lancaster for the afternoon, and became heavy over western and central Scotland. The rest of the UK had a mostly cloudy afternoon with convective infill under large amounts of upper cloud. A wet evening followed for most of Scotland and Northern Ireland, though the main frontal rainband and heaviest rain had moved southeast to lie Wales to Yorkshire by midnight, with a few cloud breaks and patchy rain and drizzle following. Cloud thickened and lowered generally to the south of the rainband. (Andrewsfield 23C, Altnaharra 2C, Clacton 31mm, Jersey 11.5h.)
The 27th saw a vigorous depression moving slowly east crossing Shetland during the afternoon. The associated frontal rainband, heaviest in the west, where there was considerable orographic enhancement, moved southwards over Wales and the Midlands, eastern England and East Anglia during the night. There were cloud breaks to the north of this band, but also showers, chiefly in the north and west. To the south of the band it was cloudy but dry. Winds strengthened in the north, and were near gale force by the end of the night in the far north. The frontal rainband continued to move slowly south over the southern UK during the morning, and a wrap around occlusion brought rain into northern Scotland, and gale force winds there too. In between there was generally well broken cloud and a few showers, chiefly in the west. During the afternoon the frontal rainband in the south moved off into the English Channel, while a few post frontal heavy showers developed over southern England. Scotland had showers and strong winds, with the frontal rainband and gales in the far north. The rest of the UK had sunny intervals and was mostly dry. Showers continued to affect Scotland during the evening, though southeastern parts mostly escaped these, and winds began to moderate. The rest of the UK had a fine evening as cloud melted away, although a sheet of stratocumulus over Ireland advected eastwards into Wales by midnight. (Brize Norton 22C, Loch Glascarnoch 10C, Baltasound 37mm, Aberdeen 8.9h.)
As the now filling low moved away from Shetland towards the northeast on the 28th, a weak ridge of high pressure crossed the UK. Showers continued overnight over western and northern areas of Scotland and Ireland. Elsewhere it was dry, and clear in many places, although a sheet of stratcu pushed slowly eastwards over Wales and central England. It was a similar picture during the morning, although Cu bubbled up over England and Wales, leading to convective infill. Thickening cloud ahead an Atlantic frontal system brought outbreaks of rain into western Scotland and the north and west of Ireland by the end of the afternoon. Otherwise showers continued in the north of the UK, and it was cloudy and mainly dry in the south. During the evening patchy frontal rain continued to spread eastwards across Ireland and Scotland and into the north of England, while further south it was dry with broken cloud. (Gravesend 22C, Katesbridge 1C, Jersey 9mm, Skegness 12.0h.)
A filling depression to the northwest of Scotland moved southeast to the North Sea during the 29th. Patchy frontal rain spread to all parts of the UK overnight, with the exception of the southeast. Precipitation turned more showery over northwest Scotland by morning, with some heavy and thundery showers in the Western Isles by dawn, During the morning all parts of the UK were mainly cloudy with patchy rain or showers, these heaviest and most frequent over Scotland, and the picture was similar during the afternoon, although the showers over England and Wales became organised into two main bands after midday, moving southeast. Showers became less widespread generally during the evening, and died out completely in the southeast of the UK, where skies became mostly clear. (Holbeach 21C, Fylingdales 5C, Lusa 22mm, Prestatyn 8.0h.)
An unstable cyclonic northwest to north airflow covered the UK on the 30th, with a filling low over the North Sea. Showers affected many parts of the UK overnight, heaviest and most frequent over north and east Scotland, but well scattered and light over southeast England. While showers in northern areas began to die down during the morning with some places in northern England becoming dry and sunny, renewed diurnal convection in southern parts brought some sharp shower activity here. During the afternoon showers in southern parts of the UK largely died out, along with those of much of the west and north that still had some around midday, although eastern parts from northeast Scotland to East Anglia kept some showers throughout. During the evening most remaining showers died out, and virtually the whole of the UK had clear or clearing skies. (Torquay and Lee-on-Solent 21C, Fylingdales 5C, Lowestoft 12mm, Exmouth 11.9h.)
The following were written by Roger Brugge.
Clear skies and a NW'ly airflow led to a cool start to the 31st in some N areas. Further S there was some more persistent cloud in parts of N and Cent England this gradually moved E and cleared much of East Anglia by mid-afternoon. The lack of cloud persisted in most areas throughout the day, giving a sunny and largely dry day. Cloud did spread W parts of Scotland and Ireland, however, giving a few falls of light rain. By midnight all but these W areas were largely cloudfree, with temperatures tumbling in places. (Falmouth 21C, Tulloch Bridge 0C, Shap Fell 2mm, Bournemouth 13.4h.)
The frontal only made slow progress to the E on the 2nd, and while many W areas of the British Isles remained cloudy, E areas of England had a many bright day. Light rain and drizzle was affecting areas of W Scotland and E Scotland by dawn, and fog was affecting Cent S England at the same time. This rain movced slowly SE during the day; after a clearance of the cloud during the morning in W and Cent Ireland another line of cloud spread into here by midnight. As the rain pushed SE it largely died out, and falls across England were slight. Much of E and S England had a warm and bright day, although fog developed around some S coast locations by midnight. (Cent London 26C, Sennybridge 5C, St. Angelo 15mm, Weymouth 12.9h.)
Fog, mist and low cloud enveloped much of S England during the early hours of the 3rd. Across Ireland and Scotland the day began with thickening cloud, and with light rain and drizzle in the W. This rain spread slowly E across Ireland and into E Scotland by midday, and into a few areas of wales during the afternoon and evening. Most of England and Wales had a bright and warm day, once the early fog and cloud had cleared in the S. As the earlier rain faed out during its progress E, fiurther rain spread into W Scotland and W Ireland in the afternoon and evening. (Gravesend 27C, Katesbridge 6C, South Uist 14mm, Falmouth 12.4h.)
Although weak fronts pushed SE across most of the British Isles during the 4th, by 2400GMT a ridge of high pressure had become established over S Wales, centre 1030mb. Overnight there was patchy light rain and drizzle in parts of Ireland and N Scotland, with a mostly cloudy/misty start to the day except in E England. At Ashford, Co. Wicklow, the overnight minimum temperayure was the highest at 17.1C. As pressure rose the rain faded from the S, with Ireland being mostly free of cloud by midday and 24C being reported in Aberdeen as cloud also cleared from S and E areas of Scotland. In the evening more thickening cloud spread into W Scotland and W Ireland, giving further light rain and drizzle; in E England it had been a warm day, and by midnoght cloud had cleared from most of England and Wales. (London 28C, Redhill 7C, Capel Curig 9mm, Bournemouth 13h.)
Scotland and Ireland had a generally cloudy day on the 5th; there was also cloud across parts of Wales and w England during the morning, that cleared early in the afternoon. Early fog in S and Cent England soon cleared and England and Wales then had a generally warm and sunny day. Rainfalla mounts were ssmall, with just slight rain falling across parts of N Ireland and Scotland during the day. According to the Met Office, with a maximum temperature of 28.6C Cardiff had its warmest September day since records began, beating the previous record of 27.3C recorded five years ago. This is just 0.1C below the all-time Welsh record for the month. 28.9C recorded at Bracknell Harmanswater was the highest September temperature since 5.9.1973. Penzance, with 27.0C, had their highest temperature of the year. During the evening, frontal rain fell across Scotland and N Ireland. (Northolt 29C, Redhill 9C, West freugh 2mm, Bristol 12.4h.)
On the 6th it was a clear start to the day across the S England, Wales and much of N Scotland. In the bordering regions frontal cloud and some light rain marked the boundary of warm air to the S and cooler conditions to the N. The cloudy zone was slow moving towards the s, although rainfall amounts were generally slight - by late evening there was some light rain and drizzle across the Midlands. Cloud across Ireand cleared during the evening, while a stiff NE breeze set in during the morning across much of S and Cent England. (Bournemouth 27C, Altnaharra 2C, Leuchars 7mm, Saunton Sands 11.8h.)
High pressure continued to dominate the weather throughout the 7th. Across scotland clearing skies led to a ground frost in places, and much of Wales and W Britain also dawned clear. Elsewhere in England the day dawned rather cloudy with some light rain and drizzle spreading into S England. By mid-afternoon, however, the British Isles was largely cloud-free, although the brisk NE airflow persisted across the S half of Britain. MSL pressure rose to 1040.8mb at Inverbervie late in the evening, possibly the highest on record over the UK for the first half of September. (Weymouth 26C, Kinbrace 2C, Wittering 0.6mm, Torquay and Malin Head 11.8h.)
Cloud amounts were generally slight on the 8th, under continuing high pressure. Clear skies led to a ground frost in some N districts, and early fog and low cloud led to a trace of rain in afew places there. Across s Britain the brisk NE/E wind persisted, with gusts to 40kn being reported in some coastal locations along the English Channel. It was another warm day almost everywhere, but temperatures fell rapidly in N Scotland after dark; at 2100GMT 19-20C was being reported at a few places in SW England and SW Ireland, but only 6C just n of Inverness (following a fall of over 10C in three hours). (Bournemouth 26C, Aboyne 2C, no significant rain, Aberdeen and Manchester 12.4h.)
High pressure continued to keep the British Isles mostly dry on the 9th. While most places remained cloud-free into the morning, some low cloud spilled W on to the coast of NE England and S Scotland - and some light drizzle fell for a while in a few places. There was a ground frost in areas of N Scotland, and early fog in Cent Scotland. By midday fog and cloud had cleared except in the Channel Islands, while cloud spread into S England and S Ireland in the afternoon and evening. By midnight showers were falling at Cork and Valentia, while thundery rain had fallen in Cornwall. (St Louis, Jersey 27C, Kinbrace -1C, Charterhall 0.4mm, Tiree 12.4h.)
As the high pressure slowly retreated to the E on the 10th, frontal cloud and rain spread from the W into the British Isles. By dawn this cloud and rain had spread into S Ireland, S Wales, SW and Cent S England; elsewhere clouds were mostly clear except in some inland parts of England and scotland where there was early fog and stratus. Clear skies in N Scotland led to a ground frost in places. The early rain in the SW included thundery activity that spread NW before mid-morning. The cloud continued to spread E and N, with bands of rain following, reaching S and W Scotland before the end of the day. Amounts in England were generally slight and, although there was a clearance of the rain in many parts of England and Ireland in the evening, more rain spraed into S Ireland, SW and cent s england by midnight. (Weybourne 25C, Kinbrace -1C, Glenanne 25mm, Stornoway 11.5h.)
