Llansadwrn (Anglesey) Diary 2014

             

• January
• February
• March
• April
• May
• June
• July
• August
• September
• October
• November
• December

January 2014

January 1 - the New Year began stormy with coastal damage and flooding in many places. Pressure 986 mb was falling with a low and triple point SW Ireland 973 mb tracking NE bringing a warm front over the Irish Sea. There had been heavy rain in the night and it was raining at 0900 GMT as pressure continued to fall. A wet morning with a SE'ly breeze backing E'ly then picking up, gusts of 30 mph and 52 in Llandegfan, and veering SW'ly by 1400 GMT the temperature being 11.2C continuing mild (it was 21.3C in Malaga today). Pressure began to rise from a low of 972.8 mb at 1700 GMT and a cold front passed over around 1900 GMT with gusty wind followed by moderately heavy rain. Sunless; [5.3 mm]. Bude 13.1C; Cardinham [34.2 mm] , Kenley/ Sennybridge [25.8 mm], Capel Curig [20.8 mm]; Messina, Sicily [54 mm]; Kinloss 3.8h. The 2nd began brighter with a line of backlit cumuli over the Snowdonia Mountains as pressure rose. We were in a clearer slot in a W'ly airflow and there was some sunshine through to afternoon. Spots of rain around 1600 GMT and light rain later as the wind strengthened as yet another low tracked N off SW Ireland 950 mb. A gust of 57 mph was recorded at Gorwel Heights 2056 GMT and a burst of heavy rain here 59 mm/h at 2340 GMT. Gale force winds affected exposed and coastal areas all night. A very blustery morning on the 3rd the SW'ly force 7 and gusting to 45 mph and 70 mph at Aberdaron. A little snow was seen along with older snow patches around the highest mountain summits. At 1024 GMT there was a shower of ice pellets then a burst of 9 mm hard hail (H5). Blustery into the afternoon with more showers of rain and mostly small ice pellets heavy at 1645 GMT (33 mm/h). Tyndrum {68.0 mm}, Tredegar {21.2 mm}. There was some ice precipitation (hailometer showing typical ice pellet marks) after midnight 3/4th and fresh snow had fallen across the mountains most on Carnedd Dafydd, Penyrole Wen and Tryfan as low as 1500 ft. There was a sprinkling also on Cadair Idris. Cloud low at first soon lifted, but did not clear the morning and afternoon keeping dull until late afternoon when the western sky had a nice azure blue and light peach colouration after an orange sunset. The sky was clear into the evening and with the air temperature 2.0C and on the grass falling to -2.3C there was slight freezing rain just before midnight. Another big storm on the way on the 5th with pressure 996 mb falling from 997 mb at 04 GMT. Another large depression 937 mb was S of Greenland moving eastward towards Britain. There was some brightness looking towards Conwy, but with frontal rain already encroaching on SW England and S Wales the morning was dull and breezy with showers of rain. A little sunshine at first in the afternoon then heavy showers from 1600 GMT. The temperature rose 13.3C at Gorwel Heights, highest of the month, at 1540 GMT in a SSW'ly Föhn-like wind gusting to 59 mph (70% RH). The maximum in Llansadwrn was 11.2C, also highest of the month 1820 GMT 94% RH. Showers continued into the night. On the 6th pressure 981 mb was still falling and there had been squally showers (59 mm/h at 0744 GMT). Atlantic-low 950 mb was W of Shannon and we were in a very strong SW'ly airflow. In gale force winds gusts of 70 mph were recorded at Capel Curig, 60 mph at Aberdaron and 59 mph at Gorwel Heights. In addition to high spring tides along western coasts, coupled with a tidal surge almost 1 m in places (National Tide Gauge Network Courtesy of NOC) there was a heavy Atlantic-swell (graphic left courtesy of the University of Athens)

, and more damage and further flooding was expected. Students had been evacuated from University accommodation facing the sea at Aberystwyth where damage had already occurred. An active band of heavy squally showers moved in off the Irish Sea and at 0908 GMT here there was heavy rain, small ice pellets and rumbles of thunder. Thunder got louder up to 0926 GMT as the storm-cells approached - a house in Llanfachraeth, Anglesey, was struck by lightning destroying the roof. Very windy all day with strong gusts. Manston 12.5C; Achnagart {66.8 mm}, Capel Curig [8.8 mm]; St Athan 5.5h

After a windy night there were signs of the sky starting to clear on the morning of the 7th, but there was little progress. Pressure 992 mb was rising with low 968 mb N of Scotland. The wind was moderating and there were bright spells with glimpses of sunshine and spots of rain or showers at times. Just before sunset there was a longer spell weak sunshine. Past the solstice looking across the fields the sun is already setting more to the northwest and the day lengthening. Much brighter on the 8th the sky clearing rapidly towards 0900 GMT. Cloudier looking towards the mountains with crepuscular rays shining from behind cumulus clouds. The morning was sunny at first then moderately high cloud encroached bringing spots of rain by 1400 GMT and rain within 30 minutes. Llansadwrn rainfall [17.2 mm] largest of the month. Lake Vyrnwy [26.4 mm], Capel Curig [16.4 mm]; Kew Gardens 12.4C; Boulmer 5.9h.

The 9th dawned fine with cloud cover 6 oktas, a temperature of 3.8C down from a high of 7.1C at 0110 GMT (z) with light airs from the NE. The weather station was on duty from before first light 0745z to record first 10 sightings of birds arriving at the feeders as we were taking part in the Garden BirdWatch Early Bird Survey. The survey is to investigate the effect of light pollution on feeding behaviour and results will be looked at by BTO nationwide. The first was the robin 0755z followed by coal tit 0800z; blue tit and great spotted woodpecker 0805z; house sparrow and dunnock 0810z; great tit 0811z; blackbird 0818z; chaffinch 0819; and just making the number up nuthatch 0830z. A greenfinch was a moment too late to get on the list! Pressure 1005 mb was rising with complex dumbbell shaped charted lows Norwegian Sea 992 mb and N Sea 991 mb. The the temperature at 0900 GMT had risen to 4.3C (dewpoint 3.8C) and the day was bright, the breeze veered SW'ly about 0915 GMT. Some sunny spells developed later in the morning and afternoon, but the day kept cool - highest 6.8C around 1300 GMT. Shoeburyness 10.3C. Limited clear spells overnight, with the temperature rising 5.1C at 0248 GMT, the grass minimum read just -0.9C on the morning of the 10th. A mostly cloudy morning with spots of rain from noon and light rain in the afternoon as an occluded front moving eastward passed over. Rainfall 7.5 mm. Capel Curig [21.6 mm].

At 09 GMT on the 11th 5 oktas cloud cover cumulus and contra overhead, mostly dark looking with mist on the Snowdonia mountaintops, but clearing sky. Overnight air minimum screen was 1.9C and -2.5C on the grass with no sign of frost. We still have not had an air frost this winter. Pressure 1018 mb was rising in a ridge from high-pressure 1020 mb over NW France. A nice day and making the most of the respite went to Malltraeth Pool where there were large numbers of winter migrant wildfowl to be seen including pintail and widgeon with plenty of redshank on the mud of the Cefni Estuary. Flying spectacularly over Malltraeth Marsh, their white parts glinting when turning in the sunshine, were large flocks (50 - 100 or more) lapwings. Very good visibility with clear views of the mountains from Conwy to Lleyn, the snow on the highest summits shining white in afternoon sunshine. The strand line of recent high tides was examined reaching within 20 m of the nearest property in Malltraeth , but fairly low down on the Cob on this occasion (photo left). Not as high as previously seen when, accompanied by heavy rainfalls on 22 October 2004 (see Diary), the marsh was extensively flooded on 26 October 2004 (see Diary). No precipitation today, maximum 7.2C. Culdrose 10.5C; Baltasound {10.2 mm}; Aberporth 6.4h.

On the morning of the 12th there was a vivid red sky at 0820 GMT, it only lasted intensely for a few minutes so I was lucky to have my camera handy. It was a warning as pressure 1014 mb was falling quickly with deepening low 958 mb SE of Iceland with associated warm front over the the Severn Estuary and Pembrokeshire and following cold front and wave SW Ireland. Relative humidity had fallen to 49% (dewpoint -3.9C) between 0330 and 0400 GMT when the wind was SE'ly off the mountains. The temperature rose from a minimum of 1.2C to 6.0C in the Föhn-like wind. Bright at first, with very good visibility and some weak sunshine turning dull with slight rain by afternoon. Briefly windy with rain before the cold front arrived at 20 GMT. With a dominant SSE'ly the station was in rain shadow; the volume of precipitation here just [1.0 mm], but Tredegar in S Wales was {13.6 mm} The first snowdrops have opened in the garden one day later than last year (diagram right), leaves with spots of white had been on the lawn for a while some being pecked by pheasants attracted by feeding birds. The flowers open today were in a different part of the garden! Bude 11.3C, Aboyne min -6.0C; Manston 5.9h.

After a moderately heavy shower of rain and unidentified ice precipitation at 03 GMT on the 13th the sky cleared resulting in a ground frost (iced bulb -0.7C) freezing the water on the wet grass. Just 1 okta of cloud cover at 0900 GMT the result of bank backlit cumulus cloud over the Snowdonia Mountains. Pressure 1002 mb was falling slowly with low 970 mb SE Iceland and a frontal wave 990 mb over Shannon. Cloudier by midafternoon with sleety precipitation during the evening that fell as snow on the mountains above 1500 ft. Pptn [5.9 mm], Capel Curig [10.4 mm], Aberdaron [14.8 mm]. On the 14th the snow that had fallen overnight was lying at 1800 ft on N-facing slopes of the Carneddau with 30% cover as low as 1600 ft. Snow was also seen on Moel Eilio and Cadair Idris. It had been a cold night with the air temperature in the Stevenson Screen -0.1C while on the grass the minimum was -5.1C. There was slight hoar frost and thin ice on water baths in the garden for the first time this winter. Calm, smoke was rising vertically and anemometers were not turning. Bright and sunny at first with very good visibility before thicker moderately high cloud encroached by noon and there was light rain from 1500 GMT. In warm sector air the temperature had risen to 8.3C by 2200 GMT. Rain Llansadwrn [13.0 mm over 14h duration], Mumbles Head {16.8 mm}, Capel Curig [18.6 mm], Isle of Man [21.0 mm]. Rain was light to moderate after midnight and in warm sector air the temperature had risen further to 9.3C around 04 GMT. In the morning of the 15th the sky was slow to clear with a chink of blue seen through layered sheets of cloud at 0900 GMT. Pressure 992 mb was still falling with low 968 mb slow moving S of Iceland. We were still in warm sector air with the cold front over Ireland. Muddy underfoot, spots of rain, poor visibility, before a little brightness and glimpse of sunshine at 1130 GMT. Further showery rain through the day and another sighting of a yellow looking sun sinking below cloud in the west just before sunset. Maximum 9.7C; Chivenor 12.5C. Rain Llansadwrn [6.3 mm], Capel Curig [18.0 mm], Eskdalemuir [27.6 mm]. Not quite cold enough to record a ground frost on the 16th the minimum reading was 0.0C. There was a light SSE'ly breeze and visibility was good, but the sun had not yet risen above the bank of cumuli over the Snowdonia Mountains. A few spots of rain then some glimpses of sunshine. Max 9.1C; Min 4.8C; Rain 2.8 mm. Odiham 11.6C; Thorney Island [31.8 mm]Showery rain, with a few small ice pellets after midnight, and just before 0900 GMT on the 17th. Pressure 984 mb was rising, but the day kept dull with spots of rain or light showers of rain. The cloud partially lifted from time to time and visibility improved, when snow could be seen on the mountains, only to descend again bringing a shower midafternoon turning drier in the evening with broken cloud. Rain [3.3 mm], Charlewood [19.0 mm]; Plymouth 11.6C. Dry at first after midnight then drizzle and light rain from 0530 GMT on the 18th. At 0900 GMT the light wind had backed E'ly; pressure 985 mb was falling slowly within complex low pressure (984 mb St George's Channel 0900 GMT) and northwards to the Western Isles. Overnight minimum 4.5C, but in Karesuando, Sweden it was -40.4C. Slight rain, misty moderate visibility. With the resident 'storm cock' singing in the trees a count of plants flowering in the garden numbered 14, including 2 varieties of Helleborus the Lenten rose, but no primroses yet. Precipitation 3.9 mm, Pembrey sands [19.2 mm], but Le Luc, France [86.2 mm]; max 9.1C, but 24.1C in Sicily.

The 19th began on a calm bright note with an almost clear sky, except for a cumulus cloud over the mountains, and a ground frost -1.3C that left clear frozen deposits on grass (not white). Flocks of starlings fly SE to NW soon after dawn on most days, today seagull were moving in the opposite direction. Pressure 992 mb was rising with low 986 mb off the Western Isles and being in a clear slot between occluded fronts we had a mostly sunny day. Maximum 8.2C; minimum 2.9C at 0900 GMT. Plymouth 10.4C, Braemar {29.0 mm}, Yeovilton 7.4h, Aberporth 5.7h. Two people have died and more than 150 people have been airlifted to safety following heavy rain and floods in the south of France between the Var and Italy. Rainfall in the last few days has totalled 236 mm in Nice, 210 mm at Le Luc and 148 mm in St Maxime. A cloudy morning on the 20th after a light shower of rain, but with pressure 1007 mb rising quickly were had a dry and sunny day. Max 8.2C, min 2.7C. In contrast it was an overcast and morning on the 21st with a moderate to fresh SE'ly wind, the brightness seen towards Conwy disappearing as cloud descended on western mountains. At 0900 GMT the temperature rising from 2.0C at midnight, with a ground frost -3.5C, was 6.3C (dewpoint 3.8C) with 84% relative humidity. After yesterday's dry day the the ground was soft underfoot and not soggy which was an improvement. A raven croaked passing over the Stevenson screen to perch on the nearby tall pine tree. Dull with no bright sunshine, max 8.5C, rain [4.4 mm]. After recent rain and poor visibility on the morning of the 22nd the sky cleared a little before a slight shower soon after 0900 GMT. Later turning cloudier again with showers later. The 23rd began bright with cloud clearing a few cumulus clouds overhead and a bank of cloud over the mountains with crepuscular rays looking towards the Nant Ffrancon Pass in good visibility. Pressure 1010 mb was rising in a transient ridge and the day was mostly sunny with clear sky over the Irish Sea and northwards to the Western Isles. The temperature struggled to reach 7.0C at 1300 GMT. Morecambe 4.3h, Hawarden 4.1h. Cloudier after midnight with light rain before morning [1.0 mm].

At 0900 GMT on the 24th the sky was overcast and the temperature had risen to 8.0C the maximum of the past 24-h. Pressure 1008 mb was falling with low 956 mb S Greenland while pressure was high over the Azores 1039 mb and the Adriatic 1003 mb. A trough was over W Britain. The rain and drizzle was dying out and the day was drier, but sunless, until late afternoon and evening when a warm front arrived introducing showery rain. The temperature rose to 9.9C at 1800 GMT in Llansadwrn and at Gorwel Heights to 11.6C at 1900 GMT one of the highest in Britain on this day. Killowen 11.5C, Rhyl 11.1C; Llansadwrn [6.2 mm], Milford Haven {25.2 mm} and Cardinham {34.8 mm}. On the 25th we were still in the warm moist airstream at 0900 GMT 8.4C (dewpoint 6.4C) 87% RH rising to 9.3C by 1000 GMT; Gorwel Heights 11.6C. Remnant snow could be seen around the summit of Carnedd Llewelyn and there was a glimpse of weak sunshine later. At 1220 GMT there was a sudden onset of a squally wind, heavy thunder and lightning, rain (up to 94 mm/h at 1221 GMT) and large ice pellets (5 mm) lasting in all for some 12 minutes; the temperature dropped to 5.3C. Similar at Gorwel Heights a few minutes later (76 mm/h recorded at 1228 GMT while at Gorddinog the rate was up to 105 mm/h). The cold front had arrived! Two men were lucky to escape a close lightning strike while walking on Aran Fawddwy 2790 ft highest in S Snowdonia; it left them unable to walk and with burnt feet. The afternoon continued breezy with some sunny spells. The temperature continued to fall down to 3.3C before midnight. Pptn [6.8 mm]. At midnight on the 26th pressure 1014 mb began to fall very rapidly and still falling on 991 mb at 0900 GMT. It was very windy with strong gusts; 66 mph was recorded at Gorwel Heights, 67 mph at Capel Curig and 70 mph at Aberdaron. Stronger in the north 93 mph was recorded in Wester Ross at Bealach na Bà Pass of the Cattle at 625 m (2054 ft), the 3rd highest road in Scotland. Visibility was poor in moderate rain. Deepening low 949 mb was off the Western Isles of Scotland with highs 1033 mb St Petersburg and 1029 mb N Africa. At 1046 GMT we had a squally shower (40 mph) with rain and ice pellets the S'ly wind veering SW'ly. Some brief sunny spells later and further showers in the afternoon petering out by evening. Pptn [5.4 mm], Capel Curig [27.2 mm], Isle of Skye [46.2 mm].

A brighter morning with 6 oktas cloud cover on the 27th with pressure steady on 984 mb at 0900 GMT, but began to fall during the morning. At 0000 GMT deep Atlantic-low 954 mb was off the Western Isles and this was to move, slowly filling, to be just N of Malin Head 969 mb at 1800 GMT. Moderate to good hazy visibility, there was a little fresh snow on the mountaintops, bright with glimpses of sunshine and spots of rain turning cloudier by afternoon. Ewes and new lambs were seen on the 'old cricket field' for the first time this year (right) and the first purple crocus had appeared in the garden. Showery rain from 1600 GMT moderate to heavy rain around 20 GMT.

A wet morning on the 28th with 15.1 mm measured in the raingauge and standing water around the garden. Local roads were awash with runoff from fields and in places deep water was across the road. Pressure was steady on 974.6 mb up a little from the lowest 974.1 mb at 0707 GMT, not as low as the 972.8 mb on the 1st. The local free-draining soil here has been near saturation point (72%) and today was 73% dry mass, it has taken a while after the fairly dry 2113. The low was very slow-moving over Anglesey all day and with all the weather in its circulation we had quite a reasonable day with a little sunshine at times, maximum 8.5C and 9.1C at Gorwel Heights! A cumulonimbus was spotted NW of the weather station in the afternoon (photo above); it drifted away westward and did not pass over the station. More lambs were being put out on the surrounding fields during the day. Tawny owls were heard around the weather station at 2330 GMT. They have been quite vocal this winter.

A cloudy morning on the 29th with continuous slight rain giving way to showery rain at 0900 GMT. Pressure 993 mb was rising in low pressure 988 mb Wales and N France. A light E'ly breeze, good visibility with low cloud and mist surrounding the mainland mountaintops. Mostly dry; s few spots of rain early in the afternoon. Sky clearing in the evening with ground frost developing. A fine and bright morning on the 30th with overnight ground frost little whiteness, mostly clear ice on the grass ( min -4.3C) and slight air frost (-0.2C Stevenson screen). With a bank of cumulus cloud over the Snowdonia Mountains the sun took a few more minutes to appear. Poor visibility with smoke haze, slightly coloured, viewed again the mountains and out over Red Wharf Bay. Sunny at first, maximum 5.8C, lowest of the month, plenty of snowdrops out now in the garden and several lesser celandines and one dandelion spotted along the hedgerows; cloudier by afternoon with temperature falling there was slight ice crystal precipitation. Overnight air minimum -0.7C and on the grass -5.7C, lowest of the month, any traces of frost had disappeared by 0900 GMT on the 31st as with thickening cloud and rising temperature slight rain had begun. A brilliant red sky over the mountains again at 0759 GMT. Pressure 993 mb was falling quickly with deepening low 944 mb S of Iceland with an occluded front over the Irish Sea and frontal wave developing west of Lands End heading for the Channel. Met Office warnings had been issued for strong winds and heavy rain. Coastal areas were again under threat of flooding, 600 students lodging on Aberystwyth's sea front had been sent home as a precaution. High water at Holyhead was about 1030 GMT and there was a slight 0.3 m surge on top (courtesy of NOC's tidegauge). Folk have already been adding up their January rainfalls. Until this morning 140 mm here ranking 18th, highest since 190 mm in 2008 and far short of the wettest January in Llansadwrn 231 mm at Treffos in 1948. Another 8.8 mm today brought the total up to 146.2 mm, most since 2008, ranking 15th largest since 1929. Rainfall for the month in Llanfairfechan was 151.6 mm at Gorwel Heights and 191.4 mm at Gorddinog. A few hours rain on this last day of the month, as often happens, can make a difference to the rankings. Before midnight some clear spells and showers of rain and ice pellets.

The month ended with rainfall of 146.2 mm (140%) & [143%] of averages, largest since 2008 rank 15 since 1929. The mean temperature was 6.1C (+0.8) & [+1.0] of averages. Dull, sunshine at Valley 36.9 h was lowest since 1995, ranking 9th on my K&Z adjusted Anglesey record. .

February 2014

February 1 - Frequent showers of rain and small ice pellets early in the day, and to the observer's delight a blustery shower of the same at 0900 GMT. The minimum temperature 1.4C was lowest of the month. Pressure 977 mb was falling with deep low 953 mb NW of Malin Head tracking eastward; there was a shower trough over the Irish Sea. Gusts of 52 mph were recorded at Gorwel Heights at 0920 GMT; Valley 55 mph, Capel Curig 60 mph, Mumbles Head 75 mph and Bealach na Bà 80 mph. There was light snow as low as 1000 ft on the Carneddau above Llanfairfechan. There were strong gales around the coast (Aberdaron and Valley) and the sea at high tide was very rough on to the shoreline. There had been a 0.5 m surge on the morning high tide at Barmouth (Courtesy of NOC) and similar on the high tide at Holyhead at 1107 GMT. Windy here gust 48 mph at 1538 GMT with frequent slight showers of rain dying out (3.6 mm 24-h to midnight) , but continued at Gorddinog with 9.6 mm of rain by midnight. Llansadwrn [3.0 mm], max 7.4C. Gravesend 9.4C, Tredegar {27.8 mm}. A bright and breezy morning on the 2nd with 3 oktas of cumulus and cirrus clouds. Pressure 999 mb was rising with low 965 mb N of Scotland. Bodnant Gardens might have Camellia in flower, but we have white dwarf Rhododendron, Narcissus, plenty of snowdrops and Hellebore's. Much lower level snow of yesterday had disappeared, but the tops of the mountains, including Foel-fras 3092 ft (left) were well covered. Cloudier in the afternoon, slight showers of rain from 15 GMT. At night some broken cloud and at times a few small lenticular clouds hovering to the S of here. On the morning of the 3rd with another brilliant red sky at 0750 GMT concrete and grass was dry, in the fresh SE'ly breeze 8,7C (dewpoint 0.8C) RH 58%, so should get some washing dry before the next batch of rain arrives already approaching Bardsey Island. The soil was moist, but soft underfoot. Pressure 995 mb was falling with lows 957 mb S Iceland, 980 mb Norwegian Sea and high 1048 mb Russia. The afternoon had a few spots of rain and little weak sunshine before slight rain later and evening. Rain [1.8 mm], wet in the S Wales with Scolton (Pembrokeshire) having {34.2 mm}. Sunny in Kent, Manston 7.2h, Valley 0.0h. A bright morning on the 4th with fresh snow on the mountains across the range from Drum to Llyn, there were white caps on Moel Eilio 2382 ft and Mynydd Mawr 2290 ft. Pressure was steady on 993 mb, but with twin mid-Atlantic lows to the W 950 mb SW Iceland and more significantly 954 mb off SW Ireland heading our way. A showery trough had passed over Wales and there were some cumuli still in the vicinity with precipitation in sight crossing the mountains. There had been a fresh fall of snow and a little more from further showers was in sight. A lorry carrying chickens tipped over on a slipway leaving the Britannia Bridge resulting in one carriage way being closed for 7 hours and both for 2 hours. Traffic chaos - taking over 2 hours for commuters to cross the water to and from the mainland via the Suspension Bridge. In a SSE'ly breeze off the mountains orographic (lee wave) altocumulus clouds were hovering to the south of the station just before 0900 GMT. A mostly sunny day with slight showers of rain from time to time. Soil moisture continues to be at or just above the saturated water percentage and small volumes of precipitation result in standing water: sampled today the SWP was 72% dry mass. The wind strengthened by evening that had some broken cloud. A windy night in Llanfairfechan with gusts reaching 54 mph at Gorwel Heights and 57 mph at Gorddinog just after midnight. On the morning of the 5th pressure 967 mb was falling quickly with the low 954 mb near Cork, Ireland. Wind, rain and big waves were again affecting SW England. Here, near the centre of the low not too bad. The ESE'ly force 4 breeze off the mountains resulted in a drying ground surface and temperature 7.7C (dewpoint 5.1C) 64% RH. In the overnight 'warmth' snow on lower mountain slopes was fragmented. The morning, bright at times, with light showers of rain; a rainbow was seen. At 1300 GMT pressure 963 mb was falling rapidly to 962.7 at 1330 GMT with the low centred over the Irish Sea; weather showery, but in a bright spell the temperature rose to 10.2C. Later, with further showers, the wind strengthened. Swanage 10.7C, Llansadwrn 10.2C and [5.3 mm], Llanfairfechan 8.0C; Tredegar {35.2 mm}

The wind moderated after a further spell of rain ending about 02 GMT and the morning of the 6th was a light SW'ly. The sky was clearing over Anglesey with moderate hazy visibility. Pressure 989 mb was rising slowly as low 977 mb and associated fronts brought further rain into SW England and Brittany. Yesterdays low was 972 mb heading for the S Norwegian Sea. Showery rain in the afternoon. Maximum 7.5C, East Malling 11.0C; Rain [4.8 mm, 11 h duration], Lake Vyrnwy {23.4 mm}. Although misty the 7th began fine and sunny with pressure 991 rising as a ridge crossed from the west. Deepening low 948 mb was over the Atlantic once again heading our way so it was a case of enjoying the day while it lasted. As visibility improved there were some fine views towards the Snowdonia Mountains in the afternoon, although the lambs in a Llansadwrn field (right) were more interested in having their milk. The panorama (above) shows the ridge upon which the area of Gadlys stands, with the mountains to the S beyond. The mountaintops, including Carnedd Llewelyn (left), were showing up capped with snow best seen between the shadows cast by the fast-moving cumulus clouds. The maximum today was 7.6C, and it was becoming very windy with showery rain before midnight as the next low 943 mb approached off Shannon. As pressure here 972 mb was falling rapidly it was lively night. Heavy showers around 0100 GMT with small ice pellets then thunder and lightning 0450 to 0456 GMT on the 8th. The chimney of a cottage in Llanberis was struck by lightning terrifying a family and destroying a BT hub. The morning was blustery with strong to gale-force S'ly wind and 30 mph speed restriction on the Britannia Bridge. Fast ferry crossings to Ireland from Holyhead had been cancelled; most rugby fans for the Ireland - Wales match today had crossed yesterday: Wales lost 26 - 3. Frequent blustery showers, a glimpse of the sun just before setting under the cloudsheet. Precipitation 9.3 mm with wet hours duration. High gusts of wind were recorded at Aberdaron 76 mph, Llandegfan 72 mph, Capel Curig 63 mph, 52 mph at Gorwel Heights and 50 mph at Gorddinog. Shoeburyness 10.3C; Libanus, Brecon Beacons {47.0 mm}; Wittering 6.3h.

