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January 2013January 1 - A bright beginning to the New Year with a touch of ground frost,-0.2C on the grass minimum thermometer, but you had to look carefully to see some white frost on the flat leaves of buttercup between the grass. There were a few cumulus clouds and a bank of cloud over the Snowdonia Mountains that remained obscured all day. A few green leaves of snowdrops were showing through, together with some early daffodils near the garden shed. Soon the sun had risen above the mountain cloud and the morning was sunny. Pressure 1006 mb was rising quickly under the influence of a ridge of high-pressure from Azores high 1029 mb to the west. The 2nd was overcast with mist and drizzle the effect of a warm front along western Britain. During the morning there was a fall of a reddish-yellow coloured dust. Backward trajectory analyses, using the HYSPLIT model courtesy of the NOAA Air Resources Laboratory, indicated that parcels of air arriving over Anglesey at 1100 GMT originated from south of the Sahara desert in north Africa. The dust took an Atlantic route, around an area of high-pressure over the Bay of Biscay and Cape Finisterre. The temperature at 0900 GMT was 8.0C and rose through the day reaching 10.9C at 2242 GMT. At Gorwel Heights the temperature was 14.5C between 2240 and 2250 GMT, one of the highest in Britain. Kinlochewe reported 14.3C and Rhyl 13.4C up to 2100 GMT. Further on the 3rd Gorwel Heights recorded 14.3C at 1330 GMT exceeding that reported by Hereford 12.7C and Rhyl 12.5C. In comparison the maximum temperature in Llansadwrn on the 2nd was 10.9C and on the 3rd 10.1C. The highest temperatures recorded in Britain on the 2nd and 3rd of January are 15.6C including at Colwyn Bay and Llandudno.
A fine sunny morning on the 11th. Pressure was steady on 1018 mb with complex lows to the NW and low 996 mb W of Ireland. We were in a clear slot between fronts so it was opportune to make the most of the sunshine. Although the grass minimum had been down to -2.2C the fields were not looking very white. Visibility was good although there was some inversion mist in the Menai Strait. The afternoon was bright with sunny spells, but later turning cloudy with intermittent rain from 1700 to 2000 GMT [1.3 mm] and mostly cloudy overnight. The warmth of the first days of the month had brought out the first flowers of the winter heliotrope
A very dull quiet morning with overcast skies on the 20th. Snow was lying (average 6.5 cm) on the ground although the main roads looked clear. A short spell of sunshine around 11 GMT then with patches of blue sky overhead there were minute ice crystals in the air. These continued for about an hour then turned to small snow flakes for several hours with none settling on bare ground. With snow was still lying (4 cm) on the 21st with between 70 to 95% cover on fields (still on the shore at Rhosneigr), there was a spell of moderate snow from 08 GMT (falling at a rate of 1.2 mm/h at 0837 GMT) that by 0900 GMT had accumulated 0.5 cm of fresh snow on the snow board. Temperature was 0.2C (dewpoint -0.3C) 96 %RH; soil temperature at 5 cm was 0.9C and at 100 cm had fallen to 6.3C. Some bright and sunny spells during the morning, little or no wind.
There was a little snow left on fields and in shady places around the garden on the morning of 25th. Bare soil had been clear of snow, but frozen, on the past 3 mornings. The lowest temperatures during the current cold spell in the soil profile reached today were 0.3C at 5 cm; 0.6C at 10 cm; 1.2C at 20 cm; 2.5C at 30 cm; 3.8C at 50 cm; and 5.8C at 100 cm, but continued to fall to 5.5C on the 26 -28th. So far this year, the soil at 5 cm had not frozen, in January 2010 -0.5C and January 2011 -0.3C was reached. The day started with pressure 1011 mb falling rapidly dull with a few spots of rain intermittent until 1400 GMT before rain commenced. From 1500 to 0100 GMT rainfall was moderate to heavy at times as a cold front passed over, the sky then clearing with temperature and wind decreasing. Rainfall 24-h to 09 GMT on the 26th was [15.5 mm] here with [36.0 mm] falling in Capel Curig; the 'warm rain' had melted all the snow here and much of the mountain snow.
Another overcast morning on the 29th, visibility was very good at first, but with rain sweeping across the mountains from the west it was not long before there were spots of rain in Llansadwrn and visibility moderate. Pressure 997 mb was falling quickly with low 959 mb W of Scotland. A wet and windy day; a warm front lying N Wales to Kent gave way to a cold front in the afternoon. Strengthening wind with high gusts 67 mph in Aberdaron, 50 mph in Llandegfan, and 48 mph at Gorwel Heights at 1604 GMT as the cold front passed through. By evening the wind had moderated. After a shower of ice pellets on the morning of the 30th the sky cleared rapidly. Low 958 mb was N Scotland, where there were storm force winds, pressure was high 1032 mb over Spain and here 999 mb rising slowly. Sunny in the morning; we were on the southern edge a 'stream' of showers crossing the Irish Sea and Isle of Man heading for N England. Windy too, the Britannia Bridge was closed to HSV's with a 20 mph in operation, and it was difficult to walk along the lanes in the strong wind in the afternoon. Capel Curig reported high gust of 81 mph. No birds were seen on the fields, but the moles were busy with numerous hills being put up. A lot of debris accumulating over several days, dead branches and twigs, on the roads. At 0234 GMT on the 31st a sudden onset of high wind, vivid 'white' lightning and heavy rain 11 mm/h. Lasting about 10 minutes with a high gust of 57 mph recorded by the anemometer above the roof. Oddly, although the lightning flashes were local thunder was not heard perhaps because it was quiet and the noise of the wind too great. In the clear sky light of morning it was seen that a large branch of a Norway maple had been snapped off and the ground was littered with broken branchlets and twigs. Pressure 1004 mb was rising rapidly with low 984 mb S Iceland and N Scotland and high pressure 1034 mb intensifying over Spain. A 30 mph speed restriction was in operation on the Britannia Bridge, but it was a sunny morning. A sparrowhawk was seen perched for a long while sheltered in the wild garden enjoying the sunshine. Sunny spells in the afternoon before another thunderstorm, several loud (this time) thunder cracks and lightning at 1707 GMT with a burst of heavy rain and ice pellets falling at a rate up to 47 mm/h. High gusts reported today included 77 mph at Capel Curig, 75 mph at Valley, 45 mph at Gorwel Heights and Rhyl, and 42 mph Hawarden.
February 2013February 1 - The month began with clearing blue skies; some cirrostratus obscuring the sun at first (no halo seen) then sunny until noon when cloud encroached (an occluded front wrapped around a low over the North Channel tracked SE across N Wales) bringing a spell of rain [3.1 mm] from 1300 GMT. Light SW'ly at first veering N'ly by 1500 GMT, drier later with broken cloud into the evening.
On the 2nd the sky started to clear after dawn and at 0900 GMT there were 5 oktas of cumulus clouds and very good visibility, a N'ly breeze air being drawn from Scotland. A moderate shower of mixed ice precipitation at 0418 GMT (6.4 mm/h) on the 7th. A mostly cloudy morning with wet snow as low as 750 ft on the lower slopes of the Carneddau mountains. Brighter for a while as the sun began to rise over a bank of mountain clouds. Pressure 1021 mb was falling slowly in a ridge of high-pressure. Pressure was high 1037 mb W of Cape Finisterre and Norway 1013 mb. Turning dull by noon as a band of rain from Scotland to Cornwall moved in from the west. At 2241 GMT, during a shower of snow pellets, there was the first of 2 earth tremors the rumbling sounding like a heavy lorry passing on the road and slight window vibrations. The BGS gave the position 15 km S of here in Caernarfon Bay Mag. 2.3 and 26 km SW at 22.44 GMT Mag. 1.9. The effects were apparent continuously for about 4 minutes. With the Ciudad de Cadiz still aground on a sandbank (see diary January 28) at Mostyn on the 8th the Ville de Bordeaux at the quay to collect the Airbus wing(s) to take to Pauillac, Port of Bordeaux, France. A dull day with fresh snow on the mountains as low as 1500 ft. Pressure 1023 mb was still rising in the ridge from declining high 1034 mb off Cape Finisterre/ Iberia, but began falling from 1024 mb by noon. Keeping dull the afternoon was breezy and dry, the NE'ly breeze veering slowly SW'ly through the evening and night with pressure falling. A warm front encroached from the W during the evening introducing showery rain before midnight. The Ville de Bordeaux departed from Mostyn and was off the Great Orme at 2322 GMT on its way to Holyhead for a full inspection of the hull. On the morning high tide of the 9th around 0939 GMT (9.4 m Liverpool) the Ciudad de Cadiz was refloated, with the tugs Union Diamond, St. David and Whalsa Lass in attendance, and moored at the quay in Mostyn. The Ville de Bordeaux was nearing St George's Channel. A dull and damp morning under grey skies the rain that had commenced around 04 GMT was light and turning to drizzle at 0900 GMT. The 6.2 mm sufficient to wet up the ground that was muddy with small pools of water. The day was dull and sunless with drizzle and rain accumulating 7.2 mm. More of the same on the 10th, continuous light rain petering out at 2200 GMT, another 7.3 mm. After some broken cloud overnight the 11th began brighter with a strengthening E'ly breeze. Visibility was only moderate with much haze. It was keeping cold on the Snowdonia mountaintops, the AWS on Snowdon reported -8C at 09 GMT this morning while here it was 1.6C. Snow was lying at 2500 ft with some as low as 2000 ft in places. Altocumulus and a few lenticular altocumulus clouds at first then clearing to give a mostly sunny afternoon the temperature rising to 4.6C. The 12th began dull and overcast and was 1.0C at 0900 GMT with thick haze. There was a short spell of of ice crystals blowing about on a slight SE'ly breeze about 1030 GMT, then drier but keeping overcast. Little or no wind through the day.  "Rainfall accumulated 24-h up to 06 GMT on 14 Feb 2013. SYNOP & local sources.")
On the 13th with low 977 mb S Iceland pressure here was steady on 1015 mb. An occluded front lay from N Wales to NW Scotland and precipitation early in the day was sleety, but falling as snow on the mountains above 750 ft. The SSE'ly wind was force 3/4 here out of the shelter of the woodland, but blowing force 6/7 at Valley. Snow was moderate at 2500 ft on Snowdon at 0900 GMT. Precipitation turned to moderate to heavy rain through the day. With soils saturated it was not long before local roads were awash. Major drainage works are proceeding on the A55 between Llandegai and Talybont the scene of recent closures due to flooding under conditions similar to today. A warm front to the W over the Irish Sea brought heavy rain and rising temperature such that by noon much of the fresh mountain snow that had fallen thawed. The wind veered SW'ly and it was a wet and windy evening. The temperature here reached a maximum of 8.3C at 2000 GMT and was 8.2C at midnight. Rainfall in the 24-h ending 09 GMT was 32.1 mm. At 0900 GMT on the 14th it was not raining, the temperature 5.6C and a few blue patches were appearing in the sky, just enough to patch a sailor's trousers. Standing water had disappeared, but it was soft and muddy underfoot. Pressure 1009 mb was rising quickly with low 986 mb tracking E and filling over the Faeroe Islands. The sky did not clear before noon, there were some spells of hazy sunshine in the afternoon with light breezes the temperature rose to 8.8C. It was sunnier on the NW coast of the island with 6.0h reported. After a fine night, with slight ground frost [-0.9C] and moderate dew and silverfrost on the grass in the morning of the 15th, pressure 1020 mb continued rising slowly with high developing 1028 mb over the Bay of Biscay. Cloud cleared over Anglesey, but hung around the mountaintops until late in the afternoon. Visibility poor to moderate at first improved to good or very good later. A sunny day and with the temperature rising to 8.9C a few honey bees were seen on the heather banks in the garden. Sunnier in this part of the island today. The Ciudad de Cadiz was spotted off South Stack at 1330 GMT seemingly doing trials. The evening was partly cloudy but cleared about 2130 GMT with no siting of the asteroid passing close to Earth. Starting overcast, but fairly bright, on the 16th, the thin moderately high cloud beginning to disperse with some sunshine breaking through. Pressure steady on 1022 mb wit Another fine morning on the 17th, good but hazy visibility. Loud drumming by a lesser spotted woodpecker on a nearby very resonant branch of a tall tree; a lot of twittering by smaller birds in the still leafless trees liking the sunshine. Mistle thrushes are also singing, 2 pairs are set up at either end of the wood. The Ciudad de Cadiz was located passing Sevenstones to starboard at 0600 GMT, going into Falmouth at 1130 GMT and about midnight out of the Channel past Brest. A sunny day, the temperature rising to 10.6C brought more honeybees with louder humming on to the heather. A fine peach and azure blue coloured sky after sunset. More of the same on the 18th. Pressure 1018 mb rising slowly with the high 1028 mb now over the southern North Sea. Good visibility, but very hazy with some Saharan dust high in the atmosphere moving in north-east from the Continent. Sunny all day, hardly a cloud in the sky, the temperature rising to 12.1C in the afternoon, highest of the year so far. Even more honeybees on the heather with more flowers opening on the rockery banks; the first starry, white-centred blue flower of 'Glory of the snow' was spotted opening nearby, a few days earlier than 2012 on the 22nd and close to 2011 on the 16th. Some early bluebell leaves in the wood are 10 - 15 cm tall, and primroses are beginning to flower. A fine evening with another peach coloured sky after sunset. With a ridge of high-pressure persisting over Britain and pressure here steady on 1020 mb the 19th began with mostly clear skies. Just 3 oktas of cirrus clouds, moderate to good hazy visibility and calm. There was a light white frost on grass (grass min -3.8C); air temperature was 3.0C rising to 10.5C during the afternoon. Warm enough for honeybees to be out on the heathers and to tempt a single red admiral butterfly from hibernation. There was another peach and azure coloured sky for an hour after sunset.
At Aberffraw on the 19th many of the dune slacks were flooded with water (above, click twice to enlarge), not unusual following a wet winter, but this year the water seemed deeper and more extensive. This is the willow slack
Clear sky on the morning of the 20th with moderate visibility with smoke haze that included pollutant aerosols and dust. There was a light white frost, the grass minimum down to -4.1C overnight. Pressure was steady on 1020 mb with Scandinavian high 1038 mb. A cold front was aligned along the E coast of England moving westward and was over Morecambe Bay at noon arriving here around 1800 GMT. Satellite images showed a cloud covered Britain except Irish Sea coastlines and NE Ireland. A cooler day although the temperature did reach 9.6C at 1130 GMT. No honeybees were seen, but woodpeckers were drumming frequently in the wood. There was a moderate to heavy dustfall between 1800 GMT and 0900 GMT on the 21st. Samples collected were mixed colours and texture; a fine pinkish-white to pinkish-grey with some dark reddish-grey and a dark grey more gritty dust. It's source is being investigated.
March 2013March 1 - The fine spell of weather St. David's Day began with hazy sunshine and plenty of small 'species' daffodils in the garden and a good supply of leeks in the vegetable plot. Patches of fog at times in places around the coast, here poor visibility at first improved by afternoon and the evening was clear. A maximum temperature of 8.2C was reached in the afternoon and honeybees were out again on the heathers.
The 7th continued with overcast skies and more rain Pressure was steady on 997 mb with low 973 mb W of the English Channel. Dull and misty from the start, and no sign of the sun, but the mistle thrush was singing not minding the rain at all. Another 11.0 mm of rain today; the rain was sufficient to make the soil surface wet and muddy again. On the 3rd soil moisture was determined and found to be an average 67% dry mass (range 60% to 75%) the saturated water percentage of the soil at the weather station is 72%. So despite the drier spell the soil keeps near or above water saturation. Not windy.