Low pressure to the NW of the British Isles on the 11th led to another unsettled day. There was a generally mild night with rain across Scotland and showers or rain in many other areas of the British Isles. As the low moved N the rain tended to move N too, and by midday the rain was largely confined to N Scotland with showers over Ireland and the SW corner of Britain. Showers also affected N England and by mid-afternoon gusts of 35-40kn were widespread around N coasts; these increased to 55kn in the evening around coastal areas of N Ireland and W Scotland with the 'Proms in the Park' in Glasgow being cancelled for safety reasons. By midnight skies had cleared across much of Ireland, Wales and England, with some further rain falling from a trough in E England and frontal rain continuing to fall in W Scotland. (Margate 23C, Altnaharra 7C, Shap Fell 31mm, Hastings 9.3h.)
Early cloud was largely confined to Scotland and N England early on the 12th, although there were also a few showers across Ireland before dawn. The cloud was accompanied by some gusty winds and heavy rain; the rain soon cleared to the N of Scotland but by late morning further rain had spread eEacross Ireland and into W Scotland. Rain and showers were also widespread across S Wales and SW England by midday, and it turned windy here too. Gusts to 50kn were recorded around the coasts of SW England and S Wales as the gusty conditions and rain spread E to E England and E Scotland by midnight. The rain cleared across Ireland during the evening, to be followed by showers in a SW'ly surface flow. (Herne Bay 20C, Redhill 7C, Capel Curig 27mm, Clacton 9.2h.)
Low pressure remained to the W of the British Isles on the 13rd, leading to an usettled day with spells of rain and showers. These showers were thundery in places, notably across S Ireland around dawn, and parts of S and E England during the late afternoon and evening. The showers were also blustery, and gusts to 50kn across W Ireland were reported by midday. Elsewhere, many coastal parts of England and Wales recorded gusts to 40kn, with 55kn in the Swansea area by midnight. Away from SW England, S Ireland and W Scotland the cloud gradsually dissipated during the late afternoon and evening. (Torquay 19C, Lough Fea 6C, Capel Curig 51mm, Torquay 9h.)
During the 14th low pressure gradually transferred to the E of Britain. Although much of Scotland had a cloudy night with some heavy rain in places, an air frost was reported from Altnaharra in the NW. Elsewhere temperatures remainbed fairly high, with showers across W parts of Ireland, and SW wales and SW England before dawn. As the low pressure moved E the wind veered around to the NW; Mumbles reported gusts to 74mph during the day. Showers across S England during the morning were accompanied by some sferics that slowly spread E. Gusts to 40kn were widespread during the morning, and then the wind gradually died down from the W as pressure rose. Rain and showers were most persistent across Scotland, but there also the rain tended to die out in the evening, after some heavy rain across N England and S Scotland in the evening. (Guernsey 20C, Altnaharra -1C, Lusa 51mm, Falmouth 11h.)
Decreasing wind speeds and clearing skies under a NW airflow meant a cool start to the day in some inland and N areas on the 15th. There were a few overnight showers on some W-facing coasts of Ireland and Scotland, but much of England and E Scotland had a dry night and a dry day to follow. Frontal cloud spread into W Ireland, followed by rain, in the early afternoon. By midnight the cloud was affecting SW England, W Wales and much of Scotland - with light rain falling from Stornoway to Rosslare. But clear skies in E England allowed temperatures to fall quite quickly here. (Lee-on-Solent 20C, Tyndrum 2C, Manchester 29mm, Falmouth 12.2h.)
During the early hours of the 16th cloud gradually spread across much of England, but not before some low minimum temperatures had occurred in the E. Dawn also brought some fog patches to vcent S England, but these soon cleared. Bands of rain spread E/NE across the British Isles during the day, accompanied by gusty winds, especially in the N and W. Amounts were light or non-existent in many parts of England and Wales, but across Ireland and Scotland there were some heavy falls in places. At Glen Ogle the wind gusted to 71mph according to the Met Office. During the evening the rain spread E cleared away from Ireland and most of Scotland and the winds began to decline; falls then began across Wales, W and N parts of England. (Gravesend 20C, Redhill 0C, Eskdalemuir 16mm, Norwich 11h.)
Cloud and wind prevented temperatures from dropping to much into the 17th; cloud during the day was associated with frontal bands that pushed SE during the morning to clear most N areas, before becoming slow-moving across S England. After some bright spells across N Ireland and parts of Scotland in the morning, further rain spread across Ireland and into W Scotland during the afternoon, and winds were gusting to 45-50kn over W Ireland and the Hebrides by midnight as an area of low pressure moved rapidly NE towards W Scotland. (Jersey 21C, Aboyne 7C, Eskdalemuir 30mm, Lerwick 9h.)
Bands of frontal rain spread rapidly E on the 18th across the British Isles; cloud and breezy conditions meant a fairly mild start to the day. The rain across Scotland was accompanied by windy conditions and there were some heavy falls over parts of Scotland and N Ireland. By midday the rain had cleared and bright skies and showers followed over Scotland, Ireland, much of Wales and NW England. This clearance had spread across the whole of England by mid-evening, but showers remained mostly confined to W-facing coastal districts. (Gravesend 22C, Shobdon 9C, Eskdalemuir 26mm, Isle of Man 7.9h.)
Largely clear skies into the 19th led to a cool night in some S parts of England as the wind dropped, but it remained a little windier further N. By dawn cloud had spread into much of W Scotland, W Wales and SW England, and across Ireland with light rain and showers in places. As the cloud made further progress E the rain became heavier in W Scotland, and also spread E reaching E Scotland and NE England later in the day. Winds increased over Ireland and N Britain with gusts to 40kn in places. (Manston 19C, Redhill 3C, Lusa 41mm, Saunton Sands 10h.)
Into the 20th rain continued to spread E across the British Isles, followed by showers across Ireland. As the wind increased, gusting to 50kn in N and W areas, the Forth Road Bridge was closed to high-sided vehicles, as was the Severn Bridge during the morning. Heavy rain fell in parts of SW and Cent Scotland during the day, although there was some sunshine in N England and E Scotland for a while. Much of E and S England remained cloudy and damp during the day, although in most places falls of rain were only slight gusts of 35kn were widespread around the coasts, however. During the late afternoon and evening the cloud cleared from much of England and Wales, and also from E Ireland as the showers there died down. (Coltishall 20C, Loch Glascarnoch 9C, Sloy 77mm, Leuchars 7.3h.)
A brisk, W'ly airflow dominated the conditions on the 21st. Gusts of over 40kn were widespread, while the Met Office reported a 71kn gust at Cairnwell. Showers were widespread, especially in N and W areas, and merged together to give some heavier falls in places there. E areas of the British Isles had the best of the sunny spells. (Torquay 19C, Kinbrace 7C, Tulloch Bridge 42mm, Scarborough 9.9h.)
Frontal rain began the day across Ireland, and as it spread E it's presence was announced by cloudy that gave many areas a dull day on the 22nd. The heaviest rain fell over SW Scotland, Ireland, Wales and NW England. Breezy conditions persisted throughout the day with showers falling across N Scotland. The frontal area marked the boundary between cold air to the N and milder air further S, and under cloudy skies across S Britain and S Ireland temperatures held up to 18C in places by midnight here. (Teignmouth and Ashford, Co. Wicklow 20C, Aviemore 6C, Sennybridge 21mm, Torquay 5.4h.)
The frontal rain across N England, Ireland and Wales pushed S during the 23rd, bringing a cold N'ly airflow to all areas by midnight. Rainfall from the front tended to be light and patchy in S England, but as it spread S it introduced showery conditions in its wake. Ahead of the front, overnight temperature remained at about 17C in Jersey and London. Showers also affected N and NE Scotland during the day, while low cloud and drizzle affected Ireland in the morning. Skies cleared in the evening as the showers tended to die out although some persisted throughout the evening in NW Scotland and E England. (Hastings 22C, Salsburgh 7C, Capel Curig 21mm, Southport 6.8h.)
The 24th began with cloud across N Scotland and increasing amounts in S Ireland; elsewhere, away from some E coast areas of England, there was a bright start to the day. At Kilkenny the grass minimum temperature was -3C. By midday cloud had spread across much of Ireland and into W Wales and SW England, with some light showers in SW Ireland. Light rain also fell during the day in the cloudy spots of E England and W Scotland. By midnight most of Scotland had clouded over, as had many areas of S England - but most of the cloud had lifted from E England. (Falmouth 17C, Shap Fell 1C, Coltishall 5mm, Glasgow 10.9h.)
With cloudy fronts pushing E across the British Isles on the 25th most areas had a rather cloudy day. Before the cloud arrived in SE England and East Anglia some places here had an early ground frost. The cloud brought rain, and was accomapanied by winds gusting to 40kn in exposed areas of Scotland. Across Scotland and N England the rain was followed by showers, especially in the afternoon, while across Ireland a trailing cold front was slow to clear and drizzle lingered into the evening. After a cold day in some parts of SE England, 13C was the maximum temperature at Langdon Bay (Kent), skies cleared over much of E and Cent England in the evening. (Dishforth and Ashford (Co. Wicklow) 19C, Redhill -1C, Baltasound 14mm, Aberdeen 4.9h.)
The early clear skies across E England had largely clouded over by mid-morning on the 26th as cloud spread from the W. Cloud led to the overnight minimum temperature at Hawarden, N Wales, remaining as high as 15.1C. The cloud was followed by rain and drizzle as the rain and drizzle in Ireland spread N and E. In many areas falls were slight, although W Scotland did have some heavy falls for a while. By midday winds were gusting to 50kn around some N and W coastal areas of Scotland and these strong winds spread E during the afternoon. Although there was a clearance of the cloud in the evening over some E areas of England and Scotland and in SE Ireland, parts of SW England and S Ireland remained cloudy all day - with drizzle on and off for much of the day in a few places. (Bournemouth 22C, Benson 5C, Lusa 16mm, Rosslare 7.9h.)
Cloud spread into the clear, E areas during the early hours on the 27th, with light rain and drizzle across Ireland and W areas of Britain. At Ashford, Co. Wicklow, the 24-hour minimum temperature of 16.1C was the highest of the year. MSL pressure rose to 1025mb at Valentia 0900GMT, before falling later in the day. This high pressure enabled a few breaks in the cloud in some W areas of England and Wales - and later in Cent England. Across Scotland light rain and drizzle lingered for much of the day in places, with mist and generally poor visibility under the low cloud. (Torquay 22C, Aboyne 3C, Tiree 6mm, Torquay 10.2h.)