The 9th dawned overcast and dull with cloud low over snow on the mountains. The soil remains soft and muddy with little sign of drying through the cloudy day. A glimpse of weak sunshine just before sunset as the sky began to clear from the west. Broken cloud during the evening and night. A brighter cooler morning on the 10th with a wintry shower of snow pellets and small flakes of snow before dawn traces still on the ground at 0900 GMT. The air minimum was 1.5C, just 0.1C greater than the lowest on the 1st, and -3.0C on the grass. Pressure 989 mb was rising with low 983 mb over Cardigan Bay with a ridge of high-pressure to the west. There was snow on the mountains, sprinklings as low as 1000 ft with lying snow above 2500 ft on the Carneddau: Road conditions at Cerrigydrudion were described as treacherous. A sunny morning becoming cloudier in the afternoon with high cirrostratus encroaching. A partial 22 deg solar halo with weak sundogs was seen for about 30 minutes or so from 1415 GMT. Kew Gardens 10.8C, Llansadwrn 9.0C. Morecambe 7.4h. Some broken cloud overnight (grass minimum -1.8C) and showery rain around 03 - 06 GMT [4.3 mm] on the 11th a gusty wind Gorwel Heights 51 mph at 0438 GMT marked passing of a weak frontal system. Cold enough on the mountains for a little more snow generally above 1800 ft with some at 1250 ft around Ogwen. At 0900 GMT; 3.3C (dewpoint 1.2C RH 86%) overcast, hazy good visibility, light SW'ly breeze. Cloud soon beginning to thin with small breaks appearing by 1030 GMT and soon sunny turning cloudier again by afternoon. There was a shower of snow and snow pellets at 1530 GMT. Rising water levels on the River Thames resulted in flooding of the Thames Valley inundating many properties. Maximum 8.0C, Wiggonholt 9.2C. Rain [4.3 mm], Tredegar {25.6 mm}.

With a Met Office forecast for NW Wales of winds between 80 - 100 mph on the 12th it was a case of battening down for a big blow. Vigorous low 955 mb off SW Ireland at 06 GMT was over Shannon at 0900 GMT. Pressure here 984 mb was falling rapidly and the S'ly wind force 5 beginning to pick up. By midmorning there were heavy showers of sleet with gusts of wind 53 mph at Gorddinog and 70 mph at Valley. In Upper Bangor student's umbrellas were being turned inside out! At noon pressure here was 972 mb was still falling quickly with the low 955 mb Shannon. Wind gusts reported at 1500 GMT as the storm first struck: Mace Head, Ireland 97 mph, Mumbles 92 mph, Capel Curig 91 mph, Mona 78 mph, Llandegfan 73 mph. Soon Aberdaron had recorded 108 mph, Lake Vyrnwy & Mumbles 96 mph, Capel Curig 93 mph, Valley 83 mph, Rhyl 66 mph and Llansadwrn 64 mph. Many roads in North Wales were blocked by fallen trees and the Britannia and Menai Suspension Bridges were closed to HSV's. One HSV ignored the ban and overturned on the Britannia Bridge closing it to all vehicles with traffic chaos ensuing in Menai Bridge. Lorries with no where to go lined up and the Red Cross set up 3 rest-centres on the island. About 90,000 homes in Wales were reported to be without electricity. Pupils at Ysgol Friars School in Bangor were sent home when slates began flying off the roof and was closed until repairs were carried out. The wind was too much for 3 wind turbines near Rhosgoch on Anglesey resulting in them catching fire lighting up the night sky. A house in Pwllheli was crushed when 2 large trees fell on it. West Coast mainline trains were suspended and Crewe Station evacuated when part of the roof fell on power cables. Liverpool Airport was closed and both lanes of the M6 in Cheshire and the M62 were closed for a time. In Greater Manchester there were slates flying about the streets and an exterior staircase to apartments collapsed marooning the occupants. Elsewhere water levels continued to rise and the Severn reached record high level in Worcester. Military personnel were employed in several towns and villages assisting in stemming flood water. By evening the storm winds had moved on to N England and Cumbria and moderated overnight Rain Shap {38.0 mm}, Capel Curig {37.2 mm}; Kirkwall 5.3h.

The 13th began bright with a little sunshine breaking through from time to time. The ground was strewn with twigs and small branches blown from trees and the shattered remains of a slate blown off the roof. The wind was light so opportunity was taken to get the ladders out and replace the slate. Job done. The breeze did pick up in the afternoon, but there was a little sunshine with a maximum of 6.3C, lowest of the month. Thousands were still without electricity as engineers struggled to make repairs. A bright moon in the evening with a touch of ground frost (-1.0C). A dry day in Llansadwrn; S and W-facing windows were encrusted with sea salt blown here off the sea by the gale. Writtle 9.7C, Kinlochewe {64.6 mm}, Hawarden 6.1h. A grey morning on the 14th with pressure 988 mb falling rapidly once again with low 958 mb and triple-point off SW Ireland lining up for another assault. The warm front was over SW England where there was heavy rain. A wall of cloud was building up to the S of the mountains with snow falling on the tops; there was old snow lying across the range at 2500 ft, some a little lower at 2250 ft. At 0900 GMT the temperature was 5.0C (dewpoint -0.3C) RH 69%, indicating a 35% chance of ice precipitation; with the SE'ly breeze strengthening to force 4 there were some spots of precipitation here by 1030 GMT temperature 3.8C (dewpoint 2.2C), RH 78% the chance of seeing ice precipitation here receding at 20%. At Gorwel Heights the SE'ly wind was gusting to 58 mph and at Gorddinog to 66 mph (Valley 40 mph) and there was heavy sleet the precipitation falling as snow in blizzard conditions on the tops of the Carneddau. Strong cross winds off the mountains on to the A55 made for difficult driving conditions to Bangor. Light to moderate rain in Llansadwrn the AWS reporting 16.6 mm by midnight. Pressure bottomed at 960 mb at 2214 GMT. At midnight on the 15th the low was charted 958 mb over the North Channel. With strengthen wind (31 mph at 0217 GMT) a cold front passed through with a burst of very heavy rain 21 mm/h and the temperature began to fall from 8.1C to 3.7C by 0450 GMT. At 0900 GMT with the WSW'ly force 3/4 there was continuous light to moderate rain. Precipitation 24-h to 09 GMT was 30.3 mm, largest since 4 August 2013 [89.2 mm], over 20 hours duration. Visibility was very poor and there were pools of standing water. Rainfall in Llanfairfechan, Gorwel Heights had been 40.0 mm and at Gorddinog 48.0 mm had fallen, both largest of the month. Pressure 977 mb was rising with the low having crossed the UK and was 960 mb over the North Sea off the Tay Estuary. The afternoon turned brighter with a little sunshine. Max 6.6C, Gravesend 11.9C; Capel Curig {49.8 mm} [26.8 mm]. A fine night with light winds and silver frost on the grass in the morning (grass min -3.6C, lowest of the month) of the 16th and sunny with a light WSW'ly breeze. The white Lenten Roses with dew drops were looking a picture in the garden under the blue sky. Pressure 1005 mb was rising slowly in a ridge from high-pressure 1029 mb over France. A sunny morning, with good misty visibility the mountaintops white with lying snow above 2500 ft. Cloudier in the afternoon, weak sunshine through moderately high thin cloud, the cloud continuing into the evening and night. Max 9.1C, Plymouth 11.6C; Wellesbourne 9.0h.

The 17th was another mostly cloudy day with spots of rain at times and slight showers in the afternoon. The wind which began the day SE'ly veered SW'ly by 1800 GMT with further showery rain in the evening and overnight. Max 10.1C, Gorwel Heights 10.8C, Gorddinog 11.1C, Gravesend 12.0C. A brighter morning on the 18th, good visibility but cloud on the mountaintops. A sunny day. Another sunny start on the 19th with just 1 okta cumulus and lenticular altocumulus cloud over the mountains at 0900 GMT; the temperature was 6.7C (dewpoint 6.3C) 97% RH and rising to 9.1C at noon. . Turning cloudier by midmorning with precipitation in sight at 1100 GMT, Slight rain and or drizzle at times in the afternoon. During the evening the temperature began to rise in warm sector air from 8.5C at 2100 GMT to 10.1C (92% RH), the day's maximum, from 2340 GMT to midnight. In a Föhn-like force 5 SSW'ly wind the temperature at 2210 GMT reached 13.1C (74% RH) at Gorwel Heights, highest of the month. Hereford 13.3C, Gorwel Heights 13.1C, Gorddinog 13.0C, Hawarden 12.3C. On the 20th an earthquake Mag 4,3 in the Bristol Channel was widely felt in S Wales and SW England. Today's minima 6.6C here and 7.4C at Gorwel Heights were highest of the month. After some early showers of rain a clearance in the west arrived and gave some sunshine for a while in the morning before turning cloudier again with freshening wind and spots of rain. The afternoon had some sunny spells and it was less windy by dusk. There was clear sky by 2100 GMT.

The 21st began blustery with showery with small ice pellets at 0900 GMT. There were some bright spells during the morning and sunny spells in the afternoon before a line of blustery showers passed over with more ice pellets at 1540 GMT. The 22nd was bright with 4 oktas cumulus cloud mostly over the mountains and a veil if cirrus overhead. Mostly sunny. With a warm front passing in the night the 23rd began in warm sector air with a strong to gale-force SSW'ly winds. High gusts were recorded in Llandegfan 66 mph, Gorddinog 55 mph and Gorwel Heights 53 mph. Showery rain at first turning moderate to heavy at times with a slow-moving frontal system over the Irish Sea. A cold front passed through in the early hours of the 24th with gusty wind 49 mph at Gorwel Heights; bursts of heavy rain here 21 mm/h at 0315 GMT and a temperature fall of 5.7C while at Gorddinog the temperature fell 7.1C from 10.9C to 3.8C. Rainfall in Llansadwrn was [27.5 mm] while at Gorddinog [36.5 mm] was recorded in the 24-h to 09 GMT. Pressure 1000 mb was rising slowly with complex lows 964 mb W of Ireland. A bright day, windy at times with a little sunshine. Max 10.0C, St James Park 14.9C, Manston 7.0h.

Continuing rainfall has been adding to winter totals and already the Met Office was reporting the wettest winter on record in Wales and parts of southern Britain influenced by a more southern position of the jetstream than usual through the winter. Anglesey statistics, as also sometimes happens in the lee of the Snowdonia Mountains, better fits with northern statistics. As on the morning of the 24th winter rainfall in Llansadwrn 433.5 mm, records of which go back to 1929, was not the wettest which was winter 1994/95 that had 510.3 mm recorded at this station. Ranking 5th, so far, needing another 77 mm to catch up. Autumns are wetter here, the 30-y average 350.6 mm compared with the winter average of 301.0 mm and the largest fall 612.1 mm in 2000 is very hard to beat.

Heavy blustery showers of rain in the early hours of the 25th with ice pellets at 0519 GMT, but a bright enough morning with hazy sunshine and a strong SSE'ly breeze. At 0900 GMT pressure 989 mb was falling slowly with low 971 mb off the Western Isles of Scotland, the temperature was 7.3C (dewpoint 3.3C) 76% RH and rose to 9.0C in the afternoon. Cardiff 11.6C, Achnagart {28.8 mm}, Libanus {17.8 mm}. A few clear spells overnight, but no ground frost the minimum 0.2C on the morning of the 26th. Mostly cloudy with precipitation in sight and a moderate SW'ly breeze. Soon the rain shower arrived then brightening there were sunny spells (maximum 10.3C) through to the afternoon that was breezy. Valley reported 5.7h of sunshine and here solar radiation was 10.50 MJ m ^-2 , highest of the year so far. Turned cloudier later. Gravesend 12.5C, Achnagart{41.4 mm}, Wattisham 8.7h. Overnight it was windy at Gorwel Heights gusting to 50 mph at 0121 GMT (Llansadwrn 31 mph). The morning of the 27th was bright with a clearing sky with pressure 1004 mb rising quickly. The temperature at 0900 GMT was 5.6C (dewpoint 4.2C) and in another spring-like day rose to 11.2C in the afternoon. With light breezes and sun on the rockery banks 3 first-of-the-season large bumblebees were spotted on flowering red heather along with several honeybees. A few native primroses were out on the rockery banks as well as gromwell Lithodora (Lithospermum) and with snow still on the mountains the first glory-of-the-snow Chinodoxa. Shoeburyness 12.0C, Tyndrum {21.0 mm}, Tredegar {18.0 mm}. On the last day of the month (28th) there was an early shower of ice precipitation finely marking the hailometer. An overnight minimum of 3.2C and ground frost (-2.0C) and a fairly dull morning soon brightening with sunny spells developing and a sunny afternoon (max 9.2C). Clear in the evening and a rare chance to see green and red coloured aurora in the northern sky from about 2145 GMT to 2210 GMT. Spectacular sightings were seen as far south as the Scilly Isles and Norfolk to Scotland. Killowen 11.8C, Aboyne -4.1C min, Culdrose {20.0 mm}.

At the end of the month there had not been a lot more precipitation since the 23rd and the month ended with a total of 128.2 mm, largest since 2004 and ranking 11th since 1929. The winter total was 444.7 mm, largest since 2000 and 5th since 1929 - so no rainfall records were broken in Llansadwrn. The February mean temperature was 6.3C, highest since 2011 ranking 10th since 1979.

March 2014

March 1 - St. David's Day bringing much the same sort of unsettled weather - a shower of ice pellets at 0540 GMT with a scattering left on the ground at 0900 GMT. Overnight minima were air 1.4C, lowest since 1 February, and grass -4.8C, lowest since 31 January and of this month. Mostly cloudy, with a light NE'ly breeze at first - pressure was steady on 1003 mb with low 983 mb between N Scotland and Iceland, and frontal-wave lows 993 mb over the Atlantic W of Ireland. With the cloud breaking up some sunny spells later in the morning as the wind reverted to SW'ly, bright in the afternoon (maximum 8.8C) with frequent slight showers of rain. Overcast by evening, more showery rain and a strengthening wind. Pershore College 11.0C, Tiree [18.4 mm], Capel Curig [18.2 mm], Llansadwrn [5.6 mm]. A front passed over around 03 GMT on the 2nd with the temperature falling from 2.5C from 7.5C only to recover again to 7.8C at 0900 GMT with no overnight frost. Continuing cloudy with intermittent slight rain and moderate visibility turning showery from 1500 GMT some with small hail. Maximum 8.6C; [4.6 mm]. Weybourne 10.9C; Dunkeswell [19.2 mm].

The 3rd began with an almost clear sky and very good visibility. There was a slight white frost on the grass with the grass minimum reading -4.2C and minimum air temperature 0.8C, lowest since 31 January. Pressure 982 mb was rising within a complex low-pressure system, low 976 mb over southern Britain, with the jetstream well south above the Iberian Peninsula. Being north of the southern low a mostly sunny day with a cool NNE'ly breeze maximum 8.2C. From 1600 GMT the temperature began to fall reaching to 2.3C before rising again as cloud encroached off the Irish Sea. Coningsby 10.4C, min Katesbridge -5.3C. A light shower of rain with a few small ice pellets around 04 GMT on the 4th left just 0.3 mm precipitation to measure in the raingauge. The almost clear sky after dawn became cloudier towards 0900 GMT with cumulus clouds forming especially over the mountains. Sunny with the odd passing cumulus disappearing to give a sunny afternoon with Valley the sunniest place with 9.3h duration and a maximum here of 11.0C. Helens Bay 11.7C; min Aboyne -4.3C; Tyndrum {23.4 mm}. An overnight minimum of 3.8C and a ground frost -2.2C and cloud encroaching with a red mackerel sky on the 5th at 0645 GMT. Pressure 1018 mb was rising with a ridge of high-pressure over S England and Brittany. A bright fine day with occasional sunny spells in the afternoon (max 10.3C), becoming breezy. Frittenden 14.1C; Achnagart {40.2 mm}; Manston 9.9h.

The 6th began overcast with some drizzle and spots of rain; traces of a pale brownish-white dust were being deposited. The origin of the dustfall was investigated by backward trajectory analysis using the HYSPLIT dispersion model, courtesy of the NOAA ARL Website. Parcels of air arriving over Anglesey between 1000 and 1300 m AGL at 0900 GMT showed that the dust was likely to have come from a pool of Saharan dust over the Atlantic off the Channel Islands. By a remarkable coincidence there was a dustfall here last year 6 March 2013. Anglesey remained dull all day, the sky was brighter looking towards Conwy in the afternoon. In Llanfairfechan Föhn-effect led to a temperature of 14.9C being recorded at Gorwel Heights at 1320 GMT, highest in Wales, and 14.6C at Gorddinog. The best that Llansadwrn could offer was 11.0C and Hawarden 12.2C. The highest UK temperature on the day was 15.5C at Gravesend. Showery rain began just before midnight and turned moderate to heavy on the 7th in the small hours, 13 mm/h at 0521 GMT. Rainfall in the 24-h 09-09 GMT was 16.8 mm. Hardly a cloud in the sky at first before a few convective clouds began to form during the morning. Very good visibility and a light SW'ly breeze. Cool in the breeze, but warm enough for bumblebees and honeybees to put in an appearance (max 11.1C). Clear sky at first in the evening (grass min -3.5) before cloud encroached. St James Park 16.9C, Aberporth 8.0h. Breezy (S'ly f5) on the 8th with overcast sky and mountaintops obscured, good visibility and pressure steady on 1019 mb. Low 948 mb was S of Iceland and with high-pressure persisting over Germany chart isobars were tightly packed in the western-fringe. By 1030 GMT cloud was thinning and there was some weak sunshine the temperature rising to 13.1C (RH 64%) at 1430 GMT. In Llanfairfechan in another Föhn wind the temperature rose at Gorwel Heights to 15.4C, with a low RH of 31%, and at Gorddinog to 15.3 C 34% RH. The afternoon continued bright and the wind strong into the evening. St James Park 16.6C, Gogerddan 15.4, Llanfairfechan 15.4C and 15.3C.

After a glimpse of the rising red sun in the east earlier on the 9th a dull morning with low cloud, drizzle and poor visibility in Llansadwrn at 0900 GMT with a cold front over the Irish Sea. Bradbury's formula gave the cloud height as 317 ft which seemed about right. The air minimum temperature 8.8C was highest of the month. Pressure 1019 mb was rising slowly with low 960 mb filling over Iceland and high 1038 mb intensifying over Poland. By 1000 GMT the drizzle had stopped and the cloud lifted and thinned giving some clear sunshine for a while in the afternoon (max 13.4C). Cloudier again by evening. The weak cold front passed just after midnight with just a small temperature fall, light to moderate rain (1.2 mm) and change of wind direction SW to NE. On the morning of the 10th there were some breaks in the cloud and very good visibility with some mist in the eastern end of the Menai Strait. Pressure 1031 mb was rising and it was calm with smoke rising vertically . The jetstream was stationed off N Scotland. Soon with cloud clearance it was sunny with a maximum of 10.3C. Solent 17.7C. Hawarden 10.9C, Gorwel Heights 8.9C. The 11th began fine and sunny with just a little cloud seen to the NE. At 0900 GMT in a light E'ly breeze the temperature was 7.5C, with a low dewpoint 0.1C and RH of 59%, and rose to a maximum of 14.3C here and Gorddinog and 13.4C at Gorwel Heights. Local low relative humidity values were 36% at Gorddinog, 34% at Gorwel Heights and 42% in Llandegfan. A lot of bees were seen on massed red, pink and white flowering heathers in the garden where the temperature in sheltered places was >15C. Large and medium sized bumblebees (15) and to many to count honeybees. Aboyne 15.4C, Whitechurch (Pembs) 13.6C Valley 10.9h sunshine.

Another fine and dry day on the 12th with not a cloud in the sky (rare here). Pressure was steady on 1034 mb and at 0900 GMT there was a light NE'ly breeze. Visibility was good, but there was moderate haze with Saharan dust a contributing factor. The overnight air minimum was 3.6C, Valley reported 1.9C and at Mona an air frost -0.8C. A light to moderate dew formation measured by drosometer was 0.17 mm: copper raingauges were dry, but condensation was seen on the black Davis funnel 30 cm above ground. Sunny all day with the many bees buzzing away on the heather banks joined by comma and small tortoiseshell butterflies. Flowers of white hellebores, Lenten Roses, had increased in number - I could not resist another photo taken low under the blue sky, as well as the purple coloured varieties that have been good this season. Also spotted was a comma butterfly (right) and small tortoiseshell butterfly , both in pristine condition. Late in the afternoon fog encroached off the Irish Sea and by 1744 GMT was thick enough to obscure the setting sun that coloured the fog (below right). Max today 13.8C with Bala 17.1C leading the UK table. Kinloss with 10.7h was sunniest with Aberporth on 10.1h and Valley 8.1h.

Fog all night, dense at times, and on the 13th at 0900 GMT was thick <100 m. The temperature was 5.0C and in persistent fog kept low through the day with a maximum of 6.5C at 1120 GMT that was lowest of the month. Nil evaporation recorded by the Piche evaporimeter today! At Mona the air minimum was 0.0C while Capel Curig and Rhyl reported air frosts at -1.4C and -0.2C respectively. The amount of fog and dew deposition by drosometer this morning was 0.32 mm with 0.2 mm in copper and black plastic raingauges. The mountaintops were in clear sunshine and a rare Brocken Spectre was observed in the fog, on the Carneddau near Llanfairfechan. An optical phenomenon named after the Brocken, in the Harz Mountains of Germany, where first described in 18th century. With the sun behind the observer, and usually looking downwards, an enlarged shadow of the observer is cast in the fog lit by backward diffracted light sometimes coloured known as a 'glory' . I have never seen this phenomenon and I am grateful to Gordon for the photograph. Kew Gardens 19.0C, Gorddinog 6.9C, Gorwel Heights 6.7C, Llansadwrn gardens 6.5C; Wattisham 9.9h, Bala 6.4h.

Fog persisted overnight, but on the morning of the 14th had cleared, allowing sunshine to break through at 0800 GMT, before returning. At 0900 GMT visibility was 500 m (moderate fog) and persisted most of the day. There was 0.2 mm in the raingauge and the drosometer recorded 0.15 mm overnight. The temperature range was from a minimum of 3.3C through 6.1C at 09 GMT to 8.3C at 2013 GMT. The 15th began brighter as the clear started to clear and good visibility. At 0900 GMT the temperature 8.5C was highest of the past 24-h; nil precipitation. Pressure 1030 mb was rising with Atlantic-high 1039 mb to the SW and low 972 mb over the Gulf of Finland. Some weak hazy sunshine with brief spells of bright sunshine in the afternoon. A flock of 20+ redwings was seen on an adjacent field S of the weather station - the first we have seen here this year. The sticky buds of horse chestnut were breaking. St James Park 19.3C, Llansadwrn 11.2C; Bala 8.3h, Valley 4.1h. The 16th was overcast and dull with intermittent drizzle and poor visibility. A mistle thrush was singing. Low stratiform cloud/ fog was covering the Irish Sea while to the north orographic cloud formations were prevalent. Quite a contrast in temperature and sunshine SE-NW today - St James Park 20.1C, Llansadwrn 11.9C; Manston 11.4h, Valley nil.

White flowers of blackthorn were in hedgerows along the A55 near Llanfairpwll on the 17th. The earliest flowering date in my records (graphic left) is the 27 February 2007 and the latest 16th April 2010. The median flowering date is the 22 March, 5 days earlier this year and 28 days before last year (2013). Mostly cloudy, pressure was steady on 1023 mb at 0900 GMT with good visibility and a light W'ly breeze. The temperature 8.8C (dewpoint 6.7C) 86% RH rising to 11.3C during a brighter interlude and better than yesterday. Thickening cloud in the afternoon with moisture felt on the wind. Lucky Aberdeen with max 15.3C, Hawarden 13.8C and 4.8h, Herstmonceux 6.2h. Much the same on the 18th, overcast, intermittent slight rain and poor visibility at first, soon brightening a little before thickening cloud in the afternoon brought slight rain around 1600 GMT. Hurn 15.1C, Gorddinog 12.1C, Llansadwrn 12.0C, Gorwel Heights 11.3C.