Rain early on the 15th brought precipitation up to 8.1 mm for the 24-h ending 0900 GMT; enough to give small pools of standing water. Cold enough to fall as snow on the mountains above 2500 ft. Low 989 mb was off NW Scotland and pressure here was 1000 mb with a cold front over the Irish Sea and N Wales. Overcast at first with light rain brighter in the afternoon with some sunny spells when the temperature rose to 8.8C here and 9.5C at Gorwel Heights. Convective clouds were over Snowdonia in the afternoon (panorama above) with cumulonimbus seen developing in the W, one with anvil passing to the S of the station at 1600 GMT. Precipitation was heavy in Capel Curig {27.8 mm}, we had showers of rain with ice pellets 2100-2200 GMT. Pressure was 991 mb was with a low over the Irish Sea on the morning of the 16th with a lot of 'weather' in its circulation. A slight shower around 0925 GMT and one or two sunny spells in the morning the temperature rising to 7.1C just after noon, cloudier later with scattered clouds into the now lightening evening. Could not see the comet Pan Starrs now above the horizon in the W after sunset. After midnight on the 17th frequent wintery showers of snow pellets and later wet snow (17 mm/h at 0616 GMT), the temperature fell to 0.8C at 0745 GMT, continuing up to 0900 GMT. Moderate falls of snow above 2500 ft on the western Snowdonia Mountains with light snow as low as 1000 ft, Llandegai and Llyn Ogwen, where soon thawing. The precipitation of 7.3 mm here was again sufficient to produce small pools of water around the garden and adjacent recently ploughed field. Pressure was 989 mb with the low slow-moving 987 mb Isle of Man. A few sunny spells breaking through in the morning, cloudier in the afternoon with the odd shower of rain. Further snow showers with snow pellets after midnight and a fresh topping-up fall on the Snowdonia Mountains by the morning of the 18th. Snow was lying at 1800 ft, but there were light coverings as low as 1000 ft at Llyn Ogwen. Bright with a little sunshine, cold E'ly breeze, but temperature rising to 7.4C just after noon. The 19th was a dry, but mostly overcast day with rather murky moderate visibility with smoke haze, some sunshine later (maximum 7.9C) and little wind. Pressure was steady on 997 mb within a low-pressure system 995 mb SW Approaches and S Britain. Stronger winds in NE Scotland with snow, heavy in places. On the 20th pressure 1006 mb was rising and the morning still mostly cloudy with moderate visibility and murky haze. A slight overnight ground frost (-1.3C) and recent showers of rain clearing around 09 GMT. There was fresh snowfall on the mountains as low as 1000 ft. After a brief sunny spell at 1100 GMT it dull again, brighter by 1545 GMT (maximum today 6.6C) then the sky clearing as evening approached temperature falling with another light ground frost (-1.2C) overnight. On the 21st a breezier morning the ESE'ly a chilly feeling 3.6C at 0900 GMT. Bright to start with much cirrus cloud and weak sunshine, thickening cloud through the morning as fronts moved into S Ireland, S Wales and SW England. Large rainfall totals reported were Exeter AP [40.6 mm], Culdrose [40.2 mm], Cardinham [35.2 mm] and Milford Haven [30.6 mm]. On the 22nd there was a heavy precipitation event, a combination of rain, sleet and wet snow, in Llanfairfechan. Precipitation to midnight on the 21st at Gorwel Heights was 9.4 mm and during the night in SE'ly winds reaching 54 mph there was extremely heavy precipitation, at 0220 GMT (up to 202 mm/h) and at 0740 GMT (up to 185 mm/h) accumulating 55.4 mm by 09 GMT making [64.8 mm 09-09 GMT on 22nd, largest any day since before March 2011, and 103.8 mm 48-h to 09 GMT on the 23rd]. A remarkably similar fall was reported by David Lee (pers. e-mail) reported 100.0 mm in the 48-h to 09 GMT on the 23rd, [62.6 mm 24-h to 09 GMT on the 22nd] at his station in Llanfairfechan. Snow was still falling on the 23rd with whiteout above 1000 ft on the mountains. Today we were having continuous small flakes of snow, not settling, in a moderate E'ly wind during the morning that was occasionally bright. There was light snow on the Great Orme, Llandudno and mainland coast near Conwy. Too much snow at the ski area on Cairngorm; closed with access roads impassable due to blizzard conditions. Alton Towers Theme Park on the Staffordshire Moorlands was also closed due to the snow. Pressure rising slowly was 1010 mb with the slow-moving low filling 982 mb SW of Ireland with an occluded front over the Irish Sea and S Britain. Precipitation at Gorwel Heights 24-h to 09 GMT today was [39.0 mm] and in Llansadwrn just [7.1 mm] comparing with Pentraeth AWS (8.9 mm 00-00z on the 22nd and 5.1 mm 00-00z on the 21st). Almost continuous snow flakes, not settling here, until late afternoon; mostly wet snow at Gorwel Heights at first, with whiteout at a higher level above the village. The temperature falling below zero at Gorwel Heights from 1830 GMT (wind chill -5.6C).
On the 25th temperatures were a little higher and at 0900 GMT had risen to 1.2C so, by convention, becoming the maximum of the 24th. The 24th was therefore the second coldest day in any March since before 1979, but being a few days later became the lowest maximum on this date in the year beating the previous lowest 6.5C in 1986. A bright and sunny morning with the sky clearing leaving cumulus clouds. Snow was seen as low as 500 ft on the Carneddau Mountains, little changed these past several days, and still on the Great Orme. Snow flurries with small snow pellets around 02 GMT and before 09 GMT on the 27th the small deposits had disappeared by morning leaving bright blue flowers of 'glory of the snow' without any on rockery banks. Overnight minimum -0.4C and -2.0C on the grass. Pressure was steady on 1016 mb and it was a bright morning with just good visibility in thick smoke haze. Snow showers arrived at noon with large flakes and continued in the afternoon; one intense enough to reduce visibility to <100 m, but lasting only briefly on the ground. Subsequent showers turning to small flakes and by evening the sky was mostly clear with falling temperatures. Many roads are still blocked by deep snow drifts including at Penypass, the Denbigh Moors and the A543 from Pentrefoelas to the Sportsman's Arms (they used to do very 'good bacon and eggs' there). Valley 4.1 h sunshine, but Manston 10.0h; Porthmadog 5.9C here 4.4C and 3.4C at Gorwel Heights. The 28th similar, less windy so not feeling quite as cold. Pressure 1016 mb was unchanged in the ridge from high 1020 mb Norwegian Sea. Large Atlantic-low 949 mb S of Greenland, threatening the west, was making little progress eastward. Mostly sunny and with the sun higher in the sky with radiation more intense the 5.6C temperature out of the wind more pleasant. Gorwel Heights 5.4C, Mumbles Head 7.3C. Keeping very cold on the mountains, sometimes as low as -10C on the summit of Snowdon, snow and ice amounts little changed. Deep drifts including on the railway line to the summit of Yr Wyddfa where snow was being cleared by a mechanical excavator dwarfed by the height of the drifts. Another cold night 28/29th with the air minimum -2.9C and -6.2C on the grass. Slight frost was still on ground vegetation in the morning that was again sunny with just a few clouds over the mountains. A ridge of high-pressure was persisting over N Britain, from high 1021 mb Norwegian Sea, pressure here 1013 mb. Being kept to the W of Ireland was low 967 mb S of Greenland. A few small cumuli appeared in the afternoon otherwise sunny. Temperature 5.9C and if you found a sheltered spot pleasant; did some more digging on the vegetable plot. The soil surface looks dry and the local farmer having harrowed the field adjacent to the weather station put on some fertiliser. It will be interesting to see what he sows; usually it is pasture, but over the years there have been cereals. At the end of the month the mean temperature was 3.9C and was the lowest in the station's March records since 1979 (graphic left) and 0.1C lower than the Valley mean temperature for March 1962 (4.0C). Using a Llansadwrn/ Anglesey temperature series the mean temperature in Llansadwrn equalled that of 1962
April 2013April 1 - Continuing the cold E'ly winds of March the day began mostly cloudy with an occluded front lying to the south-west. There was a flock of redwings on the 'cricket field' to the SW and there was no sight or sound of the chiffchaff yet this season. The median date of the bird's arrival in the garden over the past 14-years is the 26th of March: the earliest was last year on the 19th March and the latest 12 April in 2001. Pressure was steady on 1013 mb with complex low 976 mb off SW Ireland. Overnight a touch if air frost -0.4C and a hard dry ground frost -4.1C there was no sign of frost. Good visibility with a few sunny spells and a maximum temperature of 5.4C. A dustfall was collected, but no need of trajectories. It was from the adjacent field and more of the same during the day as the farmer was drilling seed and this seemed to produce more dust than previous activities. The sky cleared again during the evening with temperatures falling. Almost clear sky overnight and at dawn of the 2nd with again air -0.8C and ground frosts -2.6C; there was slight white frost this morning. Pressure 1018 mb was rising slowly with the high 1023 mb S Norwegian Sea. The Med was keeping unsettled with low 994 mb over the Tyrrhenian Sea and jetstream persistent over the Gibraltar Strait. Visibility was very good and at Beaumaris, with the flag on the lifeboat station taut in the stiff breeze, fine views of Snowdonia, the Lleyn Peninsula and remnant snow on the tops of the Rivals Yr Rifl mountains. Snow on the Carneddau was a little patchier with vegetation appearing where thin remnant snow had disappeared. A few clouds in the middle of the day; finished digging the vegetable plot except where leeks are planted, but too cold I thought to plant the potatoes just yet.
Another sunny day on the 4th, but there was a moderate breeze from the NE and although the temperature at 0900 GMT was 4.0C the wind chill was -0.4C. A moderate amount of dust was blowing off the cultivated field. With the cold weather continuing I was using a reserve log pile for the house having finished the logs prepared for the winter! It was pleasant working in the greenhouse out of the wind. Started taking chrysanthemum cuttings, buds of the the Black Hamburg grape have burst open. Maximum temperature 8.1C. The 5th was a sunny day too and a little warmer with a maximum 8.4C. Mountain snow was brilliantly white, with patches of ice here and there sometimes glinting in reflected sunlight, before turning pink on the summits as the sun set in the evening. A large number of redwings are still on the field to the S of the weather station, a hare also spotted. No signs that the redwings are leaving yet and still no chiffchaff, with northbound summer migrants facing headwinds, delayed somewhere enroute. A peacock butterfly was seen in the garden. Clear sky overnight with air temperature down to -1.1C and to -5.3C on the grass with a slight to moderate white frost on fields early in the morning, remnants in shady areas at 0900 GMT on the 6th. Pressure was high 1027 mb rising slowly. Calm early now light E'ly breeze, good or very good visibility with light smoke haze. Sunny. No dust collected this morning: no chiffchaff and the redwings are still here. Cirrus clouds associated with the jet stream increased during the day. In the afternoon the 'Llansadwrn cloud' developed following wind shift from NNE to SW eventually disappearing when the wind returned NE'ly. Several large bumblebees were seen for the first time this year, some honeybees were buzzing on the now past its best pinkish red winter flowering heathers, there are abundant white spring heathers, but they prefer the pink ones. A single peacock butterfly was seen in the garden and more fritillaries are flowering in the meadow area. Clear and frosty night. A moderate white frost on the fields on the 7th at 0600 GMT (air min -0.8C; grass min -4.7C) had disappeared before 0900 GMT as the sky become overcast with altostratus cloud. The cloud thin enough for some weak sunshine. The breeze was a light S'ly and visibility moderate to good in smoke haze with moderately high levels of ozone 104 µg per m-3 (courtesy of Welsh Air Quality Forum website). Pressure 1021 mb was steady with low 994 mb SW of the Celtic Sea. The morning bright, bumble bees were about, but no chiffchaff. The sun remained behind the thin cloud all day, so was technically a 'sunless day'. I note a day of sunshine if there has been 6 minutes, or more, of bright sunless, enough to leave a mark on the chart of a Campbell Stokes 'glass sphere' sunshine recorder.
The 14th dawned overcast, wet and windy; light to moderate rain heavy at times. The SW'ly force 5/6 here, force 7 around the coast with rough water; light to moderate rain poor visibility. Gales on the mountains with high gusts recorded 75 mph at Capel Curig 49 mph at Gorwel Heights, 38 mph here. A pine tree had blown down in a nearby the field. The 10.7 mm rain was enough to wet up the soil producing a few small puddles by 09 GMT. After bottoming out 999.6 mb at 0622 GMT pressure 1002 mb was rising slowly the low 961 mb filling W of Ireland. Light to moderate rain; the temperature never below 11C over night was 11.7C at 0800 GMT had stated to fall 10.2C at 0900 GMT with the approach of a weak cold front. The wind moderated a little and there was a 2C fall in temperature then the sky brightened with sunny spells into the afternoon (max struggling to reach 12.8C) that continued very blustery with the wind strengthening again. In the SE of Britain airflow from S Europe briefly gave folk a taste of summer the temperature rising to 22.0C in Manston, Kent.
The morning of the 18th was brighter with a clearing sky and moderate to strong SW'ly wind. It was a day of sunshine and 'April showers'. With the rise in temperatures there were signs of spring. The recently cultivated field adjacent to the weather station is sprouting green and a flock of pigeons is losing interest in it. Some swollen damson buds are opening, several plant of naturalised comfrey are flowering on the woodland edge and I spotted the first violet flower on the rockery steps. Despite closer proximity to the mountains in the Gorwel Heights microclimate the Föhn-like winds and lee-sunshine make a difference and plum trees encouraged to flower sooner were shredded in the recent winds. There are patches of snow on the mountains as low as 750 ft and there is a chill in the wind, especially out of sunshine. Today's maximum was 11.4C here and 12.1C at Gorwel Heights.
It was back to grey skies, poor visibility and light rain on the morning of the 21st lasting until afternoon, due to a cold front moving slowly SE over the Irish Sea. The afternoon was brighter with some sunshine apart from a shower of rain around 1830 GMT. A few buds had appeared on some of the more bluebells in the wood.
On the 30th with firmer ground more cattle had been put on to the fields around Llansadwrn. Some early beech trees are beginning to developed fresh bright green leaves. Alexanders was in full flower at the Almshouses on the road to Beaumaris. Garden rhododendrons were late flowering this year. Mostly sunny at first, a few towering cumuli were seen over the mountains. There were plenty of snow patches to be seen on the mountains on last day of April, these on NW-facing slopes of Carnedd Dafydd
May 2013May 1 - A fine and bright morning; clear skies overnight and a touch of ground frost (-0.7C). By 0930 GMT it was turning cloudier as a (dry) cold front moved SE over the Irish Sea bringing just a few spots of rain to the Ogwen Valley by noon. Pressure was steady on 1025 mb and visibility very good. By 1230 GMT the front was clearing leaving a sunny afternoon, the temperature rising to 14.4C highest of the year so far; 15.6C at Gorwel Heights. Sunshine continued into the evening. A female chiffchaff had arrived in the garden and was seen taking water in the afternoon.; Beech, with its fresh bright-green foliage and hazel are coming into leaf and orange tip butterflies were seen. Two days of summer-like weather. The 6th dawned fine and bright though breezy. Just 3 oktas of altocumulus with 1 or 2 lenticular clouds to the S of the station, an indication of a southerly airflow. A mostly sunny day the temperature rising to a pleasant warmish 16.9C at 1444 GMT (16.1C at Gorwel Heights). Temperatures elsewhere reached my threshold for a warm summer day, Hawarden (Flintshire) 20.4C and 22.2C in St. James Park in London. A fine, but cool evening. The 7th was a different morning entirely with a warm continental feel. The temperature at 0900 GMT, the highest of the past 24-h) had already reached 18.2C (dewpoint 6.9C; RH 48%) in a light SE'ly breeze. A summer day; sunny and warm the temperature rising to 22.2C (Gorwel Heights 21.6C). Warmest in N Wales (Hawarden 22.9C) and Liverpool (Crosby 23.7C). Oak leaves are beginning to appear; wild cherry had started to flower in the garden and was more advanced in woodland along the Menai Strait adjacent to the A5 into Bangor. Temperatures in the North Sea by the 6th had risen since 11th April (see Diary) and today reached 7.2C; 5.1C in S Baltic and 5.9C at North Cape while the Barents Sea was only 2.7C and Kemi at the head of the icy Gulf of Bothnia 1.1C. Cardigan Bay water was 7.4C while the Gulf Stream in the Atlantic W of Ireland was 13.3C. To find somewhere warmer to put a toe into go to Portugal 17.0C; Gibraltar Strait 17.6C; St Tropez 16.6C and E Mediterranean 20.0C.