Although a weak ridge of high pressure formed over the British Isles on the 28th, weak S'ward moving fronts made for a rather cloudy day in many areas, especially in the S. There was some rain overnight in W and N Ireland, and across Scotland, and also in some areas of SW and cent S England. This rain spread S during the day with the fronts. As the cloud spread S, a few showers followed on in N Scotland while, across Cent England, skies cleared in places later in the evening. The evening also brought some thundery precipitation to Norfolk. (Leeming 20C, Lerwick 7C, Rosehearty 12mm, Leeming 10.2h.)
Early on the 29th mostly cloudy conditions prevailed as Cent england again clouded over. Across N Scotland some clear skies led to a ground frost in places, while over Ireland cloud and light rain were becoming widespread by dawn. Under cloud in S England minimum temperatures were as high as 15C in Portland and St Catherine's Point. This warm air, and associated light rain and drizzle spread N and E as did the precipitation over Ireland; over Scotland clear conditions became widespread, ahead of the cloudy area, in E Scotland. The warm air spread into W Scotland during the evening, while across Ireland, wales and England cloud and patchy rain and drizzle persisted for the remainder of the day. Some moderately heavy falls occurred in the evning in SW England and E Ireland. (Jersey 19C, Altnaharra 1C, Skegness 8mm, Aviemorer 6.6h.)
While Britain dawned on the 30th with mostly cloudy skies and widespread rain and drizzle, across Ireland the rain was giving way to showers and brighter conditions. According to the Met Office 15mm fell in two hours early in the morning at Tiree and the rain was generally heaviest across Scotland; across s England falls were generally of light rain and drizzle. The rain had cleared much of E Britain by midday, and showers followed over Britain too; thunder was reported from near The Wash. Clearing skies led to mist patches developing in the evening in Cent and E areas of England; N Scotland remained cloudy by then and further light rain was just starting to fall at Valentia. (Torquay and Great Malvern 21C, Cassley 8C, Tiree 35mm, Torquay 6.6h.)
Overnight cloud and rain spread into N Ireland before dawn on the 2nd, and cloud and rain also spread across S Wales and SW and Cent S England. Elsewhere, apart from some showery activity in S Ireland most places had a clear night. Showers spread to other parts of Ireland during the day, while showers continued across W Scotland - turning thundery in places. A few showers spread across to E England and here many places had a warm and sunny day. During the evening showers and cloud cleared from most places, except for Scotland and SW England. (Heathrow 18C, Redhill 3C, Tulloch Bridge 41mm, Falmouth 8.2h.)
There were varying amounts of cloud into the 3rd across Scotland, Ireland and W Britain, with only small amounts in many areas of E Britain. Showers also fell in some W areas. During the day cloud spread to many areas from the W, accompanied by rain that affected S Ireland and much of S Britain during the afternoon especially. The rain then pushed across the rest of England, Northern Ireland and much of Scotland. There were some heavy falls across Wales and winds reached gale force around coastal areas of S Ireland and SW Britain - gusts reached 50kn in places here. (Jersey 18C, Redhill 4C, Capel Curig 27mm, Lerwick 6.7h.)
The rain continued to spread gradually E during the early hours of the 4th, and by 0600GMT skies were largely clear across most of Ireland and W Scotland. The rain was accompanied by gusty winds. The clearance continued to spread E during the day, with showers developing in W Ireland and W Scotland in the morning. By midday the rain had cleared from E counties of Britain, except in SE England, but showers became widespread across Ireland and W Scotland in the afternoon. Gusty conditions continued across Scotland for most of the day with Lerwick reporting 48kn gusts at 2100GMT. During the evening, the showers in NW areas became more frequent and spread into NW England and Wales. By midnight most other areas of England and Wales (away from Kent) were mostly cloud-free. In Paulton, Somerset there were reports of a tornado causeing a swathe of damage 6m wide and about 130m in length. (Torquay 18C, Stornoway 3C, Capel Curig 50mm, Colwyn Bay 8.3h.)
Showers continued to fall during then early hours of the 5th in W Scotland, gradually becoming further widespread to the E. Showers also fell across Ireland overnight, while towards dawn cloud and showers spread E across S England. Elsewhere over England and Wales it was a mostly clear night. As the day progressed the showers made progress to the E in all areas - there were blustery and gusts of 30-40kn were widespread. As the daylight faded the showers retreated to the W everywhere, and by midnight much of Wales, N and Cent England was cloud-free. According to the Met Office, during daylight hours the strongest wind gust was 61mph at Aberdaron. (Gravesend 18C, Redhill 2C, Lusa 48mm, Falmouth 9.6h.)
Clear skies overnight in E England on the 6th led to a ground frost in sheltered areas. Scotland remained cloudy and blustery overnight with showers. Showers also affected N England and Ireland and some W coastal areas of England. Heavy showers continued across N Scotland during the day with gusts over 50mph reported and once again, spread E across England and Wales as the day developed. Showers also affected all areas of Ireland during the day - hail fell in Dublin during late afternoon. During the evening the showery conditions slowly died away, except in N Scotland where showery conditions continued. (Guernsey 18C, Redhill 2C, Loch Glascarnoch 43mm, Falmouth 10.1h.)
Blustery showers continued over N and W Scotland into the 7th, and also in W Ireland. Elsewhere clouds were few overnight and there was a ground frost in some sheltered areas of E England before dawn. Although some showers did spread E during the day they were much less frequent than in recent days. This was due to rising pressure - up to 1019mb in SW Ireland at midday. The blustery showers also eased a little across Scotland during the evening - 1023.3mb was reported at Stornoway at 2400GMT - while across S England pressure slowly fell towards midnight and the winds turned around to a NE/E direction. (Bournemouth 18C, Redhill 0C, Altnaharra 28mm, Hunstanton 10.3h.)
During the 8th a ridge if high pressure spread from the W of the British Isles towards N Britain, with MSL pressure rising to 1028mb at Stornoway by 2400GMT. In many places there was a dry night - although cloud and some light rain fell in NE England particularly, Mist and fog patches formed around dawn in Cent S England but these soon cleared - although E Wales and parts of the Midlands had a few showers around this time. Cloud and some light rain also affected Scotland during the day, especially in the E. Across Ireland and much of Wales, however, it was a mostly sunny day. (Lee-on-Solent 17C, Redhill, -1C, Fylingdales 10mm, Anglesey 10.1h.)
A mostly E surface flow blew across the British Isles on the 9th, although the intensity of the high declined as it moved E across N Scotland. After a clear start to the day away from N Scotland and S England, cloud spread onshore over E Britain and then further W, giving some showers in a few places. Cloud thickened across S England during the morning, with rain in Cornwall and Devon by mid-afternoon. Over the Channel Islands winds were gusting to 40kn by this time, and these strong winds gradually made there presence felt across S coastal areas of England as some rain spread into Hampshire during the evening. (Bognor Regis 16C, Castlederg -2C, Scilly 19mm, Anglesey 8.6h.)
The 10th was a breezy day across much of England and S Wales with E gusts to 45mph in several coastal areas along the English Channel. In most areas the day was dry with varying amounts of patchy cloud. Early areas of rain across coastal areas of S England gradually retreated, being confined to SW England by midnight. Other areas affected by the occasional light shower included E Scotland, NE England and some of the higher ground in N England. This was despite the fact that MSL pressure rose to 1025mb at Aberdeen by 2100GMT. (Heathrow and Lee-on-Solent 16C, Kinbrace 1C, Teignmouth 17mm, Hunstanton 8.9h.)
With high pressure continuing to dominate the weather in the N on the 11th, the day was a dry one for many places. Cloud amounts were variable overnight, with clear skies leading to an air frost in some Cent areas of Scotland. Onshore E winds brought some light rain and showers to E Scotland, while low pressure to the S of the British Isles pushed bands of rain across the SW Britain and S Ireland from time to time during the day. E winds gusted to 40kn across the S half of Britain around the coasts and over high ground. Cloud cover increased during the day, especially across S England, and in the evening some light rain spread N into Cent S England. (Guernsey 15C, Aviemore -1C, Culdrose 10mm, Hunstanton 7.1h.)
Pressure fell across S England during the 12th as a low pressure area moved N from the Channel Islands during the day. The day dawned with rain over the Channel Islands and S England, and generally cloudy conditions across Britain except in some parts of NW England and NW Scotland. At Guernsey Airport 42.3mm fell in the 24 hours to 0900GMT, making this the third wettest October day on record, with another 14.1mm in the 12 hours to 2100GMT. The rain started to fall at 1838GMT on the 11th, finishing at about 1500GMT on the 12th - a 24-hour fall of 56.4mm. Jersey was even wetter, with the Airport there receiving 51.4mm in 24 hours ending 0900GMT on the 12th and about 15mm more later in the day. As the rain spread N across England damp and misty conditions became widespread - with heavy falls and visibility below 1000m in places at times. NW Scotland was bright during the morning, while parts of SW Wales and SW England were sunny in the afternoon. Ireland was also mostly dry and bright after early fog cleared, although cloud and rain spread into W Ireland in the evening. By midnight rain was falling from Shetland to Norfolk, with drizzle continuing to fall further S across many parts of the Midlands and Cent S England. (Margate 16C, Loch Glascarnoch 2C, Jersey 61mm, Falmouth 7.7h.)
With rain in many areas overnight the 13th dawned rather cloudy and under the influence of low pressure. By dawn rain was falling in an arc from Dorset to Cent Ireland and also across Cent and E Scotland. Clearer skies prevailed across much of N England and in N Ireland following the clearance of overnight rain from there. As the day progressed the rain areas pushed NE, with further rain and showers spreading into SW England and the Channel Islands during the evening. Falls of rain affected N and W Ireland for much of the day after a bright start, but towards the centre of what appeared on radar charts to be a ring of rain over the British Isles there were some bright spells and clear skies. It was here, over the Midlands during the evening, that widespread patches of fog formed. During the morning two hours of heavy rain in Bournemouth caused the River Bourne to burst is banks and flood large parts of the town centre gardens. (Saunton Sands 16C, Katesbridge 1C, Oxford 19mm, Newquay 7.6h.)
The 14th dawned with wet or damp conditions in most places. In S England there was some heavy rain around dawn, with widespread mist and fog in Cent England, East Anglia and NE England. Across W Ireland there were some showers to start the day, while early rain also affected many parts of N Scotland. The rain was accompanied by rumbles of thunder in Berkshire and the surrounding area while later in the day thunder was reported from areas of the W and N Midlands. A funnel cloud seen off Portslade near Brighton during the morning while Horsham District Council reported a number of tornadoes overnight; one of these damaged some 14 properties in Horsham Town and also brought a number of trees down in the Bennetts Field area. Another tornado in the Ashington area brought down overhead power lines leaving approximately 300 properties without power. As the rain spread N and E, so too did the showers from Ireland. During the afternoon and evening these banded together into further areas of more general rain in parts of Wales, S and E England, while the day ended with widespread rain over E Scotland. (Hastings 15C maximum, Heathrow 34mm.)
