Monthly Weather Review - Pitsford Hall

Headline: Changeable, but with most of the rain falling during the first week.

August opened with a cold front working eastwards through the county. The day was cloudy with 7.5mm of rain recorded at Pitsford. The next couple of days were generally fine across Northamptonshire with some good spells of sunshine recorded, especially on the 2^nd with 9.7 hrs. However, a depression west of Ireland drove a further frontal system eastwards between the 4^th and the 6^th. There was a lengthy spell of rain on the 4^th, but the 6^th was a particularly unsettled day. The day began with showers, these turning thundery through the afternoon before becoming organized into a spell of prolonged rain later. The day saw 20.0mm being recorded at Pitsford. Before the arrival of the front temperatures reached 23.6C at Pitsford.

During the course of the following week pressure remained fairly high across Northamptonshire resulting in a fairly settled spell of weather with reasonably warm temperatures. Daytime temperatures generally reached the low 20s, peaking at 24.2C on the 11^th. Apart from the 10^th, most days saw some good spells of sunshine and winds generally remained light. Although an Atlantic low worked past the north-west of Scotland between the 14^th and 16^th, it remained dry across Northamptonshire albeit rather cloudy with the wind picking up to a moderate south-westerly. Another Atlantic low pressure system swept across northern areas between the 17^th and 20^th, but once again the county escaped with dry weather and a southerly airstream which brought some very warm weather. Temperatures remained in the low 20s during the daytime, rising to a warm 26.9C on the 19^th. Most days during this period had good spells of sunshine. The 20^th and 21^st were both quite breezy days in the county and cooler too. Some light showers late on the 21^st ushered in quite a cool night leading into the 22^nd with lows falling to 8.5C giving an autumnal feel to the early morning. However, temperatures soon recovered in the sunshine that followed with a high of 25.2C recorded on the 23^rd.

The final week became cooler once again and unsettled too. There was some rain in the early hours of the 26^th and some sharp showers during the afternoon of the 28^th. The period was also quite windy with gusts at Pitsford reaching 35mph on the 26^th and 32mph on the 28^th. Daytime temperatures fell reaching highs of around 18C and some chilly nights were recorded leading into the 29^th and the 30^th. However, warmer conditions returned as the month came to a close on the 31^st with a high of 23.9C recorded at Pitsford.

Overall temperatures in August were up on the long term average. It was the warmest August since 2004. Rainfall was notably below average, although not as low as some other locations in the eastern region. 39.1mm were recorded at Pitsford in August, 25% short of the expected total but not as low as has been recorded in more recent years notably 2007 when just 27.8mm was recorded in August. The lack of sunshine this summer has received some comment, although at Pitsford the sunshine recorded was just a little short of the average.

Air Temperatures    
The Highest Maximum: 26.9 C on 19th
The Lowest Maximum: 18.0 C on 30th
The Highest Minimum: 17.1 C on 5th
The Lowest Minimum: 8.1 C on 30th
The Mean Maximum: 21.5 C  
The Mean Minimum: 12.6 C  
The Overall Mean: 17.1 C  
Difference from the Monthly Mean: 0.6 C  
    
Solar Radiation    
Maximum (at 0900): 500.0 W/m2 on 14th
Mean (at 0900): 288.1 W/m2 
    
Relative Humidity:    
Highest Relative Humidity (at 0900): 96.2 % on 4th
Lowest Relative Humidity (at 0900): 66.5 % on 28th
Mean Relative Humidity (at 0900): 80.8 %  
    
Dew Point:    
The Highest Dew Point (0900): 16.7 C on 4th
The Lowest Dew Point (at 0900): 8.8 C on 28th
The Mean Dew Point (at 0900): 13.2 C  
    
Rainfall:    
Total: 39.1 mm  
Percentage of the Monthly Mean: 75.0 %  
Duration: 33.8 hrs  
Highest 24 hour fall (0900 to 0900): 20.0 mm on 6th
Rain Days (>/=0.2mm): 11   
Wet Days (>/=1.0mm): 7   
    
Sunshine:    
Total Duration of Bright Sunshine: 194.3 hrs  
Sunniest day: 11.0 hrs on 22nd
No. of days without sunshine: 0   
Percentage of the Monthly Mean: 92.4 %  
Cloud cover (mean at 0900): 5.4 oktas 67.5 %
    
Pressure (reduced to sea level):    
The Highest Pressure (at 0900): 1023.7 mb on 22nd
The Lowest Pressure (at 0900): 1006.7 mb on 24th
Mean Pressure (at 0900): 1015.7 mb  
    
Winds    
Run of wind (mean over 24 hrs): 90.8 miles  
Mean daily wind speed: 4.9 mph  
Run of wind (cumulative): 2814.3 miles  
Highest Maximum Gust: 35 mph on 26th
No. of gusts of 50mph or more: 0   
Highest wind strength (at 0900): 20.8 mph on 28th
Mean wind strength (at 0900): 8.2 mph  
    
Winds from the Following Directions:    

N 2 NE 0 E 0 SE 6 S 10 SW 5 W 3 NW 4 Calm 1
    
Concrete     
Lowest Concrete Minimum: 7.4 C on 29th
Mean Concrete Minimum: 12.7 C  
    
Evaporation    
Piche: 97 ml  
Pan: 97.08 mm
    
Days with:    
Thunder: 2   
Hail <5mm: 0   
Hail >/=5mm: 0   
Snow or snow & rain: 0   
Snow lying: 0   
Fog: 0   
Air Frost: 0   
Gales: 0  

All data © Pitsford Hall weather station.

The weather station publishes a full Monthly Weather Report (ISSN 1741-4733) which is distributed to libraries across Northamptonshire. This report comprises a full UK weather diary, reports of extreme weather events across the county, statistics from Pitsford Hall's affiliated stations across the county as well as news from the weather station itself. Individuals may download this report for £2 or take out an annual subscription for the paper-based report for £25. Click here for further details.