It was back to normal on the 8th with a low 990 mb over Donegal Bay pressure here was 998 mb. A warm night 16.3C at 1150 GMT had fallen to 11.9C (dewpoint 10.2C, RH 89%) at 0900 GMT. It was a mostly cloudy morning with the odd spot of rain soon turning blustery showery rain. Brighter in the afternoon with a little sunshine breaking through at times (max 12.9C). Windy, force 5 with 31 mph gusts. Worsening weather on the 9th as the low taking a liking to Donegal Bay was deepening 983 mb with pressure here 997 mb falling rapidly. Strengthening SSW'ly wind force 6/7 at 0900 GMT, raining and poor visibility. Fresh leaves on trees being shredded, torn off swaying branches littering the ground. Wind gusted 51 mph (1203 GMT) at Gorwel Heights; the afternoon continued with blustery showers with a few bright spells as the wind moderated. Gales recorded at Mumbles (highest gust 71 mph), Aberdaron, Anglesey (Mona gust 57 mph) and Capel Curig (gust 67 mph). Little improvement on the 10th overcast misty rain and moderate visibility, less windy with brief bright spells in the drier afternoon. The 11th had wintry showers on the mountains and Anglesey. Several moderate to heavy showers of small hail (ice pellets 2 - 3 mm) in the morning and afternoon (26 mm/ h at 1350z) (ice pellets up to 4 - 5 mm falling 31 mm/h at 1710z) the temperature falling 5/6C during showers; today's maximum was 12.1C. There was a clear view of the mountains at 0800 GMT on the 12th (overnight air minimum here 4.3C), snow patches were persisting, but there was no fresh snow. Within the hour cloud had descended and it was raining as a warm front moved in across the Irish Sea. The cool (max 10.5C) sunless day was wet (6.2 mm) and windy. Keeping up the moderate breeze temperatures on the 13th were little different with a maximum of 10.6C. Pressure was steady on 1010 mb with low 975 mb between Iceland and NW Scotland tracking eastward. A cold front was over the English Channel and we were in a showery W'ly airflow. There was a sprinkling of fresh snow on the mountaintops with the Snowdon summits AWS reporting -1C at 09 GMT. The air temperature was 8.1C (dewpoint 4.7C) with little chance of ice precipitation here. There were some brighter spells, odd glimpses of sunshine and slight showers often no more than a few spots of rain with a trace recorded. A day for the greenhouse and potting shed sowing runner bean seeds and pricking out lettuces. There is no way that runner beans with crop well here unless plants are raised in the greenhouse and planted out in the first or second week of June to maximise the short growing period. We can have some cold days and nights in June; this year its likely to be the second or third week! The 14th was a little brighter, overnight grass minimum 2.9C, but continuing cool just getting into double digits with a maximum of just 10.0C, lowest of the month, so far. Kept warm mowing the lawns. Sub-10C temperatures in May are not unrecorded here, 9.6C on 16th in 1979 and 9.9C in 1995; 8.9 on 17th 1995; 9.8C on 19th 1996; and 9.7C in June 1996. Helens Bay, Ireland, today reported a maximum of 14.9C and Tiree Island, just to the N of here, 11.1h of sunshine.
The 20th dawned overcast and dull with a light N'ly breeze. Pressure 1016 mb was steady with a slow-moving warm front over North Wales associated with low 1005 mb over the Baltic, pressure was high 1034 mb N of the Azores. Dry the past 24-h; the grass was wet with dew drops (guttation) at the tips of the leaves. Visibility was only moderate in smoke and dust haze; some brighter spells otherwise dull and quite dark at times. Under thickening cloud there was with fine drizzle in the evening enough to wet concrete, but not show on rainfall radar. Glasgow was sunniest 10.1h while it was warmest in Strathallen 22.3C. Drizzle again on the morning of the 21st. Pressure was high 1035 mb over the Atlantic W of Ireland with a cold front, associated with low 1001 mb Norwegian Sea, over the Irish Sea. The afternoon was sunny for a while, in a clear slot, before turning cloudier again. Maximum temperature 13.6C, highest 18.3C at Llysdinam. A bright cool morning on the 22nd the temperature at 0900 GMT in a N'ly breeze was 10.3C (dewpoint 6.6C). Pressure 1023 mb was rising slowly with high 1037 mb W of Ireland with lows 995 mb Skagerrak and 996 mb Tyrrhenian Sea the Mediterranean continuing to be unsettled. A detached cold front lay over Wales and SW England moving south-eastwards. Variable amounts of cloud, sunny at times. During the dry evening the wind moderated and was almost calm but cool (7.5C), brown long-eared bats were out at 2045 GMT, but the pipistrelles had not appeared from their maternity roost by 2115 GMT. A showery trough drifting S from Scotland brought squally winds and a sharp shower of rain and small ice pellets rattling on N-facing windows at 2217 GMT.
On the 29th woken by rumble of an earth tremor at 0316 GMT, resembling the passing of a heavy lorry and vibrations of house and windows lasting perhaps 12 seconds, or so. The British Geological Survey reported a tremor of magnitude 3.8 at a depth of 8 km 53 km SW of here near Pwllheli, Llyn Peninsula, and at 0320 GMT Mag 1.7 . There were previously some tremors Mag 1.7 around 0100 GMT at the same location. It was the largest earthquake in North Wales since the Mag 4.3 on 18th August 1984. It was the most significant of recent events noticed here since the tremors 5 km SW of Bangor, Gwynedd on 1 September 2010, and on 7th February this year 2 tremors 15 km S of here in Caernarfon Bay Mag. 2.3 and 26 km SW at 22.44 GMT Mag. 1.9 . I remember well the largest earthquake recorded on mainland Britain, epicentre just 20 km W of the current quake, of Mag 5.4 at 0656 GMT on 19th July 1984 with its frequent after shocks continuing for some weeks. See also the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre's (EMSC) report of today's event here that gave a Mag of 4.0, 76 km to the SW.
June 2013June 1 - A clear sky overnight with a minimum air temperature of 6.1C and 2.5C on the grass. At dawn cloud encroached and by 0900 GMT was the sky was overcast. Pressure 1027 mb was rising with the ridge over Britain persisting. A little brighter later and with some sunshine breaking through the temperature reached 15.6C. A brighter morning on the 2nd with pressure steady on 1031 mb in a ridge from with Celtic Sea high 1033 mb 6 oktas cumulus and altocumulus clouds. Very good visibility; sunny spells later in the afternoon.
The 7th was another warm and sunny day. Pressure was steady on 1025 mb and at 09 GMT the temperature was 16.9C and was to rise to 20.2C and 20.9C at Gorwel Heights while Valley sheltered from the NE'ly breeze reached 22.2C and 24.7C in Porthmadog. Llanbedrgoch potatoes have been on sale now for 2 weeks and today 2 kg were selling for £5 competitively priced compared with Jersey Royals in the supermarkets; my earlies are not yet ready on the garden plot. With high 1028 mb settled over northern Britain (here 1023 mb) the 8th again started fine with not a cloud in the sky at 09 GMT. There was a rare 'continental' feel to the air this morning at 18.7C and 64% relative humidity. Rising today to 20.8C here and 22.3C at Valley. Similar on the 9th, sunny with few cloud; 19.8C here, 20.4C at Gorwel Heights and 22.2C in Porthmadog. It was too good to last, on the 10th cloud had encroached and it was dull with a light SW'ly breeze, but dry. Visibility was moderate with smoke haze. Pressure was 1014 mb in an elongated ridge of high pressure (1018 mb). The jetstream was poised to the SW with a frontal wave 1002 mb SW Ireland. The wind backed NE'ly during the afternoon and there was a bright spell with a little weak sunshine around 1500 GMT. It was 23.4C at Achnagart in Aberdeenshire today, 16.3C here and 17.6C at Gorwel Heights after 4 days with 20C, or more. On the 11th the weather had deteriorated; it was dull and breezy with 'spits and spots' of rain all day (2.2 mm). Similar on the 12th, windy light to moderate rain at times with a brief brighter spell and glimpse of sunshine in the afternoon before more moderate by evening. More volume today 13.7 mm recorded over 14 h duration; Gorwel Heights [2.6 mm], Isle of Man [11.8 mm], Capel Curig [19.8 mm]. On the 13th there was fog between 05 and 06 GMT and at 0900 GMT in drizzle visibility was poor. Rain turning moderate to heavy during the morning beginning to ease by noon with a drier and brighter afternoon and evening. Another 12.2 mm recorded over just 6 h duration; Gorwel Heights [9.6 mm], Capel Curig [13.6 mm] . Not much better on the 14th, overcast slight rain (1.9 mm) and poor visibility, while the 15th began bright and breezy, the SW'ly a noisy force 5 making larger tree branches sway, and was a mostly sunny cooler day (maximum 14.7C here 17.1C at Gorwel Heights) with slight showers of rain during the evening. Despite the more 'normal' warmer sunny days at the beginning the mean temperature for the first 15-d was 9.4C (-1.3) & [-0.6] of averages. The mean maximum 17.3C (-0.8) & [-0.5] of averages with the highest maximum 20.8C on the (-3.7) based on the last 10-y average. Soil temperature at 30 cm 14.8C was (-1.4). Rainfall 32.3 mm is close to average for 15-d (44%) & [48%] but the annual total 336.0 mm is running 113 mm below the long-term average and 179 mm below that of 1945, the driest year in Llansadwrn since before 1928. Sunshine at Valley was 127h 74% of the 30-y monthly average so far. The 16th and 17th continued similar, not a lot of rain, but mostly cloudy and maxima 17.7C and 17.4C respectively. The 18th began fine and sunny with a cool NE'ly breeze, but the temperature rose to 20.4C by noon (21.2C at Gorwel Heights in Llanfairfechan). Visibility was good but hazy, a dry day. The 19th was again overcast and calm at first brightening with some sunshine later (maximum 17.7C, 16.3C at Gorwel Heights) and kept dry.
The 26th began very murkily with fine drizzle around dawn then lifting by 0830 GMT. There was a light SW'ly breeze and by 0900 GMT was NE'ly and the sky had begun to slowly clear with moderate visibility.
It was back to overcast sky and more rain on the 27th. Very dull under a thick uniform grey stratiform cloud layer the rain continued at times most of the sunless day and there was fog for about an hour from 1700 GMT. Maximum 13.7C and rainfall 7.6 mm; summer continuing in the southern Britain with Cardiff having 20.8C and Solent 21.6C. A rerun on the 28th; overcast uniform grey thick cloud no precipitation at first, but setting in during the morning becoming moderately heavy for a spell around 1300 GMT when breezy before the SW'ly backed NE'ly as the rain petered out. Sunless day with 2.3 mm rainfall. On the 29th ravens were croaking on their favourite tall pine tree and there were some breaks in the cloud with one or two sunny spells developing by afternoon. A dry day. The 30th was a blustery day with a moderate S'ly wind. Pressure 1021 mb was falling slowly at 09 GMT; the temperature 14.7C (dewpoint 12.5C) and visibility was good. Dry at first with some dampness on the wind, little temperature variation and eventually slight rain as a weak cold front passed over around 1830 GMT. The wind had reached force 6 before quickly moderating. June ended with a total of 58.3 mm rainfall (79%) & [86%] of averages. The mean temperature 13.5C (-0.9) & [-0.4] was highest since 2011 and ranked 33 since 1942. It was sunniest at Valley since 2010 and the 10th sunniest June on the Anglesey record since 1930.
July 2013July 1 - and not a lot of change to the unsettled weather pattern. Pressure 1012 mb was steady with low 989 mb was N of Scotland and we were in a moist westerly airflow under stratiform cloud. Complex lows S of Greenland were tracking briskly eastward. Drizzle and a shower of rain just before 09 GMT with poor visibility. Some more slight showers with bright spells later and a clearing sky towards evening. On the 2nd pressure 1007 mb was falling slowly with the next low 989 mb W of Scotland with a frontal wave near Cork, Ireland. The morning starting overcast and dry the S'ly breeze picked up to moderate to fresh with showery rain arriving between 13000 & 1400 GMT, at 1630 GMT and from 2130 to midnight. A heavier burst at 2140 GMT fell at a rate up to 16 mm /hour. Total rainfall was 11.9 mm. The day's maximum of 14.6C was lowest of the month; the 18.2C at Gorwel Heights was also lowest of the month. The 3rd was overcast and dull well into the afternoon, but began to clear from the W around 15 GMT reaching within the hour to give a sunny end to the day.
With another low 986 mb S of Iceland on the 4th an associated cold front brought a short burst of heavy rain and 29 mph wind at 0700 GMT. At 0900 GMT fine rain and drizzle was easing and we were in low stratiform cloud with very poor visibility. With the SW'ly wind moderating by noon the sky was brightening and brought a sunny afternoon. The first sweetpeas are appearing and there were small bumblebees around the garden hopefully visiting the broad beans on the vegetable plot that are a mass of flower. The temperature rose to 19.6C at 1512 GMT, but in Llanfairfechan the maximum was 21.3C at 1534 GMT. Some patchy cloud encroached later in the afternoon becoming mostly cloudy in the evening.
Cloudy began to clear after dawn on the 5th with pressure 1029 mb rising at 0900 GMT. The temperature was 16.2C with a light SW'ly breeze, good, but very hazy visibility. Pressure was high 1030 mb centred off the Scilly Isles and low 982 mb SE Iceland with a warm front over central Scotland. A sunny day with valley reporting 12.1h sunshine and solar radiation here 24.04 MJ m -2. On the 6th high pressure 1031 mb covered most of southern Britain and here was steady on 1029 mb. A patch of broken cloud affected west Wales in the morning that was mostly sunny here. In Llanfairfechan the temperature rose to 21.6C while Heathrow had one of the highest 28.1C. The hot sunny weather continued in most inland parts on the 7th while Scotland and western and eastern coastal fringes kept cooler; Cardiff had 28.3C and Hurn 29.7C with 22.3C at Valley, Hawarden had 15.1h sunshine and Wattisham saw 15.2h. Much of the same on the 8th with North Wales and Ireland (unusually) seeing more of the higher temperatures and lower on the E coast of England with some cloud drifting in off the North Sea in the morning burning away by afternoon. Gorwel Heights in Llanfairfechan had a maximum temperature of 25.5C, Cardiff 27.9C, Shannon 28.4C and Solent 29.6C. The 9th began warm with hazy sunshine again with high pressure 1033/ 1034 mb stable over southern Britain and Ireland with temperatures exceeding 28C in many places, highest 29.6C in the Solent and 28.4C in Shannon. Highest here and Llanfairfechan was 25.5C with 27.9C in Cardiff. The 19th had the highest maxima and minima of the month 26.9C and 16.6C in Llansadwrn and 27.6C and 18.3C at Gorwel Heights in Llanfairfechan.
The 21st was the 18th day without measurable rain and would have qualified as an absolute drought. The terminology introduced by G. J. Symons in 1887 is no longer used officially, it required a minimum of 15 days none of which was credited with 0.2 mm, or more. Today many other definitions are used in different environmental contexts. The drought was broken on the 22nd with just 0.2 mm of rainfall recorded. It was a cloudy warm and humid day.
On the 27th with a moderate overnight dewfall and wet grass the day began bright with 6 oktas of cumuli and cirrus, good but hazy visibility. Pressure 1008 mb was falling slowly as storms developed over northern France in the afternoon. Keeping cool here with a maximum of 20.8C, but 28.9C at Heathrow and Hawarden 25.6C and 23.6C at Gorwel Heights where there were heavy shower at 1948 GMT (41 mm/h) and 2220 GMT (52 mm/h) [18.8 mm]. Here some slight showers in the evening and night [4.8 mm]. Leek Thorncliffe, Staffordshire {49.8 mm}.