The 19th began with thin moderately high cloud, moderate hazy visibility and a freshening SSW'ly wind. Sometimes bright with glimpses of sunshine in the morning, thickening cloud with drizzle and slight rain by the end of the afternoon. A maximum today of 12.3C with 14.4C reported at Gorwel Heights and 14.6C at Gorddinog. Kew Gardens 17.3C, Trawsgoed 13.8C, ; Kinlochewe 56.0 mm; Morecambe 7.0h. The wind continued to freshen in the night and gales were reported around the north-west of Wales at Aberdaron, Valley and Capel Curig. Gusts of 73 mph were reported in Capel Curig, 61 mph in Llandegfan and 53 mph at Gorddinog on the morning of the 20th. A speed restriction of 30 mph was in force on the Britannia Bridge. A band of rain on a slow-moving wavy cold front brought moderate to heavy rain from 1130 GMT. Following bands of showers associated with convection off the sea brought frequent ice pellets (heaviest 1400 GMT 43 mm/h), accumulating 15.0 mm precipitation by 1500 GMT, when the temperature had fallen from 10.0C to 6.9C (dewpoint 6.2C). Another heavy shower of large hail stones up to 9 mm diameter occurred at 1805 GMT and more rain and hail (up) at 1852 GMT (45 mm/h). At least 4 events, each with falls in temperature happened between the day's (00-00z) maximum of 10.0C and minimum 3.9C (-6.1C). Similar occurred at Gorwel Heights range 12.3C to 4.4C (-7.9C) and Gorddinog range 12.2C to 4.4C (-7.8C). The NOAA 19 satellite thermal image (right), courtesy of NOAA and Bernard Burton, shows the arc of cloud (cloud-top temperature -10C) associated with the frontal system just reaching Anglesey at 1250 GMT. Llansadwrn [21.8 mm] largest of the month and more than Capel Curig (20.4 mm], Gorddinog 16.9 mm.

The 21st began fine and sunny with hardly a cloud in the sky and good hazy visibility, there had been no precipitation since midnight. Pressure was 1002 mb, but a cold air development over Ireland brought showers of rain and wet snow pellets in the afternoon and moderate to heavy precipitation from 18 to 20 GMT. Bluebell leaves are 20 cm tall in the wood, but no buds yet. Candelabra primulas are in flower and dwarf willow buds are opening. Max 10.6C, Kew Gardens 13.3C; Eskdalemuir [15.2 mm], Capel Curig [14.2 mm], Gorddinog [10.6 mm] and Llansadwrn [6.6 mm]; Aberdeen 9.8h, Hawarden 7.4h, Valley 6.4h. A bright morning on the 22nd (grass min -1.0C) with fresh snow on the mountains as low as 2000 ft with lying snow at 2750 ft. There was some on Cadair Idris as well. A magpie was being taken for a ride (left) in the field adjacent to the weather station. The temperature at 0900 GMT was 5.3C (dewpoint 1.0C RH 74% with a rule-of-thumb indication of 20% chance of ice precipitation. Cumuli were developing over the mountains and there was a light shower (rain) at 0925 GMT. A trough passed over in the afternoon producing a showers of wet snow pellets around 1540 GMT and again just after midnight. [Pptn 2.6 mm, maximum temperature 8.3C].

With low 986 mb over the southern N Sea pressure 1008 mb was rising here on the 23rd as a ridge of high-pressure moved across from the west. A bright start with a light to moderate NW'ly breeze. Sunny spells the day kept dry with passing cumulus clouds while on the mountains ice precipitation showers were 'in sight' early in the afternoon (above left). The temperature at 1500 GMT was 9.8C (dewpoint 3.7C) RH 66%, just off the maximum 10.1C. As the sky cleared over Anglesey a well developed convective cloud was seen over the Carneddau at 1505 GMT (above right). A clear evening, light wind with ground frost. Swanage 11.7C; Porthmadog {4.2 mm}.

A bright morning on the 24th with thin high cirrus clouds and very good clear visibility >20 km, or more, especially to the N. Early risers might have seen some white frost on the grass (minimum -4.4C) but there was none at 0900 GMT. The minimum air temperature was 0.6C lowest of the month. With a SSE'ly breeze of dry air off the mountains in a temperature of 6.8C (dewpoint -1.1C) relative humidity here was 57%. Lowest values seen during the morning were 40% in Llandegfan (1028z), 46% Llansadwrn (1037z), Gorddinog 46% (1027z) and Gorwel Heights 50% (1204z). At 0900 GMT a chiffchaff, the first of the season, was singing while making a tour of the garden. Seventeen days earlier than in the cold spring last year and 2 days earlier than the median date (graphic left). The temperature reached 11.5C in the afternoon, one of the highest in Wales today, before turning cloudier and dull as the breeze freshened. Dung spreading has commenced on the field adjacent to the weather station. A gust of 53 mph was recorded at Gorddinog. Northolt 11.9C, Hawarden 11.1C, min Redesdale -6.8C, Capel Curig -3.7C; Leuchars 11.7h, Hawarden 8.9h, Valley 5.3h.

Hazy sunshine under a little thin high cloud on the morning of the 25th. Visibility was moderate temperature 7.7C (dewpoint 5.0C) 83% rising to 10.1C in the afternoon. Pressure 1007 mb was rising quickly with an occlusion clearing eastward. Low 998 mb was N of Scotland and there was a frontal wave 1002 mb near Cork, Ireland. We were in a small clear slot and it was sunny until late afternoon with rain later as the front returned westward. Killowen 13.9C, Leek {13.2 mm}, Magilligan 9.7h, Valley 8.7h. A fine morning with hazy sunshine on the 26th with a few clouds, low-lying mist was slow to clear in some places. The returned frontal cloud was clearing westward. Pressure 1007 mb was rising, a light NE'ly breeze and a temperature of 7.0C rising to 9.8C by afternoon. Max temp today 14.2C at Kinlochewe and 12.2C in Porthmadog and sunniest in Lerwick 11.9h (Valley 5.3h). A shower of ice precipitation at Gorwel Heights at 20 GMT (6.8 mm/h) and shower of wet snow pellets after midnight in Llansadwrn on the morning of the 27th and fresh snow on the mountains, a light covering at 2500 ft and sprinklings as low as 1000 ft including above Llanfairfechan. Damson and plum trees are in full flower in the microclimate of in Llanfairfechan with buds in Llansadwrn showing no sign of breaking. Some seedling sycamore are in leaf in the wood and yellow candles are on horse chestnut trees. Mean February temperatures were Llansadwrn 6.3C, Gorwel Heights and Gorddinog 6.8C. Minima were 0.5C higher in Llanfairfechan. A line of convergence moving W was over the Irish Sea and St George's Channel to the Bristol Channel with frontal cloud off the Wash and E Anglia to Belgium. A thundery low over Brittany and the Channel moved NE during the afternoon over London along the east coast to the Tyne later. Mostly cloudy on Anglesey with a break in the lee of the Carneddau bringing some sunshine in Llanfairfechan later. A light ESE'ly breeze and the temperature 4.5C (dewpoint 1.7C) rising to 8.5C here and 8.9C at Gorwel Heights and 9.1C at Gorddinog. Light showers of rain late afternoon in Llanfairfechan and here as well later in the evening. Kinlochewe 12.3C, min Frittenden -3.0C; Stornoway 10.2h

The 28th began overcast with moderately high thin cloud and poor visibility. Pressure 1017 mb was rising and the morning brightened with weak sunshine at times. In the afternoon there were a few spells of bright sunshine before cloud thickened and becoming murky there was light rain by 1630 GMT. During a spell of heavier rain and small ice pellets at 1749 GMT thunder was heard and again at 1829 GMT. There was a spell of heavier rain in the evening - Gorddinog at 2119 GMT and Llansadwrn at 2135 GMT. [Tx 10.3C; Pptn 3.8 mm]. {Santon Downham 14.1C and -2.6C; Emley Moor 24.2 mm; Tiree 9.8h}. The 29th began damp with poor visibility and a spell of light rain ceasing just before 0900 GMT (5.6C dewpoint 4.2C). There was a light E'ly breeze and pressure was steady on 1017 mb. An occluded front was over Anglesey moving away westward. Light shower of rain at 0920 GMT then bright with glimpses of sunshine. The afternoon was very hazy due to air pollution and dust from N Africa in the air obscuring the view of the Snowdonia Mountains. Spots of dusty rain and drizzle later. St James Park 19.8C, Gorddinog 17.1C, Gorwel Heights 16.3C, Llansadwrn 15.0C & trace; Milford Haven {12.4 mm}.

Generally overcast on the 30th, but with a SSE'ly breeze off the mountains there were some lee-breaks over the station with altocumulus lenticularis in the vicinity. A light to moderate deposition of a pink to light reddish-brown dust was collected at 0900 GMT. This dust was deposited in drizzle during the afternoon and evening of the 29th. Backward trajectory analysis using HYSPLIT, courtesy of NOAA ARL, showed that Atlantic-air off the Gibraltar Strait passed over Morocco and W Algeria where it could have picked up dust, then Spain and W France before arriving between 750 m and 3500 m AGL over Llansadwrn at midnight. Some weak sunshine at times in the morning and brief spells of bright sunshine when the temperature rose to 17.5C. Comma and small tortoiseshell butterflies have been seen in the garden and now peacocks had emerged from hibernation. A pair was spotted on bare soil between primrose plants and had been in cop just before the photo was taken. A male peacock butterfly takes up and defends territory on the ground to attract a passing female and was successful. In the afternoon haze increased, visibility very good in the morning and reduced to moderate (dust a likely contributor), and turned cloudier. Santon Downham 20.9C, Porthmadog 20.7C, Gorddinog 19.4C, Gorwel Heights 18.8C highest of the month; Lerwick 11.7h, Aberporth 8.1h.

A dull morning on the 31st with drizzle and light rain between 05 and 07 GMT. There had been a further moderate deposition of a similar pink to light-reddish brown dust of Saharan origin in the rain a sample of which was collected at 0800 GMT. The graphic left, courtesy of the University of Athens, shows the SKIRON aerosol dust forecast for 06 GMT. Dust is shown over the UK, and beyond, crossing the Mediterranean from north Africa. A fine morning, temperature 12.2C (dewpoint 9.2C) 82% RH, with the sky tending to clear leaving some altocumulus lenticularis then fair weather cumuli for a while. The temperature (AWS readings) rose to 17.8C just before noon, highest of the month and 17.9C at Gorwel Heights and 18.3C at Gorddinog. In the afternoon with rain and thunderstorms in S Wales moving N the sky darkened and we had a few large spots of rain around 15 GMT (no dust). Light rain from 17 GMT turning moderate to heavy 33 mm/h 1751 GMT: more of the same coloured dust had been deposited by 1800 GMT. Distant rumbles of thunder were heard locally around 1630 GMT: The rain continued into the evening ceasing before midnight. Thunderstorms occurred in the west: RAF Valley reported heavy thunder and rain at 1618 GMT, 1650 GMT and 1740 GMT with [8.8 mm]; nearby RAF Mona reported [14.4 mm]; Llansadwrn [10.5 mm]. Porthmadog 19.2C & {18.8 mm}, Gorddinog 18.3C, Gorwel Heights 17.8C.

The month ended with rainfall of 84.3 mm (126%) & [99%] of averages, by a whisker highest since 2010 ranking 28th in Llansadwrn since 1928. The mean temperature 7.7C (+0.9) & [+0.8] of averages was highest since 2012 ranking 12th since 1942 (graphic left). There was no airfrost, but 16 days (+3.1) of ground frost.

April 2014

April 1 - A fine sunny morning with very good visibility. The dust and smoke had moved away eastward and there had been no deposition of dust since midnight. Pressure was steady on 1012 mb with slow-moving low 985 mb off Cap Finisterre and low 994 mb W of Ireland. A little cirrus and cumulus otherwise clear sky! The temperature here was 9.1C (dewpoint 8.1C) RH 93% and there was inversion haze in the Menai Strait with the mountaintops 'in the clear' panorama below. The Irish Sea was relatively clear of cloud being surrounded by stratus and fog with an occluded front over Scotland. Early flowers of Alexanders on plants growing against a SW-facing wall at the Old Alms Houses near Beaumaris. The day kept mostly sunny, sometimes weak as thin cloud encroached, but the temperature reached a maximum of 14.3C. Light showers of rain were reported at Valley at 16 GMT and later with heavy rain at 18 GMT. Gravesend 20.6C; Levens Hall {19.2 mm}; Manston {10.7h}.

The murky weather was back on the 2nd with grey skies, moderate hazy visibility and a trace of light coloured dust collected. A light ESE'ly breeze and a temperature of 12.2C (dewpoint 8.2C) 76% RH. Atlantic-low 983 mb was off SW Ireland and we were in warm sector air, the temperature rising to 14.8C at 1530 GMT, with frontal cloud to SW over Pembrokeshire to N Ireland, and NW over Scotland. The salt-loving ivy-leaved scurvy grass Cochleria danica was spotted in flower along the A5025 near Merddyn-y-groes and a few flowers had appeared on out plum tree. A pair of hares was seen in one of the fields near the weather station. The cloud was thick enough for a little drizzle (trace) around midday that deposited some more Saharan dust. Sunless. Frittenden 21.0C, Tredegar {7.8 mm}; Stornoway {11.7h}.

Much of the same on the 3rd, overcast and dull little (NE'ly air) or no wind, intermittent fine drizzle and poor visibility. I collected a light deposit of the coloured dust deposited over the last 24h. A little brighter just before noon with the sun trying to break through for a few minutes. Drizzle and rain continued through the afternoon with visibility <500 m (moderate fog) and more Saharan dust was deposited. Backward trajectory analyses using HYSPLIT, courtesy of NOAA ARL, indicated that during the afternoon air over Anglesey had passed over Western Sahara and Morocco on the 31st March, where it is likely to have picked up dust, before crossing the Straits of Gibraltar, Spain and France. The day was sunless. Max 14.6C; rain [5.3 mm]. Northolt 20.0C; Sudeley Castle {14.8 mm}; Manston 3.6h Valley nil.

The first bluebells were seen in the wood on the morning of the 4th, 22-days earlier than last year (2013) and 3-days earlier than the median date (graphic left). A dull morning, but very good visibility as the dust and pollutant aerosols had moved away eastward overnight. A moderate amount of dust, that had deposited over the past 24-h, was collected again at 0900 GMT. Pressure 1007 mb was rising slowly, the temperature 9.7C (dewpoint 7.4C) 86% RH. Pipistrelle bats had returned to their maternity roost. Max 12.0C and 0.8 mm rain. Giant's Causeway 15.7C, Bude 5.7h. The 5th began overcast with poor visibility and continuous slight rain. Pressure was 1008 mb with low 971 mb S Iceland and a warm front over Wales. Pressure was high 1027 mb St Petersburg and 1025 mb Morocco. There was a trace of dust observed. Keeping overcast and dull there was slight rain at times through the sunless day, although looking towards Llanfairfechan the sky was brighter. The temperature here reached 12.9C, but in the microclimate at Gorwel Heights it reached 18.1C and Gorddinog 17.9C. Santon Downham 17.9C, Hawarden 16.6C, Rhyl 15.8C; Llansadwrn 7.21 mm, Capel Curig [40.0 mm]; Manston 9.4h, Valley nil.

Overcast and poor visibility with slight rain on the 6th, the ground was soggy with some small puddles. No dust was detected this morning. Blustery at times in the morning and a rapid clearance to sunny in the afternoon with a maximum 11.9C at Valley, 13.1C here and 15.9C at Gorwel Heights. Boulmer 18.5C; Capel Curig {35.4 mm}; Aldergrove 6.4h, Valley 4.5h. Back to an overcast sky on the morning of the 7th, poor visibility and moderate rain. No dust was detected this morning. A large number of puddles around the garden and the road was awash surprising as the rainfall was just [9.4 mm]. A cool day the maximum 11.0C here, lowest of the month, and 11.7C at Gorwel Heights. Capel Curig had [20.6 mm] and it was wet in the S England with [25.6 mm] at Herstmonceux and [14.6 mm] at Manston.

The 8th began a little brighter with good hazy visibility and a cool night air minimum 3.9C and a touch of ground frost -0.3C. Some sunshine in the morning with cumulus clouds developing around noon and dispersing during the afternoon. Flowers have opened on the wild cherry on lower branches and herb Robert is flowering in the wood. Pollen was seen, no dust. A dry day and in the sun and out of the cool breeze the 13.0C seemed pleasant enough; Gorwel Heights recorded 12.6C. St James Park 14.6C; Bude 11.5h, Valley 10.3h

A more promising day on the 9th, a bright morning with a blackcap singing in the cherry tree and buds opening on sycamore trees. I was pleased to hear the blackcap, but not so keen to see the sycamore buds as I know there will be sticky bud scales falling that stick to cars and shoes and will need to be brushed up at some time in the future. Pressure was steady on 1025 mb with high 1029 mb over Brittany. There was a S'ly breeze, under high cirrus clouds there were mountain wave and altocumulus lenticularis clouds. A flotilla of lee wave clouds hovered over the Menai Strait for a while in the morning the sky clearing before noon. The afternoon was mostly sunny with cloud encroaching from the W later. St James Park 17.8C; Aberporth 11.1h. Another nice morning on the 10th with very good visibility. Cirrus, a few cumulus and long expanding contrails to the north-east. Pressure was 1023 mb, but high 1025 mb over France was slipping away. Sunny spells and more sunshine in the afternoon turning a bit cloudier by evening with slight rain coming along. A little warmer at 14.3C and 15.1C at Gorwel Heights. St James Park, always difficult to beat at this time of year, had 17.5C, well it is in London after all; Tiree Island just to the N had 12.5h sunshine and Valley 6.9h. After a cool night minimum 4.4C and 0.2C on the grass the 11th was mostly sunny too with a maximum of 13.3C, with no rain was recorded. Holly blue butterflies were seen around the garden. Mountain snow is rather sparse; there are a few snow patches still to be seen. Solent 17.5C, Bude 10.3h, Valley 7.3h.

Dull and grey on the 12th, but no rain to measure. At 0900 GMT pressure was 1017 mb with low 969 mb E Iceland and high 1029 mb Azores. There was a cold front over Scotland and the N Channel with remnants over the Irish Sea. Temperature 8.7C (dewpoint 5.6C). Cloud thinned in the afternoon with some weak sunshine and glimpses of bright sunshine by evening. Maximum 12.0C. Highest were 16.3C at Frittenden and 14.1 at Hawarden. A slight ground frost overnight -1.2C introduced similar weather on the 13th, starting cloudy and dull and brightening up in the afternoon with the sky clearing in the evening with a ground frost developing. Another dry day with a maximum of 11.1C. St James Park 17.4C, St Athan 12.8h. Overnight air temperature 3.3C and -1.8C on the grass and a sunny (hazy) morning with just a few cumulus clouds around on the 14th. Pressure 1027 mb was rising, within high 1028 mb SW Ireland, and 9.3C (dewpoint 6.1C) rose to 13.8C in the afternoon. Another dry day. Solent 18.1C, Boulmer 13.0h. Ground frost again (-1.0C) on the morning of the 15th and with hardly a cloud in the sky a temperature of 12.2C (dewpoint 4.8C) RH 61% at 0900 GMT rose to 16.6C. The soil surface was dry. Visibility was good with light inversion haze, a combination of pollutant aerosols and some dust. Sunny and dry all day with a maximum of 16.6C. Magilligan and Trawsgoed 17.2C; Lyneham 13.1h, St Athan 13.0h. The 16th continued the spell of settled weather. Pressure steady on 1026 mb as the high 1032 mb drifted E over the Netherlands. There were twin cold fronts over Ireland and Scotland, but the morning was sunny with very good visibility. With the soil surface drying under the grass soil moisture measured today was 55% dry mass. Turning cloudier and breezier in the afternoon and overcast by evening. Maxima today 14.9C, Gorwel Heights 16.8C. Northolt 18.2C; Wattisham 13.1h.

With cloud cover overnight there was no ground frost on the morning of the 17th. Variable cloud before 0900 GMT with convective clouds tending to increase; visibility was good though hazy. Pressure was 1020 mb with low 995 mb SE Norwegian Sea with an associated cold from over the Irish Sea. Showers kept away from here although Valley reported light showers in the evening. Saw holly blue and orange tip butterflies around the garden. A cool day with the maximum temperature 11.9C. Frittenden 19.4C; Stornoway 10.8h. Overnight there were some clear spells with bright moonlight at times with a touch of ground frost. With the sky clearing at dawn on the 18th there was hardly a cloud in the sky at 0900 GMT when 9.7C (dewpoint 5.1) in a SE'ly air. Pressure was steady on 1023 mb and we had a sunny day with the temperature rising to 14.1C. Aboyne 17.4C, Porthmadog 15.0C; Tulloch Bridge min -4.3C; Leuchars 13.5h. After being cam from 03 GMT it was much the same on the 19th with pressure unchanged 1020 mb. Sunny and clear with a little cirrus and partial contrails seen to the NE. Temperature at 0900 GMT was 10.5C (dewpoint 4.0C) RH 64% rose to 14.0C in a Föhn wind here and 12.3C at Gorwel Heights. The first Welsh poppies are out in the garden and flowers on apple trees are opening too. Saw our first swallow while at Penmon Point. Achnagart 18.6C, Whitechurch (Pembs) 13.9C; Valley 12.2h.

On the 19th the 'Beaumaris Eye' was in town and on the Green . I was glad of the opportunity, having missed it last time, to see over the roof-tops in Beaumaris . It was a fine sunny day with clear visibility, and extraordinary early season lighting, giving a fine view along the Strait towards Gallows Point and Bangor (above) and over the Castle and Puffin Island (right). Castle Square was busy with visitors enjoying the fine weather. Just around the corner opposite the Castle there can be found old cottages and gardens .

Overnight the sky became cloudier, thick enough for some fine drizzle, and the 20th in contrast to yesterday was overcast. Pressure 1014 mb was falling with complex low-pressure over France and a warm front SE England moving W. There had been a moderate deposition of a yellowish-brown dust the source of which would be investigated. There was a moderate NE'ly breeze and some thinning of the cloud and weak sunshine in the morning before drizzle and slight rain fell around noon. The afternoon was a little brighter. Max 14.1C; trace. Aviemore 19.0C; Kinloss 14.1h; Dunkeswell {25.6 mm}. A fine morning on the 21st with a few altocumulus including lenticularis and cirrus. Visibility was good with slight smoke haze. Pressure was 1008 mb with a low 999 mb over the Celtic Sea and a warm front moving SW over Cumbria. A temperature of 12.7C (69%) RH here while at Gorddinog it was 15.0C (61%). Mostly sunny and feeling warm as the temperature rose to 17.9C and the 18.7C at Gorwel Heights was highest of the month. The evening was cloudier with a few spots of rain later. Bridgefoot 20.9C; Altnaharra min -2.0C; Heathrow {16.4 mm}, Stornoway 13.2h.

The morning of the 22nd was dull and overcast, poor murky visibility and a fine drizzle that was not really wetting the ground. A buzzard is seen frequently over garden and wood and today we saw a pair of goldfinches at the feeders; they usually nest here, but are rarely seen at other times of the year. It is some years since we have seen bullfinches that were regular in winter and spring. Also no spotted flycatchers, cuckoos or green woodpeckers that were all regular 30 years ago. There was slight rain and drizzle in the evening [0.7 mm]. Gravesend 17.3C; Alice Holt {28.0 mm}, Cardiff {26.2 mm}. Stornoway 8.8h. Similar on the 23rd, overcast and dull, visibility moderate improving to good. Dull spots of rain and a spell if slight rain in the afternoon. Gravesend 18.9C; Bude {21.8 mm}; Wattisham 7.9h. The murky weather had cleared away on the 24th and it was a fine sunny morning, but yesterday's rain drops and overnight dew weighed heavily on the heads of orange Welsh poppies in the garden (right). Pressure 1020 mb was rising quickly with low 997 mb W of Ireland and 1010 mb sea area FitzRoy with high-pressure 1036 mb over the Baltic. Visibility was very good (clear) and 3 oktas of cloud cover. A light S'ly breeze at first until a convergent NE'ly breeze off the sea began resulted in the 'Llansadwrn' cloud forming overhead. At one stage my 2 separated wind vanes were pointing for a while in different directions SW and NE. The cloud thickened enough in the afternoon for a few spots of rain to fall before diminishing later giving a mostly clear night. Max 14.7C; trace of rain. Wisley 18.5C, Tiree 12.1h.

Cloud encroached just before 06 GMT on the 25th and became overcast with altostratus before 0900 GMT. Overnight before the cloud cover the grass minimum had fallen to 1.5C. Visibility was poor in thick haze. Pressure was 1015 mb with low 996 mb off SW Ireland and there was a thundery low 1009 mb over Normandy. During the morning the sun loomed through the cloud, but there was no bright sunshine. The first flower of wild garlic are out in the wood (nice in salad) and garlic mustard is also flowering. In the afternoon the cloud thickened and there were spots of rain with slight rain by 1330 GMT. Max 13.9C; rain [3.3 mm]. Whitechurch (Pembs) 17.2C; Dalwhinnie min -1.2C; Alice Holt {33.8 mm}; Thomastown 9.8h. At midnight on the 26th low 978 mb was off the Fastnet Rock S Ireland tracking along the coast towards the Severn Estuary that would be reached by 1800 GMT. Cloud had cleared as we entered a clear slot between fronts and at 0900 GMT so it was a sunny morning. Pressure was 997 mb and there was a force 4 SE breeze. The temperature was 12.6C (dewpoint 5.3C) RH 61% and the temperature rose to 15.9C in the Föhn-like breeze. The afternoon was cloudier and there was a slight shower of rain. Bridgefoot 17.5C, Mona 16.9C; Cardinham {27.4 mm}, Libanus {21.0 mm}; Shawbury 7.5h, Hawarden 7.1h. A mild night air minimum 7.5C and 5.9C on the grass and a bright morning on the 27th with 5 oktas of altocumulus, a few cumuli and moderate hazy visibility. Pressure 1006 mb was rising with low 997 mb over the English Channel. Flowers on horse chestnut, that are in leaf, are almost fully open while leaflets have just started opening on beech trees. No leaves on elm that are flowering, but still no flowers on ash that also develop before the leaves. A mostly sunny day the temperature rising to 15.6C in the afternoon. Kinlochewe 19.3C; Okehampton {16.4 mm}; Tiree 13.9h.

