Weather Report for 2006

WEATHER REPORT FOR 1963

JANUARY

The month began with a mixture of freezing rain, snow, sleet, hail
and fog. The middle of the month had sunny days and snow showers.
The 21st and 22nd had the most sunshine; 7.2 and 7.3 hours at Wittering,
6.2 and 6.7 hours at Raunds.

On the night of the 23rd, temperatures dropped to severe frost. The
lowest was recorded at the Sudborough frost hollow,-3 and at Duston,
3 at Northampton, 6 at Bugbrooke, Preston Deanery, Little
Houghton 4, at Raunds 6 and at Wittering 7. There were 27 con-
secutive night air frosts recorded at Bugbrooke, 28 at Duston, Little
Houghton and Preston Deanery, 29 at Raunds and every night at Sud-
borough.

The warmest day of the month was on the 26th and maximum tempera-
tures only ranged from 36 to 42.

Snow covered the ground for the whole of the month, with ground
frosts. At Raunds, a mean ground temperature of 32 was recorded
at a depth of one foot.

Snow fell over the whole of the County on the l9th and the greatest
depth of 6" was reported from Preston Deanery, with drifts up to 5 feet.

A lunar corona was observed at 22.50 hrs. G.M.T. on the 9th (HB.EN).

A luna halo was observed at Kingsley, Northampton, at 23.45 hrs.
G.M.T. on the 6th (AC), and at Queen's Park, Northampton, on the 8th
at 0.20 hrs. G.M.T. (GWP).

Snow flakes were observed at Golf House, Northampton, from a clear
sky at 8.30 hrs. G.M.T. on the 8th (HB).

A sun pillar was observed at 16.05 hrs. G.M.T. on the 10th at
Wittering. (RA).

FEBRUARY

The cold weather continued throughout the month and night air tem-
peratures were below freezing point everywhere for the whole month, the
most severe being on the nights of the 24th, 25th and 26th, when tempera-
tures ranged from 10 to 15.

Maximum day temperatures only reached 43 at Northampton,
42 at Sudborough, 41 at Duston, Raunds and Wittering, 40 at
Preston Deanery and 39 at Little Houghton and Bugbrooke. This was
on the 28th when 9 hours of sunshine was recorded at Raunds and 9.7 hours
at Wittering.

Snow fell on 21 days but was mostly light flurries. One inch depth
was recorded at Duston on the 10th. Sleet was recorded on the 8th, 14th
and 15th, and freezing rain and drizzle on the 6th, 7th, 11th and 14th.

	A lunar corona was observed on the 3rd at 22.00 hrs. to 22.45 hrs.
(HB.EN).

On the 8th (HB), cloud followed by clear sky was observed at 22.00 hrs.,
a well formed lunar corona at 22.30 hrs. and fog and cloud at 23.00 hrs.
A remarkable evening !

MARCH

The first three days of the month were fine and sunny. Temperatures
were low, however, night air frosts persisted and minimum temperatures
ranged from 13 to 20.

The thaw continued and the snow which had fallen in December was
melted by the 6th.

Maximum temperature was reached on the 14th and ranged from 57
to 60. But this was shortlived and with the return of the North-East
wind on the 20th, temperatures for the remainder of the month only reached
50 on four occasions and night air frosts were recorded on the 22nd,
23rd, 27th and 28th.

Rainfall was the highest since August 1962, and all stations recorded
over 3 inches. The wettest day was on the 29th and 0.68" was recorded
at Preston Deanery, 0.75" at Northampton, 0.80" at Raunds, 0.32" at
Bugbrooke and Duston, 0.94" at Wittering and 1.07" at Sudborough.

Despite this, Raunds recorded 89.3 hrs. of sunshine with only six
days sunless and Wittering recorded 93.6 hrs. with only five days sunless.

The month was generally wet and cold.

APRIL

The first few days of the month were unsettled. On the 3rd a thunder
storm with hail was recorded and on the 4th and 5th snow and sleet
showers.

Fog persisted until midday on the 9th and this was followed by 13 days
of rain. Temperatures during this period were low and night air frosts
were recorded on the 1st, 12th and 13th.

This was followed by warmer weather and maximum temperatures
reached the 60's for several days, the first time since September, 1962.
At Sudborough on the 27th, 69 was recorded, 67 at Duston on the
19th, 66 at Raunds on the 27th, 65 at Northampton on the 28th
and 64 at Bugbrooke and Wittering on the 28th.

It was a sunny month. At Raunds only four days were recorded without
sunshine, with a total of 109 hrs. and at Wittering only two days without
sunshine with a total of 122 hrs.

Rain returned for the last three days of the month and the 30th was
the wettest. Total rainfall ranged from 1.59" to 2.18".

MAY

The month was generally sunny with showers and cool night air
temperatures.