On the 30th a visit was made of Newborough Forest and the sand dune system bordering Malltraeth Bay. After the dry weather there was not a lot of water in the pool that has been filling with iris and other plants in recent years. The main dune slack, that had been left unforested, has been invaded with naturally seeded pine trees from the forest and this had led to further habitat degradation of what was a prime botanical site. This is very disappointing as the seedlings could have been removed. The amount of tree growth can be seen here A developing frontal-wave low SW Ireland with a warm front over mid Wales brought overcast skies and moderate rain at 08 GMT on the 31st. Rain eased and it was brighter by 11 GMT for a while, but a band of heavy rain was over Cardigan Bay at noon and this moved over Snowdonia in the afternoon. There was light to moderate rain here in the afternoon blowing across the fields on a moderate to fresh SW'ly wind [16.8 mm was largest of the month]; Gorwell [12.8 mm], but Capel Curig [43.6 mm]. July ended with a mean temperature of 17.7C [(+1.9)], highest since 2006 and the third warmest July on record here since 1941. Even with the 16.8 mm on the last day rainfall 59.6 mm was below average (64%) & [85%]. The 421.6 mm rainfall since January remains below the total 459.2 mm reached in July 1945 and well below the long-term average 527.1 mm. It was a remarkably sunny month at Valley (311.4 h), the sunniest month of any on record (K&Z adjusted) since 1931..
August 2013
On the 2nd a bright morning with showers in the vicinity. There were a few spots in Beaumaris around 0900 GMT. Here 18.7C (dewpoint 15.7C) and pressure 1003 mb rising slowly; low 987 mb was stationed off the Western Isles with strong winds in its showery circulation. A fine but very windy day; the SW'ly (f6 at times) very gusty in the afternoon swaying the large branches of trees in full leaf at this time of year. A maximum of 20.9C was reached just after noon, 23.2C at Gorwel Heights was highest of the month, and the day kept dry. Valley reported 13.3h of sunshine just exceeded at Boulmer 13.7h. Jellyfish continue to cause problems on Anglesey beaches; 4 people were stung on Lligwy Beach; Coastguards gave first aid and advise people not to go in the sea. Another bright and breezy morning on the 3rd with pressure 1011 mb rising rapidly. Low 986 mb was tracking N near Rockall; the wind was SW'ly f5 and there were fair weather cumulus clouds overhead with some towering cumuli over the Snowdonia Mountains. The wind gusty again in the mostly sunny afternoon with 'beefy' cumuli to the S edging closer at times dispersing before evening; cooler with a maximum of 19.4C. Valley topped the sunshine league again with 12.3h while Norwich AP had the highest temperature 25.4C.
Another breezy day on the 10th the SW'ly f5/6 becoming bright with sunny spells and clear sky for a while from noon; breezy f5/6. There was a slight shower of rain around 2200 GMT. Keeping cool in the north-west, maximum here 18.7C while 23.0C at Heathrow. Wettest at Trawsgoed {5.0 mm}, sunniest at St Athan 8.1h; Valley 1.6h The breeze was picking up again at 09 GMT on the 11th. Bright, sometimes sunny, with a light shower of rain at 1100 GMT clearing sky later although cumulus clouds once again persisted over Snowdonia. The first 16-days had a mean temperature of 16.0C [(0.4)] a little above averages. The highest 22.3C on the 1st, however, was running (-2.0). Due largely to the 89.2 mm on the 4th accumulated rainfall 121.1 mm, most sine 2004, was (146%) & [151%] of the August average. Sunshine at Valley 81h had been about average.
The 17th dawned overcast with ragged low cloud. Pressure 1006 mb was falling quickly with low 979 mb NW of Scotland. An occluded front over Ireland at 0900 GMT was moving eastward. Dull with spots of rain on the force 5/6 S'ly introduced a wet and windy day with moderate to heavy rain from 1030 GMT heaviest, 26 mm/h at 1043 GMT, and only stopping around 1430 GMT. The sky began to clear after 18 GMT with glimpses of sunshine and less wind. The wind was strong enough during the day to bring some apples off the Bardsey apple tree and to make the line of runner beans heel over. At Capel Curing rainfall was [25.0 mm] and at Shap Fell [31.4 mm]. The maximum temperature here was 16.9C while it reached 23.2C at Norwich AP. On the 18th pressure 1008 mb was rising with the low 980 mb over the Norwegian Sea N of Scotland. Mostly cloudy and with visibility only moderate, some bright spells with glimpses of sunshine and spots of rain morning and afternoon. Kew Gardens reported a maximum temperature of 25.7C here managing just 17.8C, but 5.5h sunshine at Valley. A dry day on the 19th with sunny spells and a maximum of 17.8C and again Kew Gardens was highest at 24.4C and Manston sunniest with 12.1h. In this garden I lifted the last of the Aran Pilot potatoes; with the soil on the dry side the job was easier than usual the potatoes not needing cleaning and drying before storage. Despite the cold spring and summer drought I was pleased with the crop. Again taking advantage of the dry day some logs were cut and the winter store of dry wood topped up. Pressure was steady on 1027 mb on the 20th and with scattered cumuli under cirrus clouds there some sunny spells especially in the afternoon. Visibility was moderate in haze with Saharan dust in the air. A little warmer today the temperature reaching 19.7C, but not as warm as Writtle with 25.5C. During the late evening the clouds cleared away and there was bright moonlight by 22 GMT. By the morning of the 21st the sky was overcast again with low stratiform cloud and poor visibility with mist and rain blowing across the fields on a light to moderate S'ly wind. Brighter in the afternoon with a few glimpses of sunshine. Maxima today Writtle in Essex 27.2; Gorwel Heights 22.7C enhanced lee-effect; and Llansadwrn 19.1C. The sky was clearer at midnight with moonshine through cirrus with halo.
On the 22nd a low 984 mb W of Ireland was tracking N while pressure here at 0900 GMT was steady of 1019 mb. The grass was wet with guttation dew and the air warm and humid 17.1C (dewpoint 16.1C). There were signs of the cloud breaking up, but clear sky was at a premium here. To the NE over Red Wharf Bay, Penmon and beyond to Liverpool Bay there was blue. In the few sunny spells breaking through the persistent Llansadwrn cloud (seen on the left of the photograph above and below left) it was pleasantly warm with light breezes. Sunnier too in Llanfairfechan and the foothills of the Carneddau Mountains that were in a lee-clearance. On the 25th there were small earthquakes in the Irish Sea 86 km NE of here off Blackpool at 0538 GMT Mag 2.4 and 0958 GMT Mag 3.2 that were felt in Lancashire and Cumbria, but not here. Pressure was 1018 mb with Atlantic-high 1025 mb SW of Ireland and low 1009 mb NE France and Italy. Overnight the air minimum went down to 9.2C (10.1C at Gorwel Heights lowest of the month). There was heavy dew with the grass minimum reading 5.4C. It was a sunny day with just a small cumulus cloud visible at 0900 GMT; a light SSW'ly breeze at first. Some convergent cloud developed overhead at times in the morning. In the afternoon with a NE'ly breeze off the sea the cloud disappeared, but it was increasingly hazy. Clear calm evening. A maximum of 18.5C at Gorwel Heights, 19.3C here; 22.5C in Porthmadog and 25.0C at Solent. Valley had 12.6h sunshine.
In complete contrast to yesterday the 27th dawned dull and overcast. An occluded front was over the Irish Sea and the morning mostly cloudy. Brighter by afternoon, moderate visibility with Saharan dust haze, and a sunny end to the day and calm overnight. A dry day with a maximum of 19.2C. Usk 23.6C; Solent 26.1C and 11.4h of sunshine in Leconfield. A bright morning on the 28th, 3 oktas cloud cover with very good almost clear visibility the dust haze having moved away. The ravens, after being absent for a while, were back in the tallest pine tree surveying the scene. The month ended with a mean temperature of 15.8C [(+0.2)] lowest since 2011, but one of the 11 highest since 1979. Rainfall was 136.6 mm due largely to the 89.2 mm on the 4th the largest daily fall in any month at this station. Sunshine at Valley was 162.9h lowest since 2010.
September 2013
September 1 - And a dull cooler beginning to the month; overcast with low cloud on the mountains in a light W'ly breeze. Pressure was high 1030 mb within the high 1034 mb over the Celtic Sea as a low 998 mb traversed the Norwegian Sea. A warm front was slow-moving lying to the north-west. At 09 GMT 13.6C (dewpoint 10.7C) and rising to just 14.7C at 1300 GMT in a brighter spell with a glimpse, behind cloud, of weak sunshine. Low 20's today were the best at Usk 20.8C and highest Heathrow 22.3C. Although cloudy in the high pressure there was little in the way of rain except in the north where {20.8 mm} fell in Lerwick. Similar on the 2nd, but the cloud thick enough for mist and fine drizzle resulting in poor visibility. Soon turning drier and by afternoon brighter with one or two sunny spells then the sky clearing by evening that was sunny.
The river Loire pictured above, the largest French river, meanders some 1012 km, from the Ardeche in the eastern Massif Central, to enter the Atlantic at St Nazaire. At midnight a frontal-wave low was developing over the Irish sea and by morning of the 7th the a low 1006 mb was over the North Channel with shower trough moving across Wales; a wet and breezy day and much cooler than of late; after an overnight minimum of 8.2C at Gorwel Heights, lowest since 3rd June, the maximum reached just 11.4C at 1440 GMT, lowest since 24th May. The maximum at Valley was 12.6C, with little sunshine 0.4h, and Capel Curig 10.6C with [13.0 mm] rain. Places in the S kept summer warmth with Weybourne highest at 20.8C. Wettest was St Bees Hd. [25.8 mm], sunniest was Manston 10.3h. The low, not moving far, was 1009 mb over N Ireland at midnight. The early autumnal coolness was kept in the N on the 8th with overnight frost in Redesdale -0.3C, and after another night of sub 10C temperatures (Gorwel Height 9.0C) began showery within low 1009 mb over N Ireland, and brightened through the day with a little sunshine in the afternoon and evening raising the temperature to 16.3C. Heavy showers, some thundery, were widespread in the west and south. Manston 20.3C; wet in parts including W & S Wales Aberporth [21.4 mm], Sennybridge [19.8 mm], Gorwel Heights (12.4 mm), Mumbles Hd. [12.0 mm]: Dry and sunny in Aberdeen 11.9h & Leuchars 10.4h. The 9th began with a low steaming eastward along the English Channel, a trough over S England and an occluded front over NW France with light rain as far S as the Charente Maritime clearing by the evening. Showers developed widely in Scotland and NE England in the afternoon. With some weak convective clouds persisting over the mountains of Snowdonia it was a mostly sunny and dry day on Anglesey and North Wales coastal areas. Bournemouth 20.8C; High Wycombe [16.2 mm]; Aberporth 8.3h, Valley 8.1h. On the 10th with lows over the North Sea 1008 mb tracking SSE, and the Netherlands, the day began showery over the Snowdonia Mountains and with cloud increasing was mostly cloudy, but dry on Anglesey. After an early morning minimum of 12.8C in a WNW'ly breeze it was cool and dry at Gorwel Heights, maximum 14.5C at 1140 GMT. Yeovilton 20.2C; Sule Skerry [11.5 mm]; Glasgow 10.5h. Dull and mostly cloudy (little or no sunshine anywhere) with slight rain or drizzle at times on the 11th as a warm front, associated with low pressure over the Western Isles, tracked south-east across the Irish Sea as yesterday's low moved further E across the S North Sea. Light to moderate rain in Llanfairfechan in the afternoon 6.4 mm to midnight. Castlederg NI 18.7C; Cardinham [10.0 mm]. Another mostly cloudy day on the 12th with a warm front slow-moving across Wales with drizzle or light rain at times. Gorwel Heights 20.9C, Yeovilton 20.2C, Weybourne [9.2 mm], Prestwick 9.1h. The 13th saw little change with a frontal-wave low over the English Channel. Widespread heavy rain in the S, showery rain in the N and little or no sunshine. Thorney Is. 20.9C; Northolt [30.8 mm]; Waddington 3.6h. A bright morning on the 14th with scattered clouds with a little sunshine through the morning, especially E of the Great Orme, with showers at times in Snowdonia. Overnight an air minimum of 7.4C was 1 of 2 lowest of the month. A mostly sunny afternoon on Anglesey; Valley 9.3h. Pressure was 1019 mb rising slowly in a ridge of high-pressure over western Britain during the day. Complex lows 1007 mb and frontal systems lay to the E over the North Sea with a cold front moving SE across France. The Charente Maritime was overcast with pressure 1016 mb falling slowly to 1009 mb light rain in the morning with embedded bursts of heavy rain in the afternoon along the line of the front; Nantes [26.7 mm] and Avord [44.0 mm]. In W France too temperatures even S of the river Loire, maximum 18.7C today near Royan, 16.9C in Nantes, are lower than usual for the time of year. Temperatures are near the normal further S; highest 27.8C in Montelimar. At Gorwel Heights in a WNW'ly breeze the day was dry with a maximum temperature of 14.6C at 1500 GMT while in Kenley (London) a low maximum of 12.4C was recorded. The most sunshine and highest temperatures were in the N in Scotland with 9.6h in Glasgow and 19.6C in Eskdalemuir. A cool evening on the 14th, with an air minimum 7.8C the 3.4C on the grass was lowest of the month. A wet and windy day on the 15th as frontal cloud associated with a deep low 980 mb near Iceland moved across from the west. By afternoon the warm front was over SE England and the cold front over Wales (high gusts Gorwel Heights 34 mph at 0950 GMT; Valley 43 mph 2050 GMT) clearing North Wales by 1500 GMT introducing a cool showery airflow with some sunny spells {Valley 2.3h}. The highest temperature here today was 15.3C and in Rhyl 18.9C while 16.4C was reached at Gorwel Heights. Wettest were Tulloch Bridge [32.8 mm], Cluanie Inn in Scotland with{52.8 mm}and Lake Vyrnwy [15.6 mm]; sunniest Belfast 4.5h. With deep low 963 mb N of Scotland on the 16th the autumnal cold plunge continued with a showery NW'ly airflow from Arctic Spitzbergen. The temperature at Gorwel Heights rose from a minimum of 7.9C to 12.3C soon after noon. The highest UK maximum was on Thorney Island 16.9C and sunniest was Heathrow on 9.4h. It was wet in the Lake District 18.4 mm falling in Keswick. Low 974 mb had tracked SE a little and was N of Wick and still pulling down the cool Arctic air from Russia via Spitzbergen in the NW'ly airflow at 0000 GMT on the 17th. A frontal-wave low 994 mb over the Atlantic was drawn into the cool flow overnight and was over N Ireland at 0900 GMT, placing a warm front over the Irish Sea; western Britain was wet and windy from the start. At Gorwel Heights pressure fell from 1003 mb at midnight, with a heavy shower at 0302 GMT up to 33 mm/h, and was 999 mb (09 GMT) and a temperature 10.4C fell quickly in moderate to heavy rain to 7.8C by 1030 GMT, a total of 6.0 mm falling by 1130 GMT [10.6 mm]. The temperature recovered to the day's (00-00z) maximum of 10.7C at 1530 GMT as pressure continued to fall to 995 mb at 1700 GMT before starting to rise. In September 2012 10.6C was recorded on the 25th and the 10.7C in Llansadwrn was the lowest September maximum in 34-years. The 09-09z maximum at Gorwel Heights, however, was 11.4C. The day was sunless at Valley. Heavy rain moved across Wales [Sennybridge 39.8 mm] and later S England [Herstmonceux 23.8 mm]. Yeovilton and Hurn had the highest temperatures 17.9C; lowest were seen in Dublin 10.0C and Glen Ogle 8.2C, but on mountains a taste of winter with Aonach Mor 3.0C and Cairngorm a min of -0.6C and a max of 1.6C. Aviemore was sunniest 6.4h. Low 995 mb was over the Netherlands with an associated occluded front over the English Channel and cold front over central France on the 18th. A bright morning around Irish Sea coasts with orographic cloud over the mountaintops of Wales and closely packed marine closed and open cells to the NW. Pressure 1007 mb was rising in a transient ridge. Few clouds in the morning on Anglesey increasing to scattered clouds by the afternoon with a light to moderate WNW'ly breeze. After a minimum of 8.8C the temperature rose to 14.0C at Gorwel Heights in the afternoon. Solent 18.0C; Baltasound {19.0 mm}; Edinburgh 10.2h. Overnight Atlantic-low 991 mb S of Iceland brought thickening frontal cloud and rain on the 19th moving ESE first over western Ireland then Irish Sea and western Britain. Light to moderate rain, with heavy bursts, and gusty wind (26 mph at Gorwel Heights at 0912 GMT) at first; the receding edge of frontal cloud was was over the Irish Sea at 0900 GMT with low 995 mb off the Western Isles. With brighter weather soon following the rain stopped around 1000 GMT with pressure rising from a low of 1002 mb sunny spells developed with few clouds by the afternoon becoming clear over Anglesey as an orographic line of cumuli persisted over the Snowdonia Mountains with a few in the lee of the Great Orme. After a minimum of 