Another fine day on the 28th starting with hazy sunshine through altostratus and cirrus with moderate visibility in smoke haze. Pressure was 1012 mb with declining low 1007 mb over Normandy. Pressure was high 1003 mb over Greenland and 1023 mb Atlantic W of Iberia. Some clear sunshine at times in the afternoon when the temperature rose to 17.0C, breezy at times. With rainfall on the low side this month the soil surface has been dry at times and has cracked where undisturbed on the bare plot and vegetable plot. Some cracks are 1 cm wide in places. Soil moisture under grass just below a layer of roots and organic matter is 57% dm where as on bare soil has fallen to 28% dm which is 13% above the permanent wilting point for the local patch of soil which is a stony free draining glacial drift. Aviemore 22.0C; Hurn {17.6 mm}; Aberdeen 13.7h. Fine and sunny on the 29th with pressure steady on 1023 mb. Low 997 mb W of Ireland with developing frontal-wave low 1011 mb at 0900 GMT over the Charente Maritime, France. The temperature was 15.7C (dewpoint 10.2C) RH 70%; hazy, but good visibility. Cumulus clouds were forming to the S over the Llyn, otherwise blue sky especially to the N. Haze increased in the afternoon along with the temperature that reached 18.8C, highest of the month. The sky became very murky and threatening, but passed without any precipitation brightening in the evening. Portglenone 20.0C, Llansadwrn 18.8C, Rhyl 18.3C; Reading Uni. {14.4 mm}, Valley 13.2h. Fog developed in the early hours of the 30th and increasing at 06 GMT became thick <100 m by 07 GMT. At 08 GMT for had started to reduce and it was brighter but was still < 200 m at 0900 GMT with sky obscured when 10.8C (dewpoint 10.2C) 96% RH. With low 1000 mb W of Ireland pressure here was steady on 1012 mb and we were positioned between 2 occluded frontal systems aligned NW - SE. Further thinning occurred by 10 GMT when the sun began to burn through and there were some sunny spells by afternoon. There were spots of rain at 17 GMT and rain after midnight with 6.6 mm measured in the morning. Maximum today 16.6C. Gravesend 20.7C; Heathrow 11.0h.

The month ended with rainfall of 40.3 mm [(64%)] of averages, least since 2012 ranking 20th in Llansadwrn since 1928. The mean temperature 10.5 (+1.2) & [+1.6] of averages was highest since 2011 ranking 4th warmest April since 1942 (graphic left). There was no airfrost, but 8 days (+1.6) of ground frost.

May 2014

May 1 - began with moderate to heavy rain after midnight (up to 18 mm/h falling at 0350 GMT) accumulating 6.6 mm by 09 GMT. Although the sky was brightening with cloud lifting there were still a few spots of rain falling. Visibility was good; a bank of low cloud was sailing up the Menai Strait (left) from a NE'ly direction towards the bridges. Bluebells in the wood were looking really good this morning (right). The morning was bright with a few sunny spells and there was no more rain. Haze increased in the afternoon with visibility reducing to poor and convective clouds looked threatening for a while before clearer sky with sunny spells came along in the evening. Cardiff 17.0C; Frittenden {18.6 mm}; Lerwick 12.7h. The 2nd began brightly with moderately high altostratus and cumulus clouds reducing and a little weak sunshine breaking through. Visibility was very good and a clear view of the mountaintops revealed some late snow patches still surviving the warmer weather. The bright start gave way to a dull, but dry day as cloud thickened again later in the morning covering most of Wales and NW England northwards. A large group of house martins was over the weather station catching insects in the afternoon for the first time this year. There are plenty on insects flying about this warmer spring including mosquitoes that have already given me several bites. Bats too do their best to reduce the numbers, but they are particularly fond of taking moths off the lit window of the 'weather centre' when working late; they make a soft tapping sound as they take the moth on the pane of glass. A cooler day with a maximum of 11.8C. Solent 15.0C, Altnaharra min -4.3C; Hampstead {4.6 mm}; Stornoway 14.2h.

Dull and overcast on the 3rd with moderately high cloud. A dry raingauge again this morning with the soil looking very dry and cracked. The grass was slightly wet from guttation, not dew. Pressure was steady on 1028 mb with high 1030 mb over Wales and England. There was a warm front over the western Irish coastline. The sun broke trough briefly in the morning then more grey for the afternoon. Maximum 13.3C. Aviemore 16.6C, Topcliff min -3.9C; Heathrow 13.3h. A narrow band of light showers cross Anglesey off the Irish Sea after midnight on the 4th and produced just 0.2 mm. It made no difference to the ground that was dry in every respect. Temperature 11.5C (dewpoint 6.7C) 72% RH. Pressure was 1022 mb with the high 1026 mb over the English Channel. Low 986 mb was SE Greenland and westerly parts with tight isobars on the chart had strongest winds. Visibility was very good so it was possible to monitor the small snow patches remaining on the tops of the mountains. A breezy morning the SSW'ly force 4 to 5 blowing the trees around a bit and bringing off white petals, from horse chestnut trees, that were falling like snow - more to clear up along with the sticky bud scales that have eased a little. With cloud from mid Wales northwards it was dull all day, no sunshine with a maximum 12.9C. Not everywhere was cloudy, St Athan had 10.8h sunshine and nearby Cardiff had 15.7C, and it was wet in N parts of Scotland. Aberdeen 18.0C, Santon Downham min -1.8C; Achnagart 12.6 mm, Wattisham 12.9C.

On the 5th the sky between 04 and 06 GMT was clear and with a SSE'ly breeze there were a few altocumulus lenticularis clouds to the S of the weather station in the lee of the Snowdonia Mountains. By 0900 GMT with pressure 1010 mb falling quickly the sky was overcast. High 1018 mb was over the Med and low 979 mb S of Greenland. But a developing frontal low 983 mb was W of Ireland and with the jetstream poised for action the weather looks like being unsettled over the next days. Grass is growing at 5.5g per square metre each day and the underlying soil, still drying out, had a moisture content of 44% dry mass. Soil on the bare climatological plot at has shown cracking since 20th April, being subject to greater evaporation missing the grass layer and larger organic matter content, was drier at 31% dry mass. The day remained dull, but dry until the evening when a few spots of rain were seen on a W-facing window. Max today 15.2C with 16.2C at Gorwel Heights. Cambridge 19.8C; Wattisham 9.9h. After 2.4 mm of overnight rain the 6th dawned fine and bright with very good visibility. Pressure was steady on 1004 mb and the temperature 12.5C (dewpoint 7.8C) with 73% RH. There were a few cumuli in the sky below patches of wavy cirrocumulus and cirrus clouds (photo left). Cloud increased through the day and 1315 GMT a solar halo was observed. The photo (right) taken at 1320 GMT shows the halo, with reddish colour on the inside of the ring, usually associated with ice crystals in high cirrostratus cloud, above passing cumuli. There were ongoing C class solar flares and surprisingly some of these appear to be visible on the photographs. One taken a minute earlier at 1319 GMT is clearer in this respect. The halo could be seen for about an hour. A windy day generally force 4 to 5 with moderate gusts at times, while swaying mature trees leaves were not being shredded and removed, through to the evening. Some cumuli were dark and threatening later in the afternoon, but dispersed later without precipitation. Max 14.3C & 16.1C at Gorwel Heights. Gravesend 19.7C; Valley 11.6h

The 7th began breezy and overcast with light showers of rain. With low 993 mb near Rockall pressure here was steady on 1004 mb. A few breaks in the cloud appeared by 0900 GMT (temperature 10.3C, dewpoint 8.0C & 86% RH, but the light showers continued. The afternoon was drier with a bright spell and glimpse of sunshine and further slight showers. Drier in the evening and less windy. Northolt 18.0C; Dunstaffnage {26.8 mm}; Shawbury 7.3h. Little change on the 8th skywise, overcast and dull. Calm at 0900 GMT, not a leaf was moving on the tall trees, and continuous light rain. The sunless day continued very dull and during the afternoon lights were needed indoors, and on passing vehicles, as solar radiation dropped to a remarkably low, for daylight hours, 13 W/sq m at 1350 GMT. Max 13.9C & 15.3C at Gorwel Heights, Rain [9.4 mm]. Leuchars 3.8h sunshine. The 9th began mostly cloudy with mountaintops obscured in fog. Pressure 1008 mb was rising with low 998 mb NE Scotland while Atlantic-low 996 mb was S of Iceland. Pressure remains high 1022 mb in Mediterranean regions. Breezy the WSW'ly force 4 increasing force 5, but brighter with sunny spells developing during the morning. In the afternoon cloud had lifted from the mountains, where there were some snow patches persisting, and for a while it was mostly sunny. Breezy in the evening and overnight. Manston 18.0C; Lusa {19.8 mm}, Bala {9.4 mm}; Wittering 9.6h.

There had been frequent showers of rain in the night and it was a bright and breezy morning on the 10th as pressure 996 mb was falling rapidly. Low 990 mb was tracking eastward over Donegal Bay, Ireland, and reached the North Channel by 1500 GMT. With a frontal triple point over the Irish Sea the SSW'ly was force 6 and blustery showers continued through the day with brief sunny spells. There was moderate to heavy rain from 20 GMT through to 03 GMT on the 11th turning to drizzle and slight rain up to 0900 GMT. Rainfall here 24-h to 0900 GMT was 16.8 mm and 17.8 mm at Gorwel Heights. Very wet in Snowdonia with [60.6 mm] recorded in Capel Curig and [32.2 mm] at Lake Vyrnwy. Some places escaped the rain with none recorded at Aberdaron or Hawarden. Pressure 1001 mb was rising and the day was mostly cloudy with drizzle or intermittent slight rain with a brief sunny spell, then showery through the afternoon and evening. Max 12.0C & 12.1C at Gorwel Heights. Rain [1.9 mm], Capel Curig [20.2 mm], Max 12.9C, Murlough 16.4C.

A dull morning with a shower of rain just before 0900 GMT on the 12th with spots continuing after then brighter with sunny spells by 10 GMT. The lowest minimum here was 8.4C, but frosty in places with Braemar -1.6C. The jetstream was S of the Channel over France and Spain, and to the N low 997 mb was over Denmark with pressure here 1009 mb. All was to change as high 1026 mb was developing NE of the Azores forcing a break in the jetstream and lead to pressure rising over Britain. More sunshine later in the afternoon with a maximum of 13.8C & 15.1C at Gorwel Heights with the highest 18.0C in St James Park, London. Rain just [0.2 mm], Mona [10.2 mm]. Beginning mostly cloudy the sky on the 13th was slow to clear with a N'ly airflow blocked by the mountains. Pressure 1019 mb was rising quickly as a ridge developed from the high developing off Cap Finisterre. Eventually the sky cleared and with visibility very good it was possible to see the last remnants of winter snow on the mountaintops. A fine sunny evening. Max 16.5C & 15.2C at Gorwel Heights. Solent 18.7C, Aviemore min -1.4C; Nantwich {13.0 mm}; Tiree 15.1h. High pressure 1032 mb here had arrived on the 14th centred 1036 mb over the SW Approaches. Cloud on a warm front associated with low 1007 mb near Greenland was not far away over W Ireland. A complex sky, including contrails, cirrocumulus, cirrus and cumulus, was clearing and visibility improving from moderate to good at 0900 GMT. The temperature was 12.9C (dewpoint 9.4C) with 79% RH. A few cumuli were building, but dispersed by afternoon that was mostly sunny as the temperature rose to 15.9C & 17.4C at Gorwel Heights. Later cloud on the warm front encroached from the W and the evening was overcast. Soil moisture measured today under grass was 59% dm while on the bare climatological plot it was 35% dm up, after the 16.8 mm rain on the 10th, from the 44% mb and 31% dm respectively on the 5th. Solent 19.9C, Altnaharra min -3.0C; Bude 14.0h.

The 15th began overcast and at 0900 GMT there were large spots of rain falling. Pressure was steady on 1036 mb with high 1037 mb over the southern Britain, A warm front was over the Irish Sea. The morning was dull with poor visibility at first with some drizzle around western coasts. By afternoon the cloud began to clear, visibility was good and it was sunny and warm the temperature rising to 18.8C & 17.3C at Gorwel Heights. Helen's Bay 21.6C, Hawarden 18.3C, Gorddinog 18.0C, Rhyl 17.4. Manston 14.1h.

Low lying mist on the fields overnight soon cleared the morning brightening as hole appeared in the moderately high cloud on the 16th. With a veil of cirrostratus across the sky a solar halo was seen at 0920 GMT . Sunshine at times and feeling warm in a light SSW'ly breeze the temperature rising to 18.1C at 1230 GMT. Wisteria was in full flower at Bodnant Gardens, but the Laburnum Arch flowering well at one end was yet to reach its peak. The Dell was picturesque with many fine Azalea and Rhododendron still in flower. In Llansadwrn the red lantern flowers are out on the Crinodendron in the garden, earlier Rhododendron flowers are fading. Pershore College 23.7C, Cardiff 22.4C, Gorwel Heights 20.6C; Herstmonceaux 13.4h, Aberporth 12.3h. An almost cloudless sky started the day on the 17th, the only cloud low in the sky to the S hiding behind Moel Eilio. At 0900 GMT the temperature was 16.0C with 65% RH and rose to 17.9C in the afternoon, but reached 21.2C at Gorwel Heights. Santon Downham 23.9C; Achnargart {31.6 mm}; Sheffield 14.3h, Valley 12.7h. The 18th began mostly cloudy, but bright as cloud was thin and moderately high and broken. It was breezy with the SSW'ly force 4 to 5. Low 998 mb was SE Iceland and there were cold fronts to the NW over Ireland and Scotland. Pressure 1009 mb was falling and the temperature 14.8C (dewpoint 8.7C) 67% RH rising to 18.6C & 21.6C at Gorwel Heights by afternoon in mostly weak sunshine. St James Park 24.5C, Hawarden 22.7C; Dunstaffnage {33.8 mm}; Odiham 13.9h.

The 19th was a day to note. Pressure 1003 mb was falling with low 999 mb near Brest, France and a warm front over Wales. The temperature at 0900 GMT was 11.8C (dewpoint 10.3C) 90% RH and at first alight mostly cloudy the sun was breaking through. The sky was looking dark and murky to the S and W and visibility was moderate. There had been recent slight rain [0.5 mm] and with no further sunshine the sky became darker. The first thunder was heard at 1318 GMT and lightning was seen closeby at 1350 GMT with very heavy heavy rain falling at a rate of 63 mm/h and large white soft hail (snow pellets). Signals on the railway line between Llandudno Junction and Bangor were knocked out by a lightning strike and services were curtailed. Another cell moved across at 1613 GMT and at 1625 GMT with bursts of very heavy rain up to 57 mm/h and close lightning strikes with more or less continuous rumbles of thunder. Rainfall for the 24-h ending 0900 on the 20th totalled 27.2 mm here and 25.8 mm at Gorwel Heights. Valley with 38.6 mm returned the largest total followed by Mona with 33.8 mm, Capel Curig reported just a trace! Valley [38.6 mm] Heathrow 26.3C, Hawarden 25.1C; Wattisham 14.2h.

It was overcast, dull and calm with slight rain on the morning of the 20th. Pressure 1004 mb was rising and the temperature 13.9C(dewpoint 13.5C) RH 97%. The cloud was moderately high, but thickened in the afternoon with showers developing. There was a heavy shower on the A55 near Gaerwen at 1530 GMT, but just a few spots in Llansadwrn. A muggy day with the maximum 18.9C & 19.7C at Gorwel Heights. The evening was dry, but kept dull. Weybourne 24.9C, Porthmadog 22.0C; Aviemore 8.9h. The sky had cleared by midnight on the 21st and the temperature on the grass dropped to 4.5C and in the air to 8.8C at 0400 GMT. It was a bright morning with convective clouds starting to form at 0900 GMT near the mountains. Visibility was very good and cloud diminished during the afternoon leaving a line of cumuli along the tops of the Snowdonia Mountains; the temperature in afternoon sunshine reached to 17.1C, 17.4C at Gorddinog & 17.8C at Gorwel Heights. Bramham 21.0C; Valley 15.2h.

The 22nd was overcast, dull with poor visibility at dawn. Pressure was on 1002 mb and we were between slow-moving frontal systems affecting Ireland and central England. There was a little drizzle and slight rain around noon and although the afternoon was drier it turned wet and breezy in the evening. There was localised in heavy rainfall Llanfairfechan from 1230 GMT at Gorwel Heights that was continuous moderate to heavy through the night. Episodes of very heavy rain were at 2000 GMT (up to 21 mm/h) and from 0600 GMT (up to 10 mm/h) to 0900 GMT on the 23rd when 23.0 mm had fallen. Kew Gardens 19.7C; Cranwell [36.4 mm]; Tiree 7.9h, Valley nil. Another dull and wet day on the 23rd especially in on the mainland and in Llanfairfechan where at Gorwel Heights 37.2 mm fell in the 24-h 00-00 GMT. Rainfall 09-09 GMT was 23.0 mm the total 48-h fall being 45.4 mm. Rainfall at Gorddinog was 17.2 mm on the 22nd and 20.3 mm on the 23rd with the 48-h total 37.5 mm. Heavy rain also affected mountains eastward; the Conwy Valley AWS (data accessed at 07z on the 24th) reported a 'storm' total of 47.2 mm compared with Gorwel Heights 45.2 mm and Gorddinog's 25.4 mm. The westbound carriageway of the A55 between Abergwyngregin and Talybont became flooded late in the afternoon and caused tailbacks to the Conwy Tunnel that was closed: westbound traffic had to take a long tortuous diversion via Llanwrst to joint the A5 at Betwsycoed. The road was not reopened until next midday. The flooded section was on an original section of dual carriageway adjacent to a section where £3m was spent to alleviate similar recent (November 2012) flooding. It is ironic that the sign before this section of road stating 'road liable to flooding' has been there for many years. Weybourne 19.1C; Pennerley {27.2 mm}, St Catherine's Point [25.4 mm]; Tiree 11.9h, Valley nil. The sky had some clear patches around dawn on the 24th, but before 0900 GMT these had closed over again. Pressure 1009 mb was rising, but this did little to improve the weather. The day here was mostly dull with showers. Weybourne 18.2C; Hurn {27.2 mm}; Tiree 14.0h, Valley 0.3h. The temperature on the grass had fallen to 2.3C on the morning of the 25th. The day began bright enough, with very good visibility, but soon turned cloudier as convective clouds developed over this part of the island. As the temperature rose to 15.3C in a burst of sunshine there was soon a heavy shower of rain (51 mm/h) at 1430 GMT, more light showers and another heavy on at 2100 GMT (60 mm/h). Rainfall for the 24-h 09-09 GMT was [22.1 mm]. Edinburgh [27.8 mm]; Weybourne 19.5C; Heathrow 13.0h, Valley 11.3h.

Continuing rather dull after a few spots of rain the 26th brightened a little with a few glimpses of sunshine later. There were some dark well developed cumulus clouds around: there was a moderately heavy shower in Llanfairfechan, but it kept dry here. Max 16.2C. Away from the mountains coastal parts in the W were sunnier, Mona 16.5C. The evening sky was clearer and less breezy. Charsfield 19.9C; Shoreham 20.2 mm; Boulmer 12.0h, Valley 9.8h. Similar on the 27th, starting overcast and dull with drizzle and slight rain then brightening and was drier the sun only appearing in the evening. Max 14.8C, trace of rain. Achnagart 20.8C; Wattisham 48.8 mm; Bude 14.2h. Some broken cloud with a little weak sunshine on the morning of the 28th gave a somewhat brighter start. Visibility was moderate in smoke haze that may have also contained some Saharan dust. As the cloud thickened there was drizzle and slight rain at times from noon through the afternoon. Max 14.6C that was the temperature at 0900 GMT; Rain 0.3 mm. Thomastown 20.9C & 11.1h; Bridlington {24.2 mm}. Another grey and very dull day on the 29th with moderate misty visibility. Spots of rain at time died out then returned in the afternoon. Kew Gardens 20.3C; Pershore College {11.4 mm}; Kirkwall 11.4h. A sunny day on the 30th with pressure 1024 mb rising and a clearing sky in the morning. The temperature was 14.0C (dewpoint 10.2C) and 70% RH rising to 16.7C by afternoon. Some cloud appeared around noon, then dispersed again. Aviemore 20.1C, Porthmadog 19.6C; Kinloss 14.0h, Valley 11.8h. A cloudy start on the 31st with some weak sunshine then the cloud cleared before noon and solar radiation in the hour after noon 879 W was brightest of the month. The temperature rose to 19.1C at 1300 GMT, highest of the month. A clear evening, but cloud encroached later. Helens Bay 22.8C; Morecambe 14.4h.

June 2014

June 1 - was mostly cloudy at first with pressure steady on 1022 mb with an occluded frontal system associated with low 1000 mb S of Greenland over Wales and the west with a warm front associated with low 1000 mb W of Ireland moving eastward. There were brief bright spells with glimpses of sunshine in the morning with the afternoon mostly sunny before thickening cloud brought a spell of rain from 17 GMT. Max 18.8C {Gorwel Heights 20.1C}, Dishforth 22.4C; Stornoway 5.6 mm; Aberdeen 12.7h. Further rain from 03 GMT with 3.5 mm recorded at 0900 GMT on the 2nd. A dull morning with low cloud, moderate misty visibility and intermittent slight rain. A little brightness at times with the sun breaking through, but cloud persisted on Anglesey with slight rain at times. It was brighter and drier at Gorwel Heights in Llanfairfechan with a maximum of 18.3C while in Llansadwrn 15.1C. St James Park 21.9C; Keele 20.4 mm; Herstmonceux 4.5h, Bala 1.8h, Valley 0.9h. On the 3rd visibility was very good and cloud began to disperse with sunny spells in the morning and sunny as the sky cleared over Anglesey in the afternoon. A dry, but cooler day the maxima 16.6C here and 18.1C at Gorwel Heights. A wet day in the S with Chivenor reporting [24.4 mm] and the N at Islay [20.6 mm] and sunniest here Valley [10.0h]. Gravesend was warmest [20.5C]. The 4th began overcast with very good visibility, brightening later with a little sunshine breaking through. Being June the rockery banks in the garden are a mass of flowers (above left). Each day the white Cistus salvifolius produces brilliantly white flowers early in the morning the petals of which all drop soon after noon. The process is repeated next day leaving the ground liberally sprinkled with white petals. Cool in southern England with heavy rain and temperature of 9C in the Cotswolds. Max Llansadwrn 14.4C, Foula Island [16.8C], Charterhall [28.8 mm], Stornoway 13.6C.

A brighter day on the 5th with Valley reporting 13.5h of sunshine with 23.56 MJ m ^-2 solar radiation in Llansadwrn. Foula again reported a high max of 19.7C, but Manston today was highest on 20.3C. Kinloss had [17.2 mm] of rain. A clear sky in the evening and overnight in a ridge of high-pressure; the air minimum fell to 6.3C and the temperature on the grass to 2.3C. Cloud was beginning to encroach by dawn on the 6th and was 6 oktas at 0900 GMT. The temperature had risen to 15.6C (dewpoint 10.6C) and pressure was 1012 mb. Complex low 989 mb was over sea area FitzRoy with a warm front moving over Wales. By 0930 GMT the sky was overcast and thickening cloud brought spots of rain from 1045 - 1100 GMT. The warm afternoon has some sunshine when the temperature rose to 19.7C between 1530 - 1610 GMT, Gorwel Heights 20.7C and at Gorddinog 21.2C highest of the month, and did not fall below 13.7C overnight. St Hellier 25.6C, Northolt 24.2C; Crosby [22.3 mm]; Wattisham 14.8h.

Following 'une canicule' heatwave (temperatures of 33/34C observed in the Charente on the 8th) early in the season in France there were violent thunderstorms in western France overnight 9/10th. Brilliant intra-cloud 'sheet' lightning lit up the sky for several hours in the Charente Maritime then as the storms moved NE into the Cognac region thunder was heard and very large hail fell. One stone shown on French TV was palm sized, looked at least 10 cm. Car windscreens and tiles on houses were smashed by the hail that was accompanied by 130 km/h (81 mph) winds. A tornado was mentioned, but the image reproduced in the newspaper Sud Ouest was a funnel cloud. Trees were brought down, vehicles and property damaged. And 'une catastrophe' considerable damage was done to the vines in the Médoc region!

Some early showers of rain on the 10th and at 0900 GMT (14.1C, dewpoint 11.7C). A day of sunshine and showers with a heavy one at 1620 GMT (3.8 mm falling at up to 109 mm/h) including some 4 mm ice pellets; light showers continued into the evening. Pptn [4.6 mm] and max 18.1C. Weybourne 23.4C; Altnaharra [18.8 mm]; St Hellier 14.7h, Valley 11.2h. A bright morning on the 11th the temperature at 0900 GMT 15.2C (dewpoint 13.8C) and pressure risen to 1024 mb with high 1028 mb developing over the English Channel. Sunny at times (max 18.7C) the sunshine extending into the evening, a dry day. Bridlington 22.5C; St Hellier 13.4h, Aberporth 12.8h, Valley 9.2h. A mostly sunny and warm day on the 12th with light breezes. Pressure had risen to 1029.5 mb within a high centred over the Celtic Sea. Max 19.6C and 22.1C at Gorwel Heights highest of the month, nil rain. Warming up in southern England, St James Park 26.1C; St Athan 15.0h, Valley 11.3h. Beginning sunny and warm on the 13th (18.3C, dewpoint 13.3C at 0900 GMT). Frontal cloud layers in the northern Britain with some convective clouds over Snowdonia and SE England. Two or 3 light showers of rain in the afternoon and evening. Max 21.3C here & at Gorwel Heights; rain [0.7 mm]. Heathrow 26.1C, Benson [24.6 mm], Camborne 15.1h, Valley 8.8h. With pressure on 1028 mb with high-pressure intensifying 1032 mb just W of Ireland the 14th began bright and sunny with 5 oktas of thin cloud. A sunny afternoon on Anglesey, the temperature rising to 20.2C, there was a line of cumulus clouds over Snowdonia. A fine sunny evening; a dry day. Bournemouth 24.9C; St Hellier 13.7h, Hawarden 13.6h. A cloudier day generally on the 15th as a detached occluded frontal cloud lingered over Britain, but Irish Sea coasts were sunny. Pressure had risen to 1030 mb and the temperature at 0900 GMT 15.5C (dewpoint 14.0C) and with the sun breaking through 4 oktas of cloud cover soon rising to 19.4C. Chivenor 23.2C; Magilligan 14.7h, Valley 13.9h.

