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Very warm and wet to start then a spell of wintry weather before a fine drier spell ending with a few sunny and warmer days Rainfall was below average the 62.8 mm (54%) & [61%] of averages least since 2019 was ranked 16th lowest in Llansadwrn records since 1928. The largest fall was 15.8 mm on the 1st and the 21 mm over wet days 6-8th on saturated ground was sufficient to produce local flash flooding on the 8th. There were, however, 8 days (+4.9) with no precipitation with a 6 day spell 20-25th when with cloudy skies it was rather dull. There were 13 (+5.1) dry days (<0.2 mm); 18 (-5.4) rain days (>=0.2 mm); 11 (-6.0) wet days (>=1.0 mm); and 4 days (-3.9) having 5 mm, or more. Drier than usual too at Gorwel Heights, in Llanfairfechan, where 53.6 mm fell (58%) & [60%] of averages least since 2017 (38.6 mm). Here there were 13 dry days; 18 rain days; 15 wet days; and 5 had 5 mm, or more. Rainfall duration (wet hours) at Gorwel Heights was 74h and in Llansadwrn 79h with average rainfall per hour of 0.8 mm and 0.7 mm respectively. The first of the month was wet, warm and windy. Maximum temperatures were 14.4C at Gorwel Heights and 12.8C Llansadwrn, highest of the month. The mean maximum for the month in Llansadwrn was 8.6C (+0.8) & [+0.7] of averages highest since 2016 ranked 8th in records since 1979. The lowest maximum was 4.2C on the 24th and the mean for the month 4.0C (+0.8) & [+1.1] of averages. The mean temperature 6.3C (+0.8) & [+0.9] of averages highest since 2020 ranked 9th. The highest mean, and the only one in double digits, was 12.2C on the 1st, the lowest 3.5C occurred on the 5th and 24th. At Gorwel Heights the mean temperature was 7.3C (+0.8) & [+1.1] of averages highest since 2020 ranked 3rd in records since 2011. The mean maximum 9.3C highest since 2020 ranked 3rd and the mean minimum 5.2C was equal highest 2020 on record. Despite 8 sunless days it was sunniest at RAF Valley since 2011 with 67.4h (141%) of the decadal average and [119%] of the climatological average. The sunniest day was on the 14th with 7.0h.
February 2021Very mild and fairly sunny with rainfall above historical averagesMild at the beginning, more wintry with three named storms towards the end Overall the month was mild with the mean temperature 6.9C (+1.2) & [+1.3] of averages highest since 2019 ranking 5th in station records since 1979. The mean maximum was 9.6C with the highest 12.1C on the 21st and lowest 5.9C on the 18th, the temperature reached 10C, or more, on thirteen days. The mean minimum was 4.2C and showed the greatest anomaly [+1.4], there were no air frosts the lowest 0.8C (+2.4) on the 11th. There were 10 ground frosts (-5.6), lowest since 2011 rank 10, the lowest -4.1C also on the 11th. At Gorwel Heights in Llanfairfechan the mean air temperature was 8.1C (+1.5) & [+1.9] of averages, highest since 2019 ranking 2 since 2011. The highest maximum was 14.6C on the 16th and there were 19 days that had 10C, or more. The lowest maximum was 5.6C on the 24th. The mean minimum 5.3C lowest since 2019 ranked 4th highest since 2011, with no air frosts recorded the lowest 2.6C on the on the 24th was highest on record at the station. February rainfall 132.9 mm (123%) & [ 147%] was least since 2019, but one of the 13th largest falls in Llansadwrn records since 1928. The were no very large falls the wettest day on the 8th had 15.8 mm. Only 3 days had no precipitation and 6 (-3.3) were dry <0.2 mm. Rain days were 22 (+2.9); wet days were 16 (+2.7); and days with 5 mm, or more, were 14 significantly (+7.4). Rainfall duration (wet hours) was 148h with an average rate of fall of 0.9 mm per hour. It was wetter at Gorwel Heights that had 144.4 mm (170%) & [193%] of averages, most since 2020 and second largest on record. The wettest day was on the 5th having 17.4 mm. There were 6 dry days, 22 rain days; 16 wet days; and 11 had 5 mm, or more. Rainfall duration (wet hours) was 129h, with an average rate of fall of 1.1 mm per hour. Sunshine at RAF Valley was the lowest since 2017, the 76h (91%) & [97%] of averages. Sunniest was the 27th with 8.8h and there were 7 sunless days. Winter 2021/22Winter temperature averages were highest since 2019 ranking 3rd in station records since 1979. There were no air frosts in January and February this being a record, with 2 in December 2021 lowest -0.8C. Winter frosts were lowest since 2019/20 when only one lowest on record, this winter then being second lowest on record. Winter rainfall was drier than the last decade (91%) that has been notable for high rainfall events. Compared with the historical 1971-1980 average it was (139%). When compared with the current 1991-2020 climatological average it was [109%] and with the station's long term average 118%.