Sunshine recorded at Raunds was 180 hrs with only one sunless day,
and at Wittering 203 hours with sunshine recorded every day.

Despite this, rain fell on 18 days, mainly showers. The total amounts
recorded were 1.01" to 1.43". The 1st and 10th were the wettest days.
At Bugbrooke, Duston, Preston Deanery, Wellingborough and Wittering
the amounts recorded were between 0.19" to 0.34" on the 1st, and at Raunds
and Sudborough 0.27" and 0.30" respectively were recorded on the 10th.

A thunderstorm was widespread on the night of the 29th.

Maximum day temperatures did not reach the upper 60's until the
latter part of the month and on the 31st came the first taste of summer
weather since September 1961. With cloudless skies, 80 was recorded
at Northampton General Hospital, 79 at Duston, 78. at Preston
Deanery, 77 at Raunds, 76 at Bugbrooke and 73 at Wittering.

An air frost, 30 was recorded at Bugbrooke on the night of the
3rd, 32 at Duston. At Sudborough's frost hollow a total of 2, this
being one of the most frost free May nights for 7 years at this station.

Ground frosts were recorded at Preston Deanery on the nights of
the 4th and 5th, a total of 4 at Raunds and 7 at Wittering.

Fogs were recorded on the 9th, 23rd and 25th, and a hail storm on
the 13th at Wittering.

A lunar corona was observed at 23.10 hrs. G.M.T. on the 9th, this
was followed by rain the following day. (Highest amount recorded for the
month at Sudborough and Raunds). (HB).

A very broad rainbow was observed at 05.50 hrs. G.M.T. on the 19th.
(HB).


JUNE

The first 11 days of the month were mainly sunny and warm, in fact,
	" Flaming June." 14.2 hours of sunshine was recorded at Raunds on the
2nd, and 14.9 hours on the 2nd and 3rd at Wittering. This was followed
by unsettled weather and thunderstorms for the rest of the month.

A remarkable thunderstorm occurred on the 7th. This was local
and recorded at Duston, when 0.36" of rain fell between 17.45 hrs. and
18.20 hrs. G.M.T. During the storm the sun shone at intervals through the
clouds and was followed by mist, red sunset and early morning fog on the
8th. Thunderstorms were recorded from all stations on the 12th, 18th and
25th.

Rainfall was above the average, 2.55" was recorded at Duston,
2.52" at Sudborough, 2.07" at Raunds, 2.15" at Bugbrooke and Welling-
borough.
The 9th was the hottest day of the month, 80 were recorded at
Duston and Raunds and 86 at Sudborough.

On the 28th, rain fell all day and this resulted in the wettest day of
the month. Sudborough recorded 0.68", Wittering 0.62", Raunds 0.50",
Northampton and Preston Deanery 0.40". The Society's baragraph fell
to 29.2".

A red sunset with reflection was recorded at Duston at 19.50 hrs.
G.M.T. on the 20th.

A full rainbow and reflection was observed at Dallington and Duston
at 18.20 hrs. G.M.T. on the 18th.

JULY

The beginning of the month followed the usual pattern of unsettled
weather and continued until the l9th.

Thunderstorms were recorded on the 2nd and 4th. On the 6th most
stations recorded the wettest day of the month. 0.77" was recorded at
Sudborough.

On the 20th, with the barometer " Set Fair," we had a taste of
summer weather and it remained sunny and warm for the rest of the
month. Temperatures were the highest for the month on the 30th, 87
being recorded at Sudborough, 84 at Northampton, 83 at Duston,
81 at Bugbrooke and Raunds, 79 at Wittering.

Sunshine recorded at Raunds totalled 177 hours, with only 3 days
without, and at Wittering 201 hours, with only one day without.

AUGUST

August's weather began with the continuation of July's spell of warm,
fine weather and most stations recorded temperatures of over 70 on
the 1st.

This was followed by unsettled and generally wet weather which
continued for the rest of the month. The 3rd, with rain falling all day,
was the wettest day of the month and 1.20" was recorded at Preston
Deanery, 1.14" at Wellingborough, 1.17" at Northampton, 0.95" at Bug-
brooke, 0.77" at Sudborough, 0.67" at Raunds and 0.54" at Wittering.
A thunderstorm recorded at Duston and Northampton on the 20th pro-
duced 0.40" and 0.35" rainfall. Floods were reported from many buildings
with cellars. This thunderstorm was recorded from all stations but else-
where the rainfall was negligible.

Although there were only 4 days without sunshine recorded at
Wittering and Raunds, the amounts were sparse. The 1st and 26th were
the only two days with sunshine all day. At Raunds the total of 114 hours
only averaged 3.71, and at Wittering the total of 118 hours averaged 3.9.

A ground frost was recorded at Wittering on the 17th (31) and
also 6 fogs.