9.9C the temperature at Gorwel Heights rose to 15.1C by 1330 GMT and in Llansadwrn to 17.4C. Under clear sky a cool evening in Llansadwrn with the temperature on the grass falling to 3.9C, second lowest of the month, there was heavy dew. Pershore 20.2C; Dublin 7.4h, Valley 6.9h. The 20th began mostly cloudy with a little sunshine braking through orographic cloud in western Anglesey and Snowdonia. With low 980 mb SE Greenland and low 1004 mb N Sea pressure 1018 mb was rising slowly in a ridge of high-pressure associated with high 1026 mb W Iberia. A frontal-wave low was off SW Ireland. Cloud persisted in the afternoon with little or no sunshine except in the lee of mountain slopes . Temperatures a little lower than of late with 19.4C the maximum in St James's Park in the sunnier southern England; Bristol 7.9h. With orographic clouds persisting over Snowdonia and low stratiform cloud off the Irish Sea it was a dull morning on Anglesey on the 21st. Pressure was steady on 1020 mb in ridge from high 1025 mb Bay of Biscay. Frontal-wave low was sailing eastward along the English Channel. In a dominant ESE Föhn-like breeze the North Wales coast (and N central England) was warm and sunny; from an overnight minimum of 10.7C (2045 GMT on the 20th) the temperature rose to 23.0C in Llanfairfechan, highest of the month, 22.4C in Hawarden (Rhyl n/a), Hereford 22.5C. Newport (Salop) in Shropshire with 23.1C was overall highest. Aberporth 5.7h, Valley 0.1h. Stratocumulus cloud and fog was affecting southern Britain and N France on the morning of the 22nd, within high 1030 mb N Italy and France, persisting into the afternoon in S Wales, S England and central France. Western France, central northern England and parts of N Wales were sunny. Warmest were Donna Nook and Coningsby 24.4C, Aberdaron 22.9C Hawarden 22.3C with 11.2h sunshine. Pressure was steady on 1025 mb at 0900 GMT on the 23rd within a ridge from high 1028 mb over Belgium and N Italy. Stratiform cloud and fog covered much of Britain and across the Channel to N France leaving the east coast from E Anglia to Scotland in the clear. By afternoon cloud had cleared from most of Wales {St Athan 5.6h}, except the north {Hawarden 0.0h}, S England and N Scotland {Kirkwall 6.0h}. Under the cloud and fog temperatures were low 16.7C at Mona and 17.2 at Gorwel Heights, but rose to 23.8C in Whitechurch (Pembrokeshire) and 24.9C at Trawsgoed. On the 24th low 994 mb was anchored in the Atlantic N of the Azores, pressure at 0900 GMT was steady on 1016 mb and the temperate at Gorwel Heights 16.3C. A bright and sunny morning in Snowdonia and along the North Wales coast and parts of west Wales at first, but much of Britain remained under the stratiform cloud and fog. Soon turning cloudier, as convective clouds developed over the Irish Sea, with the temperature falling away to 14.7C at Gorwel Heights by afternoon the day keeping dry. Charlwood 23.7C; Manston 12.5h. By the 25th the Atlantic-low had deepened 989 mb, but was still slow-moving off Cape Finisterre Pressure was 1012 mb at 0900 GMT in a slack area between the low and high 1026 mb near Iceland. A cold front over Scotland moved southwards during the day. Showery rain in the early hours; fog and sheets of low stratocumulus cloud covered much of Britain most of the day. The day was sunless on Anglesey, brighter on the mainland later in the afternoon. Charlwood 22.4C; St Athan 5.6h. On the 26th with high 1026 mb over the Norwegian Sea a front band of cloud was sliding south-eastwards over North Wales while a frontal-wave low was over the Severn Estuary was moving NE over South Wales by afternoon. A breezy morning the SE'ly gusting to 26 mph at Gorwel Heights at 0700 GMT. Pressure at 0900 GMT was steady on 1015 mb. Mostly cloudy and dull, breezy in the SE'ly with a little showery rain in the evening. St Hellier 23.0C, Northolt 20.3C; Wattisham 8.6h. With little change in pressure (1015 mb) it was less windy on the 27th with a fine and day. At Gorwel Heights the temperature rose to 21.8C at 1420 GMT a shade behind that recorded in Jersey, but in Llansadwrn 22.0C was reached equalling the Jersey maximum. Valley had 21.0C and 6.8h sunshine. Jersey 22.0C; Hawarden 19.4C and 8.8h. By the 28th the high 1021 mb had settled over southern Scandinavia pressure had fallen to 1008 mb. Atlantic-low 994 mb slowly filling remained anchored off Cape Finisterre along with the jetstream. The best of the fine and sunny weather was in the north while in the south, with lingering frontal cloud, it was mostly cloudy with thundery showers. Rising from an overnight minimum of 12.5C the temperature at Gorwel Heights rose to 19.1C in the morning. Bright and breezy in the afternoon the SE'ly gusting to 32 mph at 1600 GMT. Prestwick 21.7C; Exeter [16.8 mm], Sherkin Is. [34.4 mm], Morecambe 11.0h, Valley 20.4C, 6.0h. The last days of the month were very windy. With low 979 mb S of Iceland and intensifying high 1025 mb S Sweden on the 29th the UK was in a strong ESE'ly airflow. Low 1003 mb over Brittany, tracking E and filling, had associated fronts over the Channel and western France. Pressure at 0900 GMT was 1008 mb with a moderate to strong E'ly breeze gusting to 38 mb at Gorwel Heights at 0730 GMT. Fine, bright and breezy all day with a 24-h mws of 10.4 mph. Sunny in the west with 8.5 h at Valley with warm spots at Aberporth and Pembrey Sands 20.5C. By evening frontal cloud was encroaching from the west. Aberporth/ Pembrey Sands 20.5C; Scilly [4.6 mm]; Wittering 10.7C. The 30th continued very windy with the Scandinavian high 1026 mb and Atlantic low 979 mb still anchored S of Iceland. Continuing windy overnight at Gorwel Heights with a gust 31 mph at 0030 GMT. Dull and overcast with occluded fronts over Ireland, the south-west and Wales; it was bright with sunshine in Scotland and eastern England. At 0900 GMT pressure was 1005 mb and the wind ESE'ly moderate to fresh; the 24-h mws at Gorwel Heights was 10.3 mph, but just 0.3 mph in Llansadwrn with a peak gust of 6 mph. Sunless at Valley, it was the dullest day of the month in Llansadwrn with global solar radiation just 2.69 MJ m -2. The month ended with a mean temperature of 13.8C (-0.5) & [-0.2]of averages highest since 2011. Rainfall was 80.7 mm, lowest since 2009 ranking 27th since 1928. Sunshine at Valley was 100.2h lowest since 1977.
October 2013October 1 - And the spell of windy weather continuing with high 1027 mb persisting over Scandinavia with Atlantic low 979 mb not changed to the south-west. Another very windy night at Gorwel Heights with pressure 1006 mb at 0900 GMT the ESE'ly fresh to strong. A windy day the 24-h mws 18.7 mph and peak gust 36 mph at 0950 GMT. Maximum temperature at Gorwel Heights 16.2C, but at Valley 19.7C with 2.8h sunshine. Sunniest was Scotland where Kinloss reported 10.5h. Wettest was Ballypatrick [23.0 mm] and in the south-west Cardinham [18.0 mm]. Strong winds persisted after midnight, gusting to 36 mph at 0100 GMT.
A wet and windy day began day on the 7th with poor visibility improving moderate to good by 0900 GMT when drier. Pressure was 1023 mb with massed fronts over Ireland moving slowly eastward through the day; there was little or no sunshine. The wind freshened during the evening and there was light to moderate rain [4.5 mm] on a cold front from 2300 GMT to 0100 GMT when the wind moderated. A damp and dismal morning on the 8th after mist and drizzle with moderate fog. Pressure 1023 mb was rising and by 0930 GMT the murk was lifting and there were 1 or 2 small breaks appearing in the stratiform cloud layer. There was little in the way of further improvement with just the odd brief glimpse of sunshine during the day. After early slight showers and a glimpse of sunshine on the 9th cloud cover increased towards 0900 GMT. Cloud was low on the mountains where it was misty. Brighter by 10 GMT with clear blue patches seen to the NE over Red Wharf Bay as the stratocumulus thinned overhead with some weak sunshine. A band of slight rain passed over at 1130 GMT and there were slight showers in the afternoon. Maximum temperature was 15.5C. Colder air in the north and there was ice precipitation, a mixture of snow pellets and snow, on Cairngorm in the morning where it was -3C. On the summit of Snowdon the temperature was 6C and no ice precipitation. Visibility was very good on the morning of the 10th. With 6 oktas cloud cover, a mixture of cumulus and orographic stratocumulus piling up against the mountains in a moderate to fresh NNE'ly wind. Crepuscular rays were seen moving rapidly like search lights across the slopes of the Carneddau Mountains. Pressure 1026 mb was rising with Atlantic-high 1034 mb S of Iceland while pressure was low 1000 mb over the Baltic resulting in the cool N'ly airflow. At present the jetstream is fragmented. The day remained mostly cloudy with a fresh breeze. Many leaves are now falling from the trees; drab sycamore in particular, together with colourful beech although remaining leaves have not yet developed much autumnal colour. A cool day, the maximum temperature was 10.7C, lowest of the month. Another dull day on the 11th with little or no sunshine. The cloudbase against the Snowdonia Mountains was at 2750 ft and visibility below good. Although disposition of the high and low had changed (high 1033 mb Scotland and low 1010 Germany) we still, had a NE'ly airflow. The fresh NE'ly breeze was sustained all day, but there was no rain. It was wet in southern England where Herstmonceux measured [61.6 mm]. Even duller on the 12th as pressure kept steady on 1024 mb. The high 1036 mb had moved over the S Norwegian Sea and there was a low 1012 mb over the Charente Maritime, France. Fronts lay over S England and the Channel and it was wet again in the south Cardinham [18.0 mm] and sunny in the north, Tiree 10.3h. Similar on the 13th, a little brighter under thin moderately cloud altostratus for a while. Low 1003 mb was slow-moving over the Thames estuary as high 1031 mb over the Norwegian sea declined; here pressure 1016 mb was falling slowly. The NE'ly breeze had moderated and there was a mixture of slight showers and brief sunny spells through the day.
While low 1005 mb remained over the southern North Sea on the 15th pressure here 1012 mb was rising unusually in a ridge from Arctic-high 1028 mb that was to give us a largely fine day with very good visibility. Some convective cloud encroached later in the morning here and over the Snowdonia Mountains for a while. The afternoon on Anglesey was mainly sunny with a line of cumuli persisting over Snowdonia. Exeter 17.0C; Culdrose & Plymouth 18.0 mm; Tiree 10.1h.
The 20th was a day of frequent moderate to heavy showers of rain, glimpses of sunshine with rainbows reported. Continuing mild the maximum 14.2C. A cumulonimbus cloud was spotted to the SE of the station at 1630 GMT. Showers continued into the evening [13.7 mm]. Overnight the temperature did not fall below 11.1C and 8.5C on the grass. No rain until 0800 GMT on the 21st and by 0900 GMT heavy rain A ridge of high-pressure from Mediterranean-high 1021 mb on the 24th brought a welcome fine day. At 0900 GMT pressure 1012 mb was rising and it was a bright calm morning with very good visibility. With clear sky overnight grass was covered with heavy dew; the air minimum was down to 6.5C and the 0.8C on the grass was lowest of the month. Scattered clouds at first gave way to a few by afternoon that was mostly sunny with a maximum of 14.0C. The sunshine brought out 2 comma and 2 red admiral butterflies on the Michaelmas daisy. While it was not windy here Gorwel Heights was experiencing its strong off the mountain SE'ly gusting to 31 mph. Kew Gardens was warmest with 18.4C, but Porthmadog reported 17.6C. Sunniest in Boulmer 8.7h and Hawarden 6.6h. Overnight low 990 mb SW of Ireland brought some light rain on an occluded front early on the 25th. At 0900 GMT the rain had ceased and the sky was clearing rapidly leaving cumuli over the Snowdonia Mountains. The low 991 mb had moved quickly to be near Malin Head; pressure here was 997 mb and the temperature 12.7C (dewpoint 13.0C). The clear slot was brief and the day was mostly cloudy, breezy with moderate to heavy showers of rain. It was less windy by evening. Gravesend was the warmest spot today with 19.6C, Cardiff was 18.8C, Gorwel Heights 17.6C while it reached 15.9C in Llansadwrn. It was wet at Lake Vyrnwy {38.2 mm} and Shap Fell {40.4 mm}. The 26th dawned dull with low cloud on the mountains, but visibility was very good under the cloud. The cloud an occluded front was associated with low 984 mb over the Norwegian Sea. Pressure here was was 999 mb in a transient ridge from the west, but low 960 mb S of Iceland was tracking towards NW Scotland and the SSW'ly wind freshened through the day. The afternoon continued breezy with gusts 28 mph, but was a little brighter with showers; a bright rain bow was seen across the fields. The Met Office had been confidently forecasting a deep depression developing in the Atlantic (not much to show on the published charts at present just a frontal-wave) and supported by the jetstream to arrive over the UK overnight 27/28th. Winds were expected to be strongest 70-80 mph, or more, S of the low, tracking towards the Severn Estuary. With Shipping Forecasts for the Channel sea areas for violent storms, perhaps hurricane force, Brittany Ferries had already cancelled most of their crossings to and fro France by the evening. Heavy rain was expected especially to the north of the low's centre and forecaster were warning (yellow and amber) of damaging winds with trees and power lines likely to be brought down with consequential disruption to transport. Tredegar {24.4 mm}
At midnight the low was 981 mb over the Severn Estuary moving rapidly eastward and by 0900 GMT on the 28th was 972 mb over the North Sea. Pressure here was lowest 982.2 mb at 0331 GMT and had risen to 986.6 mb. Cooler; the temperature was 8.9C (dewpoint 8.3C) 96% RH. A cloudy morning, moderate visibility with low cloud and mist on the mountains. A light W'ly breeze as the sky clearing a little allowed some weak sunshine then some glimpses of sunshine before a shower of rain at 1100 GMT. The Sandettie lightship in the Channel reported a wind speed of 69 mph at 0900 GMT. Bright with light showers and rainbow seen here at 1620 GMT. The storm moved on to affect Sussex, Kent and London in the early hours. A teenager was swept away by the sea at Newhaven and 2 people were reported killed by falling trees and a further 2 people in a gas explosion caused by a fallen tree. The Met Office reported a gust of 99 mph recorded at the Needles on the Isle of Wight at 0800 GMT. At 1800 GMT still deepening low 969 mb had reached the Baltic with storm force winds hitting S Sweden and Denmark. Cardiff {54.0 mm}, Trawsgoed [21.4 mm], Capel Curig [16.8 mm], Llansadwrn [0.7 mm]. A clear sky early on the 29th with a little more cloud at 0900 GMT, but a sunny morning. Air temperatures overnight were 6.8C and 7.3C in Llanfairfechan, lowest of the month so far. Pressure 1008 mb was rising quickly as a ridge of high-pressure moved across from the west of Ireland. There were some towering cumuli over Snowdonia with a few small cumuli overhead. A shower trough was lying to the north-west with packed convection behind. A mostly sunny day with a shower and bright rainbow circling the weather station in the afternoon. The highest temperature here today was 11.4C, but 14.6C was recorded in Swanage and 13.5C in Cardiff. It was wet in Resallach {36.2 mm} and sunny at Leuchars 8.4h. The 30th began bright enough, but becoming cloudier with cirrus overhead and a line of cumuli, some were towering, over the mountains. The minimum temperature was 5.3C, lowest of the month and on the grass 1.2C. In Llanfairfechan the minimum temperature was 7.3C, lowest of the month. Glimpses of sunshine with a maximum of 13.1C reached soon after 11 GMT. Increasingly windy during the morning with spots of rain on the wind under an overcast sky at 1300 GMT and near gale-force southerly in the afternoon. A lot of leaves and twigs were brought down; there are very few beech nuts this year (none hitting the windows) and very few conkers much to the disappointment of children who have been looking for them. South Uist [15.8 mm], Llansadwrn [2.9 mm]. On the 31st we were still in a showery airflow associated with low 972 mb S Iceland. Pressure here at 0900 GMT was 1013 mb and the temperature 10.9C (dewpoint 9.6C) rising from a minimum of 8.7C at 0516 GMT. The lowest temperature on the grass was 3.8C so we have got through the month without ground frost. Some ice precipitation on Cairngorm at 0900 GMT; none has been seen on Snowdonia mountains so far this season. The breeze picked up during the morning with a little weak sunshine at first, glimpses of bright sunshine with light showers early and late afternoon [0.8 mm]. Loch Glascarnoch [23.8 mm], St Catherine's Point 14.7C, Edinburgh 5.5h sunshine. The month ended with an above average mean temperature of 12.6C (+1.3) & [+1.7] highest since 2006 with near average rainfall 137.9 mm (97%) & [107%] largest since 2008. Sunshine at Valley 72.5h was on the low side being the 13th dullest since 1931.
