Weather Report for 2006

WEATHER REPORT FOR 1964

JANUARY

New years day was fine and sunny but was followed by generally dull
weather. Fogs were recorded at Wittering from the 4th to the 9th and
at Preston Deanery on the 3rd, 4th and 5th. Mist was recorded in the
Nene Valley at Kislingbury (A.J.M.) on the 4th, 8th, 9th and 10th.
Snow fell in the western half of the county on the 11th and spread to
the east on the 12th and 13th. This was followed by freezing fog and dense
fog persisted all day on the 14th.

It is interesting to note the range of temperature at Duston during
the night of the 13th. The minimum night air temperature was 11., yet
at 22.30 hrs. G.M.T., the thermometer had risen to 15 and by 09.00 hrs.
on the 14th was 32 This rapid rise did not continue, however, and the
maximum for the day was only 35 The fog cleared during the night of
the 14th and the next few days were fine with sunny periods.

Fog returned on the night of the 18th and persisted all day on the
19th developing to wet-fog during the afternoon. This produced 0.08"
irainfall at Northampton, 0.04" at Duston and 0.03" at Raunds and Bug-
brooke. The snow which fell on the 12th finally melted on the 20th and the
remaining days of the month were dull with rain.

It was generally a dry month, the rainfall totals ranging from 0.52
to 0.80". Only 47.9 hours of sunshine were recorded at Raunds with 17
days sunless and 56.7 hrs. at Wittering with 15 days sunless.

FEBRUARY

The first 8 days were sunny and the maximum day temperature was
over 50. 8 hours of sunshine was recorded on the 5th at Raunds and
7.9 hrs at Wittering, the highest daily sunshine recorded for the month,
but there were night air and ground frosts.

The next 10 days were mainly dull and sunless. Snow fell during the
night of the 15th and each day as snow and sleet showers until the 20th.
The temperature from the 16th to the 19th ranged from 31 to 35 both
day and night. This was an unusually low range.

A severe frost on the night of the 20th sent the therometer down to
14 at Sudborough, 22 at Northampton, 21 at Raunds and Witter-
ing and 20 at Duston and Bugbrooke with ground frosts of 16 at
Raunds and Duston.

The rest of the month was unsettled with little sunshine but milder
and the maximum day temperature was above 50. Mist formed over
the Nene Valley and was observed at Kislingbury from the 7th to the 15th
and on 25th, 26th and 27th. (A.J.M.).

A sun-pillar was observed on the 1st at 08.10 hrs. G.M.T. The sun was
rising behind a cloud and the pillar was visible for only a few minutes. (E.N.)

MARCH

The first 4 days were sunless. Snow and sleet showers fell on each
day from the 3rd to the 7th. Despite this, there were sunny intervals and
the sun continued to shine each day until the 11 th. At Raunds and Wittering,
over 9 hrs. of sunshine were recorded on the 8th and 11th.

With the 12th began a rainy period and the 14th was the wettest day
of the month. Medium rain, with heavy showers, fell continuously all day
and into the night. 1.60" was recorded at Sudborough and 0.73" at North-
ampton. This was followed by a moderate fall of snow on the 15th, 5 inches
being recorded at Preston Deanery and 2 inches at Wittering. The snow
was quickly melted by the many wet days which followed.

Easterly winds (N.E.-S.E.) were recorded on 22 days at Raunds and
Duston.

APRIL

A typical month of many weathers. The N. to N.E. winds continued
for a further 5 days keeping the temperature low and night air frosts were
recorded on the 4th and 5th. At Duston, Preston Deanery, Raunds and
Wittering, snow and sleet showers were recorded on the 1st and 3rd. The
next few days were fine and sunny and the maximum day temperature
ranged from 51-62. This did not last, however, and with the 15th started
a wet and cold period which continued until the 23rd. Some showers of
rain were heavy and thunder and hail were recorded at Duston, Raunds,
Wittering, Hackleton and Earls Barton (J.N.P.) on the 23rd the first
thunder of the year.

The rest of the month was warmer and on the 27th day the maximum
day temperature reached 72 at Northampton and Sudborough and
68 at Bugbrooke and Wittering.

MAY

May was generally sunny and warm with little rain. 84 was recorded
at Sudborough on the 30th and 79 at Raunds on the 12th.

A total of 194.3 hrs. of sunshine was recorded at Raunds and 223.1
hrs. at Wittering with no sunless days. There were, however, 6 slight ground
frosts recorded at Wittering and one ground frost at both Duston and
Raunds.

Thunder and lightning was observed at Hackleton on the 21st(J.N.P.)
at Duston on the 28th and 29th (EN), and at Preston Deanery on the
30th and 31 st (RLM). A local thunderstorm at Litchborough on the
28th produced 0.45" rainfall. There were no thunder reports from other
stations on that day.

JUNE

The first two days were cold and wet. The weather remained unseteled
until the 22nd, but warmer. Thunderstorms were recorded on the 5th,
7th, 12th and 20th. Hail was recorded at Duston on the 7th.

On the night of Ihe 12/13th an electric storm with remarkable sheet
lightning was observed at Preston Deanery between 00.45-01.15 hrs.
G.M.T. No thunder was heard (RLM).

The remainder of the month was fine and warm. 77 was recorded
at Northampton and Duston on the 26th and 82 at Sudborough.