The first 15-d of June had a mean temperature of 14.6C (+0.3) & [+0.7] based on the monthly averages. Rainfall was 37.8 mm (61%) & [70%] of averages. It had been sunny at Valley with 120.6h recorded so far (61%) & [70%] of the monthly total.

The 16th continued the settled spell with pressure on 1030 mb. Calm or variable light airs at first settling to light NE'ly. Sunny with cirrus and a line of cumuli over the mountains and very good clear visibility. We had northern British weather weather as southern weather was cloudier. The max today was 19.4C with the highest seen in Thomastown 22.6C with 15.7h of sunshine while Valley reported 13.3h. Soil moisture measured today under grass averaged 52% dm in the range 45 - 58% dm; moisture on the bare met plot had fallen to 19%, the top 2 cm to 16%. Vegetables are needing irrigation to maintain optimal growth. Accumulated yield of grass this year had reached 6 tonnes per hectare which is close to the average. Recent years, with colder winters and cool springs, have seen lower than average yields. This year following the warmer spring the yields up to normal. Harvesting grass from local fields for silage and hay had already begun. After a mostly cloudy start on the 17th the day soon brightened as clouds melted away with plenty of sunshine and a maximum of 20.8C in the afternoon. Similar, but warmer on the 18th the temperature at 0900 GMT already 18.7C (dewpoint 16.3C) rising to a sustained 23.2C AWS and 23.3 screen in the afternoon, highest of the year so far. Good or very good visibility, haze increasing through the day. A rabbit (perhaps Peter?) had been eating lettuce plants on the vegetable plot! Mr McGregor, alias the observer, chased with his rake then put up wire netting to try and protect them, there is plenty of grass on the lawns at the moment. Strathallan 26.5C, Porthmadog 25.1C; Morecambe 15.3h, Valley 14.5h. The 19th was cloudier and cooler. At 0900 GMT 13.7C (dewpoint 12.1C), with some weak sunshine and moderate hazy visibility, rising to 18.1C later. Hurn 25.7C, Cardiff 24.2C; Glasgow 15.5h, St Athan 12.5h

A bright morning on the 20th with variable amounts of cloud at first and sea fog off the Llyn peninsular and in Liverpool Bay. There was a NNW'ly breeze and this kept fair-weather cumulus clouds over SE Anglesey (photo left) and Carneddau Mountains into the afternoon. Clouds dispersed late in the afternoon giving a clear evening sky. The 6th day without any rainfall the soil surface again looking very dry. Max 18.6C. Usk 23.8C; Bala 14.2h.

The 21st, the longest day, began bright and sunny, but once again with a NW'ly breeze clouds developed over the mountains and S Anglesey. At 0900 GMT cloud cover here was 6 oktas and the morning has sunny spells. In the afternoon the line of clouds moved to the W and Llansadwrn was cloud free (panorama above). The sides of lanes hereabouts have not been cut back this year and are a picture with a mass of red campion and white blackberry flowers. Wild roses are now at their best as well, the one seen on the right taking full advantage of a telegraph pole. Speckled wood butterflies are about in dappled shade afforded by woodland and hedges. The maximum temperature today was 18.4C and again no rain. Gravesend 24.4C; Valley 15.4h. The 22nd began rather dull and with a mostly cloud covered morning Pressure was 1023 mb and the temperature 15.0C (dewpoint 12.5C). The sun began to break through later and the afternoon was mostly sunny with an almost clear sky in the evening. Maximum temperature 19.1C. Wisley 25.6C; Manston 14.9h, Valley 10.3h. A fine bright morning on the 23rd with pressure 1025 mb rising. There was a line of cumuli over the Snowdonia Mountains, but overhead some cirrus and contrails that tended to persist in various forms through the day. The maximum today was 19.4C. Charlwood 26.2C; Valley 15.1h. There was more cloud around on the 24th, the morning dull after some bright spells after dawn. Continuing dry with no dew or guttation on grass observed this morning. Soil moisture had fallen to 35% dm under grass and on the bare plot to 14% dm just below the permanent wilting point of the local soil. The top 2 cm of the grass sward had 52% dm and was still looking green, but with current high rates of evaporation will start to dry out and yellow if there is no rain soon. Sunnier in the afternoon as cloud persisted over the mountaintops. Maximum 17.8C, nil rain. Solent 25.9C; Bude 14.9C.

A bright, but mostly cloudy morning on the 25th. Pressure was on 1018 mb with an area of low-pressure W of Ireland and fronts moving across the Irish Sea during the day. The temperature at 0900 GMT was 18.0C (dewpoint 14.5C and 80% RH) rising to 19.0C and 17.8C at Gorwel Heights. Whitechurch (Pembs) 22.6C; Stormont Castle 17.6 mm; Camborne 13.9h. A mostly cloudy day on the 26th with complex low-pressure SW of Ireland giving a wet day in SW England. A few sunny spells here and a little showery rain in the afternoon with a spell light rain mostly after midnight [3.5 mm] . Maximum 18.6C here and 19.1C at Gorwel Heights. Northolt 22.6C, Porthmadog 22.3C; Camborne 21.6 mm; Stornoway 16.4h. The 27th intermittent light rain had died out by 0900 GMT becoming a little brighter through the morning. Pressure was 1012 mb with a low 1008 mb over S Ireland with slow moving front over N Wales. There was a heavy shower of rain rain from 1530 GMT falling at a rate up to 36 mm/h. Further slight rain and or drizzle in the evening then a spell of light to moderate rain from 2150 GMT to 0030 GMT then showery rain until morning. A total of [20.6 mm] rain and [19.2 mm] at Gorwel Heights , both largest falls of the month. Writtle 23.9C, Market Bosworth 28.2 mm; Prestwick 11.6h. The 28th was a very dull sunless day recording the 2nd lowest solar radiation 8.17 MJ m ^-2 . At 0900 GMT with a cold front over N Wales pressure was on 1011 mb and as it cleared a cooler N'ly airflow was introduced 11.6C (dewpoint 11.3C RH 97%) rising to 14.4C one of 2 days (with 4th) lowest maxima of the month while the 13.6C at Gorwel Heights was lowest of the month. Frittenden 20.9C, Tyndrum 3.4C min; Okehampton 31.8 mm; Aberporth 12.9h. The 29th was fine and sunny, very good visibility with 3 oktas of cloud cover at 0900 GMT. Pressure 1016 mb had risen and with Atlantic high-pressure to the W 1020 mb and low to the E - Baltic 1003 mb - we had a cooler NE'ly airflow. Under almost clear skies the temperature rose from an overnight of minimum of 9.4C to 17.5C, a dry day. Thorney Is. 22.1C, Tulloch Bridge 2.0C min; Hull 18.2 mm; Tiree 15.5h, Valley 12.5h. Pressure had risen a little more 1017 mb on the 30th as the high 1018 mb drifted across central Britain. Starting fine and sunny with hardly a cloud in the sky, air minimum a cool 8.1C and 4.4C on the grass, the temperature 15.3C at 0900 GMT rose to 18.8C in the afternoon under a little cloud (range 10.0C), 19.9 at Gorwell Heights; another dry day. Castlederg 22.7C, Capel Curig min 2.0C; Wisley 27.0 mm, Magilligan 15.4 h, Valley 15.2h.

It was the sunniest June on Anglesey on record since 1931 at Valley with 263.9h duration recorded at RAF Valley. Rainfall in Llansadwrn of 62.5 mm was (86%) of the last decade and [92%] of the 30-y average. The mean temperature 18.4C was (+0.4) & [+0.8] of averages.

July 2014

July 1 - was fine and sunny, good visibility with a light N'ly breeze and a temperature at 0900 GMT of 18.8C, highest of the past 24-h, (dewpoint 13.5C) rising to a maximum of 21.0C and 21.9C at Gorwel Heights. Glasgow 23.9C, Keswick 23.5C, Tulloch Bridge min 2.0C; Tiree 15.5h, Valley 15.3h. The 2nd also began warm and bright under thin cloud and at 0900 GMT the temperature was 19.1C, the day's maximum. Thickening cloud with the S'ly wind force 3/5 at times in the afternoon. Northolt 24.8C; Skye [11.0 mm]; St. Hellier 14.7h, Camborne 14.5h, Valley 5.0h. Overcast sky with light rain ceasing around 0900 GMT [0.5 mm]. Pressure was 1017 mb with low 984 mb Iceland and high 1026 mb Hungary. There was a SW'ly airflow with frontal systems over Ireland and the W Britain. Pressure was high over Spitzbergen with low 1002 mb near Kemi at the head of the Gulf of Bothnia with an occluded front over N Norway. In Honningsvåg, Norway pressure was 1009 mb and air temperature 13C and 7C in sea water. Keeping mostly cloudy on Anglesey the temperature rose to 18.1C (21.2 at Gorwel Heights) as a warm front moved across the North Channel over NW Scotland. Heathrow 27.1C; S Uist [16.0 mm]; Manston & Bournemouth 15.1h. The 4th began dull and wet with light rain falling from 07 GMT accumulating [2.3 mm] by 0900 GMT when there was a lull. Soon continuous light to moderate rain through the day, as the SW'ly wind strengthened force 5/6, with heavy bursts at 2130 to 2140 GMT up to 16 mm/h and dying out after 0300 GMT on the 5th. Rainfall for the 24-h ending 0900 GMT was [18.2 mm], largest of the month with the maximum temperature 15.9C lowest. Gorddinog [16.7 mm], Gorwel Heights (up to 34 mm/h) and Capel Curig had received [18.8 mm], Valley [20.0 mm] and Mona [26.2 mm]. Sunless day 7.86 MJ m ^-2, maximum 15.9C, Weybourne 28.7C; Shap [40.0 mm]; Wattisham 13.5h.

With the rain cleared away it was bright and sunny on Anglesey, after an overnight minimum of 10.1C lowest of the month, on the morning of the 5th. Pressure at 0900 GMT was 1001 mb with frontal-wave low 993 mb off Scarborough tracking NE over the North Sea. The temperature 13.3C rose to 17.8C during the day. Manston 22.7C; Tiree 12.9h, Aberporth 12.1h.

In Svarlbard at Ny Alesund (panorama above) - said to be the most northern settlement in the World (now a mostly scientific community) - pressure 1020 mb was rising, temperatures today after a minimum of 2.9C the maximum was 8.1C, a f3 SE'ly breeze and partly cloudy skies with broken frontal cloud to the west. At noon local time the temperature was 5C in air and sea water. Several weather stations are in use, the photo left is one of them. The photo right is purple saxifrage one of the Arctic plants found growing prolifically there; it is very rare in Snowdonia, but can be found at Cwm Idwal (below). But, I particularly wanted to see and photograph the tufted Saxifrage (below left) as I had photographed it in Cwm Idwal 50-years ago; I was not disappointed.

A bright start to the day on the 6th on Anglesey with 5 oktas cloud cover and a temperature of 15.1C (dewpoint 12.0C RH 82%) at 0900 GMT. A funnel cloud (variously described as a 'whirlwind' and 'twister') was reported by the Daily Post as 'towering over Anglesey and the Menai Strait' seen from Caernarfon, Deiniolen at 0745 GMT and Anglesey. Breezy in the afternoon with a partly cloudy evening, S'ly wind and very good visibility. A bright day as cloud cleared 21.52 MJ m ^-2 over Llansadwrn, while convective clouds persisted over the Snowdonia mountaintops; Valley reported 13.3h of sunshine. In Svarlbard at Longyearbyen today skies were overcast with sea temperature 5C and at sea level an air temperature of 7C. High on the Lonyearbyen glacier , frozen to the permafrost, the surface snow cover was crisp underfoot with the air temperature -3C, lower down the glacier was melting with the flow of meltwater issuing from a large ice bridge increasing significantly through the day. The photo left is if the iconic Svarlbard Poppy growing on morainic material at the base of the glacier and on the right is arctic bellheather Cassiope tetragona. [Llansadwrn max 18.1 & trace. Heathrow 21.9C, Aboyne min 1.3C; St Bees Hd. 12.2 mm; Aberporth 14.5h] .

Under thin broken cloud the 7th began brightly with good, but hazy visibility. At 0900 GMT pressure 1014 mb had risen as low 1000 mb NW of Scotland was filling. In a SSE'ly breeze the temperature was 16.0C in the Stevenson screen with wet bulb 13.4C (dewpoint 11.2C 73% RH). Cloud remained patchy and thin before thickening, especially over the mountains, later in the afternoon with showery rain in Pentraeth around 1700 GMT. [Max 18.2C (18.4C in screen). Gravesend 23.7C, Altnaharra 2.5C min; Exeter AP 17.2 mm; Valley 11.2h]. Starting with much the same patchy thin cloud cover on the 8th with pressure risen to 1017 mb. The temperature at 0900 GMT was 15.8C (dewpoint 11.9C 78% RH) reaching a maximum of 17.3C at 1110 GMT in a S'ly breeze. Soon convective clouds built up quickly with rain starting to fall from 1105 GMT with thunder and lightning in the vicinity from 1205 to 1230 GMT rain turning heavier briefly falling at a rate up to 6 mm/h [2.8 mm]; conditions were calm between 1140 and 1420 GMT. The temperature had fallen to 11.8C at 1300 GMT (dewpoint 10.7C). The afternoon was brighter, and cooler the breeze then NNE'ly and turning sunny from 16 GMT onwards into the evening. [Coningsby 21.7C, Cairngorm min 4.3C; Kenley 15.2 mm, Capel Curig 5.6 mm; Stornoway 15.0h]. A fine day on the 9th, starting rather dull the morning soon brightened and with cloud clearing the afternoon and evening were sunny. Maximum temperature 19.5C and no rain. [Carlisle 23.9C, Altnaharra min 3.8C; Prestwick 14.5h].A clear night and after lowest of the month an overnight air minimum of 10.1C, and 5.4C on the grass wet with dew, the temperature at 0900 GMT on the 10th had risen to 16.4C. Persistent mostly thin moderately high cloud associated with frontal cloud over Ireland made for a duller day. Maximum temperature 19.6C, no rain. [Solent 26.7C, Tulloch Bridge min 2.9C; Wainfleet 29.0 mm; Leuchars 16.0h, Valley 11.5h]. The 11th began very warmly with a temperature of 17.7C (dewpoint 16.1C 90% RH) and to rose to 22.7C and 68% RH in the afternoon. One of the brightest day's of the month 23.84 MJ m ^-2 of solar radiation. Another dry day. [Edinburgh 25.1C, Foula Is. 23.6C, Tulloch Bridge min 2.9C; Herstmonceux 10.2 mm; Aberdeen 14.5h, Valley 11.4h]. A fine and dry start to the day on the 12th, but cloud amounts (6 oktas) were increasing as frontal cloud encroached from the west. The SSW'ly wind freshened and there were slight rain in the afternoon as a warm front passed over. The wind freshened again around midnight on the approach of a (cold, little temperature change) front; there were bursts of rain and a few ice pellets (5 mm/h at 0100 GMT on the 13th) recorded by the hailometer, thereafter becoming calm for a few hours [Pptn 3.4 mm]. [Heathrow 27.7C, Aboyne min 7.5C; Wattisham 30.4 mm; Bristol 8.4h, Valley 0.2h]. The 13th was mostly cloudy again with a dominant NNE'ly breeze; no precipitation was recorded. Maximum 16.7C. [St James Park 25.5C; Wattisham 36.4 mm; Camborne 12.0h]. After an overnight minimum of 11.0C, and 6.2C on the grass, a little early morning sunshine the sky became overcast on the morning of the 14th, with good, but very hazy visibility. Pressure here was 1011 mb with low 999 mb was off NW Ireland with associated frontal systems moving across the Irish Sea. Showery rain with a little brightness and glimpses of sunshine through the day as orographic waves developed. Breezy the SSW'ly force 4/5 at times; at 1410 GMT a moderately heavy shower and another shower around 1830 GMT (a few ice pellets were detected by the hailometer). [Max 15.7C, Pptn 2.3 mm. Heathrow 25.2C, Gorwel Heights 21.8C, Hawarden 21.4C; Capel Curig 16.6 mm; Manston 12.1h, Valley 1.3h. A bright morning on the 15th with pressure 1019 mb rising as a ridge of high-pressure moved across from the west. With a few clouds around the temperature rose to 20.3C [Heathrow 26.5C; Islay 9.6 mm; Valley 13.2h]...

The first 15-d were on the cool side with the mean 15.2C (-0.6) & [-0.5] of monthly averages, but they were relatively dry with rainfall 29.7 mm (31%) & [43%] of the July averages.

A damp start on the 16th with overcast skies and slight rain from 06 GMT. Low 1004 mb was off NW Scotland with associated fronts crossing the Irish Sea. Overcast with a light SSW'ly wind and rain soon after 0900 GMT turning light to moderate through to the early afternoon. With the fronts cleared away the rest of the afternoon was bright with some sunshine developing later. [5.5 mm] . [Gravesend 27.8C; Eskdalemuir 15.0 mm; St. Helier 14.3h] In contrast a fine and sunny morning on the 17th with few clouds and very good visibility. Pressure was 1022 mb in a ridge from southern Baltic-high 1023 mb. At 0900 GMT the sunshine with the temperature 16.6C, in a light N'ly breeze, rising to 18.9C with a few more clouds and high cirrus developing through the afternoon. Hampton WW 29.5C, Cardiff 26.6C; Leconfield 14.4h, Aberporth 14.0h, Valley 12.9h. On the 18th with overnight temperature not falling below 15.8C and at 0600 GMT with the temperature 16.3C (dewpoint 15.4C 89% RH) distant thunder was heard for about 15 minutes. At 0900 GMT it was warm and sunny and 23.1C (dewpoint 18.4C) 75% RH and soil temperature at 5 cm was 22.5C reducing to 15.8C at 1 m depth. There was a light SE'ly breeze. By 1100 GMT the temperature had risen to 24.9C and was to rise in the afternoon to 26.0C (67% RH), highest of the month. Soil moisture determined today was 48.5% under grass and 20.2% on the bare met plot. Gravesend 32.3C, Hawarden 27.5C; Stornoway 14.2h, Valley 9.5h. In the early hours of the 19th there was fog and by 0900 GMT visibility was still poor and the sky overcast with

continuous light to moderate rain [1.6 mm]. The rain soon ceased but the day remained overcast, sultry and sunless. Maximum temperature 17.8C & rainfall [3.6 mm]. During the evening mist formed on the adjacent fields. St James Park 28.5C; Pershore [26.4 mm]; Wattisham 6.2h, Valley 0.0h. A brighter day on the 20th, but foggy around western coasts at first. Pressure was steady on 1011 mb and there was a little sunshine at times. The temperature at 0900 GMT was 18.4C (dewpoint 16.9C 91% RH) and rose to 19.6C in the afternoon keeping rather humid, but no rain. Solent 27.3C, Usk2 25.4C; Shoeburyness [30.0 mm]; St Athan 13.2h . A bright start on the 21st and with cirrus and cirrostratus overhead a solar halo was seen at 0900 GMT, some cumuli developed later. Fine and mostly sunny with a maximum of 23.6C in the afternoon. Thorney Is. 27.7C, Usk2 26.6C; Morecambe 14.4h, Valley 13.8h.

Having returned from Svarlbard I wanted to revisit Cwm Idwal the first National Nature Reserve in Wales (panorama above). About 50-years ago, as a research ecologist with the then Nature Conservancy, established in 1954, I had the privilege to visit Cwm Idwal in the company of Evan Roberts MBE M.Sc. (Hon) (1909-1991) the Head Warden of the Nature Conservancy, Wales. He was anxious to show younger people the locations where the rare arctic-alpine plants grew that he so loved. He was beginning to lose his sight and, although he took me to the very spot where Saxifraga caespitosa was growing, he asked me to look for it. With good sight I found it where he said and took the photograph on the right, the best of the few plants in the vicinity. We also saw the very rare Lloydia serotina and the fern Woodsia alpina. Evan's failing eyesight, however, did not stop him going to precarious places - his experience as a quarryman before he became a self taught botanist, no doubt standing him in good stead - to take photographs himself adding to his already large collection (left) ...

Another warm generally sunny day on the 22nd with pressure 1024 mb rising. Visibility was very good and clear in the morning as convergent cumulus clouds forming overhead. The breeze here was NE'ly and was SW'ly in western parts of the island until 1300 GMT. There were clouds on the mountaintops at times with sunny spells on N-facing slopes and cloudier in S Snowdonia. Maximum today rising from a minimum of 13.6C to 23.3C in the afternoon. Solent 29.9C, Hawarden 26.5C; Boulmer [14.5 mm]; Morecambe 15.6h, Valley 9.7h.

There was clear blue sky on the morning of the 23rd - no clouds - and after a warm night with an air minimum of 15.1C at 0423 GMT it was another warm sunny day. Despite a few small cumulus clouds in the afternoon, and a NE'ly breeze off the sea, the temperature rose to 24.7C, but in the lee reached 27.9C at Valley in the west of the island. Heathrow 29.8C, Porthmadog 29.2C; Tiree 15.2h, Valley 13.9h.

A warm night: at 0000 GMT on the 24th it was 18.2C falling to a minimum of 17.0C at 0530 GMT in Llansadwrn, highest of the month. In Llanfairfechan it was even warmer - in a persistent SE'ly Föhn-like breeze off the mountains, through the evening of the 23rd to morning of the 24th, minima were 21.0C (screen) at Gorddinog and 20.5C (AWS) at Gorwel Heights. Mean wind speeds reached 18 mph at Gorddinog and 14 mph at Gorwel Heights gust speeds attaining 32 mph and 26 mph respectively. The mean relative humidity at Gorwel Heights from 2000 GMT on the 23rd to 0900 GMT on the 24th was 60%. In contrast it was calm in Llansadwrn from 1930 GMT on the 23rd to 0620 GMT on the 24th with mean relative humidity of 80% .

Another clear sky was recorded at 0900 GMT in Llansadwrn with good, but hazier visibility due to smoke and perhaps a little Saharan dust. The temperature rose to 24.8C in the middle of the afternoon. Solent 30.6C, Porthmadog 29.3C; Aberdeen 14.6h, Valley 14.1h. And for the third consecutive morning a clear sky was recorded at 0900 GMT on the 25th - fairly unusual here - and with clearer air very good visibility. In a light NE'ly breeze the temperature rose to 24.9C and did not fall below 20C until evening. Solent 29.2C, Blackpool 29.1C; S Farnborough 19 mm; Kinloss 15.2h, Valley 14.2h. Another warm night - 17.5C at 0000 GMT on the 26th with a minimum of 16.3C at 0145 GMT. Well, it couldn't last - the sky overcast early on the 26th had cleared to 6 oktas by 0900 GMT when the temperature was 20.7C (dewpoint 16.7C RH 78%). Mostly cloudy, but bright with a little sunshine the temperature rose to a maximum of 24.9C at 1027 GMT. Cloudier later as a cold front moved down from the N with light to moderate rain from 1745 to 2000 GMT [3.7 mm] the first for a week. Cavendish 29.9C; Lossiemouth [17.6 mm]; Aberdeen 11.6h, Valley 3.3h.

After fog between 05 & 06 GMT on the 27th visibility improved by 0900 GMT and was good. There was a light shower of rain in progress and it was cooler after an overnight minimum of 12.5C it was 15.8C (dewpoint 15.0C 95% RH). Much of the morning was cloudy with glimpses of sunshine clearing up in the afternoon with clear sunshine (maximum 20.6C) until 16 GMT with rain coming along later [2.4 mm]. The fine hot weather continued in S Britain. Thorney Is. 26.3C, Katesbridge min 5.3C; Loch Glascarnoch [32.8 mm]; Leconfield 12.8h. The 28th began misty with showery rain and a little drizzle, but at 0900 GMT with pressure 1017 mb rising the sky started to clear. Low 993 mb was SW Iceland and low 1014 mb was over the Solway Firth with an occluded front clearing N Wales. Mostly sunny in the afternoon with a maximum 20.6C and a fine evening. Church Lawford 25.3C; Northolt [45.2 mm]; Leconfield 13.0h. On the 29th with a low 998 mb over the Faeroes and high 1029 mb W of Biscay pressure here was steady on 1018 mb. With an occluded front moving SE across Anglesey the sky was overcast with a fine drizzle, moderate visibility and mist on the lower slopes of the Snowdonia Mountains. Visibility deteriorated to moderate fog in drizzle and light rain (not shown on the rain radar). The afternoon was dry with sunny spells late in the afternoon into the evening. Maximum 18.1C & [2.2 mm]. Thorney Is. 27.5C; Tiree [3.6 mm]; Yeovilton 12.8h. Another overcast and dull morning on the 30th as the low 995 mb lingered near the Faeroes with frontal cloud over the Western Isles. Before noon the sky brightened with sunny spells developing. The afternoon was mostly sunny, but breezy. Max 20.2C. St James Park 26.5C; St Athan 13.4h. As frontal cloud moved S overnight there was a little rain around 0100 GMT on the 31st. Pressure was 1013 mb with low 992 mb over S Norway. Soon brighter with weak sunshine then sunny spells with the temperature rising to 19.2C. Before evening the sky turned cloudier and there were heavy showers of rain falling at a rate up to 39 mm/h at Gorddinog at 2114 GMT and 26 mm/h here at 2123 GMT. Still warm in southern Britain. Gravesend 26.2C; Herstmonceaux 11.6h.