November 2013
November 1 - A cooler morning under uniform grey stratiform cloud with light rain soon becoming moderate. The lowest air minimum temperature overnight was 8.9C and was the highest of the month. With low 978 mb between Iceland and NW Scotland pressure here was 1008 mb. It was much less windy with slack pressure to the south with new lows deepening in the wings to the south-west (1001 mb Biscay and Atlantic 993 mb at noon). Rain in the morning died out and with thinning cloud there was weak sunshine from time to time. From 1500 GMT it was calm and remained so into the evening and night. The 3rd began bright with cumulus and cumulonimbus in the vicinity at 0900 GMT. Pressure 998 mb was rising with low 972 mb retreating over the North Sea. Visibility was moderate to good with cloud and mist on the Carneddau and Glyderau with crepuscular rays shining in the Nant Ffrancon Pass. A slight shower of rain
set the scene for the day with sunny spells and more slight showers into the afternoon of no significant volume [0.2 mm]. Maximum here was 10.7C with 14.2C recorded in Bude. Wet in Scotland with {52.0 mm) at Lerwick and [28.2 mm] at Baltasound. With some clear sky overnight we had the first ground frost of the season on the 4th with the grass minimum thermometer registering -1.0C. There had been 185 days frost free since the last on 2 May. Just 3 oktas of cloud cover with towering cumulus and cumulonimbus moving on to the North Wales coast and into the Cheshire gap at 0900 GMT. Pressure 994 mb was rising rapidly with a transient weak ridge W of Scotland from high 1004 over Greenland. A few light showers here, but heavy showers with hail were reported on the A55 resulting in several crashes and lane closures. In afternoon sunshine (max 10.8C) red admiral butterflies and hover flies were seen again on flowering ivy in the garden. Behind the showery airflow an occluded front was moving in across SW Ireland and this was seen in the west about 1500 GMT not arriving overhead until late evening and after the temperature on the grass had fallen to -0.7C. Highest temperature was in Cardiff 12.8C (St Athan 7.6h) and wettest in E Malling {26.8 mm} and sunniest in Waddington 8.6h.
It was overcast and dull with intermittent light rain on the morning of the 5th with misty poor visibility. A few breaks in the cloud appeared for a time around 1130 GMT, but there was no sunshine. The highest temperature today was 9.3C at 1715 GMT and the rainfall total was just 0.3 mm. Wetter in SW England with Liscombe reporting {19.0 mm} and Mumbles in S Wales {13.8 mm}. Bright again on the 10th with 3 oktas cover of cirrus, contrails and cumuli seen to the NE heading in the direction of the Cheshire Gap; some mist in low lying places early in the day. Pressure e 1017 mb was rising in a ridge over the Celtic Sea to the Faeroes. Overnight the lowest air minimum was 2.3C well above the lowest seen at Katesbridge -5.6C, but there had been a ground frost here -1.8C. A sunny day, the temperature reached 10.6C at 1228 GMT. Frontal cloud W of Ireland began to encroach in the west by 16 GMT, but took a while to reach here being overcast at 2100 GMT. At midnight the pressure 1018 mb was falling quickly and went to 1013 mb at 0520 GMT. The 15th began overcast with moderately high altostratus cloud leaving the snowless mountaintops in the clear. A quiet morning with little or no wind; mild, temperature 7.2C (dewpoint 6.2C) pressure steady on 1035 mb with the Atlantic-Celtic Sea high 1040 mb to the southwest.
A sunless day here, but it was clear sky to the SE over England with 6.9h at Lyneham. Fyvie Castle had the highest temperature 13.9C. Similar day on the 16th overcast and dull with pressure steady on 1032 mb with a cold front lying to the north-west. The maximum today was 10.7C. The sky cleared briefly at dusk with the sun set at 1614 GMT it was a surprise to see such a vivid colouration (below) at 1753 GMT lasting some 5 minutes.
After a misty dawn the 17th began more promisingly with some thinning patches in the cloud. The sky did not clear and cloud remained stubbornly attached to the mountain summits and lingered a while in valleys and passes. Pressure 1027 mb was falling slowly, we were in a large slack pressure area with a weak slow-moving cold front in the vicinity. There was little or no wind and the day dull and again sunless. Valley reported 3 consecutive sunless days. On the 18th there was a cooler NW'ly breeze the Arctic airflow being drawn around Atlantic-high 1035 mb S of Iceland as low 980 NE Norwegian Sea deepened. The cold front was moving slowly away SE; the temperature at 09 GMT was 7.1C (dewpoint 6.7C) and visibility was very good in the clean air. Not much in the way of sunshine the temperature reaching 8.8C just after noon. There was a shower of snow pellets late in the evening. Scilly Is. 11.5C; Edinburgh 5.2h, Valley 0.6h.
A bright start to the morning of the 20th: the temperature at 0900 GMT was 5.2C (dewpoint 4.2C); pressure 1003 mb was falling with low 990 mb now over the N North Sea with the jetstream axis running N - S over Britain; and visibility moderate to good. The ground underfoot felt soggy for the first time this autumn. Moderate to strong N'ly winds were bringing along showers of mixed wet ice precipitation and we had a moderate one at 1000 GMT. Showers continued over the Snowdonia Mountains in the afternoon that was bright at times with some sunshine between (temperature 7.8C noon). By afternoon the N'ly wind had freshened and by evening was strong to near-gale in exposed places Twigs and leaves were being blown off the trees the unusually exposed N side of the woodland; usually it is the SW-facing side that suffers. Several large potted plants (bay trees) were blown over during the evening. Bude 10.9C, Benson -6.5C; Cluanie In {32.4 mm}; Prestwick 4.5h. The 21st dawned bright and breezy after a light shower of rain. Convective clouds had formed a bank over the mountains with the lower slopes misty. As the sun rose above the mountain cloud there were some sunny spells. The breeze moderated through the day that was cool with a maximum of 7.8C in the afternoon. Scilly 10.1C, Loch Glascarnoch -2.5C. On the 22nd there was precipitation around dawn and it was cold enough to to fall as snow as low as 2500 ft on N-facing slopes and summits of the Carneddau Mountains. A few small breaks in the cloud in the morning and a light NE'ly breeze. Sunny at times, but a light shower of rain at 1230 GMT wetted the ground. Little or no wind and evaporation so damp all afternoon. Variable cloud, clear at times in the evening with moisture on the grass freezing. The maximum today was 6.6C, lowest of the month (Porthmadog 9.9C); rainfall 1.0 mm (Manston 11.4 mm); sunshine Hawarden 7.5h, but Cambourne 8.0h was the most..
Overnight ground frost minimum -3.5C, lowest of the month, with slight frost remaining on the 23rd at 0900 GMT. Bright and sunny early with a plethora of contrails in the south-eastern sky and mist in the Menai Strait and snow capped mountaintops (click on photo above). Stratocumulus over Ireland and over the Irish Sea drifted across the island from the west by 1030 GMT and was thick enough to later on produce spots of rain at times. Maximum 7.4C; trace of precipitation recorded rain collection bottle was dry. Scilly 10.3C, Sennybridge -5.5C, St Athan 6.6h . Pressure 1034 mb continued to rise slowly on the 24th and the sky was still overcast. Visibility was very good, but the day was sunless and dull with little or no wind. Temperatures at all depths in the soil profile down to 1 m were all reading <10C for the first time this autumn. They range from 5.1C at 5 cm to 9.9C at 1 m deep. The highest temperature today was in the north at South Uist 10.6C, it was 7.8C here and 8.7C at Milford Haven and 10.6 in . Bude had 5.1h of sunshine. A brighter start on the 25th with 6 oktas cover of long expanded contrails to the SW with some cirrus clouds. There had been a ground frost -2.5C and there were frozen deposits of water on grass at 0900 GMT. No air frost here yet: Capel Curig -2.9C and Braemar -8.1C. Pressure was 1042 mb and still rising within the high 1042 mb over Ireland. Weak sunshine turned to sunny spells with a maximum of 7.5C before noon (Gorwel Heights 6.9C 1940 GMT). In the sunshine snow was seen capping the Snowdonia mountaintops with >30% cover above 2750 ft. A dry day. Valley reported nil sunshine, Hawarden 6.2h and Morecambe Bay 6.3h. Tiree saw the highest temperature 9.6C. Some patches of blue with some clear sky to the NW at 0900 GMT on the 26th did not reach here, but Valley reported just 0.1h sunshine. Pressure remained high 1041 mb within the high 1043 mb over the Celtic Sea. It was another dull day with little or no wind. Visibility was good with haze obscuring a view of Bardsey Island. There was a light shower of rain at 1645 GMT with spots for another 30 minutes. Kinlochewe (possible Föhn) reported a maximum of 13.2C with Rhyl on 9.5C and here 8.2C (Gorwel Heights 8.9C at 2330 GMT). Sunny in Odiham 7.2h. Not much different on the 27th with skies overcast at 0900 GMT. Under the cloud no ground frost (min 3.1C) and a misty morning giving moderate visibility. The temperature was 8.7C (dewpoint 8.4C) 98% relative humidity. The day was dull and damp, little or no wind, a few spots of rain at times, and yes, it was sunless. Wittering had 5.1h. Boulmer 13.4C, Porthmadog 11.3C and just 9.3C in Llansadwrn with 0.1 mm rainfall. A dry month the 71.8 mm rainfall (55%) & [57%] of averages and very dull the 48.5 h sunshine duration at Valley lowest since 2004. The mean temperature was 7.2C (-1.1) & [-0.5] ranking 13th lowest since 1979. No air frost (-0.7), but 12 ground frosts (+5.2) were recorded.
December 2013December 1 - began on a dull note with drizzle and although slightly brightening at 0900 GMT when visibility was very good under the cloud at 2500 ft on the mountains. The day kept overcast with drizzle and spots of rain resuming later in the afternoon. Sunless. Maximum here and at Gorwel Heights was 9.9C, Valley 10.9C. Much the same on the 2nd that began overcast and kept dull with no sunshine, but it was a dry day. Cloudiness continued overnight and for the sixth night there was no ground frost. Although overcast with thin cloud the morning of the 3rd was pleasantly bright with some weak sunshine at times. A few yellow coloured leaves remain on line, Norway Maple and elm. Pressure was 1029 mb in a ridge of high-pressure 1039 mb from SE Europe. Maxima today were 8.9C here, 9.8C at Gorwel Heights (2350 GMT) and 10.5C at Valley with the 11.8C at Achnagart the highest. Just after midnight a cold front passed over and with moderate to heavy rain up to 8.0 mm/h [5.6 mm here 24-h to 09 GMT] at Gorwel falling at 24 mm/h [11.0 mm]; temperatures began falling from 9.1C and by 0817 GMT on the 4th was 6.8C. An overnight ground frost -1.8C with silver frost on the grass. High 1043 mb was S of Iceland with a ridge to S Ireland. Bright and calm with occasional airs from the north pressure 1031 mb was rising and the sky clearing to give a mostly sunny day with Valley reporting 5.1h and Boulmer 6.2h sunshine. Loch Glascarnoch {14.0 mm}; Llansadwrn {8.0C}, Swanage 11.0C.
Storm surges are caused by a combination of low pressure systems and strong winds pushing the sea up against coastlines. The Irish Sea, with Atlantic-lows and winds blowing through the North Channel or St George's Channel, and the North Sea as winds and low pressure systems move south from the Norwegian Sea are particularly at risk. If the surge occurs at spring tides, and this combination seems to frequently to happen, the surge increases the height of the already high tide as this year. A fourth factor affecting rivers and estuaries is rainfall. Heavy rain on mountains swells rivers, this extra water can be held-back by high tides and storm surges to make the problem even worse, but was absent this time around. The storm surge has been reported as the largest in 60 years following the disastrous 1953 floods. With accurate forecasts, and flood defences installed since, the Environment Agency said 800,000 homes in England had been protected.
The 6th was a dull and sunless day the cloudy sky at 0900 GMT had one or two thinning breaks, but these soon closed over. Some clear sky overnight with minimum air temperature 2.2C with a ground frost -2.5C on the grass. Pressure 1029 mb was rising with high 1035 mb near the SW Approaches and the low was now 964 mb over the Baltic resulting in high winds and water levels. The Netherlands had been on full alert with flood barriers in place, but seemed to weather-the-storm successfully. Here light SW'ly winds, good but misty visibility. Mild, Milford Haven 11.8C, but cold to start the day in Dalwhinnie at -6.0C. Aberporth saw 0.5h sunshine with the most in Odiham 6.3h. Brighter on the 7th after recent spells of drizzle and rain, light SW'ly winds and the temperature at 0900 GMT on 7.6C was highest of the past 24-h, Pressure was steady on 1025 mb with high 1032 mb over France and low Baltic 984 mb St Petersburg, Russia. A warm front was N-S over the UK: cloud was on the mountaintops that were snowless apart from the odd flurry. Turning bright with glimpses of sunshine in the afternoon when the temperature reached 8.8C. Cardiff 11.2C, Cluanie Inn {20.8 mm}, Wittering 3.5h.