JULY

The whole of the month was generally dry and warm. It was the
warmest since August, 1957, and the driest since, July, 1955. On most days
the maximum day temperatures were in the 70s. Northampton recorded
82 on the 17th, Sudborough 85 on the 16th and Bugbrooke 80 on
the 26th.
The monthly rainfall totals ranged from 0.78" to 1.17". Thunderstorms
were recorded at Litchborough on the 12th and 26th and on the 18th
thunder was recorded over a wide area.

There was a slight ground frost at Witteringon the 6th, 30.6 recorded.

AUGUST

The warm and sunny weather continued for another month. It was
also dry and apart from a total of 2.18" rainfall at Sudborough, the other
stations rainfall ranged from only 0.98" to 1.34" caused mainly by heavy
thunder showers on the 15th and 16th.

It was the sunniest month since August, 1959. 200.4 hrs. sunshine were
recorded at Wittering with no sunless days. The hottest day of the month
was on the 26th. Maximum day temperatures reached were 88 at Sud-
borough, 87 at Duston, Northampton and Raunds and 86 at
Bugbrooke and Wittering. This was the hottest day since August 29th, 1961.

A mock moon was observed on the 22nd, 20.45 hrs. G.M.T., at
Wittering.

SEPTEMBER

The summer weather continued and on the 3rd, 83 was recorded
at Duston and 81 at Sudborough. It also continued dry and the monthly
rainfall recorded ranged from 0.68"-1.20".

Again, it was a sunny month and every day had sunshine recorded
a total of 207.3 hrs. at Wittering and 188.1 hrs. at Raunds. It was the
sunniest September at Wittering since records began there in 1955.

Thick morning fog was recorded over a wide area on the 3rd. (JNP,
EN, RA, TCS).

Mock suns were observed at 16.50 to 18.00 hrs. G.M.T. on the 12th
at Wittering, a solar halo on the 4th, 5th, 13th, 21st, and 25th, and a lunar
halo on the l9th.

On the 25th at Hackleton, a lunar halo was seen at 17.15 hrs. G.M.T.
(RA).

OCTOBER

The first few days were fine and warm. A maximum day temperature
of 70 was recorded at Duston and Sudborough on the 4th, 68 at
Raunds on the 5th and 68 at Northampton on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th.

Fog persisted all day on the 5th and this began a period of unsettled
and colder weather. Amounts of rain were small and the totals ranged
from 0.73" to 1.23". 18 days with rain were recorded at Duston and 17
days at Northampton.

Snow fell at Duston (EN), Preston Deanery (RLM), and Northampton
(EB) on the 23rd mainly large flakes which soon disappeared.

There were 11 fogs recorded at Wittering, 6 at Duston and Raunds and
3 at Preston Deanery.

At Wittering, a strong rainbow with secondary was observed on the
8th, a solar halo on the 9th, 10th and 22nd, a mock sun on the 16th and
22nd and lunar corona on the 21st.

NOVEMBER

This was the third dry month in succession and there were fewer fogs
than expected; 10 at Wittering, 7 at Raunds, 4 at Preston Deanery and
3 at Duston. It was generally mild and on the 25th the maximum day
temperature reached 60 at Duston, 58 at Raunds, Sudborough and
Wittering the warmest day of the month. The last 4 days were much colder
with night air and ground frosts. On the 29th, 20 minimum air tempera-
ture was recorded at Sudborough, 23 at Wittering and Raunds, 24
at Duston, Northampton and Bugbrooke.

A gale with a maximum gust of 51 miles per hour was recorded at
Wittering on the 16th.

A hail storm was recorded on the 29th at Preston Deanery (RLM).

DECEMBER

A month of changeable weather with a mixture of days with sunshine,
rain, fog, snow and hail.

On the 3rd and 4th, 6.6 and 6.7 hours of sunshine were recorded at
Wittering--the highest recorded for the month. The wettest day was on
the 12th and the rainfall ranged from 0.19" to 0.29".
There were 10 fogs at Wittering, 5 at Preston Deanery and 3 at Duston.
There was freezing fog on the 16th (EN and TNP).

A hail storm was recorded at Duston on the 30th. Snow fell over a
wide area on the 26th. It fell during the night to an approximate depth
of 0.50" and was followed by snow showers on the 27th (EN, JNP). The
snow had melted by the 29th due to a sudden rise in temperature. At
Duston the minimum night air temperature on the 28th was 11, but
by 9 a.m. on the 29th it had reached 29 and continued to rise to the
maximum of 41. The night of the 28th/29th was the coldest of the month
with 3 at Sudborough and 8 at Bugbrooke.

A faint mock sun was observed at 14.50 G.M.T. on the 10th at Wittering.

S.W. gale-force winds were recorded on the 7th and 8th at Wittering.
The rainfall was the lowest for December since 1943.

A red sunrise was observed on the 20th and was followed by rain
at 14.40 G.M.T. (TNP).


WEATHER STATIONS

Bugbrooke Mill=Miss E. Loe
Litchborough Rectory=Mr. T.H. Haynes
Northampton General Hospital=Mr. R. E. Titley
Raunds=Mr. T. C. Smith
Sudborough Old Rectory=Mr. A.C.D. Holmes
Upton Lodge=Mr. E. Nobles
Wellingborough U.D.C.=Mr. K.C. Marland, A.M.I.C.E.
R.A.F. Wittering=Mr. R. Adam
Olney, Bucks=Mr. R.E. Sowman

Observers:
EB = Mrs. E. Brierley HB = Mr. H. Brierley PC = Mr. P. Chapman
AJM = Mr. A. J. Mead JNP--- Mr. R. N. Parker EAW = Mr. E. A Walker