March 2022Driest since 1993, second warmest on record and sunniest (at Valley) for 80-yearsStormy towards the middle of the month turning wintry at the end. It was the driest March in Llansadwrn records since 1993, ranking 7th since records began in 1928. Rainfall was 29.1 mm (32%) & [37%] of records with the largest fall not even reaching double figures 9.4 mm on the 11th. There were 14 days with no precipitation; 17 dry days; 14 rain days; 9 wet days and just one 5 mm, or more, 5.3 days below the decadal average. Rainfall duration (wet hours) was 61 hours It was wetter again at Gorwel Heights in Llanfairfechan with 45.8 mm (53%) & [55%] of averages, but least since 2014. The wettest day was on the 12th with 12.8 mm. There were 15 dry days; 16 rain days; 7 wet days and 4 had 5 mm, or more. Rainfall duration was 58 hours with a greater rate of fall 0.8 mm/h than Llansadwrn 0.5 mm/h. . It was the second warmest March on record in Llansadwrn with a mean temperature of 8.8C [(+1.7)] of averages. In station records back to 1979 only 2012 had a higher 9.5C mean. The mean maximum was 12.7C [(+2.5)] with the highest 19.8C on the 22nd with the lowest 7.2C on the wintry 31st. The mean minimum was 4.8C [(+1.0)] with the highest 9.2C on the 10th. There was one air frost -1.1C on the 7th lasting just 3.3h, and 8 ground frosts the lowest -4.7C on the 7th. The mean temperature at Gorwel Heights was 9.4C (+1.6) & [+1.8] of averages highest since 2012. The mean maximum was 12.6C highest equal with 2012, the highest maximum was 19.8C on the 22nd and the lowest 7.0C on the 31st. The mean minimum was 6.1C highest since 2017. There were no air frosts with the lowest minimum 1.2C on the 31st.
Sunshine at RAF Valley was 193.3h the most since 1942 203h, Kipp & Zonen adjusted values, the highest on the Anglesey record since 1931. The sunniest days this year were on the 18th and 20th each with 11.2h. Eight days saw 10h, or more. There were 2 sunless days.
In Llansadwrn global solar radiation for the month averaged 11.22 MJ m -2 with the brightest day on the 31st having 18.15 MJ m -2. The dullest day was on the 2nd with 2.20 MJ m -2 , there were 4 sunless days.