Overcast skies on the 8th after recent drizzle and spots of rain. Pressure was 1022 mb with high 1030 mb was still over France while low 965 mb Denmark Strait was resulting in a SW'ly airflow. The temperature was 9.5C, highest of the past 24-h and not to be exceeded today. Bright at times with glimpses of sunshine. Sunny at Aberporth 6.4h, Valley 0.7h. Warm in Achnagart 13.4C & Trawsgoed 12.1C, but 12.3C at Gorwel Heights. Wet again at the Cluanie Inn 51.2 mm. We were under ragged stratiform clouds on the 9th with misty moderate visibility and recent drizzle. Seen against the western Snowdonia mountains there were crepuscular rays and the sky was brighter with some sunshine coming along by afternoon. Breezy at times. Highest temperatures were 14.2C in Chillingham Barns, Northumberland, and Hawarden 13.1C. There was a spectacular red sky over the mountains on the morning of the 10th that with colour gone by 0900 GMT there was a 6 okta cover of altocumulus and cumulus clouds. Bright with weak sunshine as the rise rose above clouds capping the mountains. Bright with sunny spells and a temperature of 10.8C and 13.1C at Gorwel Heights at 1530 GMT exceeding Milford Haven 11.7C and Rhyl 11.0C. Kinlochewe had the highest 14.2C. After midnight with the wind SSE'ly one or two white lee-waves clouds were seen hovering for some hours, against a lighter sky, diminishing in size by dawn of the 11th. A quiet morning light SSE'ly breeze and swarms of gnats were about the garden. At 0900 GMT 8.2C (dewpoint 3.8C) 74% RH and a bright day with plenty of mostly weak sunshine taking advantage of the day to get the' big ladder' out and finish cleaning high windows, gables and rainwater gutters not possible in windy conditions. Most of the tree debris has finished and with absence of many beech nuts this year the gutters should remain clear. Maximum temperature 12.8C, highest of the month. Llanfairfechan 17.0C, Shoreham min -3.1C; Manston 6.8h, Aberporth 0.5h.
Just after midnight on the 12th the weather got interesting as a Föhn wind developed; the Föhn is rare in Llansadwrn, but common in Llanfairfechan. The temperature rose here to 12.8C (Stevenson screen 12.7C) at 0010 GMT the relative humidity (RH) falling to 43% with 16.9C & 23% RH at Gorwel Heights at 0140 GMT. David Lee reported that at his station, also in Llanfairfechan, 17.0C (Stevenson screen at 0126 GMT) & 24% RH were recorded. These were the highest in the UK 24-h 09-09 GMT exceeding the MetO provisional readings 15.5C at Achnagart and 13.6C in Rhyl . The highest UK temperature on this date is a 'perhaps doubtful' 17.4C recorded at Cape Wrath in 1984 (TORRO). Interestingly the highest given for the 14th is 16.8C recorded at nearby Aber in 1972; the 11th Llanfairfechan observations would have claimed this record! Other nearby PWS observations accessed; Llandudno 14.7C (31%); Llandegfan 14.3C (36%) at 0040 GMT and Pentraeth 12.3C (48%). Temperatures continued elevated at Gorwel Heights through the day: At 1650 GMT 15.7C, 16.0C at 2040 GMT and again between 0020 & 0030 GMT 15.3C on the next day the 13th the highest in Llansadwrn being 12.0C and Valley 11.9C. Llanfairfechan (Gorwel) 16.0C, Magilligan 15.0C, Rhyl 13.5C; Capel Curig [30.0 mm], Eskdalemuir [28.2 mm]; Herstmonceux/ Wattisham 1.5h. The 13th began overcast and dull with drizzle and intermittent slight rain. The grass minimum was reading a high 10.7C with the air minimum 11.3C. The cloudbase was low and there was moderate fog (visibility <500 m). Sunless, but 1 or 2 brighter spells (Valley 0.3h). A small temperature range the maximum here 12.0C. Llanfairfechan (Gorwel) 15.3C, Kinloss 15.0C, Rhyl 13.6C, Capel Curig 12.6C; Loch Glascarnoch [13.0 mm]. On the 14th with pressure 1015 mb falling quickly the day began bright, but already breezy the S'ly force 5/6. Low 976 mb was W of Ireland while high 1036 mb was over Spain. The result was a strong SW'ly airflow across the UK with gales in the northwest, Scotland, N Ireland and North Wales. The hard hat was out for the 0900 obs with a MetO yellow warning in operation. With the wind strengthening there was much debris (twigs, small dead branches and beech nuts) from the trees flying about. Force 7/8, or more, gusting 45 mph here, 85 mph in Capel Curig, 69 mph on Snowdon, 67 mph in Valley, 63 mph in Llandegfan, 61 mph at Gorwel Heights & Mona. Fallen trees block the A5 and the road to Llanwrst in Conwy Valley at Talycafn. Oh, I haven't mentioned the moderate to heavy rain (falling at rates up to 51 mm/h) and totalling [14.5 mm]. The wind moderated later in the afternoon and evening. Rhyl 13.3C, Llanfairfechan (Gorwel) 13.2C, Capel Curig [44.4 mm], largest in Europe today; Wattisham 5.1h. On the morning of the 15th the wind was picking up again and already force 5/6. Pressure 1011 mb was falling quickly with low 948 mb S Iceland tracking eastward and high 1036 mb Spain and 1039 mb Austria. Gusts of 52 mph were recorded at Gorwel Heights (1030 GMT) and 50 mph in Llandegfan. Cloud was above the tops of the Carneddau that were bare of snow. Intermittent rain the afternoon with heavy bursts at 1550 GMT 16 mm/h and (moderate/ heavy showers 1710 to 1730 and (heavy 28 mm/h between 0230 & 0300 GMT) with [15.6 mm] measured at 0900 GMT over 17h duration. It was still raining and the wet grass minimum was reading 5.5C compared with 5.8C in the Stevenson screen. With 'storm rainfall' totalling 28 mm there were puddles of standing water indicating near water saturated soil. It was wet in Snowdonia the 33.8 mm at Capel Curig was again the largest in Europe, Valley had 16.0 mm. Gorwel Heights at 1440 GMT the temperature was 14.4C while the Rhyl maximum was 14.2C and Cardiff 14.3. Highest in Britain was 14.7C at Bude. Temperatures kept above 10C here and 12C in Llanfairfechan during the night until 05 GMT when, with passage of a cold front and upper wave, began to fall to 5.6C here just before 0900 GMT on the 16th. Pressure was rising 1010 mb with low 953 mb Norwegian Sea and 963 S Iceland while intensifying high 1042 mb was over Austria. As the rain petered out and wind moderated there was some weak sunshine and a glimpse of clear sunshine around noon, when the temperature rose to 7C, and further weak sunshine in the afternoon.
Light winds and clearer overnight sky led to ground frost on the morning of the 17th. There were extensive frozen water deposits on grass (min -3.5C) that was melting in sunshine at 0900 GMT (4.0C, dewpoint 2.8C). Pressure 1023 mb was rising slowly with slack pressure 1024 mb over southern Britain while a frontal band was over northern France and the Netherlands. Atlantic-low 964 S of Greenland tracking towards Iceland was the one to watch with associated frontal systems approaching the west. Pressure soon began to fall and the SE'ly air gave way to a light SSW'ly breeze. Mostly weak sunshine and by noon cumulus clouds had encroached and were soon obscuring Snowdon (photo above), but Anglesey enjoyed more weak sunshine. Cooler the maxima 8.4C here and 9.0C at Gorwel Heights ending 9-day spell of above 10C temperatures. The temperature began to rise from 2100 GMT and at 0900 GMT on the 18th was 9.7C, the highest of the past 24-h, and 13.1C at Gorwel Heights and a gust of 55 mph at 0547 GMT. Another day another weather system. The 19th began bright with 6 oktas of cirrus, altocumulus and cumulus clouds that were towering over Snowdonia. At first a light SW'ly breeze that started picking up as an active shower trough passed over with strong gusts of wind (37 mph 1150z), 49 mph in Llandegfan at 1133 GMT. We had mixtures of large hail h5 (6-7 mm), snow pellets h3 and sleet, heavy at times (> 10 mm/h at 1134 GMT) the gauge heater not being able to melt the precipitation quickly enough, and 15 mm/h at Gorwel Heights. The temperature fell 3C to 3.3C in Llansadwrn and to 3.6C at Gorwel Heights in the trough. Snow was seen near Llyn Ogwen and there was >30% on the ground above 2000 ft on the mountains in the afternoon. Later there were glimpses of sunshine and some clear sky was seen later at night with a slight ground frost -0.7C recorded (credited 20th). Heavy rain today in Cannes, France [127 mm], Capel Curig [6.8 mm], Llansadwrn [5.0 mm]. A bright morning on the 20th with some snow on the mountains. By noon there were spots of rain and the afternoon again turned wet and windy the SW'ly, force 6 with strong gusts 47 mph (52 mph at Gorwel Heights 1940 GMT), strengthening later with heavy rain with ice pellets at times 13 mm accumulating by 2200 GMT. There was a 30 mph speed restriction on the Britannia Bridge: Wind turbines were generating 5.9 GW of electricity 17% of UK demand during the evening. Shap Fell [57.4 mm] had the largest rainfall in Europe, Capel Curig [47.0 mm], Llansadwrn [15.0 mm]; Manston 6.0h, Valley 0.2h sunshine. The temperature in Llansadwrn at 2345 GMT was 10.8C and at 0540 GMT on the 21st it was 11.8C at Gorwel Heights (both maxima credited to the 20th). Pressure had risen in the night 1008 mb, but was falling again and was 1004 mb at 0900 GMT. Low 954 mb was over Iceland while high 1037 mb was over Spain. The result, tight isobars over Britain with the wind picking up as a cold front passed over. The strong squally wind gusted to 44 mph, with the temperature falling sharply from 9.9C in heavy rain (14 mm/h), it was very noisy with even large trees bending in the wind. Within 12 minutes the squall had passed and the sky brightened with a glimpse of sunshine. There were further blustery showers in the afternoon and from 1555 GMT almost continuous rumbles of thunder when at 1621 GMT there was torrential rain and ice pellets (85 mm/h). During this event the temperature fell 4C to 5.7C and the pressure bottoming out at 994 mb. Pressure rose during the quieter mostly cloudy evening with a spell of moderate rain around 03 GMT. Llansadwrn [14.0 mm], maximum 10.4C. The sky was brightening from dawn on the 22nd with 4 oktas cover of altocumulus with cumulus moderately developed over the mountains at 0900 GMT. Minima were 4.8C and 1.9C on the grass, currently 5.4C (dewpoint 2.4C). Pressure 1002 mb was rising slowly from 999 mb at 0450 GMT with low 959 mb was over Iceland and with the jetstream nicely set up over southern Britain more of the same stormy weather was expected. Yesterday's trough was over SE England and we had a somewhat better day here, the SW'ly wind was light to moderate with sunny spells in the morning. There was slight fresh snow on the mountaintops above 2750 ft. Cloudier later with cumuli in the vicinity and there was a light shower of snow pellets at 1409 GMT with the afternoon bright at times as the wind slowly moderated. Maximum temperature 7.6C and 4.8 mm precipitation. Pressure rose to 1007 mb at 2100 GMT then began to fall. Tyndrum {30.4 mm}. The 23rd was very wet and windy here and in southern Britain. At Gorwel Heights the wind was gusting to 63 mph and in Capel Curig to 88 mph one of the highest on this day. Rain was moderate to heavy at times through the very dull sunless day with solar radiation a low 0.51 MJ m -2 . The high winds and heavy rainfall and flooding caused widespread disruption to road, rail and air travel. Ports in S Britain were either closed or had restricted sailings in or out. Ferries on Channel crossings or Irish Sea were badly affected. The Brittany Ferries ship from Bilbao, Spain had to ride out the storm at sea off Brest. Electricity supplies to many were cut as power lines were brought down. Many trees were uprooted including along railways lines adding to the problems. Wind and rain here eased for a time at midday only to strengthen again in the afternoon. Rainfall in Llansadwrn was [19.8 mm] largest of the month, while at Llandegai [42 mm] and Trofarth, Conwy Valley 117 mm had fallen. A woman died in in a fast flowing stream at Nant Ffrancon, Bethesda, when she went to check on the water supply to nearby houses. A man also died in Cumbria as a result of the storm. The wind moderated during the evening and the very low pressure bottomed at 964 mb at 2323 GMT. Bude 13.3C, Hawarden 12.4C; Kenley [69.2 mm], Shap Fell [59.2 mm], Capel Curig [51.4 mm], Tredegar {50.2 mm}.
Light showers of rain after midnight (0.4 mm), more significantly in Llanfairfechan (1.2 mm, min 5.2C) then a fine morning on the 28th with light WSW'ly breeze. There were backlit cumuli over the mountains otherwise cirrus and altocumulus. Water deposits on the grass were still frozen (minima: grass -1.3C, air 3.9C). The temperature was 4.2C (dewpoint 3.0C) at 0900 GMT, visibility was just good with haze. Pressure 992 mb was rising quickly with the low filling 965 mb S Norwegian Sea with high 1033 mb Azores and high-pressure 1016 mb Italy. A greater spotted woodpecker drummed loudly nearby, but the mistle thrush did not sing today. Mostly sunny (Valley 4.8h) with a maximum temperature of 7.1C just before noon and dry. Swanage 10.2C, Cluanie Inn {42.2 mm}, Wattisham 6.4h. The month ended with a mean temperature of 7.3C [(+1.9)], highest since 1988, rank 2. The December mean maximum 9.6C was the highest station record back to 1979. Rainfall was 170.3 mm (130%) & [141%], lowest since 2011 ranking 14th since 1928. Sunshine at Valley was 34.7h (74%) & [73%) of K&Z adjusted values. The year ended with total rainfall of 1018.9 mm (88%) & [94%] of averages, lowest since 2010 ranking 29th in Llansadwrn since 1929. The mean temperature was 9.9C equal (2012), lowest since 2010 (-0.5) & [-0.2] of averages.. 12.15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Monthly & annual summary and further analysis of the observations in 2013
Temperature graphs, daily and monthly rainfall histograms, accumulated rainfall total and more for 2013 |
 "Water standing on a lane in Llansadwrn.")
 "The Anglesey cloud viewed from the mainland at 1119 GMT.")
 "Under-the-cloud in early afternoon.")
 "Anglesey still under cloud at 1652 GMT.")
 "NOAA 19 image at 1323 GMT on 4 January 2013, courtesy of Bernard Burton."){kind=small}
 "MODIS TERRA image bands 7.2.1 on 4 january 2013 courtesy of the Rapid Response Team at NASA/GFSC."){kind=small}
 "Comparison maximum temperatures UK, Gorwel Heights and Llansadwrn.")
 "Inversion fog in the Menai Strait near the Britannia Bridge.")
 "Skyscape early afternoon.")
 "Petasites fragrans. Winter heliotrope. Naturalised, roadside.")
 "Dates of first flowering snowdrop in the garden in Llansadwrn winter 1996-2013")
 "Winter heliotrope naturalised on roadside Llansadwrn."){kind=small}
 "The first snowdrops of the year."){kind=small}
 "Blue crocus, first of the year."){kind=small}
 "A waterlogged field in Llansadwrn.")
 "Flock of starlings take to the air.")
 "Snow on the fields of Llansadwrn, but the mountains were obscured.")
 "Two minutes late and the robin awaits me.")
 "Lifting the lid on a snow covered lysimeter receiver."){kind=small}
 "View of snow covered Snowdonia Mountains on a fine day.")
 "Snowdrops in the snow.")
 "Group of lapwings on church field.")
 "A bit closer to the lapwings."){kind=small}
 "View across fields towards Gadlys Tower with mountains beyond.")
 "A waterlogged currently unworkable field in Llansadwrn. View towards Holyhead Mountain.")
 "Ciudad de Cadiz, Airbusonboard, cargo ro-ro in the Gironde estuary, France.")
 "Ville de Bordeaux AirbusA380onboard in the Gironde estuary, France.")
 "City of Hamburg Airbusonboard in the Gironde estuary, France."){kind=small}
 "Cumulus clouds over Snowdonia on a clear afternoon.")
 "Roadside Narcissi: Harbingers of spring in Llansadwrn..")
 "First flower in the garden of Glory of the snow. Chionodoxa luciliae.")
 "Flooded dune slacks at Tywyn Aberffraw with Murray Grey cattle grazing.")
 "The willow slack underwater."){kind=small}
 "Flooded middle slack."){kind=small}
 "Standing water on the main slack."){kind=small}
 "Water at the top end of main slack furthest from beach."){kind=small}
 "Murray Greys 'ecologically' grazing the dunes."){kind=small}
 "Jetsam washed up after winter storms."){kind=small}
 "Washed up tree trunk, but little cut-back of the dunes."){kind=small}
 "Wet sand at Aberffraw beach due to water seepage from flooded dune slacks.")