An area of low pressure over the British Isles meant that the 15th was a wet day in many places. Mist, fog and poor visibility were widespread at times overnight, but clear skies in Cent Ireland and N England allowed temperatures tom fall to close to freezing point here. There was rain overnight across N Scotland and S England, and for much of Scotland the day continued to be mainly wet apart from a dry spell late morning in some E areas. Much of N England was dry and bright day until rain arrived in the late afternoon and evening. Ireland, in a NW airflow, was mostly dry apart from outbreaks of showers, while across Wales and remaining areas of England there was rain for much of the day, with some heavy falls across N Wales and parts of East Anglia. (Torquay 15C, Cottesmore 8C maximum, Abermarle 1C minimum, Llanbedr 63mm, Torquay 7.7h.)
Low pressure centred over, or close to, the E coast of Britain during the 16th continued to provide mostly unsettled weather. Overnight, most of E Ireland and Britain was cloudy with rain; the rain was heavy in Wales and later heavy falls caused some flooding in Antrim and around Fife. Remaining parts of Ireland clouded over later in the night showers then fell during the day before another clearance in then evening. Showers turned thundery around midday close to S parts of the Irish Sea and in SW England. Many places saw frequent rain during the day, particularly across Scotland where a frontal band of rain was slow-moving. A large, slow moving cumulonimbus cloud near Norwich spawned a funnel cloud around 1520GMT, visible from Woodton. (Saunton Sands 15C, Aviemore 7C maximum, Hurn 2C minimum, Salsburgh 27mm, Eastbourne 8.4h.)
During the 17th the low centred moved E away from Britain, allowing brighter air to gradually spread into much of W Britain. Overnight rain cleared S England, and once some early rain in N Scotland had cleared precipitation was generally showery in nature. Showers over the Channel Islands early in the morning included some thunder. Much of NE England and SE Scotland remained cloudy throughout the day, and there were some heavy showers here. Many areas of S England, away from the S coast, also remained cloudy. (Guernsey 15C, Katesbridge 2C, Loftus 31mm, Weymouth 8.4h.)
Clear skies for a while across Scotland into the 18th allowed temperatures to fall low enough for a touch of ground frost. There were overnight showers in W Scotland and W Ireland, and these spread further W during the morning. Some E areas of England dawned cloudy, but this cloud broke up during the morning to give a bright day here. During the morning more general cloud and rain spread E into W Ireland and W Scotland, while later in the afternoon showers affected an area from W Scotland to Wales and SW England. Clear skies in E England resulted in a sharp temperature fall after sunset, with 4C being reported in the East Midlands by 2400GMT. (Torquay 16C, Tulloch Bridge 0C, Llanbedr 13mm, Bognor Regis 9.2h.)
While much of E England began the 19th with little cloud, by dawn areas of cloud had spread into much of S England, Scotland and Ireland together with rain in these areas. A ground frost occurred in many E areas that remained clear of cloud until dawn. During the day a frontal system spread E across Scotland, Cumbria and into Wales there were some heavy falls in SW Scotland while ahead of the front some heavy falls occurred around E coastal areas of the Irish Sea. Colder air and showers followed the front across Ireland and by midnight there was a touch of air frost in parts of Cent Ireland. Further rain spread N through E England during the day, giving way to misty conditions later in the day across E and Cent parts of England. (Gravesend and Saunton Sands 16C, BallyPatrick 7C maximum, Redhill 1C minimum, Drumalbin 21mm, Falmouth 8.9h.)
Frontal systems, and a depression that spread N on the 20th to Anglesey (centre 978mb at 2400GMT) meant an unsettled day across the British Isles. Overnight skies were clear across much of Ireland and Scotland, with an air frost resulting in many places. Much of England and Wales was cloudy overnight and rain was widespread in these areas. During the morning it turned drier in S England, albeit with mist and drizzle, but more rain spread out of Ireland and into S England in the evening with shortlived thunder reported in some SE counties of England. Skies cleared across much of Ireland in the evening elsewhere the day ended on a generally cloudy note. As the low spread N through the Irish Sea gales developed on its S flank with gusts to 50kn in SW England and S Wales. (Gravesend 19C, Loch Glascarnoch 3C, Guernsey 20mm, Stornoway 4.6h.)
The low over N Wales spread N during the morning of the 21st, and a W¡Çly flow then affected the British Isles around low pressure to the N. The rain area also spread N with the low centre, followed by showers that spread E and NE across Ireland, Wales and England. By midday the heavier rain was confined to the N half of Scotland. It was a windy day with gusts of 35kn being widespread inland, and with 50-60kn reported around some coasts (e.g. 54kn at mumbles at 1500GMT). Thunder was reported in N Wales and the N Midlands in the afternoon and evening, and in SW Scotland and S Wales later. There was also some thunder in SE England. E England saw the best of the sunshine. After heavy showers there were reports of flooding in Gwynedd. (Guernsey 17C, Glennane 2C, West Freugh 31mm, Hunstanton 9.3h.)
The 22nd was another unsettled day as low centres and their associated fronts migrated NE across the British Isles. The day began with cloud and rain across N and Cent Scotland, S Ireland and many S areas of England. SE Scotland, East Anglia and SE England dawned with little cloud. By midday rain was widespread across much of NE, W and Cent England, Wales and S Ireland, with more showery conditions in N Scotland and clearer skies across NW England. Further rain spread NE across S England later, with a low centred across SE Scotland by midnight. The Met Office reported that Capel Curig and Aberdaron had gusts of wind of 70mph, and Plymouth recorded nearly 60mph gusts. At Llansadwrn (Anglesey) the 24-hour rainfall total beginning at 0900GMT was was 86.0 mm, with 91.0mm in the 24 hours beginning 0600GMT. There was widespread flooding on Anglesey in Llansadwrn, Beaumaris (where property was damaged with up to 5 ft of water in basements, and 2ft around the Castle when moat overflowed), Llangefni and Gaerwen. Almost all roads in the SE of the island were closed. It was similar on the mainland with flooding in Bangor and Caernarfon and many roads impassable - including the A55 Expressway in several places - train services were also disrupted. More details can be found at http://llansadwrn-wx.co.uk/daily/diary2004.html#llif296. (Guernsey 18C, Lough Fea 3C, Capel Curig 65mm, Leuchars 8.5h.)
Low pressure and frontal systems continued to affect the British Isles on the 23rd. It remained cloudy overnight in many areas leading to high minimum temperatures across much of England and Wales (15C reported in London) but clearer skies did lead to a ground frost, and some early fog, in parts in Cent and SW Scotland. There was rain in N England and SE Scotland overnight and also falls before dawn across S parts of Wales, Ireland and England. Rain continued to affect these S areas for much of the day, spreading later into N England and N Wales. Light rain also fell across W Scotland for a while, but many parts of S and E Scotland, and N Ireland, had a mostly dry and bright day. The rain in the S was accompanied by gales and gusts to 50kn in the SW; at Sennybridge 28mm of rain fell in two hours according to the Met Office. By the evening there were over 50 flood warnings and over 100 flood watches in effect across England and Wales. (Guernsey 19C, Saughall 0C, Sennybridge 40mm, Belfast 7h.)
Despite most places being cloudy overnight, 24th clearer skies in the Highlands led to a touch of air frost in places. Rain fell overnight in S Scotland, N Ireland and also in SE England; further rain spread NE across S Ireland and Wales before moving NE towards N England and S Scotland ahead of the next depression. The low meant another windy day with gusts to 50mph around some Irish Sea coasts. Some heavy showers followed the rain, and there were thundery outbreaks across S England, E Wales and the Midlands, and parts of N England during the late afternoon and evening leading to a fall of 10.2mm in one hour at Thorney Island. At Ffosyffin, Ceredigion 69.9mm of rain had fallen in the 48 hours ending ay midday.(Gravesend 19C, Kinbrace 1C, Eskdalemuir 30mm, Bognor Regis 6h.)
The 25th dawned with largely cloudy skies across Britain and broken cloud over Ireland. Rain spread NE across Scotland, N England and parts of Wales overnight. Winds eased overnight across s England, but not until a gust of 70mph had been noted at Mumbles. The day saw bands of showery rain pushing NE throughout the day, although many parts of SE and E England remained dry. Away from Scotland most places had a bright day with sunny spells and in the evening cloud cover declined further across many areas here. (Herne Bay 16C, Belfast 5C, Capel Curig 26mm, Weymouth 8h.)
Although N and some S parts of the British Isles had a mainly cloudy night, the 26th dawned mostly cloudless across much of Ireland, E Wales and England north of the Thames Valley and also in parts of N Scotland. The cloudy areas saw some overnight showers and these continued, especially in W and Cent Scotland during the day. Skies clouded over from the S across Ireland and rain fell here during the afternoon and evening this rain spread N to affect SW and W Scotland in the evening. Across much of England and Wales it was a generally sunny day although after sunset the temperature did drop markedly in inland areas. (Saunton Sands 16C, Altnaharra 4C, Mumbles 12mm, Jersey 8.5h.)
A deep area of low pressure off SW Ireland resulted in increasingly stormy conditions during the 27th; MSL pressure fell steadily during the day, reaching 958.8mb at Valentia by 2400GMT. Cloud across Ireland and SW England made progress into Wales and W England by dawn with rain falling in S Ireland and SW England by dawn. There was also rain in W and N Scotland during the night. The stormy conditions were primarily concentrated in SW England, SW Wales and S Ireland. Gusts to 64mph occurred on Scilly in the afternoon with 65mph reported from Cork Airport. The River Lee, which runs through Cork, burst its banks and flooded the southwestern city's main roads with up to 3m feet of water. Records indicated it was the worst such flood since 1962. Flooding in towns to the east of Cork, like Waterford and Dungarvan, was nearly as bad. The River Suir also burst its banks, flooding key roads. Thousands of homes along Ireland's southern coast suffered periodic blackouts as the state-owned Electricity Supply Board struggled to repair downed lines. Cork's airport also diverted many flights to other Irish airports and outbound passengers faced delays averaging four hours. Most ferry services on routes to Britain and France were cancelled. In many places across South Cornwall the sea defences were breached; In Penzance a massive sea with a storm surge several feet above normal caused extensive flooding. The Penzance harbour car park was flooded, with dozens of cars still in it. Waves hit the sea defences and shot 100-200ft in the air and went over buildings, dropping sea-weed and stones on the roofs. The lighthouse pier in Penzance was barely visible between the waves. It is now generally excepted that the sea was larger, and the flooding worse, around S Cornwall than in the 1962 Good Friday storm, the last time SE facing parts of Cornwall saw considerable damage. All roads into Penzance were closed for a time to all but emergency vehicles. During the day bands of rain spread NE into the Midlands and SE England later reaching East Anglia and N England. With extensive cloud circulating around the low it was a generally cloudy day across the British Isles. (St Mary's Scilly 15C, Redesdale Camp 1C, Cork Airport 28mm, Aberdeen 4.3h.)