The month ended with a mean temperature of 16.7C (+0.8) & [+0.9] of averages and rainfall of 58.6 mm (62%) & [84%] of averages. It was the 4th sunniest July on the Anglesey record since 1931.

August 2014

August 1 - was a shock to the system after the fine weather we have had in the latter part of July. After heavy rain shower 50 mm/h at 0148 GMT and then fog in the early hours (0400z) under thick layers of cloud the morning was dull and wet with poor visibility with an occluded front over Wales. Conditions looked unsettled for the neat few days with developing frontal-wave lows poised over Ireland to track our way. Pressure 1005 mb was falling with low 1003 mb off the Western Isles of Scotland The afternoon was better the rain having stopped and there were some brighter spells, but little in the way of any sunshine. Very wet in parts of south & west Wales. [Max 17.3 mm, Rain 13.3 mm]. Coningsby 26.1C; Aberporth [44.6 mm,Trawsgoed 36.0 mm, Sennybridge 24.8 mm]; Manston 11.6h. The 2nd began very dull under thick layers of cloud and continuous moderate to heavy rain, heaviest 0840 GMT 10 mm/h. Pressure was low over Llansadwrn 997.7 mb and still falling slowly at 0900 GMT. At 0915 GMT a break in the clouds, moving over from the west, brought some respite and glimpses of sunshine. Breezy in the afternoon with a sunny spell then cloudier with rain later [5.2 mm]. Wet in S Norway, Stravanger [81.6 mm], Ireland Ballypatrick Forest [49.8 mm], NW Wales Valley [14.6 mm], & Scotland West Freugh [28.0 mm]. Weybourne 25.8C, Camborne 11.3h. Continuing unsettled on the 3rd with intermittent or showery rain after midnight. Low 998 mb was filling W of Scotland and pressure here 1003 mb was rising. Beginning dull and windy the SW'ly force 4/5 and only brief brighter spells and a few glimpses of sunshine in the afternoon. Continuing warm and sunny away from the north-west. Cranwell 24.5C, Hawarden 21.8C; Shawbury 13.1h, Aultbea [31.0 mm]; Aberporth 12.4h.

A much better day on the 4th with pressure risen to 1015 mb. Just a few diminishing clouds in the sky at 0900 GMT and a temperature of 16.7C, a light SW'ly breeze and very good visibility. Sunny and dry all day the temperature rising to 20.8C and 22.1C at Gorwel Heights. A fine and clear evening. The soil surface was still moist this morning after recent rain. Soil moisture content determined today 2 - 8 cm under grass was 37.7% dm and the top 2 cm including plant bases and roots was 72.6% dm. On the bare met plot it had risen to 26.2% dm. Writtle 25.2C, Cardiff 22.4C; Cardinham [22.8 mm]; Valley 14.3h. The morning of the 5th was mostly cloudy with an air from the SE, anemometers were not turning. The temperature was 19.1C (dewpoint 14.4C 74% RH). Pressure 1015 mb was falling slowly as low 998 mb SE Greenland was slowly filling. Developing frontal-wave low 1010 mb was SW of Ireland tracking north-eastwards. A few spots of rain at times in the morning before the afternoon brightened with a little sunshine. The temperature here rose to 21.1C and 23.1C at sunnier Gorwel Heights. By the end of the afternoon thickening cloud and a freshening breeze brought light rain then a heavy shower of rain at 2037 GMT (up to 12 mm/h). As the low moved across the Irish Sea there was heavy rain (up to 23 mm/h) at 2317 GMT and thunder was heard at 2320 GMT and again some 20 minutes later. Santon Downham 25.6C; Braemar min 0.9C; Valley [45.6 mm]; Aberdeen 14.4h, Valley 3.4h. At midnight on the 6th pressure 1009 mb was falling rapidly and there was more heavy rain (up to 53 mm/h) at 0153 GMT and 85 mm/h at Gorwel Heights at 0156 GMT (where rainfall from midnight was 12.3 mm - storm 19.0 mm). Pressure was lowest 1007 mb at 0437 GMT rising to 1009 mb at 0900 GMT. There was very little wind: at 06 GMT fog was increasing and by 08 GMT was decreasing. At 0900 GMT visibility was poor and misty (15.9C, dewpoint 15.5C 97% RH), but began to clear with patches of blue appearing by 0930 GMT. Rainfall 09-09 GMT this morning was [10.3 mm], but Valley had a deluge reporting [45.6 mm]. Mona had [14.2 mm], Gorwel Heights [18.8 mm] and Capel Curig [19.8 mm]. Fair-weather clouds lessened through the day over Anglesey, but a line of cumuli persisted over the mountaintops of Snowdonia late in the afternoon. Max 20.6C. Heathrow 26.4C; Camborne 11.3h, Valley 7.7h.

The 7th was a mostly sunny day with pressure 1016 mb rising. Beginning with rather dark threatening cumulus clouds in the vicinity gave way to a thin sheet of cirrostratus cloud with a solar halo, with coloured edges, visible most of the afternoon. Cumulus clouds persisted over the mountains. A fine evening and a dry day Max 19.8C. St James Park 27.2C, St Athan 13.5h. The 8th was another mostly fine day, not as sunny, but warmer. Beginning mostly cloudy, with pressure 1009 mb falling slowly, and 18.0C (dewpoint 13.0C RH 72%) at 0900 GMT rising to 21.3 C during sunny spell in the afternoon. Thicker cloud drifted across later and there were a few spots of fine rain. Wellesbourne 25.7C, [Wainfleet 59.0 mm, Marham 57.4 mm, Cranwell 46.8 mm, Spadeaham 38.2 mm; Lerwick 13.9h. A bright, but blustery day on the 9th with cumulus clouds in the vicinity in the morning. Windy in the afternoon with the approach of ex-hurricane BERTHA. Moderate to heavy rain from 2200 GMT through the night until 0700 GMT on the 10th when [11.3 mm] had fallen. Coningsby 23.9C; [Fair Isle 136.8 mm, Baltasound 72.2 mm]; Tiree 13.8h, Valley 10.6h. After the rain visibility across to the mountains and Llyn was very good. The wind had backed SE'ly in the night and was mostly calm here and at 0900 GMT was a light air from the NE. It had been windy in Llanfairfechan where at Gorddinog at 0622 GMT there was a gust of 40 mph. A better day here than in most places in the UK and particularly in Scotland where again large amounts of rain were reported. There had been heavy rain with flooding in places. Here, occasionally bright with spells of slight rain [0.4 mm] with a max of 15.9C. St James Park 22.7C; [Lossiemouth 87.6 mm, Kinloss 59.4 mm]; Kirkwall 9.8h.

With low 977 mb E of the Faeroes we were in a brisk W'ly airflow on the 11th bringing showery weather off the sea. On the high tide large waves were impacting on NW-facing shores of the island. Pressure here 1003 mb was steady and there were 6 oktas cover of cumulus clouds. Cloud was piling up against the Snowdonia Mountains. Bright with sunny spells between the passing clouds; convection increased in the afternoon with several cumulonimbus clouds spotted. There was a showers of rain in Beaumaris at 1500 GMT, that sent holidaymakers hurriedly seeking shelter as clouds moved along the Menai Strait. There was no sign of there being any precipitation at the weather station and a dry day was recorded. Min 12.0C, Max 17.7C. Coningsby 22.8C; Odiham [22.8 mm; Valley 11.7h.]. Another breezy day with 'puffy' cumulus clouds on the 12th as the low 980 mb filling moved over the S Norwegian Sea. Air was being drawn down from the region of the North Cape. Still very windy on the NW side of the island with large waves at South Stack and Rhosneiger; campers reported 'terrible conditions' with tents blown down and poles snapped. The day continued breezy with spots of rain at times and a spell of drizzle and slight rain later in the afternoon. Although enough to dampen the ground the amount was unmeasured by any raingauge, so trace. There were extensive thunderstorms in Normandy and the Baltic region. Writtle 21.5C; Loch Glascarnoch [30.6 mm]; Manston 10.5h.

When travelling through France I have been envious of tomatoes being grown and ripening on garden plots. Over the years I have made a point of doing a 'baguette, cheese and glass of wine' survey - they grow best in gardens south of the River Loire and especially in Provence. I have seen excellent tomatoes in Coucouron on the Massif Centrale at over 3000 ft and coastal areas of the Charente Maritime. Previously relying on greenhouse culture, this year I have been successful for the first time in growing and ripening tomatoes on the garden plot in Llansadwrn (right). Climate change? Well, perhaps warming has helped. Since first trying to grow tomatoes here the temperature has risen (about 1C over 35-years in the garden), but new varieties suitable for northern gardens have come along and helped as well. We have grown Tumbler, a bush tomato, in pots successfully outside for a few years and the newer Fandango (left), a large cordon type, is also very good. Tomatoes from the greenhouse, however, are riper and taste sweeter.

Overcast and dull on the 13th with recent slight rain just before 0900 GMT. pressure 1004 mb was rising with slow-moving low 989 mb S Norwegian Sea; pressure was high 1027 mb over the Azores. Any brightness or sunshine was in short supply today with a slight shower of rain around 1345 GMT. The broad beans had developed a chocolate coloured rust on the leaves, seen only 2 or 3 times in 40-years. There are still a lot of bumblebees in the garden together with several species of butterflies including 1 rather battered painted lady and 1 or 2 blue. Cavendish 23.1C; Loch Glascarnoch [6.8 mm]; Heathrow 10.1h. The 14th was fine and dry with sunny spells, max 18.5C. Tiree 11.5h, Valley 10.9h. After a dull start, with a slight shower of rain at 0945 GMT, the 15th with pressure 1018 mb rising brightened through the morning; a light NNE'ly breeze lessened through the day becoming calm at times then turning SW'ly by 2100 GMT. Sunny spells then sunny at the end of the afternoon. Max 18.5C. Soil moisture measured today was 36.7% dm under grass and 32.5% dm on the bare plot. Swanage 21.7C; ; [Baltasound 7.0 mm, Manston 6.8 mm, Bala 3.6 mm]; Yeovilton 11.5h...

The first 15-d with 43.2 mm of rain were (42%) & [50%] of the monthly total averages. The mean temperature 15.4C was (0.0) & [-0.2] of averages.

September 2014

September 1 - Early showers of rain, misty and dull. Pressure 1021 mb was rising as low 979 mb was filling S of Iceland and high 1023 mb was over NW France. Glimpses of sunshine started to appear later in the morning and the afternoon was sunnier. A dry day, max 18.7C. Usk2 22.5C, Santon Downham min 7.2C; Kinloss 7.1h. Overcast with heavy dew on the grass with the minimum showing 5.5C on the morning of the 2nd. Pressure had risen to 1025 mb in the high over the UK. It was sunny south of here, but the sky here kept mostly cloudy with bright spells and a little sunshine at times. Later in the afternoon the sky cleared with a sunny end to the day. Grass is continuing to grow apace; yield measured over the last week was 8.3 g dry mass m ^-2 d ^-1 , the highest of the year. Soil moisture was running at 56% dry mass. Combining of late cereal crops on local fields has resumed. A dry day, max 19.6C. Northolt 22.9C, Trawsgoed min 3.9C; Aberdeen 11.7h. Another fine, but mostly cloudy day on the 3rd with good, but hazy visibility. Heavy dew again on the grass with the minimum 7.6C and overnight air minimum 11.9C. Pressure was steady on 1023 mb in a ridge from Baltic high 1031 mb. One or two sunny spells developed later in the afternoon that was pleasantly warm the temperature reaching 21.6C here, 22.1C at Gorwel Heights and 23.2C at Gordinnog. Whitechurch Pembs. 23.8C, Katesbridge min 2.1C; no significant rain; Camborne 11.5C. A mild night with the temperature not falling below 15.7C. At 0900 GMT on the 4th the temperature was 18.5C (dewpoint 14.4C RH 77%) in the screen. Again a very heavy overnight dew with the grass minimum was down to 11.5C. Much cirrus cloud today, but it was bright, mostly sunny and there were light variable breezes generally all day with a light NE'ly breeze off the sea here in the afternoon. The barley in the field adjacent to the weather station was harvested today. Autumn is a good time of the year to see fungi and a good place to look is in woodland and forests. This group of fungi were seen growing on a sawn off stump of pine in Newborough Forest. Maximum here today was 22.4C; 23.5C at both Gorwel Heights and Gordinnog. Whitechurch 23.7C, Valley 22.6C; Aberporth 12.0h.

In Newborough Forest the self-seeded pine trees, that have grown in recent years on a botanically important former dune slack (see Dairy 30 July 2013), have been removed (left) leaving some birch trees (above). This slack is habitat for several rare species of plant including Welsh marsh orchid first described by R. H. Roberts and the dune helleborine . In the nick of time further drying of the slack will be slowed and more light will reach the plants. Today there were several plants of grass of Parnassus (right) flowering in the slack. This plant has a limited distribution in southern Britain and is now confined in Wales to the north-west.

A fine day again on the 5th and calm overnight and dawn Cirrus covered sky and poor visibility likely to be due to a combination of smoke haze and Saharan dust. Very heavy due on the grass, minimum 7.8C. Sunny day; max 21.7C. Myerscough 23.2C, Usk 22.5C; Tiree 9.9h. A weak cold fronts made passage S in the early hours of the 6th leaving 0.5 mm of rain to measure. There was a good scattering of dark orange coloured leaves beech on the lawns this morning and with most leaves on trees beginning to develop autumn colours, especially the horse chestnuts. Recent slight rain had stopped and the sky beginning to clear by 0940 GMT. Sunny spells, but cloudy at times with the breeze alternating between SW and NE. Max 17.7C. Exeter AP 23.2C, Tulloch Bridge min 0.5C; Glasgow 8.3h, Valley 7.9h. A bright morning on the 7th with a light N'ly breeze. Pressure was 1018 mb with high 1022 mb W of Malin Head and high 1017 mb France. The sky clearing from 5 oktas gave a sunny afternoon and evening. A the maximum 18.1C here today and 16.2C at Gorwel Heights. House martins and swallows are still around. Solent 23.6C; Aberporth 11.9h, Valley 10.2h. The 8th began mostly cloudy with moderate visibility in haze. Clear sky at first overnight resulted in a grass minimum of 3.7C and moderately heavy dew leaving a trace in the raingauge this morning. With high 1023 mb W of Shannon pressure here 1021 mb was rising. The morning remained dull with a few sunny spells developing later in the afternoon. Little or nor wind. Hampton WW 23.0C, Katesbridge min -0.1C; St Athan 12.0h, Valley 4.7h. A bright and dry day on the 9th with good sunny spells developing in the afternoon - max 18.2C. Pressure was high 1023 mb. Soil moisture determined today was 47.9% dry mass under grass with the top 2 cm of grass stubble, roots and soil there was 45.2% moisture. On the bare plot that has less organic matter it had fallen 10 17.2% dry mass. Grass was still growing well at a rate of 8.8 g per sq metre and so far this year the total yield is 1044 g per sq metre that translates to 10.44 tonnes per hectare. The field adjacent to the weather station that had barley cropped this year was ploughed today. Hampton WW 23.2C, Cardiff 21.8C; Bude 11.6h, Valley 7.2h. Pressure 1021 mb had fallen a little, but was steady on the 10th that was again fine and sunny the temperature rising to 21.4C. Bala 22.9C, no significant rain (NSR) anywhere; Thomastown 12.2h, Valley 11.5h. Similar day on the 11th mostly sunny with a veil of thin cirrus clouds the temperature rose to 19.4C. Rhyl 21.0C, Gorwel Heights 20.3C, Capel Curig 20.1C. Castlederg 23.0C, NSR; St Helier 11.7h, Valley 7.4h. Starting again with weak sunshine on the 12th and poor hazy visibility soon brightening in a moderate SW'ly breeze then turning cloudier in the afternoon. Pressure here was 1025 mb with the high intensifying 1028 mb over the North Sea. At Ny Alesund there was a hint of the beginning of the Arctic winter with the minimum down to 0.3C there had been a little snow, but the maximum was 5.8C. [Northolt 23.6C, Aviemore 23.2C, NSR, St Helier 11.6h, Aberdeen 9.1h, Valley 8.3h]. A cloudy day on the 13th with good, but hazy visibility and a light N'ly breeze. Pressure had risen to 1027 mb With the sun trying to break through in the morning the temperature rose to 20.4C and 20.9C at Gorwel Heights. [Solent 23.3C, NSR, Tiree 11.2h, Valley 1.1h]. The 14th was mostly thinly cloudy with moderate to good hazy visibility. After an air minimum of 10.8C and 6.7C on the grass the temperature rose to 17.7C in occasional sunshine in the afternoon. [Solent 22.1C; NSR, St Helier 10.6h, Valley 4.3h]. The 15th began brightly with a little sunshine, but by 0900 GMT the sky was overcast; pressure had fallen to 1021 mb. There was a light breeze from the N and moderate visibility. Pressure had risen to 1028 mb with high pressure 1031 mb established over the N Sea and Scandinavia. A detached occluded frontal mass moving N covered much of central and northern Britain. One or two glimpses of sunshine around noon and the temperature rose to 17.7C, but 20.3C at Gorwel Heights. [Gravesend 23.0C; NSR; Stornoway 10.3h]

The first 15-d were dry and warm with just 0.5 mm of rain and a mean temperature 15.3C (+1.3) & [+1.5] of the monthly averages.

Early mistiness on the 16th was burnt away and the morning was sunny under 4 oktas of cloud cover with a detached frontal cloud mass to the north. Visibility was moderate to good, just possible to make out the outlines of the mountains. Pressure was 1016 mb while pressure was high 1031 mb over Scandinavia with a low 994 mb off Cap Finisterre. Calm at first with a light NE'ly breeze off the sea in the afternoon. A few convective clouds developed at times in the afternoon especially over Snowdonia, but it was mostly sunny and the temperature rose to 21.6C and 22.6C at Gorwel Heights. Temperatures had risen again at Ny Alesund min 2.2C & max 8.9C and there had been 16.3 mm of rain. [Charlwood & Middle Wallop 24.5C, Valley 22.2C; St Helier 10.1h, Manston 8.5h, Valley 8.2h]. Arctic sea ice coverage hit its annual minimum on the 17th, continuing a trend of below-average years. According to the NASA-supported National Snow and Ice Data Center, Arctic sea ice coverage in 2014 is the sixth lowest recorded since 1978. Another fine day on the 17th with hazy sunshine and moderate to good visibility. The was a light to moderate NE'ly breeze off the sea and this moderated the temperature that rose to 20.3C here, 21.6C at Gorwel Heights and 21.3C at Valley. [Porthmadog 24.1C, Aviemore min 3.2C; Tiree 11.8h, Valley 9.9h]. A bright morning on the 18th with 6 oktas cloud cover cirrus and altocumulus (a mackerel sky). The coast and offshore E Britain was covered with a low cloud fog all day. Here the day brightened up with warm sunshine the temperature reaching 23.7C here and 24.0C at Gorwel Heights, both highest of the month. Porthmadog reported 24.1C and Gorddinog 24.2C (screen 24.3C), Valley 23.8C. Wiggonholt 26.3C; Lerwick [15.0 mm]; Manston 9.5h, Valley 8.1h. A fine and mostly sunny, but very hazy morning on the 19th with moderate visibility early mist and fog at low level burning off slowly except on the west coast and other parts were it remained most of the day. The overnight minimum temperature 14.9C was 2nd highest of the month and it had been no lower than 12.3C on the grass. A light S'ly breeze and the temperature rose to 22.0C here and 23.4C at Gorwel Heights. Charlwood 25.9C, Porthmadog 22.2C; Exeter [34.2 mm]; Herstmonceux 5.6h, Valley 1.7h. A dull overcast morning on the 20th with a moderate NE'ly breeze that had brought down a lot of leaves from the trees. Smoke haze was moderately thick partially obscuring the mountains. A dull day with no sunshine and with solar radiation 3.18 MJ m ^-2 lowest of the month and a maximum temperature of 16.1C. Herstmonceux 23.7C; Tiree 9.8h. At Ny Alesund the Arctic re-freeze had started max -3.3C min -5.4C. On the 21st with pressure 1027 mb within the UK-high the cloud had cleared and it was back to sunshine when the sun had risen above the Carneddau at 0801 GMT. Visibility was good and there was a light N'ly breeze. The overnight minimum was 9.7C and on the grass the temperature had fallen to 4.2C lowest of the month so far. The maximum today was 19.1C and 17.7C at Gorwel Heights. Porthmadog 21.4C, Tyndrum min -0.6C; Glasgow & Aberporth 11.4h, Valley 10.7h. And continuing the fine sunny weather the 22nd had a maximum of 18.7C. It was the 17th day without measurable rain - the month so far having just 0.5 mm rain. The soil surface was very dry, but there was no sign of trees wilting. Coton-in-the-Elms 20.8C; Achnagart {7 mm}; Lyneham 10.9h, Valley 9.3h.

The dry conditions were relieved on the 23rd by 9.6 mm of rain. Pressure 1020 mb had been falling and the day began mostly cloudy and as a cold front moved across in the afternoon introducing a narrow band of showery rain 15 mm/h fell at 1640 GMT and 26 mm/h at 1720 GMT. It was a dull day the 3.41 MJ m ^-2 solar radiation second lowest of the month and the maximum temperature 15.9C lowest of the month. Donna Nook 19.5C; [Stornoway 11.0 mm, Llansadwrn & Mona 9.6 mm]; Bude 8.7h, Valley 0.0h. After some light showers of rain the morning of the 24th was bright and sunny, with cumulus clouds mainly over the Snowdonia Mountains, but soon turned cloudy again. Pressure 1016 mb continued to fall slowly and visibility was good. Maximum temperature 17.0C. Solent 20.2C; Emley Moor [10.2 mm]; Bude 8.4h, Valley 4.7h. The 25th began overcast with drizzle. A warm front was over the Irish Sea the day was cloudy and dull the solar radiation 4.12 MJ m ^-2 third lowest of the month and Valley reported just 0.2h of sunshine. Helens Bay 21.1C; Skye [7.2 mm]; Manston 7.9h. The 26th began much of the same, with low cloud and rain as a cold front passed over. Pressure 1022 mb at 0900 GMT had risen and once cleared the day was bright and sunny with a maximum temperature of 18.7C and a fine evening. St James Park 22.2C; Kirkwall [10.4 mm]; Leuchars 9.7h, Valley 8.0h. The overnight minimum on the 27th was 9.3C, but the temperature on the grass had dropped to 3.4C, lowest of the month. A cloudy start then turning sunny as the sky cleared around Irish Sea coasts leaving convective clouds over the mountains of Snowdonia. Cloud encroached from the W in the afternoon. A dry day with a maximum of 18.4C and 19.9C at Gorwel Heights. Monks Wood 22.3C; Leuchars 7.4h, Valley 5.0h. A bright start on the morning of the 28th, but cloud had increased at 0900 GMT to 5 oktas. Pressure was 1022 mb with low 977 mb N of Scotland over the Norwegian Sea with associated frontal bands receding to the north-west. The breeze was S'ly and the temperature 15.8C, rising to 19.0C. A dry day. Northolt 24.7C; Stornoway [4.6 mm]; Aberporth 8.3h, Valley 6.3h. The 29th began brightly with weak sunshine through thin increasing cloud. With a light S'ly breeze and very good visibility the temperature rose to 19.0C. Turning cloudier and dull in the afternoon. Coton-in-the-Elms 21.7C; Trawsgoed {11 mm}; Tiree 8.9h, Valley 3.6h. It was a mostly cloudy start to the 30th with a strengthening S'ly wind. Some bright and sunny spells in the morning, with cumulus clouds developing in the vicinity and mountains, cloudier later in the afternoon with a spell of light rain from 2230 GMT [3.3 mm]. Maximum 18.8C, but rising to 21.6C at Gorwel Heights. Northolt 23.0C, Cardiff 20.9C; Scarborough {10.0 mm}; Edinburgh 7.4h, Valley 2.6h.

October 2014

October 1 - after some overnight rain the day dawned mostly cloudy and dull, brightening a little by 0900 GMT. Cloud, associated with a cold front was moving over the Irish Sea. The temperature 14.4C (dewpoint 14.0C) rose to 15.9C at 1010 GMT falling to 13.1C with [1.7 mm] of rain. The afternoon was brighter with a little sunshine (Valley 2.5h) as cloud persisted over the mountains. Frittenden 22.0C; Tiree min 8.9C with 9.1h sunshine; Stornoway [3.0 mm]. On the 2nd pressure had risen to 1030 mb in a transient high over Britain. It was a fine, dry and sunny day with the temperature rising to 18.0C in the afternoon. Shobdon 22.7C, Redesdale min -2.1C; Skye [20.0 mm]; Valley 10.4h. In contrast the 3rd began mostly cloudy with pressure fallen to 1018 mb as deepening complex low 967 mb N Iceland introduced strong to near gale-force SSW'ly winds and a slow-moving frontal system to the north-west. Overcast and dull, but dry during the day with a maximum of 18.1C here rising to 20.8C at Gorwel Heights. There was a heavy shower of rain at 2130 GMT (10 mm/h) followed by continuous moderate to heavy rain, as pressure fell to 1003 mb at midnight, with embedded very heavy bursts through the night (heaviest at 84 mm/h at 0240 GMT the rain ceasing at 0600 GMT [duration 9.5h] with [57.1 mm] of rain falling 24-h 09-09 GMT. This was the 2nd highest daily fall in October at this station. Rainfalls were largest N of here including N England and Scotland. Breezy, the 24-h mean wind speed was 10.2 mph in Llansadwrn and 9.2 mph at Gorwel Heights. Benson 23.0C; [Isle of Man 78.2 mm, Eskdalemuir 74.2 mm, Keswick 72.8 mm, Valley 58.4 mm, Gorwel Heights 36.0 mm, Rhyl 11.0 mm], Odiham 8.1h. Pressure had risen to 1012 mb at 0900 GMT on the 4th and it was a bright sunny morning with a strong S'ly breeze. After the rain a dry, but cooler day with a maximum of 13.3C. Shoeburyness 20.8C; Dundrennan 24.0 mm; Belfast 8.8h. On the 5th in a transient ridge pressure at midnight was 1020 mb, but by 0900 GMT had fallen to 1017 mb and, with tightening isobars on charts in the west, there was a moderate to strong SW'ly wind. Low 976 mb was S of Iceland with associated fronts W of Ireland. Wind speeds increased in the W as a result of a frontal wave development near Shannon, Ireland, later in the day. There was rain before midnight. Max 15.1C; Rain [6.2 mm]. Gravesend 17.6C, Rhyl 16.1C; [Ballypatrick For. 38.4 mm, Capel Curig 33.4 mm]; Manston/ Heathrow & Wattisham 9.0h.