 "Purple Lenten Rose flowerinfg in the garden.")
 "The pontoon at Beaumaris pier had been repaired after storm damage.")
 "Rosemary in flower in Beaumaris."){kind=small}
 "Close up of Rosemary flowers."){kind=small}
 "Backward trajectory analysis of air arriving over Anglesey at 09 GMT on 6 March 2013. Researched on the NOAA ARL Website.")
 "White Lenten Rose flowering well in the garden.")
 "Sprinkling of fresh snow on the mountains.")
 "Primroses have been flowering in the garden.")
 "Snow on the mountains with towering cumuli.")
 "Convective clouds over snow clad Snowdonia Mountains.")
 "Mean temperature annomalies for March.")
 "Rainfall accumulated 48-h up to 09 GMT on 23 March 2013. Provisional data SYNOP & local sources.")
 "March mean temperature annomaly updated to 24th."){kind=small}
 "A different white world across from the green fields of Anglesey.")
 "Clouds casting shadows across the snow on the Carneddau.")
 "Mean temperature annomalies for March 1979-2013.")
 "March mean temperature annomaly back to 1942 compared with 1981-2000 average."){kind=small}
 "March mean temperature annomaly back to 1942 compared with 1981-2000 average."){kind=small}
 "Snowy mountains across the Strait 'tween lifeboat station and Chimney Corner.")
 "LANCE MODIS TERRA image on 3 April 2013 courtesy of the Rapid Response Team at NASA/GFSC.")
 "Carneddau snow with cumuli on 3 April 2013.")
 "LANCE MODIS TERRA image on 3 April 2013 courtesy of the Rapid Response Team at NASA/GFSC."){kind=small}
 "NOAA 19 image at 1138 GMT on 8 April 2013, courtesy of Bernard Burton.")
 "Kemi Harbour, courtesy of the City of Kemi, Finland.")
 "Dates of arrival of the chiffchaff in the garden in Llansadwrn 1998-2013.")
 "Lenticular altocumulus and snowy Carneddau Mountains.")
 "Snake's head fritillary: Rare in the wild on European Red List.")
 "Snake's head fritillary in the garden meadow.")
 "Dates of flowering of bluebell in the wood in Llansadwrn 1996-2013.")
 "Mean temperature annomalies for March 1979-2013.")
 "Bluebells in the wood on 19th April 2011."){kind=small}
 "Some peak gusts recorded on 15th April 2013. Provisional data SYNOP & local sources.")
 "Dates of flowering of blackthorn in Llansadwrn 1996-2013.")
 "Fritillaries flourishing after winter flooding and cold weather.")
 "Wallflower.Erysimum (formerly Cheiranthus) cheiri.")
 "Cochleria danica on the roadside near Castellior.")
 "Meteosat MSG image (c) EUMETSAT at 12 GMT on 23 April 2013, courtesy of Ferdinand Valk.")
 "Purple form honesty roadside in Llansadwrn.")
 "Honesty Lunaria annua roadside in Llansadwrn."){kind=small}
 "Honesty white form roadside in Llansadwrn."){kind=small}
 "SKIRON dust forecast for 06 GMT on 25 April 2013, courtesy of Athens University."){kind=small}
 "Sample of reddish-brown dust on 25 April 2013."){kind=small}
 "Dates of flowering of bluebell in the wood in Llansadwrn 1996-2013.")
 "April mean temperature annomaly back to 1942 compared with 1981-2000 average."){kind=small}
 "Llangefni town centre with clock tower.")
 "River Cefni downstream of Llangefni.")
 "The old railway station in Llangefni: Platform and track, but no trains."){kind=small}
 "The Green on a calm morning in Beaumaris; cumulus clouds over the Snowdonia Mountains.")
 "Distribution of snow patches on NW-facing Carnedd Dafydd."){kind=small}
 "Trees beginning to leaf as cattle graze the fields.")
 "Bluebells in dappled shade in the largely regenerated woodland with mature trees.")
 "Close up of bluebells at their best.")
 "Bodnant garden: In the Dell.")
 "Tranquil River Hiraethlyn and flowering rhodendrons")
 "The fragrant pink Rhododendron edgeworthii.")
 "Ravine-side restoration in the Dell."){kind=small}
 "The 1876 giant redwood in the Dell at Bodnant."){kind=small}
 "The tall elderly Magnolia veitchii in full flower."){kind=small}
 "R. edgworthii on the wall of the curved pergola."){kind=small}
 "The first 22 days mean temperature annomaly back to 1942 compared with 1981-2010 climatological average.")
 "The first 27 days mean temperature annomaly back to 1942 compared with 1981-2010 climatological average.")
 "Spring mean temperature annomaly back to 1942 compared with 1981-2010 climatological average.")
 "Spring mean temperature annomaly back to 1942 compared with 1981-2010 climatological average.")
 "Trees nearly fully in leaf in Llansadwrn.")
)
 "Recently renovated Laburnum Arch at Bodnant.")
 "Flowers on the Laburnum at Bodnant.")
 "Colourful Rhododendrons."){kind=small}
 "Fragrant deciduous Rhododendrons."){kind=small}
 "Colourful Rhododendrons."){kind=small}
 "Alliums standing tall were attracting many insects on this sunny day."){kind=small}
 "Meani Strait at Beaumaris rising tide.")
 "Castle Street on a quiet sunny morning.")
 "Castle Street Beaumaris.")
 "The Castle in Beaumaris."){kind=small}
 "Where the earthquakes in the Lleyn Peninsula where felt, courtesy of British Geological Survey.")
 "Pyramidal orchids on fixed dune at Aberffraw.")
 "The now dried willow slack.")
 "Early marsh orchid later than usual..")
 "Massed marsh helleborines."){kind=small}
 "Marsh helleborine and early marsh orchids."){kind=small}
 "Close-up marsh helleborine flowers."){kind=small}
 "Welsh marsh orchid."){kind=small}
 "Moon jellyfish stranded on the beach at Aberffraw."){kind=small}
 "Moon jellyfish exhibiting purple coloured gonads."){kind=small}
 "Maximum temperatures in July. UK maxima first indications courtesy of MetO & SYNOP reports..")
 "Lee-wave cloud stacks seen from Gorwel Heights.")
 "The middle slack at Aberffraw dunes was damp and green in the dry weather")
 "Flowering grasses on the drier parts of Aberffraw dunes.")
 "Dune helleborine growing on Aberffraw dunes.")
 "Dune helleborine."){kind=small}
 "Marsh helleborine."){kind=small}
 "Sand hummock with round-leaved wintergreen."){kind=small}
 "Pyrola rotundifolia ssp maritima."){kind=small}
 "Menai Strait at Beaumaris with showers clearing away over Snowdonia.")
 "Newborough Forest and Dunes behind Malltraeth Bay.")
 "Dune slack invaded with pine trees."){kind=small}
 "Pine regeneration on recently cleared felled sand dune."){kind=small}
 "The rare dune helleborine."){kind=small}
 "Welsh marsh orchid."){kind=small}
 "Marsh helleborines."){kind=small}
 "White variety of common spotted orchid."){kind=small}
 "Dactilorhiza fuchii var. albiflora."){kind=small}
 "Garden and weather station.")
Moderate showery rain after midnight and slight showers before 0900 GMT on the 4th [2.1 mm] set the scene for the day. Pressure was steady on 1015 mb, but a developing frontal-wave low was over the Bristol Channel and brought heavy rain first to S Wales especially over the Brecon Beacons and Black Mountains [Mumbles Head 46.0 mm] and later Snowdonia as it tracked towards Anglesey. During the afternoon there were intense pockets of rainfall over S Snowdonia and rain was heavy here at 1350 GMT falling at a rate up to 30 mm/h. It was not as windy today except in showers when in poor visibility rain was driving across the fields on a moderate SW'ly breeze; rain had eased to drizzle by 1930 GMT. At midnight on the 5th pressure 1011 mb was falling slowly with the low moving over Cardigan Bay. Very heavy rain started at 0030 GMT reaching a peak rate of 121 mm/h at 0120 GMT reducing to heavy rain at 0300 GMT continuing to 0500 GMT then intermittently heavy, or very heavy 28 mm/h at 0710 GMT, only easing just before 0900 GMT. Rainfall 09-09 GMT, an extreme rainfall event, was 89.2 mm the largest 24-h fall (over 16 hours) recorded in August at this station (established 1979), beating the 41.0 mm on 14 August 2007, and exceeding the previous record 86.0 mm on 22 October 2004. (The highest 24-h rainfall event in Llansadwrn was the 137 mm recorded in a 3-h fall during a thunderstorm on 10 August 1957). Rain died out during the morning and the began clearing in the afternoon to give a sunny end to the day. Remarkably there was little in the way of standing water at the weather station where soil is free-draining. There was water on the A5025 at Henffordd (flood signs were out) and water ingress affected a property in Pentraeth leaving several inches of water. Water up to a foot deep was reported on parts of the A55 and that the fire service attended flooding in Menai Bridge and Caernarfon; the River Conwy bursts its banks at Llanwrst. Worst affected were the valleys in S Wales in the Rhondda and Bridgend areas and Port Talbot, and W Cornwall where flooding of roads and property was extensive including Newquay Community Hospital, and in Crantock and Perranporth.)
)
 "Chris Rogers facing Graeme Swann on the second day."){kind=small}
 "The England-Australia Ashes Test Match at Chester Le Street.")
 "Cumulus clouds form backcloth for Jodrell Bank radio telescopes.")
 "NE entrance of the Menai Strait, Puffin island and Llanfairfechan seen from the Carneddau Mountains.")
 "In Llansadwrn under cloudy skies a field of wheat ready for harvest.")
 "Hedgerow")
 "Sea breeze. High windspeed chart for 26 August 2013.")
 "New Performing Arts Centre under construction in Bangor.")
 "Harvesting spring sown barley in filed next to weather station.")
 "River")
 "River Loire looking W 85 km to the sea.")
 "Loire river punts.")
 "Graded gravel and sand on south bank of the river Loire."){kind=small}
 "Dried and cracked alluvial mud on the banks of the Loire."){kind=small}
 "Purple sperge Euphorbia peplis."){kind=small}
 "Field eryngo."){kind=small}
 "Eryngium campestris."){kind=small}
 "Cocklebur (lampourde glouteron)."){kind=small}
 "Xanthium strumarium ssp. italicum."){kind=small}
It was an overcast morning on the 2nd, with N Wales lying between occluded fronts, and a little less windy with little or no sunshine. The Atlantic-low to the SW 986 mb had up-anchored and was off SW Ireland and although filling pressure here at 0900 GMT was little changed at 1006 mb. Gorwel Heights 24-h mws 11.0 mph. Wet in N Ireland with {42.0 mm} falling at Stormont Castle. Warmest were Heathrow with 22.0C and in Wales, Trawsgoed 21.2C while in Llansadwrn it reached 19.2C highest of the month. Little in the way of sunshine just 0.4h in Bala while in the N Lerwick recorded 3.8h. By midnight the Atlantic low 991 mb was steaming N off Shannon bringing an associated occluded front over the Irish Sea with drizzle or light rain. A dull morning on the 3rd with pressure fallen to 1004 mb moderate to heavy rain fell on Anglesey during the afternoon becoming lighter and turning to misty drizzle by evening as the wind became light. A developing thundery low off Iberia 997 mb tracking N, with an associated cold front over the Channel and France introduced widespread thunderstorms during the day in the Pyrenees, SW France and Brittany, spreading into SW England by noon Lleyn and W Anglesey later. Rainfall at Aberdaron was [59.8 mm], Valley [49.2 mm] and Llansadwrn [18.0 mm] was largest of the month. The 4th began overcast and wet with poor visibility; rain falling heavily in Llanfairfechan up to 17 mm/h at 0700 GMT. Low 1002 mb was over Morecambe Bay at 0900 GMT with occluded fronts northwards from Anglesey and SE towards Cheshire. The rain eased off during the morning, winds were light SE'ly, but the day kept cloudy and damp and was sunless. A little brighter with moderate to good visibility to start the day on the 5th. Pressure 1020 mb had risen and as cloud thinned some sunshine later in the morning. A sunny afternoon the temperature reaching 16.5C here, 17.7C at Gorwel Heights in Llanfairfechan and 19.3C in Cardiff the highest being 20.1C at Thorney Island. A cloudier day on the 6th as a weak Atlantic-frontal system moved over the Irish Sea. Mostly cloudy with a moderate to fresh S'ly breeze; after some weak sunshine (max 16.5C) the cloud thickened bringing drizzle and light rain soon after 1500 GMT continuing until midnight then misty accumulating [1.5 mm] by next morning. Aultbea [13.4 mm], Capel Curig [12.2 mm]. After early morning fog patches it was a fine sunny day in the Midlands and southern Britain with 8.4 h sunshine in Hawarden and 10.6h sunshine in Little Rissington and Bristol. In many places the temperature was in the high teens (19.6C in Llanfairfechan, highest of the month) and was 20C at the Roman City at Wroxeter (below) and reached 20.6C in Exeter.  "View across the site of the Baths Basillica at Wroxeter Roman City.")
 "View across the bathhouse complex towards the Old Work wall.")
 "View west towards the recreated Roman Town House.")
 "The Roman Town House recreated in 2010 at Wroxeter."){kind=small}
 "The Afon Glaslyn estuary at Porthmadog Cob.")
 "Steaming towards the Aberglaslyn Pass on the WHR.")
 "The Aberglaslyn Pass.")
 "The South African loco steaming into Caernarfon."){kind=small}
 "Merddin Emrys leaving Porthmadog to cross the Cob on its way to Blaenau Ffestiniog."){kind=small}
 "Some peak gusts recorded on 2 November 2013. Provisional data SYNOP & local sources.")
 "Ivy is covered with fresh flowers.")
 "red admiral butterfly on flowering ivy..")
 "MetopA image (c) Eumetsat on 7 November 2013, courtesy of Bernard Burton.")
 "Significant wave heights 12 GMT on Mediterranean Sea, courtesy of University of Athens.")
 "LANCE MODIS TERRA image on 14 November 2013 courtesy of the Rapid Response Team at NASA/GFSC.")
 "LANCE MODIS TERRA image on 14 November 2013 courtesy of the Rapid Response Team at NASA/GFSC."){kind=small}
 "Vivid sky colouration after sunset.")
 "First significant snowfall on the Carneddau Mountains.")
 "The small white fungus Mycena flavoalba cap just 6 - 7 mm.")
 "Common ink cap fungus.")
 "Mycena flavoalba on mosss growing on sycamore."){kind=small}
 "A plethora of contrails to the south-east.")
 "Fallen lime leaves")
 "Sea breaking over the sea wall in Llanfairfechan.")
 "Tidal elevations at Llandudno courtesy of National Oceanographic Centre accessed 7/12/13."){kind=small}
 "Tidal elevations at Lowestoft courtesy of National Oceanographic Centre accessed 7/12/13..")
 "Tidal elevations at Dover courtesy of National Oceanographic Centre accessed 7/12/13."){kind=small}
 "Bloody cranesbill Geranium sanguineum still flowering.")
 "Looking over the RSPB Nature Reserve at Conwy.")
 "Cumulus clouds encroaching from the south-west..")
 "Rainfall radar 1800z courtesy of meteoradar.co.uk (Meteox.com)")
 "Hail shower approaching along the Menai Strait T-120 seconds.")
 "Hail stone 1 cm diam that fell at Gorwel Heights.")
 "Christmas flowering greenhouse Mayford Perfection chrysanthemums.")
 "Snow on the Carneddau Mountains.")
 "Tree in field near the weather station uprooted in storm.")
 "Yellow winter flowering Jasmine.")
Pages designed and written by Donald Perkins: Copyright © 1998 - 2013Disclaimerhttp://www.llansadwrn-wx.co.uk
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