The lowest reported pressure from 3-hourly reporting synoptic stations on the 28th was 957.8mb at 0300GMT at Valentia, by which time pressure had started to rise slowly. Stormy conditions again affected S Ireland and SW England with gusts to 50kn in places. Rain combined with spring tides brought flooding again to these areas. Bands of rain spread from the SW during the day and affected much of England and Wales. During the early afternoon thundery activity affected the Channel Islands and areas adjacent to the S part of the Irish Sea; this activity moved N towards Dublin, the S Midlands and East Anglia during the late afternoon and evening. A woman was killed by a falling tree in Corfe Castle, Dorset, when a pine tree fell on her. Witnesses said the village was hit by a 'mini cyclone' which ripped slates off roofs and brought down power lines - leaving Corfe without electricity. The devastating storm passed through after about two minutes. Much of N and E England was mostly dry with sunny spells as were areas of East Anglia. Across Scotland there was widespread rain and showery activity, especially in the W and NW, with gusts to 40kn around the coast. 48-hour rainfall totals to 1800GMT included Casement 52mm and Kilkenny 45mm.(Gravesend 17C, Aviemore 1C, Casement Aerodrome 34mm, Clacton 8.0h.)
A filling area of low pressure w of Britany continued to draw an E¡Çly flow across the British Isles on the 29th. The day dawned with generally cloudy conditions in most places, and with rain across S Ireland, S Wales and much of S England. Rain also affected parts of N England and Scotland as the sun rose, following early morning sferics off the NE coast of England. The rain in the S became lighter during the morning, and sunny spells developed across parts of SE England and East Anglia. Sunny spells also occurred across N Ireland and parts of SW Scotland, but many areas of NE Britain remained cloudy with some rain. (Margate 17C, Loch Glascarnoch 3C, Dunkeswell 26mm, Hastings 7h.)
Gradually rising pressure during the 30th was the result of an anticylone spreading E across N Britain. This brought another mostly cloudy day to many areas, but rainfall amounts were noticeably less. There was some thundery activity shortly before dawn in SE Ireland. Mist and fog was widespread in many areas from E and S Scotland to Cent S England by dawn, and was slow to clear in parts of E Scotland. The best of any sunshine was generally in SE England, and although the rain cleared from S parts as the day progressed, light frontal rain affected the extreme4 n of Scotland for a large part of the day. (Northolt 18C, Loch Glascarnoch 3C, Drumalbin 10mm, Eastbourne 7.8h.)
The 31st dawned with mist and fog affected many places from e Scotland to Dorset, from Wales to East Anglia and in parts of S Ireland. The mist and fog soon cleared except in some areas of cent Ireland where it lingered until mid-afternoon. Light rain or drizzle affected N and W Scotland for much of the day but most other places were dry, if rather cloudy throughout the day. (Guernsey 16C, Aboyne 1C, Lerwick 3mm, Jersey 7.4h.)
The 2nd dawned with clear skies in NE Scotland and an air frost in sheltered areas. Elsewhere, the day dawned mostly cloudy; in S England there early was light rain that then spread N into the Midlands and East Anglia. During the day light rain lingered in S England, accompanied by mist and poor visibility; light rain also fell in parts of NE England and SE Scotland. Some light rain also fell in parts of Wales and E Ireland. The best of any sunshine occurred in NE Scotland, while in the evening mist and fog patches formed in many areas of Cent and N England. (Guernsey 14C, Aboyne -2C, Hastings 10mm, Kinloss 5.2h.)
Most places again had a cloudy start to the day on the 3rd, although in SE England the early cloud was broken in places. Mist and fog affected much of E England overnight, and fog was especially thick by dawn over much of Cent Ireland. Rain fell in S Scotland during the morning, while later in the day an area of frontal rain spread E into W Scotland, and later into Cent Scotland. This rain also spread across Ireland and into W Wales and SW England; further rain also affected S Wales and Cent S England later in the day. The rain was preceded by cloud; but ahead of this there were sunny spells in E Britain. By midnight cloud had cleared behind the front across most of Ireland. (Saunton Sands 17C, Tain Range 1C, Barra 7mm, Cromer 5.1h.)
As the front cleared to the E, a W'ly surface flow spread across the British Isles on the 4th. By dawn much of Ireland, Wales and Scotland was clear, with a few showers developing in W Scotland and W Ireland, while cloud and rain was still clearing from E and S England. This rain and cloud had cleared by midday, while showers soon spread across Ireland and W Scotland, and then into NW England. E Britain had a bright day after the early cloud had cleared, while the showers in the W died down in the evening - except in the extreme W and N of Scotland where light rain lingered. (Hastings 16C, Aboyne 2C, Tulloch Bridge 18mm, Falmouth 8.3h.)
During the morning of the 5th the mostly clear skies across Britain clouded over in most places. There was early rain across N and Cent Scotland, and parts of N England, but by mid-afternoon rain was more widespread across Scotland - with falls also in W Ireland. Showers also affected N England during the afternoon at which time MSL pressure was up to 1034mb across S Ireland. (Torquay 15C, Redhill -2C, Wick 9mm, Southsea 3.9h.)
Away from Cent Ireland, the 6th dawned mostly cloudy and damp and it remained mostly cloudy across much of the British Isles throughout the day. Rain and drizzle fell in most places from time to time, with falls being heaviest across Scotland. The rain was associated with the E'ly movement of a warm front - by midnight temperatures were above 10C at sea level, with readings of 13C in places from NW Scotland to Kent. (Shobdon 15C, Fair Isle 3C, Barra 25mm, Newquay 4.6h.)
Most places dawned cloudy on the 7th, with light rain and drizzle in Cent S England, W Scotland and parts of Ireland. Skies cleared for a while in E Scotland and NE England, although there were patchy fog in E Scotland in the morning, but in many places the cloud meant that temperatures did not rise very much during the day. Light rain and drizzle affected W coastal areas of Ireland and Britain especially, and also spread further E in places. (Aboyne 16C, Langdon Bay 7C, Rhyl 11mm, Leuchars 5h.)
There was further widespread cloud into the 8th, although there was broken cloud across Scotland that led to a ground frost in places. Under the cloud there was light drizzle and rain. Frontal cloud led to persistent light rain and drizzle in S England until late afternoon, and lesser falls also occurred in other areas during the day. (Torquay 14C, Altnaharra 3C, Margate 4mm, Aberdeen 4h.)
Overnight into the 9th it was mostly cloudy across the British Isles, apart from an area of E Scotland and NW Ireland. There were early outbreaks of rain in N Scotland, and in W Wakes and SW England. In E and S England there were widespread mist patches. The rain across Scotland spread SE with cloud clearing across E Scotland as it did so. Rain also fell over Wales, N and Cent England, followed by a clearance of cloud in much of N England later in the day. Across W Scotland and over Ireland there were showers later in the day, with thundery outbreaks in a few places. Showers also affected W England and Wales. (Jersey 15C, Aboyne 1C, Rhyl 9mm, Kinloss 6.5h.)
Cloud overnight was mostly confined to S England, areas around the Irish Sea and across Scotland into the 10th. Light rain and showers also fell in these areas. During the day the cloudy areas, with some rain, transferred to the E as pressure slowly rose. Despite the rising pressure there were some blustery winds with gusts to 40kn in some coastal areas of E England. During the late afternoon and evening cloud and then rain spread into W Scotland and Ireland, while the showers in E Britain tended to die out. (Chivenor 13C, Aboyne 0C, Capel Curig 22mm, Hayling Island 8h.)
By dawn on the 11th rain and drizzle was falling from Shetland to Cork, with generally dry conditions across much of England and clear skies form S England to Cumbria - allowing an air frost in a few places. As the day wore on the clear area contracted to the SE - where it was a sunny day in places. Elsewhere the day was mostly cloudy - and mist/fog formed in parts of E England later in the day. Rain and drizzle continued to affect N and W areas while in SW and Cent S England rain and drizzle fell later in the afternoon and evening. (Dyce 16C, Shap Fell -2C, Lerwick 19mm, Bognor Regis 8h.)
The 12th saw a cold front sweeping S across the British Isles, introducing cold air from the N. The day began with widespread cloud, except across some Cent areas of England; there was widespread mist and light precipitation in S England and this took until late morning to clear in places. Rain across Scotland spread S during the day, finally clearing S England late in the afternoon and into the evening. The rain was followed by a clearance in the cloud from the N, but showery conditions across n Britain and on N-facing coasts. These showers fell as hail in parts of the N, and as snow over the higher ground of Scotland, with the Cairngorms receiving a covering of snow. (Torquay 16C, Redhill 2C, Loch Glascarnoch 15mm, Leuchars 5h.)
High pressure to the W of the British Isles on the 13th maintained a cool N/NW surface airflow during the day. At Valentia MSL pressure rose to 1042.8mb by 1200GMT. Away from N Scotland and N-facing coastal areas there were largely clear skies overnight, and this cloud distribution continued for much of the day. Most inland areas consequently had a cold start to the day, a lower daytime maximum temperature than recently, and temperatures fell sharply after dusk. In the cloudy areas there were showers during the day, with hail and snow in the Shetlands and over the higher ground of Scotland. (Saunton Sands 11C, Spadeadam 5C maximum, Shap Fell 5C minimum, Cromer 7mm, Weymouth 8.5h.)
Skies were mostly clear into the 14th away from Scotland and W Ireland, with a widespread inland air frost as a result. The cloud in the W kept temperatures up during the night (10C at Lusa by 0300GMT) and marked the arrival of a warm front from the W. This brought rain to N and W Scotland by dawn, with 40kn gusts over the Northern Isles and 70kn gusts over higher ground in Scotland later in the day. The cloud spread E during the day, with rain across Scotland and N Ireland spreading into NW Wales by midnight. The SE corner of England remained mostly cloud-free for much of the day. (Aberdeen 14C, Leek 6C maximum, Benson 5C minimum, Altnaharra 8mm, Eastbourne 8.1h.)