In the early hours of the 6th sustained strong SE'ly winds off the mountains were experienced in Llanfairfechan. At Gorddinog David Lee reported 3 house tiles removed, a mature Laburnum tree felled and other damage to trees. From 0250 to 0430 GMT the SE'ly averaged 39 mph (gale force 8) with a maximum mean of 43 mph and high gust of 71 mph at 0400 GMT. Conditions at Gorwel Heights were similar - the mean wind speed was 36 mph (near gale force 7), there were two 10-min means of 40 mph and one of 41 mph occurred; gusts averaged 51 mph and a high gust of 58 mph at 0340 GMT . The S'ly wind in Llansadwrn during the same period was light - mean wind speed was 9 mph with a peak gust of 21 mph. At 0900 GMT pressure was 995 mb rising from a low 993 mb around 0400 GMT and the frontal system had passed. After rain the morning started cool and damp, but brightened through the morning with sunshine developing in the afternoon. Lossiemouth 18.2C; St Catherine's Point [34.2 mm]; Aberporth 7.8h, Valley 7.1h.

Another dull and damp morning on the 7th with continuous light to moderate rain at 0900 GMT [7.2 mm] accumulated since 0430 GMT. Pressure had fallen to 993 mb with low 991 mb over Morecambe Bay part of complex low-pressure associated with deep low 973 mb S Iceland. As the frontal cloud moved away to the NE the rain petered out here [0.7 mm], the sky brightened through the morning and there was some sunshine in the afternoon. Cooler than of late the maximum 12.7C. St Helier/ Exeter 15.8C, Shap min -2.5C; [Kinloss 54.2 mm, Hawarden 25.2 mm, Bala 11.6 mm]; Tiree 9.6h, Valley 4.2h. A breezy morning on the 8th with pressure 992 mb falling at 0900 GMT with low 976 mb slow-moving SW Ireland with shower troughs and frontal cloud in its circulation. Not much in the way of brightness or sunshine (Valley 1.3h) today, but the morning was dry. There was rain at times in the afternoon and with thickening cloud thunder was heard from 1830 to 1832 GMT and there was torrential rain with small hail at 1950 GMT (falling up to 46 mm/h) and thunder and lightning passing closeby from 1958 to 2208 GMT and more heavy rain at 2210 GMT. Kew 18.4C; [West Freugh 33.2 mm, Llansadwrn 30.1 mm, Capel Curig 21.4 mm, Mona 16.8 mm], Tiree 9.9h, Valley 1.3h. Storms continued after midnight on the 9th with vivid lightning seen and thunder heard to the S at 0245 GMT and closeby heavy thunder and lightning from 0300 to 0310 GMT moving away northwards last heard around 04 GMT Associated spells of spells of heavy rain fell through the night and were very heavy from 0500 to 0530 GMT falling at rates of up to 75 mm/h and at 0850 GMT 36 mm/h. Rainfall accumulated 24-h to 0900 GMT was [30.1 mm] recorded over 19 h duration. Low 984 mb was over the Irish Sea with pressure here 988 mb rising slowly, the wind was SSW'ly force 5 and cumulus clouds were in the vicinity. There was another heavy shower with small hail (69 mm/h) at 1040 GMT; the day kept mostly cloudy, with just glimpses of sunshine, and a maximum temperature of 11.9C. Rainfall was [5.0 mm]. St James Park 18.1C; Walney Island [28.4 mm] ; Wattisham 7.7h, Valley 0.5h.

On the 10th there was low cloud, mist and rain in sight on the Snowdonia Mountains. Overhead some patches of blue through layers of stratocumulus and there were spots of rain. Pressure 1005 mb was rising slowly at 0900 GMT in complex low-pressure over the UK with low 999 mb Western Isles and low 989 mb S Norwegian Sea. The temperature was 10.7C rising to 12.9C at 1033 GMT. With a showery trough aligned over the west it was a day of sunshine and showers, some heavy and prolonged with a few ice pellets continuing into the night. Rainfall [11.1 mm]. Kew Gardens 18.7C; [Charlwood 29.8 mm, Capel Curig 16.0 mm]; Waddington 8.8h. Overcast at dawn on the 11th the sky began to clear before 0900 GMT and was then 3 oktas of cumuli and cirrus. Visibility was good as the cloud lifted, but the sky remained darker in the west. Complex low-pressure remained over the UK; pressure here was 1009 mb with low 1008 mb Severn Estuary. Trough and fronts were around, but we missed any showers that were about. Clear sky here in the afternoon, maximum 15.1C, as a line of cumuli persisted over the mountaintops of Snowdonia. Around 1800 GMT (temp 9.4C, dewpoint 8.4C) low mist formed on the adjacent 'old cricket field' to the W as the sky turned peach coloured topped by azure blue after sunset. Soil moisture, somewhat restored after recent rainfalls, determined today 2 - 10 cm deep under grass was 60% dry mass. On the bare met plot s oil 0 - 10 cm deep containing less organic matter moisture was 29% dry mass. The top 2 cm of turf, roots and soil having most organic matter had retained 93% moisture. Frittenden 17.1C; Manston {23.6 mm}, Fair Isle [12.8 mm], Morecambe 9.1h, Valley 5.9h. With much clear sky overnight there was heavy dew on the grass, on the fine and sunny morning of the 12th, and raingauge funnels, the TBR tipping later on. The grass minimum recorded 2.6C and the air temperature was down to 0.8C so not very cold yet. It was calm here, but Gorwel Heights and Gorddinog were indication a SE'ly. Visibility was very good and pressure 1013 mb was steady in a ridge of high-pressure over the UK. Trees are being slow this year to develop autumn colours and so far have retained most of them. Some sycamore and a few beech leaves have fallen and colour is best developed on horsechestnut. Michaelmas daisy is flowering in the garden and still attracting butterflies; 3 comma, red admiral, peacock and several speckled woods have been seen. They appear from their sheltering places anytime the sun comes out. Mostly sunny (max 15.3C, Gorwel Heights 14.8C) with another fine pink sunset followed as yesterday by the nice peach and azure blue after glow. Ballywatticock (NI) 17.8C, Porthmadog 17.2C; [Guernsey 50.0 mm, Herstmonceux 29.0 mm]; Morecambe 10.0h, Valley 7.2h. With high 1017 mb near Rockall on the 13th pressure here was 1009 mb. The morning was mostly cloudy associated with a small low 999 mb over East Anglia. There were some patches of blue sky, but cloud was thick and the day dull with a force 4 NE'ly breeze. Slight rain came along around 2030 GMT. East Malling 17.4C, Valley 13.7C; Hampstead {57.0 mm}, Wittering [35.8 mm]; Stornoway 6.9h, Valley 1.3h.

Cloudy skies in the E with crepuscular rays along the coast near Abergwyngregin while the sky was clearing from the W (below) on the morning of the 14th as pressure 1010 mb was rising. Atlantic-low 951 mb was S of Greenland, with a more local low 999 mb over the NE entrance to the English Channel with the western edge of the spiral of occluded frontal cloud over NE Wales. A sunny morning in Llansadwrn before cloud moved over in the afternoon, but rain kept away the NE'ly breeze moderating. Charsfield 18.8C, Porthmadog 15.4C, Llansadwrn 13.5C; Fylingdales {40.0 mm} [ 22.6 mm]; Thomastown 7.4h, Valley 6.2h.

Mostly cloudy again beginning the day on the 15th with pressure 1003 mb falling slowly. The large Atlantic-low 965 mb was almost lying coast to coast on the charts. Frontal cloud mass over Brittany and W France with heavy rain was moving across the Channel and encroaching Cornwall. A mild night (minimum 9.4C) and there were dewdrops on the grass (minimum 5.5C) the result of guttation rather than dew. In an ESE'ly breeze lee holes developed in the cloud overhead and the morning was mostly sunny the temperature rising to 15.1C. The afternoon turned dull and cloudier and there was slight rain from 1320 GMT. As the cloud thickened there was a heavy shower (9 mm/h) at 1500 GMT [8.3 mm]. Chivenor 17.6C, Porthmadog 16.8C, Braemar min -1.5C; [Cardinham 21.8 mm, Capel Curig 21.6 mm]; Stornoway 8.7h, Valley nil.

The first 15-d of the month were wet having 119.1 mm of rainfall (79%) & [93%] of averages. The mean temperature 11.5C was spot on the decadal average, but [+0.6] based on the 30-y average. Sunshine at Valley 59.3h was (63%) & [61%] of the monthly averages.

A heavy shower up to 30 mm/h fell at 0237 GMT on the 16th, but a bright morning with a line of cumuli over the mountaintops with cirrus to the north-east. Pressure 990 mb was rising, visibility was moderate with mist on the lower slopes of the mountains to the south, and there was a gentle ESE'ly breeze. Mostly sunny in the morning before a band of showers approached from the W bringing light rain at 1210 GMT and another heavy shower (15 mm/h) at 1455 GMT. Showers and sunny spells continued during the afternoon and there was a very heavy shower (62 mm/h) at 2114 GMT. [Max 16.6C, Rain 12.3 mm]. Ryhill 20.9C, Rhyl 18.5C; Capel Curig [27.8 mm]; Manston 5.7h. Much of same as showers continued after midnight on the 17th (36 mm/h at 0236 GMT) and after dawn contributing 2.8 mm to the total of 12.3 mm 24-4 to 09 GMT today. The sky had more or less cleared, it was sunny and pressure 1005 mb was rising rapidly. Large Atlantic-low 967 mb W had moving NE and was W of Ireland and encompasses the UK. As a result isobars had tightened and the SSW'ly wind was freshening force 4/5. The air was warm 14.1C (dewpoint 13.1C) and moist 94% RH - visibility was poor. The morning continued sunny, but cloud encroached by noon making for a rather dull afternoon with a strengthening blustery S'ly wind and rain later. Warm air from mid-Atlantic resulted in rising temperatures during the evening reaching a maximum of 17.7C at 2226 GMT and 18.9C at Gorwel Heights at 2310 GMT. Writtle 20.2C, Hawarden 18.8C; Capel Curig {28.6 mm}; Leconfield 6.6h. The temperature at midnight on the 18th was 16.9C just before a cold front passed over. There were blustery very heavy rain showers (46 mm/h at 0237 GMT) and more lighter showers in the morning. At 0900 GMT the temperature was 15.6C up from the minimum of 14.8C at 0516 GMT. Rainfall was [10.8 mm] and further showers were in sight in poor visibility. Pressure 1002 mb was rising as the filling Atlantic-low made its was NE past Ireland, it was 972 mb W of the Western Isles Scotland at 0900 GMT. A blustery day f5/6 SSW'ly wind (restricted to 30 mph on the Britannia Bridge) with glimpses of sunshine and showers during the day. Frittenden 21.7C, Hawarden 20.2C; Shap {42.0 mm} [26.8 mm]; Tiree 6.8h. Bright and breezy (gusting 35 mph) on the 19th with pressure 1006 mb rising as filling low 980 mb tracked N of Scotland. Some sunshine (maximum 14.9C in the morning) and showers a heavy one falling at a rate up to 15 mm/h at 1654 GMT [3.2 mm]. Heathrow 20.7C, Hawarden 18.2C; Cluanie Inn {61.2 mm} [Shap 22.4 mm, Capel Curig 18.0 mm]; Yeovilton 7.0h.

The most intense hurricane of the 2014 season Gonzalo (category 4) that hit Bermuda on the 17th of the month has been tracking just S of Nova Scotia at midnight on the 20th and was heading our way. Now reduced in power the remains was a low 991 mb (ex-Gonzalo) at 0600 GMT was S of Greenland. At 0900 GMT pressure was steady on 1013 mb and the morning dull. The SW'ly light at first picked up during the day and the afternoon was bright with glimpses of sunshine. At 1800 GMT ex-Gonzalo had deepened again 987 mb W of Shannon, Ireland and the wind was strengthening gusting to 35 mph. There was rain from 2300 GMT. St James Park 17.9C; Manston 6.7h. After midnight on the 21st the wind strengthened further (gusting 39 mph here and Gorwel Heights) as a cold front passed over, then moderated. The temperature that had been hovering around 13C fell slowly to the minimum 8.7C at 0645 GMT. Pressure was lowest 995.1 mb at 0231 GMT and rain heaviest 15 mm/h at 0336 GMT [12.9 mm]. At dawn there was little of no wind here, at 0900 GMT pressure 995 mb was rising and the wind backing W'ly had picked up to force 4/5. Some gusts around 70 mph had been recorded in Scotland, 58 mph at Aberdaron and 52 mph at Valley where a gale was reported 00 to 02 GMT Some bright spells with glimpses of sunshine and a light shower of snow pellets at 1032 GMT. More sunshine in the afternoon with cumulus clouds in the vicinity. A butterfly appeared briefly when the sun was out and a hedgehog was spotted crossing the lawn. Clear sky for a while around 2000 GMT. Shoeburyness 16.1C; Cluanie Inn {50.6 mm};[Loch Glascarnoch 14.4 mm, Llansadwrn 12.9 mm]; Edinburgh 8.0h, Valley 4.3h. Clear sky yesterday evening resulted in the temperature on the grass falling to 1.1C. A cloudy morning on the 22nd with showers of rain beginning 0810 GMT and turning into continuous slight rain later. Pressure was steady on 1025 mb with slow-moving low 982 mb Denmark Strait and warm front Western Isles and Irish Sea. Cloudy, but dry in the afternoon (sunless day) the temperature at 1500 GMT 12.0C dropping only a little to 11.7C at midnight. Gorwel Heights [15.3C]; Swanage {15.1C}; Lusa [40.4 mm]; Manston 4.8C.

Birds continue to be few and far between in the garden continuing the September low; little of the supplied food has been taken and some peanuts had to be removed as they had turned mouldy and were unfit for consumption. We have seen a few greenfinches, 1 or 2 sparrows and some chaffinches. Even the resident blackbirds appear only rarely, but robins were singing this morning. So it was another cloudy and dull day on the 23rd with mist, poor visibility and fine drizzle. We were under a mass of warm wavy frontal cloud stretching from the North Channel over the Irish Sea. Very dull day - maximum today was 13.8C, but reached 17.0C at Gorwel Heights. Spell of rain from 2300 GMT [2.5 mm]. Leeming 17.6C, Hawarden 17.3C; {Achnagart 35.6 mm, Lake Vyrnwy 16.8 mm}; Boulmer 3.4h, Valley nil. Brighter at first on the 24th as the sky with orographic cloud waves was clearing. Visibility was very good, but soon clouds developed again with a showery trough in the vicinity, but kept dry. Clearing again later, sunny and breezy. Gravesend 17.9C; Kinbrace min 2.9C; Achnagart {29.4 mm}; Kirkwall 5.5h, Valley 2.5h.

Overcast morning on the 25th with rain in the hour up to 0900 GMT [1.6 mm]. Moderate visibility in continuing showers of rain under grey skies. There was a warm front slow-moving over NE Scotland with a shower trough (cold front) approaching the Western Isles and Malin Head with marine convection following. Soon turning brighter and breezy. The grass, still growing strongly (3.6 g dry mass per m sq per day), that was very wet soon dried off enabling the management team to mow it off. Soil moisture was 52% dry mass under grass and 34% on the bare plot. Then cloudier with a light shower coming along at 1430 GMT. Gravesend 16.4C, Shobdon min 2.5C; Kinlochewe {47.0 mm}; Wattisham 8.9h. Overcast again on the morning of the 26th with showers in sight - mountaintops covered in cloud and mist. Windy, S'ly force 5/6 with gales reported at Aberdaron and strong gusts on the mountains. Slow-moving frontal systems over Scotland with continuing large falls of rain. Low 970 mb was anchored in the vicinity of Iceland and the jetstream is firmly lodged over N Britain. A grey and dull day with drizzle at times and a maximum of 14.4C around noon. Temperatures had risen again at Ny Alesund Max 5.6C, min 1.7C. After rather unsettled late summer weather it is now settled, sunny and warm in S France. Llanfairfechan, Gorwel Heights 17.5C, Gorddinog [17.1C], {Murlough NI 16.7C, Hawarden 16.0C; Kinlochewe 106.2 mm, Capel Curig 21.6 mm; Kinloss 3.9h}. Much of the same on the 27th with ragged low clouds over Anglesey, intermittent slight rain and continuous fine drizzle. The sky was brighter towards Conwy and the sun was shining in Llandudno in the lee of the Snowdonia Mountains much of the day. Breezy, the SSW'ly force 4/5 at times gusting 25 mph, visibility poor earlier was moderate. The temperature after overnight minimum of 12.6C was a mild 14.8C (dewpoint 13.7C). A very dull and sunless day, maximum 14.9C in Llansadwrn and a warm 18.2C at Gorwel Heights. The afternoon was drier after 1500 GMT and after a slight dip to 14.1C at 1630 GMT began to rise again in the evening. In Llansadwrn the temperature, in a SSW'ly breeze gusting to 27 mph, hovered around 15.1C for 6-hours from 2130 to 0330 GMT [Valley 15.4C] . In the Föhn-like wind the temperature rose to 18.6C at Gorddinog at 0320 GMT, 19.3C at Gorwel Heights and a remarkable 21.1C further downwind in the nearby village of Dwygyfylchi, both readings higher than those reported in Wales. Hawarden 19.2C, Rhyl 17.2C; [Lusa 74.2 mm, Aultbea 53.4 mm]; Heathrow 8.1h. The morning of the 28th was dull under overcast skies; in the warm breeze the grass had dried overnight. A cold front was lying to the NW and this arrived at 1500 GMT in the afternoon bringing moderate to heavy rain with the temperature falling to 9.0C; the wind moderated and backed to NE'ly. Some clearer sky at night. Winter is on hold at the moment even in the Arctic at Ny Alesund [ Max 2.4C min 1.1C]. Hull 20.1C; Eskdalemuir 38.0 mm, [Capel Curig 16.6 mm, Llansadwrn 9.5 mm]; Wattisham 8.6h, Valley nil.

Overnight grass minimum reading on the morning of the 29th was 2.2C and 6.2C air temperature. A bright start with weak sunshine through cirrus clouds. Very good clear visibility, good view of the Llyn mountains, but Bardsey Island was invisible. Pressure 1017 mb was rising slowly with large Atlantic-high to the west. A warm front over S England moved N during the day bringing rain from 21 GMT heavier at 23 GMT. Temperature at 0900 GMT 7.7C (dewpoint 5.0C) rose to 15.7C at 1024 GMT. Bude 17.1C and min at Eskdalemuir was -2.0C; [Isle of Portland 16.6 mm, Valley 4.6 mm, Llansadwrn 3.3 mm]; Valley 7.2h. The 30th began mostly cloudy with mist and drizzle then with showers of rain just before 0900 GMT with a warm front over Anglesey and Irish Sea. Briefly the cloud lifted from the mountains. Pressure 1014 mb was rising slowly and the temperature 14.3C (dewpoint 13.6C 96% RH). Gravesend 20.2C; S Uist 12.2 mm; Herstmonceux 6.2h.

With warm air being drawn up from S Europe expectations were that the record high max of 19.4C set in Margate in 1968 (TORRO) for the 31st would be broken. Chances were that somewhere along the N Wales coast a new record would be set. Just before 0900 GMT in the Föhn-like wind in Llanfairfechan the temperature had reached 20.1C at Gorwel Heights and still rising 22.2C at 11.21 GMT. At Gorddinog AWS the temperature at the same time had reached 21.6C. The best that good be done in Llansadwrn so far was 19.2C, but this had already exceeded by far the highest recorded at this station on this day of 16.5C in 2011! Highest temperatures reached were 22.6C at Gorwel Heights and 21.9C at Gorddinog AWS, both at 1147 GMT, and 22.3C (Stevenson Screen). In Llansadwrn 19.8C AWS and 20.1C in Stevenson Screen. In the sunshine and warmth in the garden a comma and red admiral butterflies appeared on Michaelmas daisy and Verbena bonariensis. There were some bumblebees around as well. Gravesend 23.6C, Trawsgoed 21.2C; [Lusa 20.6 mm, Aberdaron 8.8 mm]; Hurn 7.2h.

The month ended with a total rainfall of 203.5 mm largest since 2008 and 9th largest in Llansadwrn since 1928. The 57.1 mm on the 3rd was the 2nd largest daily fall in October recorded at this station. The mean temperature 12.2C ranked 7th highest since 1979. Temperatures on the 31st were highest on record. Provisional sunshine at RAF Valley indicated 88 h.

November 2014

November 1 - felt fresh after the warmth of the 31 October. At 0900 GMT the temperature was 10.9C and the morning bright with a light to moderate SSW'ly breeze. In developing sunny spells the temperature rose to 13.0C in the afternoon then to 13.4C the maximum for the day at 2014 GMT. Pressure 1011 mb stated falling as a developing frontal-wave off SW Ireland; there rain with strengthening SW'ly wind from 1400 GMT. A gust of 42 mph was recorded at Gorwel Heights at 1753 GMT and 52 mph in Llandegfan at 1900 GMT. The daily mws here was 10.4 mph, highest of the month.[Rain 13.0 mm]. Writtle 18.7C; [Cardinham 28.4 mm, Capel Curig 25.4 mm]; Leconfield 6.5h. A bright and fine morning on the 2nd with weak sunshine from the start. Cooler at 8.8C at 0900 GMT with good hazy visibility. Fine and sunny in the afternoon at first with cumulonimbus clouds passing moving over Snowdonia. Eventually one passed over here giving 3 peels of thunder and heavy rain at 1608 GMT. Further showery rain later. [Rain 10.5 mm]. Gravesend 16.9C; Achnagart {41.6 mm}; Edinburgh 5.4h, Valley 5.3h. The 3rd began bright enough with some sunshine, but soon cloud began to increase and sunshine was infrequent. Soon darker clouds had developed in the west and there were moderate to heavy showers of rain with a few small ice pellets (24 mm/h at 1030 GMT). Low 983 mb was over here at 1400 GMT. With an occluded front over the Irish Sea showers continued in the cooler and very dull afternoon. [Max 10.3C; Pptn 13.4 mm largest of the month]. Mumbles Head 13.3C; Capel Curig {29.8 mm} [18.4 mm], Magilligan [24.8 mm]; Leconfield 7.4h.

Further precipitation after midnight on the 4th fell as snow on the Snowdonia Mountains and gave the first lying snow of the winter above 2000 ft. Snowdon was well covered and the flatter tops of the Carneddau had a light to moderate covering. Earlier cumuli and cumulonimbus clouds in the W could be seen drifting S over the Irish Sea on the light N'ly breeze, there were towering cumuli to the NE also over Liverpool Bay. Pressure 992 mb was rising rapidly. The temperature was 4.7C (dewpoint 4.2C) and visibility very good. After being almost absent from the garden birds are back and numbers building up by the day. Today several blue tits, great tits and a gold finch were spotted taking sunflower seeds. Chaffinches are here in good numbers and are interested in taking crushed beech seed (crushed by passing traffic) on the road and driveway, that is there in large quantities after the recent gale, and grass seed from annual poa Poa annua on the vegetable plot. I hope they most of it so making weeding less of a problem next year. A few make it to the bird table for seed together with some sparrows most of which have been along the road in the hedgerows.. A small flock of pigeons doing the same in the fields under beech trees, but those seed are not crushed. A shower of rain 1113 GMT possibly with very small ice pellets; the afternoon sunny spells. Shower about 2130 GMT sounding hard against windows, small white grains (up). [Max 8.9C; Pptn 7.5 mm]. Gravesend 14.1C; Redesdale [23.8 mm] ; Leconfield 6.0h, Valley 4.1h. [Svarlbard -12.1C/ -19.2C snow 6 cm].

Much the same on the morning of the 8th, overcast skies and very dull under thick low misty cloud. Pressure was 993 mb with low 977 mb off the Western isles of Scotland with a frontal-wave over the North Channel. Mild max 13.1C and 13.5C at Gorwel Heights. Sunless day. Gravesend 15.1C, Mumbles Head 13.8C; Middle Wallop [22.4 mm]; Kinloss 6.2h. A little brighter on the 9th as between slight showers of rain a few glimpses of sunshine in the morning. With a low over the Irish Sea pressure 1000 mb was rising and in the afternoon convective clouds (panorama above) were mainly confined to the Snowdonia Mountain Range as skies cleared over Anglesey. [Max 12.6C; rain 1.3 mm]. Isle of Portland 14.2C, Mumbles Head 13.6C, Gorwel Heights 13.4C; Bristol 7.2h. With some clear sky overnight the temperature on the grass dropped to 0.4C with heavy dew formed, but in the air 5.8C was the lowest. A fine and bright morning on the 10th with some sunshine, but as 0900 GMT approached cloud seen in the W arrived overhead. Visibility was good with some low level inversion haze thickest looking towards Conwy. Some breaks in the cloud in the afternoon, but there was a light shower of rain. Grass samples today showed that the grass was still growing at a rate of 2.9 g dry mass m ^-2 d ^-1 and the total yield for the year had reached 1261 g dry mass m ^-2 (tonnes ha ^-1) approaching the 2nd largest yield recorded over 11 years. Soil moisture was on 58% dry mass under grass and 39% on the bare met plot. In the evening the wind strengthened for a while with a spell of light rain from 1830 to 2130 GMT. [Max 12.3C; Rain 1.6 mm]. Gravesend 14.5C; Stornoway 5.7h.