SEPTEMBER

The month with two wet days and on the 2nd, thunderstorms were
reported from all stations. The rainfall recorded from Duston, Northarnpton,
Raunds, Sudborough and Wellingborough for these two days averaged
1.50", whilst at Bugbrooke and Wittering only 0.75" were recorded.

The next few days were generally unsettled.

On the 12th to the 17th, a spell of fine weather sent the maximum day
temperatures to over 70 and over 10 hours of sunshine was recorded
on the 12th, 13th, 15th and 16th from the sunshine recording stations at
Raunds and Wittering.

It is interesting to note that on the night of the 13th, during this spell
of warm weather, the lowest minimum night air temperature was recorded.
At Duston 36 Bugbrooke and Raunds 35 and 33 at Sudborough.

The remainder of the month was generally unsettled and cold.

Fogs were recorded at Wittering on the 14th and 23rd, and from
Duston on the 14th.

At Duston on the 16th (the hottest day), the absolute range of day
temperature was 30 this is almost double the normal average.

Rainfall was above the average and sunshine and temperatures below
average.

OCTOBER

The month was fairly warm and dry.

Maximum air temperature was reached on the 12th, Northampton
General Hospital recorded 71 Duston, Raunds and Sudborough 70
Bugbrooke and Wittering 68.

Sunshine was above the average and on the 4th, 12th and 22nd over
8 hours were recorded at Raunds.

Only one night air frost was recorded, this was 30 on the 5th at
Sudborough's frost hollow. A ground frost was recorded at Duston on
the 5th (30), also on the 6th at Raunds (29) and at Wittering (30).

The wettest days of the month were on the 6th and the 31st, and
amounts ranging from 0.45" to 0.61" were recorded on the 6th.

Mist formed in the Nene Valley and was recorded at Kislingbury
approximately 17.30 hrs. G.M.T. on the 26th, 27th, 29th, 30th and 31st.
It persisted for most of the day on the 29th, 30th and 31st. (AJM).

Red sunsets were observed at Kislingbury on the 14th and 20th, a
reddish orange colour on the latter. (AJM).

NOVEMBER

The month was generally wet and mild with less fogs than usual.
Gales were recorded on the 21st.

All rainfall stations recorded at least 20 rainy days (0.01" or more)
and 16 wet days (0.04" or more). On the 17th, 1.00" was recorded at Preston
Deanery, 0.92" at Duston, 0.83" at Northampton and 0.82" at Bugbrooke.
The River Nene was almost 4 feet above normal the following day and
overflowed to the nearby meadows at Kislingbury. (AJM).

Only 5 night air frosts were recorded at Bugbrooke, 4 at Raunds,
3 at Duston, Sudborough and Wittering and none were severe.

Maximum day temperatures were higher than normal. 61 was
recorded at Bugbrooke on the 22nd, 60 at Wittering on the l9th.

Mist formed in the Nene Valley at Kislingbury on the 3rd, 6th, 7th,
9th, 15th, 16th and 30th, mainly clearing before midday. (AJM).

A red sunset was recorded on the 13th and a red sunrise on the 14th.

(AJM)-

A luna halo was observed at Kislingbury at 18.30 hrs. on the 22nd.

(AJM).

DECEMBER

December's weather was mainly quiet, very dull and rather cool.

Snow fell over a wide area on the 12th and 13th. It fell during the
night of the 13th and melted during the next day. Snow was also recorded
at Wittering on the 18th and sleet on the 13th, 14th, 18th, 21st and 25th.

Sunshine was less than average and only 47 hours were recorded at
Raunds and 54 at Wittering.

A Sun Pillar was observed (RA) at 15.35 hrs. G.M.T. on the 13th at
Wittering.

There was only a small amount of rainfall recorded from all stations
and this ranged from 0.29" to 0.50".

Maximum temperature was reached on the 29th and only 48.
and 49 was recorded. A spell of frosty weather started on the 18th,
and on the night of the 23rd/24th, 6 was recorded at Sudborough,
11 at Duston and Bugbrooke, 13 at Raunds and 14 at Northampton
and Wittering. There were 23 ground frosts recorded at Duston
minimum 9.5, 22 at Raunds minimum 7, 21 at Wittering mini-
mum 3 All minimum temperatures were recorded on the night of the
24th.

There were 7 fogs recorded at Wittering, 3 at Raunds and Preston
Deanery and Duston.

Mists persisted in the Nene Valley all day on the 10th, 17th, 20th,
21st, 26th, 27th and 28th, increasing to fog on the 26th, 27th and 28th.
(AGM).

List of Observers:

HB=H. Brierley. RA--R. Adam. AC=A. Cook. PC=P. Chapman.
EN=E. Nobles. AJM=A. J. Mead. GWP=G. W. Pretlove.