The 15th was a generally cloudy day across much of the British Isles. The cloud resulted from a front that brought rain to Ireland and areas of Scotland; to the S of this there were mostly mild and cloudy conditions while to the N it was cooler with light rain and showers. These showers fell as hail over the Northern Isles, but as rain in other low-level sites. Gusts of 30-40kn occurred from N England northwards during the day, while in the evening the rain became heavier in W Scotland, despite the MSL pressure remaining around 1022mb here by midnight. (Leuchars 13C, Redhill -4C, Cassley 19mm, Lerwick 2.7h.)
A frontal band across S Scotland during the 16th marked the boundary between cold air to the N and milder air further S. There was a largely cloudy start to the day in kost areas, with rain and drizzle over S Scoitland, N England and N Ireland, and with lighter falls in S England and S Ireland. MSL pressure at Scilly at 0600GMT was 1031.5mb. The rain was fairly persistent in these N areas, andd falls continued off and on in mnay places further S during the day. (Torquay 15C and Ashford (Co Wicklow), Baltasound 4C maximum, Altnaharra -1C minimum, Malin Head 21mm, Clacton 4.4h.)
A front across Scotland during the early hours spread slowly S during the 17th, followed by two further analysed fronts during the day, introducing colder air to N England by midnight. The succession of fronts meant a largely cloudy day in many places and there were gusts of 40-70kn across N Scotland later in the day. To the E of the hills of Scotland and N England there were, however, some clearer skies. The strong winds in N, and later Cent, Scotland were accompanied by showers of hail and snow; further S it remained mild with temperatures of 11-12C across S areas of Britain and Ireland at 2400GMT - by when 30kn coastal gusts were also being reported here. (Topcliffe 15C, Baltasound 6C maximum, Kinbrace 0C minimum, Buxton (Derbyshire) 33mm, Teignmouth 6h.)
The cold air continued to make progress S on the 18th, reaching all but the Channel Islands by 2400GMT. Ahead of the arrival of the cold air in S England a wave depression moved from SW Ireland to SE Scotland. By dawn snow was falling across N and NE Scotland, accompanied by winds gusting to 50kn in places. From Cent Scotland southwards it was a mostly cloudy day. By midday snow was reported over the higher ground of N England, with snow in the Midlands by 1800GMT, following some heavy rain in places there. Snow settled in the East Midlands, and the East Midlands airport was closed for a while as a result and a full covering of snow was observed in Peterborough. 7cm of lying snow was recorded at Haversage, South Yorkshire later in the day. The temperature contrast across the cold front during the evening was quite large; at 1950GMT Luton had an air temperature of 1C, with Heathrow reporting 11C. In Luton the day was the wettest in November since 1974. (Falmouth 14C, Loch Glascarnoch 1C maximum, Loch Glascarnoch -1C minimum, Sennybridge 30mm, Stornoway 3h.)
By 0600GMT on the 19th the cold air had reached the Channel Islands and the only cloud was that around Scotland associated with wintery showers, and an area of cloud from the Midlands to Cornwall. Apart from these areas, and later Ireland, most of the British Isles had a sunny, if cold day. MSL pressure rose to 1027mb at Cork by 2400GMT. Wintry weather was persistent across N and E Scotland, with temperatures here only rising to a little above 0C at sea level. Snow showers also affected N Ireland and N wales; during the morning cloud spread E across Ireland with sleet (in a few places) and rain following. Under clear skies in E England there was an air frost by 2100GMT in many places. (Jersey 10C, Loch Glascarnoch 0C maximum, Shap Fell -7C minimum, Margate 13mm, Hunstanton 7.5h.)
There was a cold start to the day in many places on the 20th, although the presence of cloud in the W kept overnight temperaturees slightly higher there. In S Ireland and SW England temperatures were rising by dawn as frontal rain spread NE; 11C was reported at Scilly and Valentia by 0600GMT. This rise was preceded by a spell of sleet or snow in places, and also rain. Across Scotland there were showers of hail and snow overnight. This area of cloud and rain was slow to move NE during the day, although snow or sleet was observed in many parts of Cent S England (N of the Thames) before the temperature rose a little. During the morning Merthyr Tydfil reported poor visibility due to snow and Snake Pass in NE Wales had to close, according to the Met office. Snow showers continued across W Scotland during the day, clearing in the evening, and by midnight temperatures had risen above 10c from Belmullet to Cork and S Devon. However, NE of a line from Tiree to London skies were largely cloudfree, with -5C reported around the Wash. About ten senior football matches in Scotland and England were called off due to pitches being affected by frost, and in some cases, snow. (Scilly 13C, Loch Glascarnoch -3C maximum, Loch Glascarnoch -9C minimum, St Athan 15mm, Hunstanton 7.2h.)
Frontal cloud and rain, heralding a return to warmer conditions, pushed slowly E across the British Isles on the 21st. Ahead of the cloud there were clear skies and a frosty start to the day in E Britain. Both Calthorpe (-4.4C) and Buxton (Norfolk) (-6.9C) recorded their coldest nights since 2.1.2002; at Buxton it was the coldest November night in the past 30 years. Some of the early rain fell on cold ground and led to some black ice in parts of N England and Scotland. By dawn most places had clouded over and the day was generally cloudy everywhere. By midnight the temperature had risen to 9C or more at most low-level sites; the warmth was accompanied by some heavy falls of rain over W Scotland, and also some persistent misty conditions over East Anglia, SE and Cent S England. Snow and sleet also fell for a while across Scotland. In the morning at Linlithgow (West Lothian) glaze caused pavements and roads, including the M9 near here, to become treacherously icy; when the warm air arrived here in the late afternoon, heralded by the sudden onset of a SW'ly breeze, the temperature rose from 1.9C to 9.0 C during 1700-1730GMT. By late evening skies were beginning to clear across Ireland. (Teignmouth 15C, Rosehearty 3C maximum, Kinbrace -13C minimum, Lusa 33mm, Torquay 2.6h.)
A mostly W'ly airflow fed across the British Isles on the 22nd; a frontal system cleared E England during the morning while another led to rain and cloud across N Scotland before it broke up later in the day. Across Scotland there was rain during the day, which lessened in intensity as the day progressed; the rain marked the boundary of colder air to the N, and N Scotland consequently had a cool day. There were blustery winds early in the day over N Scotland, and a brisk rise in pressure later in the day. Early clear skies across Ireland soon clouded over and there were falls of light rain and drizzle here later in the day. There were breaks in the clouds at times across much of E and Cent England, but cloud was never too far away even here. (Herne Bay 15C, Lerwick 3C, Altnaharra 15mm, Herne Bay 5.1h.)
Despite generally high pressure on the 23rd, clouds associated with frontal systems of an Atlantic low meant a rather cloudy day for many places. The cloud meant a warm start to the day, except across N Scotland, and it remained generally warm as the wind backed more S'ly during the day; temperatures did fall during the evening. Bands or rain and drizzle affected many W and N parts of the British Isles, although S Britain was somewhat drier. (Torquay 15C, Kinbrace and Lerwick -1C, Aviemore 7mm, Teignmouth 6h.)
During the 24th the fronts either cleared N Britain or dissipated as they encoutered the high pressure centred over the Low Countries. There were areas of fog around dawn from NE England to Dorset with the lowest temperatures around dawn in parts of the Midlands and SW England. Overnight rain in W Scotland had cleared all but the Shetlands by midday but mist and drizzle persisted longer in S and W Scotland. Over England the mist was slow to clear - in some places it lingered all day and then thickened into fog again during the evening. MSL pressure peaked at about 1033mb at manston around midday. (Torquay 15C, Yeovil 1C, Lerwick 13mm, Weymouth 5.8h.)
The 25th dawned with cloud and some light rain across Ireland and W Scotland, and with further frontal rain over Shetland. Fog was widespread by dawn from SE Scotland to Dorset. Clear skies over E Scotland were shortlived as the cloud spread E during the morning, bringing rain to W Ireland and SW Wales by midday. This rain, mostly light in intensity, was slow-moving except across Scotland. Parts of Kent and Sussex remained almost cloudfree until dusk. By midnight there was light rain and drizzle across Ireland, SW and Cent S England and in E Scotland. (Torquay 14C, Fyvie Castle 1C, Wick 6mm, Eastbourne 7.3h.)
During the morning of the 26th the frontal cloud anf light rain spread slowly E, giving light falls across much of England and Wales by dawn, but with clearer skies spreading into Ireland and Scotland. There were, however, some showers in these W and N areas. The front cleared E and S England during the evening, but remained close to S Ireland, giving a rather cloudy day here. S England was also generally cloudy, but Scotland and the northern half of England had a brighter day. Winds increased during the morning across N Scotland, with gusts to 50kn in the Northern Isles during the day. Under clear skies, the temperatures in NE England fell rapidly in the evening. (Cardiff 15C, Redhill 2C, Capel Curig 16mm, Leuchars 5.2h.)
An early ridge of high pressure over the British Isles on the 27th soon disappeared as a shaloow low crossed Cent Scotland during the day, dragging frontal cloud across most of the British Isles by 2400GMT. Skies in E Britain soon clouded over after a cold start to the day here and much of Britain then remained cloudy until evening. Rain affected most places during the day, with some heavy falls in W Scotland. Cloud began clearing from Ireland, after the passage of the rain, in the early evening with most of that country clear of cloud by midnight. To the N of the low there were some sunny intervals during daylight hours. (Guernsey 14C, Topcliffe 2C, Lusa 27mm, Lerwick 1.5h.)
Overnight the heaviest rain was concentrated in SW and Cent S England, with some isolated thunder around the Isle of Wight before dawn on the 28th. This marked the passage of some frontal rain towards the S, after which it turned a little drier in the S. Ireland and much of Wales and W England had a sunny day after early rain had cleared - introducing a cold N'ly airflow that did bring some showers to the W. E and Cent S parts of England remained cloudy for most of the day, with some further heavy rain here for a while during the later part of the day. (Saunton Sands 12C, Aviemore 4C maximum, Saughall -1C, minimum, Newquay 15mm, Tenby 6.9h.)
Away from N and W Scotland, and E and S England the 29th dawned with little cloud and a fairly widespread air frost. It remained cloudy across N and W Scotland with light falls of rain and drizzle during the day. E Scotland and much of Ireland clouded over during the day, with rain showers over Ireland. E areas of england remained mostly cloudy, but dry, until the evening, when the cloud cleared here; elsewhare across much of england and Wales it had been a sunny day. However, under the clear skies some mist and fog patches did form later in the evening; in Norfolk the temperatures fell sufficiently to lead to freezing fog by midnight. (Guernsey 11C, Eskdalemuir 2C maximum, Eskdalemuir -5C minimum, Lusa 6mm, Falmouth 8.4h.)