April 2022Rainfall below averages, temperatures above average with sunshine on average in recent yearsWintery and wettest in first quarter thereafter warm, dry and sunnyRainfall of 36.2 mm (71%) & [55%] of averages was most since 2019, but ranked 20th lowest in Llansadwrn since 1928. The largest fall was only 8.0 mm on the 3rd and here were 16 (+3.3) days with no precipitation. Dry days were 19 (+3.6); rain days 11 (-3.5); wet days 9 (-1.0); and just 3 days (-0.3) with 5 mm, or more. A little more rain at Gorwel Heights, Llanfairfechan, the 40.4 mm (64%) & [53%] of averages most since 2019. The wettest day was on the 4th with 6.2 mm. There were 18 dry days; 12 rain days; 10 wet days; and 4 days reached 5 mm, or more. Rainfall duration (wet hours) was 61h at both stations. The mean temperature in Llansadwrn 9.5C (+0.5) & [+0.4] of averages was highest since 2020 and ranked 12th in station records since 1979. The mean maximum was 13.5C the highest maximum 19.7 was on the 17th and the lowest 8.4C (+0.6) on the 1st. The mean minimum was 5.5C and the lowest 0.1C (-0.7) on the 9th. No air frost, but 6 (-2.6) ground frosts the hardest on the 9th -3.8C (-0.4). At Gorwel Heights the mean temperature was 10.1C (+0.8) & [+0.5] of averages. The highest maximum was 20.8C on the 17th, the lowest maximum 7.0C on the 1st. The highest minimum was 10.1C on the 15th and the lowest 2.5C on the 3rd. Sunshine reported at Valley was provisionally 179.9h least since 2019, but ranked 24th highest on the Anglesey record since 1931. The sunniest days was on the 25th when there were 13.5h, there was only one sunless day at Valley, but three in Llansadwrn.
May 2022Just below average rainfall with above average temperaturesChangeable through the monthThe mean temperature 12.7C [(+0.9)] was highest since 2020 and ranked 8th in station records since 1979. The mean maximum was 16.4C (+0.6) & [+0.5] of averages highest since 2018, but ranked only 16th. The highest maximum was 20.8C on the 15 (-1.5) and the lowest 10.9C on the 1st (+0.4). The mean minimum 9.2C was [(+1.3)] with the lowest 6.0C on the 29th (+2.8). The lowest grass minimum on the 27th was 2.2C (+2.9). At Gorwel Heights, Llanfairfechan, the mean temperature was 13.8C (+1.3) [+1.2] of averages highest in May on record at the station. The mean maximum was 17.1C with the highest maximum 22.3C on the 16th and the lowest 11.8C on the 30th. The mean minimum was 10.4C with the highest 13.8C on the 16th and 17th and the lowest 7.5C on the 29th. Rainfall of 66.5 mm was largest since 2020 (91%) & [98%] of averages, the third consecutive month with below average rainfall. The 3-month (Spring) total was 131.8 mm, least since 2020 ranked 8th lowest in Llansadwrn records since 1928. The largest fall, not reaching double figures,l was 9.2 mm on the 9th. Rainfall at Gorwel Heights was 54.0 mm (71%) & [70%] of averages, again the third consecutive month below averages. The March to May (Spring) rainfall totalled 140.2 mm the least on record since 2011. Sunshine at RAF Valley totalled 187.3h with 3 sunless days. The sunniest day was on the 27th having 13.4h.
Spring 2022The spring mean temperature 10.3C highest since 2011 (10.4C) ranked 2nd highest in station records since 1979. Spring rainfall 131.8 mm was least since 2020 and ranked 8th lowest in Llansadwrn records since 1928.
Monthly data 2022
Llanfairfechan, Gorwel Heights observations
AcknowledgementsThe Met Office at RAF Valley kindly supplied observational data from 1942 to 2011. Current data (provisional) are gathered from SYNOP reports and METAR, any missing observations are initially derived from nearby stations to complete the record, up to date figures are later gathered from the Met Office website. I am grateful Ivor McLean former Met Officer at RAF Valley for early Holyhead sunshine and various other observations; David Lee for use of his observations from Gorddinog; and Gordon Perkins (BlueTractorSoftware) for observations at Gorwel Heights, programming and additional observations.
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 "March Anglesey sunshine duration anomaly 1931-2022")