WEATHER REPORT FOR 1978

JANUARY
     A cold front passing on the 3rd brought gale force winds. It was then
uneventful until a deepening depression brought high winds back on the
10th. Increasing to gale force on the 11th, which was also bitterly cold.
It then became milder, but damp. There were also several snow falls, but
amounts were low. Mr. Nobles at Duston recorded precipitation on 20
consecutive days and only four days without. Despite this it was about.
average regarding temperatures.
FEBRUARY
    A depression moving south-eastwards brought continuous rain on
the 1st, which was the month's wettest day. High pressure over north-east
Europe and slow moving fronts kept the weather rather cloudy for the
first week. It was brighter on the 8th, but also colder with sunny periods
and snow flurries. It continued to get colder with severe frosts, particularly
the night of the 10th. Thick black ice caused dangerous conditions on the
21st. The remainder of the month was milder with precipitation on every
day. Average in most respects.
MARCH
            Frequent outbreaks of rain on tlle first two days, then a small anti-
cyclone moved eastwards across the country to give a week of sunny
weather. On the 11th high pressure over the Continent guided very warm
air from North Africa and raised air temperatures considerably. On the
12th it became colder, windier and more unsettled. Snow fell on the
night of the 15th, lying 25 mm deep the following morning. The rest of
the month was unsettled with rain and some strong winds, which blew
until the 29th, the last two days being calm. Sunnier than average, but
otherwise about average.
APRIL
    Cold northerly and easterly winds were the main feature for the
first ten days. The 10th started sunny but clouded over and by mid-
day it began to snow. It continued to snow all afternoon, lying 25 mm
deep by sunset. There were further slight snow falls during the following
two or three days. Then a mainly sunny spell until the 26th, which was
wet. The rnonth ended dull, misty and cold. The coldest April for many
years. It was also very dull with about average rainfall.
MAY
     The first half of the month was wet and generally cold, due to a
complex low pressure area to the south. There was exceptionally heavy
rain at Byfield on the 2nd and Northampton on the 5th. As the depression
moved over Europe the county came under the influence of high pressure,
which gave very dry, sunny and sometimes very warm conditions for the
second half of the month. Temperatures were average. Rainfall below
average and sunshine above normal.
JUNE
     The first three days were sunny and warm. A cold front passed on the
4th bringing storms to the county. The approach of this front was indi-
cated on the evening of the 3rd when Mr. Nobles at Duston observed a
solar corona, parhelion (mock sun) and a sun pillar. Most of the month
was unsettled and rather cool, with the occasional warm, sunny day.
Temperatures, sunshine and rainfall all generally below average.
JULY
     For the first week or so a cool northerly airstream was the domi-
nating feature. On the 9th a low pressure area developed to the south
bringing warmer weather from the east. It remained warm and generally
sunny until the l9th. The rest of the month was typical July weather.
Changeable. Mean temperature and sunshine were less than normal.
Rainfall was above average, the 31st being the wettest day. Mr. Bristow
at Byfield recording 25.7 mm.
AUGUST
Mainly cool and unsettled for the first half of the month as a series of
complicated fronts crossed the country. A ridge of high pressure then
asserted itself and this brought a marked improvement to the weather.
The remainder of the month was warrn and dry, with the exception of the
22nd which was very wet in the afternoon. Rainfall for the county was
about average, though nationally it was very variable. Temperatures for
the month were around average, but the mean temperatures for the
summer were below normal. August sunshine was also below average.
SEPTEMBER
    Many days were sunny and warm. Sunshine was recorded on every
day in some parts of the county. The 5th was the wettest day with con-
tinuous rain from mid afternoon. On the l0th a cold front moved south-
wards with very humid air ahead of it, giving a very high minimum
temperature on the night of the 10th. A gale force wind from the north-
west followed on the 11th and it remained rather windy for the next few
days. It was then mainly sunny and warm until the 29th, the last three
days being mainly overcast. Sunshine and temperatures above average.
Rainfall below average.
OCTOBER
          A cold start, but a return to westerly weather on the 7th brought
warmer and sunnier conditions. There were frequent night fogs, which
failed to fully clear on the 13th and 14th. The fog was cleared on the 15th
by a weak front travelling south-eastwards, bringing periods of rain and
drizzle. Temperatures dropped and the rest of the month was much
cooler with some sunny days, notably the 23rd and 24th. The main feature
was the remarkably warm days of the 11th and 12th when maximum
temperatures exceeded those of August and September at some stations.
Sunshine was about normal. Mean temperatures above average and also
very dry.
NOVEMBER
    Mainly overcast for the first six days. The 7th was sunny, but cloudy
skies returned on the 8th. A vigorous cold front moved eastwards across
the country on the 12th, bringing heavy rain. Temperatures were well
up until the 24th when it turned much colder, with sharp night frosts
till the end of the month. The mildest November for many years, it was
also very dry.
DECEMBER
    High pressure over Scandinavia kept temperatures low in the early
part of the month. As pressure fell on the 6th and 7th it became milder,
but also wetter. It remained fairly mild until the 14th. Snow fell and
settled on the 20th, remaining until continuous rain on the 24th cleared it.
Cold easterly winds returned on the 29th and it remained cold for the last
two days. Temperatures generally below average and also very wet.