Early misty and fog patches were widespread across E England around dawn on the 30th, with a widespread ground frosts here too. In places where it remained - mostly N England - clear air frost also occurred. Across Scotland the night was mostly cloudy - a result of an area of rain that spread SE during the day giving mostly light to moderate falls. Behind the rain the skies did clear - and by late evening much of N and NW scoitland was cloudfree - except for a few showery outbreaks. There were varying amounts of cloud across England, Wales and Ireland during the day with some light rain in W areas and some lights falls from thicker cloud in S England later. Mist and fog formed again in the evening across parts of Cent S England where the cloud broke up later in the evening. (Saunton Sands 12C, Topcliffe -3C, Eskdalemuir 12mm, Jersey 7.1h.)
As the lingering front over the British Isles finally broke up on the 2nd, a further frontal system pushed into W Scotland and W Ireland later in the day. Overnight cloud was widespread across Cent and E England overnight, wioth accompanying mist and fog patches, and fog was also present early in the day over parts of S Scotland and N Ireland. The cloud across England gradually broke up as the day progressed, but further cloud spread into W parts of the British Isles during the day, introducing some light rain and higher temperatures. Fog lingered around Glasgow for most of the day, and misty conditions were widespread during the day across England. By midnight, fog was reforming across many parts of S and Cent England. (Cardiff 11C, Glasgow 1C maximum, Strathallan -6C minimum, Lerwick 6mm, Scarborough 6h.)
Cloud spread into E Scotland, N England and W Wales by dawn on the 3rd, with some light rain and rising temperatires. Remaining parts of England had a cold night under clear skies, although fog was widespread in Cent and E areas. The cloud continued to spread S and E during the day with mist and poor visibility remaining a problem across S and Cent England. The fog was freezing in places around dawn, and the Met Office reported freezing rain around dawn in N England. The Channel Islands remained sunny throughout the day, while in N Britain the rain weakened as it spread S. By midnight MSL pressure had risen to almost 1029mb in Scilly. (Milford Haven 12C, Shoreham 3C maximum, Topcliffe -6C minimum, Lerwick 10mm, Jersey 7h.)
The 4th dawned with widespread cloud, mostly low, and fog in S Wales, Cent and S England. This fog was slow to clear in parts of Cent S England. It was a mild night across N Britain and n ireland with temperatures above 10C in many places by 0600GMT. During the day a cold front spread E across Scotland and into S Ireland and NW England; temperatures did not fall much but there were burst of heavy rain across Scotland before the skies cleared during the evening over most of Scotland and Ireland. England and Wales remained largely cloudy during the day, although parts of E Yorkshire did have some prolonged sunshine. (Torquay 14C, Redhill -2C, Lusa 32mm, Scarborough 7h.)
There was a rather cloudy start to the 5th in S districts, with clearer skies further N. This refelcted the Se'ward passage of a weakening cold front that, however, brought only small amounts of rain. As the front progressed, parts of s England saw rather misty/foggy conditions developing later in the morning and these then persisted throughout the day. Further cloud spread E into ireland during the morning and later spread across scotland, giving outbreaks of rain and drizzle. Gusts to 40kn affected N Scotland in the evening. Ahead of these fronts, there were sunny spells over E Scotland, and across N and E areas of England. (Falmouth 14C, Castlederg 1C, Baltasound 11mm, Aberdeen 4h.)
The 6th dawned with generally cloudy skies, except in parts of Cent Ireland and East Anglia. Mist and fog was widespread over S England and East Anglia, with rain and drizzle falling from the cloud over NW Ireland Scotland in the early hours. The fog cleared in the S, and across Scotland the rain intensified as a cold front spread SE during the morning; by midnight the front has spread down to Wales and N England. The front brought gusts to 40kn to Scotland, but ahead of it rhere were some clear skies across England. Showers followed the front over Scotland, but these mostly died down in the evening. Cent S England saw fog patches returning in the evening. (Kinloss 13C, Norwich 0C, Lusa 35mm, Buxton 5.2h.)
The cold front slowed down on the 7th over S Britain, later revesing and spread N, especially across Ireland. England, Wales and S Ireland had a rather cloudy night; across Scotland there was a clearer start to the day although showers were developing by dawn. There were fog patches across parts of S England under the cloud which soon cleared to mist. Despite the showers in the N, away from S Ireland and S England the morning was generally sunny. later in the day the cloud spread N, into the Midlands, Ireland and SW Scotland with drizzle in palces, and more general rain later in W Ireland. Fog developed in E England during the evening, being freezing in places, and there were also fog patches under cloudy skies in S England before midnight. (Colwyn Bay 13C, Redhill -3C, Aultbea 6mm, Isle of Man 6.4h.)
There was a generally mist and cloudy start to the 8th; fog was widespread across E and S England although clearer skies in the NE allowed a sharp frost to develop in parts of E Scotland. Cloud and rain soon spread across Scotland, however, with some heavy falls in the W. The day remained generally cloudy, with a few local exceptions and fog was rather slow to lift in parts of NE England; it subsequently reformed across NE England during the evening. (Prestatyn 13C, Aboyne -5C, Lusa 27mm, Colwyn Bay 6h.)
With high pressure established across mainland Europe on the 9th, a cool E/SE airflow affected much of E Britain. MSL pressure was as high as 1031mb in Norfolk at 0000GMT. Clear skies in parts of E England led to a cold night in places here, and there was also freezing fog for a while in parts of Yorkshire and East Anglia. Even once early fog had cleared, most of England and Wales had a misty day, with fog patches returning in the evening to some E areas. Many E and Cent parts of Britain had a sunny day, while across Ireland and W Scotland it was rather more cloudier. SW winds gusting t6o 50kn affected W Scotland, with rain falling here and in W Ireland later in the day. (Altnaharra 12C, Jersey 4C maximum, Redhill -2C, Loch Glascarnoch 9mm, Hunstanton 7h.)
High pressure continued to dominate the weather throughout the 10th, with generally cloud conditions in many places as a front drifted slowly SE in N and W parts of the British Isles. The front gave some moderate falls of rain in W Scotland, but then turned lighter and more patchy as the day progressed. Showers followed the rain in N and W Scotland, with gusts of 30-40kn. Away from the showers skies tended to clear behind the front, with much of N Ireland and Scotland clear of cloudy by mignight. S England remained rather cloudy during the day, with a cool S'ly wind in the SE. The Midlands had some sunny spells during the day before the front arrived. (Scilly 12C, Scarborough 3C maximum, Albermarle -4C minimum, South Uist range 14mm, Buxton (Derbyshire) 5h.)
Clear skies across N parts of the British Isles, and in SE England, into the 11th led to an air frost in parts of these areas. Fog affected Cent S England and parts of S Ireland around dawn. A lingering front over Ireland and N England gradually pushed N and weakened during the day, and helped to provide some interesting temperature variations; at 1500GMT reading included 4C around Fife, 11C in the East Midlands, and a foggy 2C in parts of Sussex. Poor visibility prevailed during the day over much of S Scotland, England and Wales with fog patches in places. Light rain also fell from the front - but with pressure remaining generally high falls were slight. (Rotherham 13C, Aboyne 2C maximum, Redhill -4C minimum, Kirkwall 6mm, Hunstanton 7h.)
There was a mostly cloudy start to the 12th across the British Isles, with widespread mist (away from N Scotland) and fog patches in E England. Light rain fell in parts of Scotland, while persistent low cloud was thick enough for some light drizzle in S Ireland and S England. E Scotland and NE England saw breaks in the cloud, as did parts of Ireland. With cold air being fed off the continent, S areas were generally cold, with the highest temperatures in W and N districts. (Aultbea 11C, Jersey 3C maximum, Aboyne -3C minimum, Lusa 4mm, Aberdeen 5h.)
The 13th was another day of widespread cloud, poor visibility across England, Wales and S Ireland, and low temperatures over much of E and S England. There were a few breaks in the cloud in parts of NE Scotland, with the best of any sunshine generally being here. Parts of the Channel Islands had a foggy day, as did places in Cent S England. Temperatures were highest in W parts of the British Isles - 12C was reported at Valentia and Belmullet at 2100GMT - despite rather gusty conditions in NW ireland and w scotland in the evening when 55kn gusts were reported. (Aultbea and Shannon 11C, High Wycombe 1C maximum, Glenlivet -2C minimum, South Uist Range 2mm, Kinloss 4h.)
Although remaining mostly cloudy, the 14th fiannly saw a change in the anticyclonic gloom as warmer, wetter and windier weather spread from the NW. By dawn rain was affecting much of Scotland and W Ireland, with gusts to 50kn in many coastal areas here. As the day progressed the met office reported gusts of 80-90mph across higher ground in Scotland, and 72mph on the Tay Bridge. The rain was persistent and gave some large daily totals in W Scotland. Away from NE England fog was less of a problem as the wind generally increased; by midday the rain had reached W Wales and parts of N England although as it made further progress SE into E wales and Cent England it became patchier and very light. As the rain in NW Scotland died out during the evening, the temperature fell here. Across much of England, Wales and Ireland the temperature at sea level was 10-12C at 2400GMT, with 5C at Kirkwall and 8C in parts of Essex. (Lossiemouth 14C, Wattisham 0C, Lusa 75mm, Cork Airport 7.3h.)
Frontal systems pushed SE across the British Isles on the 15th, later generating a small wave feature that was slow-moving near SW England. The day dawned generally cloudy over England and Wales, but with clear developing across Scotland and Ireland. A few showers developed in this cleare air on W-facing coasts, while during the evening further cloud and more general rain spread E into W Ireland and W Scotland. While N England and N wales brightened up later in the day, much of S, Cent and E England remained cloudy with light or moderate rain during the day. (Yeovil 13C, Katesbridge 1C, Cape Curig 33mm, Ronaldsway 6h.)
Much of Ireland dawned clear of cloud on the 16th once fronts had cleared to the E, but there were some showers in W-coastal districts. Elsewhere the days daawned rather more cloudy, but with frontal rain rapidly spreading E during the day skies had partially cleared in most places by mid-afternoon. Shwoers in the W spread E during the day, with gusts to 50kn in N Scotland later in the day. MSL pressure fell to 971.9mb by 2100GMT at Lerwick. Later in the evening another area of more general cloud and rain spread into SW Ireland; despite partially clear skies elsewhere temperatures remained generally mild due to the wind. (Torquay 12C, Topcliffe -1C, Tulloch Bridge 33mm, Exmouth 4.3h.)
The 17th saw a deepening low move rapidly from W ot Ireland to Germany, passing across S England. As it passed, MSL pressure fell to 989.6mb off Rosslare at 0600GMT, and to about 979mb in SE England by 1200GMT. Three hourly pressure falls of 9mb or more were widespread in the S. The low brought cloud and rain to S Ireland and S Britain. At Guernsey Airport a 67kn gusts was the strongest since 22.1.1995 - mean wind speeds reached 49kn. At Penzance a 64mph gust was reported, and other gusts reported included 83kn at Needles and 70kn at Berry Head. Overnight showers across Scotland were wintry, and snow continued falling in showers in the far N and across high ground throughout the day. By mid-afternoon the cloud and rain had cleared from most of S England; tornadoes were reported in showery conditions from the Isle of Wight, Dorset, Hampshire and Kent. While moct districts remained almost cloud free in the evening, organised cloud and rain spread into W and Cent Scotland as the evenign developed, with moderate falls of snow over high ground. (Torquay 14C, Aviemore -2C, St Athan 36mm, Falmouth 7h.)
The 18th was another unsettled day. Cloud early in the night affected Scotland, and this spread by dawn to much of Ireland and W Britain. Clearer E districts of Britain had an early air or ground frost before clouding over as rain and snow over higher ground in Scotland spread E. The cloud was followed by clearer skies and some showery activity, but by late morning further cloud and rain was spreading into SW Ireland and SW England. This soon spread E across s England as a complex area of low pressure became estanblished over S Ireland and S England. Scotland had a clear evening, with a widespread inland air frost by midnight, although snow showers continued in the Northern Isles. (St. Marys 12C, Loch Glascarnoch 1C maximum, Fyvie Castle -2C minimum, Ballypatrick Forest 13mm, Clacton 5h.)
Clear skies into the 19th over N England, Scotland and N Ireland led to a widespread air frost here, with temperatures below -10C in several areas of Scotland. S districts had a cloudy start as a complex low pressure system spread E overnight and during the morning; The Met Office re4ported as much as 15cm of snow across the hills of south Wales overnight, and some even fell over parts of Cent S England for a while. Heavy rain fell in parts of SW England, with snow on the hills there too. Skies cleared after this precipitation passed; most other parts of the British Isles had very little cloud during the day although wintry showers did affect the Northern Isles. During the late afternoon and evening cloud spread E across Scotland, with rasin in the W and drifting snow over high ground. By midnigth cloud and some light rain was affecting W ireland, while under clear skies a widespread air frost had developed across England, wales and parts of S Scotland. (St May's 11C, Aviemore -1C maximum, Kinbrace -15C minimum, Saunton Sands 49mm, Bristol 6.4h.)
The 20th began with cloudy skies in the W and clearer conditions in the E, which resulted in a widespread air frost in E Scotland and across England and Wales. With cloud soon spreading into E districts temperatures here climbed only slowly during the morning. During the morning, a band of snow moved across Northern Ireland and Scotland, and later into N England and N Wales. Further S the precipitation fell as rain, finally clearing E England later in the evening. Showers followed the rain, with these containing snow in Scotland and rain or hail elsewhere. (St. Marys 10C, Benson -7C, Dunkeswell 17mm, Eastbourne 6.6h.)
There was patchy cloud overnight into the 21st across much of England and Wales, but largely clear skies elsewhere that allowed for an air frost in cent and E scotland, and in some sheltered areas of Ireland. Fog formed in Cent S England, the Midlands, East Anglia and E England by dawn but this soon lifted; the cloud in England gradually retreated E and had largely gone by 1800GMT. By dawn cloud had spread into W Scotland and this then spread E during the day, also extending into Ireland in the afternoon. The cloud brought some rain which had reached parts of E Scotland and N Wales by midnight - while low cloud returned to S England in the evening after a slight frost in places. In N Scotland the wind increased in the evening, with Lerwick reporting 58kn gusts at 2400GMT. (Saunton Sands 11C, Aboyne -5C, Capel Curig 13mm, Saunton Sands and Tenby 6.5h.)
The 22nd began warm across Scotland and even in England and Wales the temperature rose before dawn as cloud and rain spead from the W. At 0600GMT temperatures included 8C at Lerwick, 12C at Belmullet, and 12C at Aberdeen. During the day bands of rain spread SE across the British Isles, although the heaviest had cleared most of Britain, apart from the Channel Islands, by midday after giving some very heavy falls in places. The rain was acompanied by windy conditions that led to an accident on the main road between Scotland and England, causing dealys for most of the day. Gusts to 70mph occurred in the Highlands. By midnight it was still mild everywhere except in the northern Isles, with sea level temperatures being mostly above 10C. (Middlesbrough 13C, Bournemouth -2C, Capel Curig 59mm, Leuchars 4.6h.)
Despite variable amounts of cloud overnight there was no air frost at sea level on the 23rd due to a generally brisk W'ly wind. There was early rain over W Scotland and W Ireland and this spread SE across much of Scotland before dying out a little during the evening; some places in W and Cent Scotland has heavy falls during the day. Gusts were a problem during the day in N Britain, and it turned noticeably windy further S also. Rainfall amounts across England and Wales, except for NW England, were generally slight although it was rather a cloudy day in most places here. (Southampton 14C, Baltasound 3C maximum, Baltasound 1C minimum, Cassley 39mm, Leuchars 5.2h.)
The 24th was an unsettled day. Overnight there were showers across W and N Scotland, and in W Ireland. During the morning rain spread in W Ireland and moved rapidly E; by mid-morning rain had cleared much of W Ireland, where it had by then turned showery, and stretched from W Scotland, through Wales to SW England. Bright skies in E Britain were short-lived as cloud spread from the W. The rain spread rapidly E, giving some heavy falls on high ground in N England and N Wales before giving way to showery activity in the W. Across Scotland the rain turned to snow over the higher ground. (Torquay 13C Loch Glascarnoch 1C maximum, Baltasound -2C minimum, Capel Curig 30mm, Skegness 3.6h.)
Showers or longer periods of precipitation were affecting much of Ireland and W Britain by dawn on the 25th. As the day dawned snow was falling at Aviemore, Kinloss, Ronaldsway, Aldergrove, Manchester and on high ground across N England, and also in many parts of Ireland from Malin Head to Cork; across many S and E parts of Britain the day dawned clear of cloud. Showers in N Scotland were blustery with gusts to 60kn during the morning. In the Channel Islands showers fell as hail, with thunder in the late morning. Snow across Dartmoor in the morning spread E into Dorset and falls of snow also occurred during the day in the SW Midlands, parts of W and S Wales, and in many parts of Scotland away from SE Scotland. Gusty conditions occurred around the coasts of S Ireland and SW Britain later in the day. (Swanage 8C, Spadeadam 0C maximum, Kinbrace -4C minimum, Guernsey 17mm, Margate 5.3h.)
Many parts of Cent and E Britain had an air frost under clear skies to start the 26th, while in W Britain and W Ireland there were overnight blustery showers. These clear skies persisted and led to a sunny day across many part of S Scotland, Wales and England, and in E Ireland. Wintry weather affected Wales, SW England, and parts of Scotland, while rain showers affected some coastal areas of E England. Later in the day cloud, followed by rain, spread E into W Ireland and W Scotland, reaching Cent and N Scotland by midnight. By this time many places in England and SE Scotland were already below freezing. (Scilly 9C, Redhill -7C, Capel Curig 28mm, Bournemouth 7.6h.)
As the cloud in the W moved E on the 27th it introduced milder air from the W; by dawn temperatures had risen to 10C in parts of W Ireland the Hebrides, while there was a widespread air frost across most of England at this time. By midday all but the SE corner of England was cloudy, with rain and drizzle across much of Ireland, W Wales and W Scotland. This cloud and rain continued E, finally lifting the temperature in Kent and East Anglia in the evening, although by this time skies over Ireland, W Scotland and W Wales had turned clearer and showery in nature. (Scilly 11C, Marham 2C maximum, Benson -7C minimum, Lusa 18mm, Hastings 5.5h.)
The cloud and rain had cleared all but some E parts of England by dawn on the 28th, with a widespread ground following and leading to some frozen road surfaces. Showers continued overnight on some W and N coasts of Ireland and Scotland - these fell as hail in places. Most of England, Wales and S Ireland had a mostly sunny day but showers continued across Scotland and the N half of Ireland. These were of snow in parts of Scotland, and the Met Office noted that there was thunder across the Northern Isles, the Western Isles and western parts of mainland Scotland; lightning strikes knocked out electrical power in part of Orkney. Some showers also affected W England, Wales and the Midlands. (Torquay 10C, Aboyne -3C, Capel Curig 41mm, Swanage 7.2h.)
The 29th saw a warm sector established across Ireland W Scotland in the morning, and across much of England and Wales by midnight. Clear skies led to a widespread ground over England and Wales, with 10C reported under cloudy skies at Belmullet and Valentia by 0600GMT. The cloud spread rapidly E, introducing rain and drizzle, and lifting temperatures. Winds gusted to 40kn in many areas of Scotland, and later in N England. By midnight temperatures of 10C or more were widespread at low levels from Shetland to Jersey, with E and SE England being slightly colder. (Colwyn Bay 14C, Marham -3C, Lusa 20mm, Jersey 4.3h.)
Widespread cloud and a SW'ly airflow meant a mild start to the 30th. The Met Office reported an overnight minimum temperature of 12.6C at Kinloss. By dawn a change was occurring in NW Scotland; here, a slow-moving cold front was spreading some heavy rain and colder air SE'wards - by midnight this had spread SE to S Scotland and SE Ireland, after some heavy rain had fallen in parts of W Scotland. Clearer skies followed this rain, with a ground frost in many parts of N Scotland by midnight. Parts of E England had a sunny day, but most places to the S of the frontal rain were rather cloudy. 16C at Colwyn ay was unusually high for the time of year - possible a foehn affect initiatd by the mountains of N Wales in the SW airflow. (Colwyn Bay 16C, Coningsby 5C, Cassley 52mm, Hunstanton 6.6h.)
The remaining frontal rain soon dissipated on the 31st after giving some light rain and drizzle across S Wales and S England. The day began with clear skies across NW Ireland and much of Scotland, and a widespread air frost in sheltered areas of Scotland; temperatures in S England and S Wales at this time were around 10C. As the front cleared to the S sunny spells were widespread in E Scotland, W England and S Ireland. Fog was a problem in parts of N Ireland and SW Scotland for a while, and by late afternoon further frontal rain had spread into NW and W Scotland, later moving into Cent Scotland and NW Ireland by late evening. (Cent London 13C, Loch Glascarnoch -4C, Capel Curig 19mm, Falmouth 6.1h.)