The temperature rising over a 3 h period around midnight reached 12.8C at Gorwel Heights and RH down to 69% (00017 GMT) and Gorddinog AWS 12.8C at 0014 GMT. A dull overcast day on the 11th with misty cloud on the lower slopes of the Snowdonia Mountains. Pressure was steady on 991 mb. A light SE'ly breeze with the temperature 11.7C (dewpoint 9.9C) 89 % RH at 0900 GMT. A few spots of rain were felt during the morning with a shower around noon. The afternoon kept sunless with shower at times later . The temperature in a Föhn-like breeze continued to rise reaching 12.8C here at 1915 GMT, but in Llandegfan 14.0C was recorded at 1827 GMT. Wisley 14.5C, Valley 13.5C; Glenanne 30.2 mm, Liscombe 23.6 mm; Manston 6.1h, Valley nil. Layered clouds with a few breaks overhead on the morning of the 12th. Visibility was good and clear, but with some darker cumuli in the vicinity rain was in sight and there were a few slight showers during the morning. Pressure 988 mb was rising slowly and there were a few bright spells with glimpses of sunshine in the afternoon between more slight showers. Minimum temperatures occurred during the afternoon and early evening 8.8C at 1733 GMT thereafter they began to rise again to 11.1C around midnight. [Max 12.2C; Rain 0.7 mm]. Lusa 14.6C; [Tulloch Bridge 18.3 mm, Bournemouth 17.4 mm]; Bude 6.6h. Just after dawn on the 13th there was a red sky in the E, but at 0900 GMT the sky was overcast. Pressure 996 mb was falling slowly the large Atlantic-low 963 mb enveloping the UK. A frontal low 986 mb was off Brest tracking N to the Celtic Sea and there was an occluded front over Ireland. Another dull day, but visibility was good, with a little sunshine appearing late in the afternoon as the sun set under the sheet of cloud. Temperature at Gorwel Heights at 1530 GMT was 14.5C. Rain shadow area here in lee of the mountains, wet in places including Ireland, Cork 35.9 mm, Dublin 30.9 mm (00-00z). [Max 14.0C; Rain 2.2 mm]. Chivenor 15.8C, Mumbles Head 15.1C; [Lyneham 29.8 mm, Capel Curig 25.4 mm]; Lerwick 3.2h, Valley 0.2h. After midnight the temperature continued to rise reaching 14.0C between 0400 and 0420 GMT by convention this the maximum of the 13th . An unpromising morning on the 14th with mostly cloudy skies, but a narrow band of blue sky in the west expanded to give a mostly sunny morning and a fine sunny afternoon with a temperature maximum of 12.5C. Some more of this weather please! [Rain 0.2 mm]. Lusa 15.5C, Cardiff 14.4C; Leuchars [20.8 mm], (Knock S. Ireland 26.0 mm); Yeovilton 6.1h.

A very fine and bright morning on the 15th with hardly a cloud in the vicinity although there were towering Cu and a Cb diminishing far in the W before 0900 GMT. Pressure 998 mb was rising and the temperature was 6.9C (dewpoint 5.7C ). A pleasant fine day, warm in the sunshine with a light ESE'ly Föhn-like breeze. The maximum today here was 14.4C around noon highest of the month and 68% RH, lowest of the month, highest of the month, 13.4C at Gorwel Heights and 11.7C at Gordinnog AWS early in the afternoon. Hurn 14.8C, Mona 14.4C; [Exeter 31.8 mm, Aberdeen 20.2 mm]; Valley 7.6h.

There was a golden sunrise over the Carneddau Mountains on the 16th and a bright morning developed with weak sunshine through 5 oktas cover of cirrus, cumulus and lenticular altocumulus. A bit misty especially at low levels and there had been heavy dew and a slight frost on the grass (min -0.5C) with an air temperature of 4.0C with a trace deposit in the rain gauge. Ravens were calling nearby and there was a lot of bird twittering and not to be out done a pheasant heard as well. A cooler day; the temperature ws 6.9C (dewpoint 6.5C) and 97% RH, but rose to just 10.2C before some thick cloud encroached making for a dull afternoon. At 1645 GMT there was a very pink coloured sky in the west. [Max 10.2C; Rain 2.5 mm]. Plymouth 13.4C, Mumbles Head 12.7C; Capel Curig min -0.6C; Weybourne [20.2 mm]; Tiree 5.8h, Valley 5.0h. There was light rain between 03 & 07 GMT on the 17th and with a strengthened breeze from the NNE sycamore leaves that had been hanging on on the normal lee side of trees were falling off. There are still some autumn bronze coloured beech leaves even on the windward side of sheltered tree in the area. A few spots of rain at 0900 GMT and soon after the temperature had exceed yesterday's maximum at 10.3C. Dull at first then a little sunshine and a shower of rain the temperature struggling to rise to 10.6C before noon. Cloudier in the afternoon before the sky cleared later leaving a beautiful dark peachy coloured evening sky after sunset (above left). [Max 10.6C; Rain 0.5 mm]. Logan Bot. Garden 13.0C; [St. Catherine's Point 16.4 mm, Aboyne 16.2 mm]; Morecambe 3.0h, Valley 1.3h.

Overnight minima on the 18th where 5.2C in the air and -0.5C on the grass with a slight white frozen deposits after dawn. An almost clear sky with a few cumuli appearing over mountains to the south. Pressure was 1011 mb with an Atlantic-low 969 mb to the SW and a small low 1003 mb over Brittany with a shower trough lingering over the English Channel. Another very sunny day on Anglesey with a maximum of 11.4C, but in a sheltered lane nearby warm enough to find 2 red admiral butterflies out on full flowering hedgerow ivy, one of the last plants to flower in the year. One was pale coloured and had a damaged wing, but the other looked in better condition (above right). A dry day. Hampton WW 14.9C; St. Catherine's Point [8.0 mm]; Valley 7.8h. The 19th began brightly with a light SSE'ly breeze with some sunny spells developing in the morning. The afternoon was dull but kept fine so was pleasant enough for working in the garden. There was showery rain later between 21 & 01 GMT [Max 11.3C; Rain 1.7 mm]. Solent 14.0C; Culdrose [8.0 mm]; Stornoway 4.3h. On the 20th pressure had risen to 1025 mb and it was another fine and calm morning. Visibility was moderate and misty with inversion seen early in the NE Menai Strait; 5 oktas cloud cover with crepuscular rays looking towards the Nant Ffrancon Pass. A mistle thrush was singing intermittently in trees around the garden. Becoming mostly sunny with the mist dispersing. With a SSE breeze developing another Föhn-like temperature rise here to 13.8C AWS (RH 75%) and 14.0C maximum thermometer in the Stevenson screen just after noon. This was not seen at Gorwel Heights 12.2C (1030z) and Gorddinog 10.8C AWS (1120z), but was seen at Valley 13.3C highest official observation in Wales and 13.8C in the Scilly Isles (Met Office website accessed 21 Nov). There was a peach coloured sky after sunset. Scilly Isles 13.8C; Stornoway 5.4h.

An overcast morning on the 21st with the temperature 8.5C at 0900 GMT. There was a moderately heavy dew and the grass minimum was indication 0.0C so no frost. The AWS TBR had tipped indication 0.2 mm of accumulated condensate. The black funnel, placed on the ground with rim 30 cm, does seem to have more dew deposited than copper raingauges which had none today - the drosometer measured 0.1 mm. Visibility was moderate and pressure 1016 mb was falling slowly. A sunless day with cloud thickening in the morning giving a little fine drizzle then intermittent light rain in the afternoon. At Gorwel Heights the temperature rose to a remarkable 15.1C between 2230 and 0220 GMT and at Gorddinog AWS to 15.3C at 2230 GMT. [Llansadwrn Max 13.1C; Rain 5.7 mm]; Scilly 14.0C, Mona 13.1C; [Sennybridge 28.0 mm, Lake Vyrnwy 27.0 mm]; Lerwick 2.2h. After overnight rain the 22nd began brightly with the sky clearing rapidly just before 0900 GMT in a narrow clear slot after a cold front, but was to cloud over again just as rapidly by 0930 GMT with a heavy shower during the morning. Pressure 1008 mb was rising and the afternoon brightened again with clear sky over Anglesey leaving a line of cumulus clouds over Snowdonia. [Max 12.3C; Rain 1.3 mm]. Hereford 16.1C; Hawarden 4.1h. A calm mostly cloudy morning on the 23rd after a recent shower of rain. Pressure had rising to 1019 mb in a ridge from Atlantic-high 1025 mb off SW Ireland. Visibility was very clear good and clear and with the sky clearing turned sunny. There was convective developments over the mountains in the morning with some well developed cumuli in the vicinity from noon, but there was no precipitation. [Max 10.6C; trace of dew & frost]; Manston 12.7C; Weybourne/ Shoeburyness [20.8 mm]; Thomastown 6.8h, Valley 5.3h.

A colder frosty morning on the 24th, there was a red sky at 0730 GMT, with some frozen white deposits of dew ( 0.24 mm drosometer measured) on the grass with the minimum indicating -3.3C and in the air 2.2C, both lowest of the month. Pressure 1027 mb was highest of the month and the day fine with sunny spells. [Max 10.6C; trace]. Milford Haven 11.6C, Valley 11.3C; St Helier [11.2 mm]; Cambourne 7.3h. The 25th was fine and bright with a rather yellow looking sunrise after a little precipitation and slight deposit of light grey and pinkish red dust in the early hours. Pressure was steady on 1024 mb A complex sky with 6 oktas cover and some weak sunshine and clear sunny spells later. A lot of twittering from birds in the wood where there was a carpet of dry fallen leaves rustling underfoot. A slight deposit of ice precipitation could be seen round summits of the Carneddau including C. Llewelyn. A nice afternoon with pink coloured clouds seen to the south at dusk. [Max 10.1C; trace]. Scilly 10.6C, Mona 10.4C, Gorwel Heights 10.3C; Odiham [16.4 mm]; Lerwick 4.6h. On the 26th the day began with low cloud (2000 ft against the mountains) with poor misty visibility. Pressure 1014 mb was falling with a small frontal-wave low over Brittany 1011 mb. There was an occluded front to the west over Ireland. The day kept rather dull with a little fine drizzle in the afternoon. A cool day the maximum temperature 7.9C, lowest of the month At sunset the sky in the west turned orangey-red briefly. Herstmonceux 11.1C, Aviemore min -3.1C; Wainfleet [12.0 mm]; Magilligan 5.2h. In contrast the 27th was a very fine day. Some cloudiness at first and inversion mist low in the Menai Strait with a layer of haze 1000-1500 ft seen against the mountains, but otherwise very good visibility. The afternoon was sunny and the temperature reached 9.6C at 1300 GMT. The head gardener has compiled a November list of 45 plant species in the garden with flowers. Scilly 13.0C, Mona 10.5C; Baltasound [9.6 mm]; Valley 6.9h.

Another fine day on the 28th with a moderate E'ly wind. A ground frost overnight -1.5C, but any white frost had disappeared by 0900 GMT when the temperature was 9.6C. Out of the wind it was pleasant enough the temperature soon reaching 11.7C as sunshine developed. A sunny afternoon. St. Catherine's Point 13.8C, Pembrey Sands 13.7C; Lerwick [8.4 mm]; Aberporth 5.9h, Valley 5.3h. The 29th was a little sunnier beginning with just a few lenticular clouds to the south. A light ESE'ly breeze, good visibility, but hazier in the afternoon becoming poor at times. [Max 12.9C; 0.5 mm]. Otterbourne WW 15.7C, Trawsgoed 15.6C; Lerwick [9.6 mm]; Bude 7.0h, Valley 5.4h. Two showers of rain after midnight on the 30th with a clearing sky in the hour up to 0900 GMT with the sun just appearing above a bank of cloud over the mountains. Pressure 1014 mb was rising in a ridge from an Atlantic-high 1023 mb to the southwest. It was soon cloudier again with a few sunny spells (max 10.6C at 1318 GMT) before thicker cloud came along later in the afternoon bringing some fine drizzle at times, the amount was unmeasurable. Cardiff 14.2C; S. Uist [5.6 mm]; Morecambe 7.1h, St Athan 6.2h.

December 2014

December 1 - and another year almost completed and no lying snow in Llansadwrn so far. This will be a 'will it or won't it' month for the record-book as the annual mean temperature is running at 11.4C which, my spreadsheet tells me, is [+1.1] of the 30-y 1981 - 2010 average. Substituting data of the coldest December on record in 2010 the mean is brought down to 10.6C [+0.5] which is 7th warmest back to 1941 (Llansadwrn extended series) and beyond. So if we were to get another very cold December the record would not be broken. Year 1990 saw the beginning of the temperature rise with an annual mean of 10.7C with the highest 10.8C in 2006. So we will see!

A calm morning with smoke rising vertically. The sky now mostly cloudy was clearer at dawn when the sky before sunrise was a beautiful peach colour and azure blue colour over the Snowdonia Mountains - with no snow or ice to be seen. A band of cloud encroached from the NW and for a while was held up just before the mountains, that remained bright through the morning. Pressure was steady on 1016 mb and the temperature 6.1C (dewpoint 5.8C). The day remained cloudy here and the temperature rose to 10.6C at 1318 GMT (Gorwel Heights 10.3C). By 2100 GMT there was a NNE'ly wind and later there was showery rain. [Rain 5.7 mm]. Bude 12.9C & 4.7h, Balmoral min -0.5C; Lerwick [15.0 mm]. A fine and bright morning and it was just cold enough for the overnight rain to latterly deposit as a sprinkle of 'wintry 'ice precipitation around the highest summits of the Carneddau. There was a moderate 'cold feeling' drying wind from the NNE and evaporation from the Piche was 2.2 mm. At 0900 GMT the temperature was 6.7C this rising in a sunny afternoon to 8.4C by 1323 GMT. The wind was to moderate slowly over next 24-h. Culdrose 10.0C, Valley 9.5C; Whitechurch 10.2 mm, [Manston 9.2 mm]; Glasgow 6.1h.

A dull morning on the 3rd with recent and then intermittent fine drizzle. The sky looked brighter towards Conwy and behind the mountains giving a silhouette effect. Overnight the air temperature had fallen to 5.2C and was 1.0C on the grass. Pressure was steady on 1029 mb with Atlantic-high 1025 mb to the south-west and just after noon the temperature had risen to 7.6C. The brightness developed in the afternoon with a clearance in the clouds over Snowdon with some spectacular views for a while. There was a sprinkling of snow on Yr Wyddfa and Garnedd Ugain (Crib y Ddsgyl) but non of significance on the Carneddau. The clearance lasted for a few hours before closing in again later in the afternoon. [Pptn 0.3 mm]. Aultbea 10.7C, Porthmadog 10.2C; Sennybridge min -5.1C; Camborne 7.4h. With the sky clearing before midnight it was a colder night on the 4th with an extensive white frost (frozen dew and silver frost, no hoar frost) on the fields by the morning. The air minimum had been down to 0.6C (-0.6C in Newcastle) and the grass minimum read -4.1C. Pressure 1019 mb was falling slowly and by 0900 GMT the sky was mostly cloudy. The temperature had risen to 2.6C. All thermometers in the soil profile down to 1 m were this morning reading 10C or below, the 1 m temperature reaching 10.0C for the first time this winter. The temperatures were 5 cm 2.8C; 10 cm 3.8C; 20 cm 5.3C; 30 cm 7.1C; 50 cm 8.5C and 100 cm 10.0C. Dew and frost deposition measured by drosometer was 0.17 mm. Very dull in afternoon.[Max 5.6C; Grass Min (GM) -4.1C; Pptn 2.1 mm]. Kinlochewe 10.4C; Redesdale min -5.2C; Tiree [7.7 mm]; Aldergrove 4.9h

The first 15-d of the month have been just a little warmer than average with a mean temperature of 5.6C [+0.2] which, if applied to the annual mean temperature (see above), had the mean on 10.9C just still on course for a record by +0.1C, but it could yet turn colder! Rainfall to the 16th was 80.7 mm some [67%] of the average..

Somewhat cooler overnight with the air minimum 4.0C and a touch of frost on the grass, minimum -1.5C. Misty low cloud was hugging the mountains down to 2500 ft, but there were signs of a clearance from the west. Pressure 1015 mb was rising as a transient ride S Iceland moved across as low 978 mb SE Norwegian moved eastward. Bright, with a few sunny spells then cloudier with rain later as pressure began to fall. Prolonged moderate to heavy rain accumulated the largest fall of the month [22.3 mm] by next morning here and [15.8 mm] at Gorwel Heights. Scilly 11.7C, Benson min -3.2C; Capel Curig [31.6 mm]; Charlwood 6.1h. The 17th continued very dull with misty poor visibility and on the warm side with the temperature 10.3C at 0900 GMT. We were again in tropical maritime air off the Atlantic and the temperature kept above 10C rising to 10.6C at 1313 GMT, and 10.8C at 1858 GMT. Remarkably also keeping above 10C overnight. [Max 10.9C; Pptn 1.8 mm]. Hawarden 14.2C; Wattisham 2.7h . At 0525 GMT the temperature was 10.9C and at Gorwel Heights 12.9C. Much of the same on the morning of the 18th - a low grey blanket of cloud with pressure steady on 1003 mb between low 968 mb Iceland and high 1034 off Iberia we continued with the warm tropical maritime air from the Atlantic. A dull sunless day, mild and damp with intermittent slight drizzle. There was moderate to heavy rain during the evening 1930 to 2220 GMT (heaviest 29 mm/h at 2050 GMT) with 14.0 mm measured next morning. [Max 11.1C Gorwel Heights 11.2C highest of the month, Min 10.1C; Rain 14.0 mm]. Hereford 15.3C, Hawarden 13.9C, Gorwel Heights 13.4C; Lake Vyrnwy [43.2 mm]; Leeming 2.4h.

It was rather different on this day in 2010 -

18th December 2010: A further 10 cm of snow had accumulated on the snow board since 09 GMT yesterday while lying snow on grass averaged 21 cm. The temperature at was -1.8C and there were occasional flurries of snow. Pressure was a low 998 mb centred near Llansadwrn. The sky started to clear and by 1030 GMT there was bright sunshine with some advection fog developing over the snow in light SW'ly breezes. The scene looked very alpine with powdery snow clinging to trees and bushes through the day and changing little on the ground. The afternoon was mostly sunny with convective clouds seen to the north-west keeping clear. Views across Anglesey and towards the mountains were stunning in the sunshine. Level snow lay up to 23 cm deep on fields in the vicinity, there was no drifting. A salt-gritter made passes on the road and there was a little more traffic, mainly 4x4's. A fuel oil delivery vehicle became stuck on the drive at Gadlys and a farm tractor was deployed to move it. For the second day there were no postal or courier deliveries. As the sun began to set the temperature, that had struggled to reach 1.1C even in sunshine, began to fall rapidly and by 1900 GMT was -4.0C. With 22.0 h below zero it was not quite an ice-day.

The photograph of Llansadwrn Church taken in 2010 (above right) featured in the Llansadwrn Village Newsletter this month (December). You can go back to December 2010 and read about 'the never to be forgotten month's weather' that had 4 ice-days and a foot of snow here .

As the cold front passed through in the night the temperature fell about 6C and at 0900 GMT on the 19th it was 5.8C. Brighter and with a clearing sky it was breezy. Pressure 1013 mb was rising quickly, the cold front was lying S England/ Channel and N France. We were in a showery airflow with marine open celled convection to the NW and over N Scotland. The day kept fine and dry until the evening, we had a shower of ice precipitation at 2240 GMT the small solid pellets hitting the windows and a few more after midnight. [Max 7.2C Min 4.8C]. Shoreham 11.9C; Eskdalemuir [17.4 mm]; Nottingham 6.1h. The 20th began bright and breezy with pressure on 1025 mb as a ridge passed from the W. Atlantic-high 1038 mb was W of Iberia and low 977 mb was SE of Greenland. A large mass of cloud lay to the NW of here, but the day had some sunny spells and a slight afternoon shower of rain. Soil moisture under grass determined today was 57% dry mass, whereas on bare soil it was 34%. Some local fields, on less well drained mire soils than at the weather station, have had standing water on them for some weeks. Later although cloudier the evening remained dry. [Max 9.4C Min 5.8C]; Swanage 10.9C; Skye [20.0 mm]; Leconfield 4.7h, Valley 2.9h. The 21st was dull with low cloud on the lower slopes of the mountaintops with no chance of viewing the sunrise over the Carneddau Mountains, or anywhere else locally. Pressure 1022 mb was falling with high 1037 mb over the Gironde estuary, France and low 959 mb SW Iceland. A warm front was over the North Channel and the temperature here 9.4C at 0900 GMT gradually rose throughout the day reaching 10.6C at midnight. There were a few spots of rain at times during the day, but it was very wet in Scotland and N England. Cold now in Svarlbard -12.4C/-14.1C and 12 cm of snow so the snow mobiles will be out. Also a blanket of 15 cm of snow protecting the plants at the Botanic Garden in Tromso. [Max 10.8C Min 6.5C]. Hereford 14.0C, Gorwel Heights 13.3C; {Cluanie Inn 89.0 mm} [Tulloch Br. 45.8 mm, Glasgow 40.2 mm, Shap 20.6 mm, Lake Vyrnwy 7.0 mm] ; Hawarden 1.9h

Temperatures to the solstice (21st) continue a shade above average with a mean temperature of 6.2C (+0.7) & [+0.8] which, if applied to the annual mean temperature (see above), had the mean still on 10.9C on course for a record by +0.1C, but it will be a close call. Rainfall to the was 97.2 mm (72%) & [81%] of averages..

The 22nd began very dull and breezy the SW'ly force 5/6. Keeping mild overnight the air minimum not below 9.4C and 9.0C on the grass, the temperature at 0900 GMT 10.7C. A very dull sunless day, very mild 11.0C here, but 13.4C at Gorwel Heights at 1207 GMT. Nantwich 14.5C; Auchincruive {43.8 mm, Bala 12.4 mm}; [Dundrennan 42.0 mm, West Freugh 34.0 mm]; Morpeth Cockle Park 2.4h.

It was a different matter on this day in 2010 -

22nd: Snow continued, heavy at times, petering out in the small hours. At dawn the front that brought the snow was moving S and the sky clearing. At 09 GMT equipped again in Arctic gear for the obs - what a sight! On the snow board, that measured snow deposition in the past 24-h, I measured 15 cm (or, 6 in) of 'fluffy' snow, density 97 kg m^-3 , while on the grass accumulated lying snow averaged 26.5 cm, up to 32 cm in places, all but covering the standard octapent raingauge the rim of which is 30 cm above ground. Finding and excavating the soil thermometers was a cold job done by hand, and they had to be covered again afterwards to ensure the correct temperature under snow was recorded. Likewise the grass minimum thermometer, now a 'snow minimum' was dug out, but this is replaced just above the snow level. A foot of snow in old money! Familiar things in the garden took on strange forms; plants pots appeared shorter and topped with icing, the Stevenson screen had a thick white 'thatch' roof, plants that were in flower a week or so ago were turned into candy floss. As soon as the sun rose everything looked brilliant, but my dug out paths had been filled in again and would need clearing again. The temperature at 09 GMT was -4.2C so the snow was once again dry and powdery and still no good for making snowballs I was authoritatively told. Icicles hanging from roof gutters were over 2 ft long. It was a sunny morning with advection mist hanging over the snow on some of the adjacent fields and the icicles started dripping. No deliveries again today, the road was snowploughed and gritted, but 80% of salt grit on Anglesey has been already be used. Birds in the garden are quite tame coming up close for food; a female blackbird seeks me out and gets some special titbits away from the up to 7 males that squabble around the main feeding area. A lone redwing was spotted in a cleared ground feeding area. Water put out in trays soon freezes and needs replacing frequently. Sunny until afternoon when a few cumulus clouds moved in off Liverpool Bay, but the temperature kept below zero all day rising to just -1.0C. Before sunset, the sun a deep red colour, the temperature began to fall. [Pptn 0.2 mm; Max 1.0C; Min -4.8C; Grass -7.8C]

Much the same on the 23rd, continuing mild overnight minimum was 9.9C and was 10.3C at 0900 GMT. Pressure was steady on 1011 mb was large high pressure area to the S over France, Spain and N Africa. Nearer home the low 980 mb between Greenland and Scotland is tracking SE and a frontal system stalled near the North Channel expected to move across sometime today and introduced cooler weather again. Breezy, the blustery SW'ly force 5/6. The front took its time and arrived just after 2118 GMT when the temperature had risen to 10.7C. The wind moderated and the temperature began to fall. [Max 10.7C; Pptn 10.0 mm]. Gravesend 13.7C; {Shap 33.6 mm}; Kinloss 4.7h. A fine and bright morning on the 24th with the temperature at 0900 GMT 2.9C (dewpoint 1.5C). On the grass a frost -2.0C with clear frozen water drops and a glaze on the thermometer. There had been a little ice precipitation around the summits of the Carneddau and Snowdon and there were a few small patches of remnant snow and a snow patch on Garnedd Ugain. The morning had a few glimpses of sunshine between passing cumulus clouds. There are several plants still flowering including white Cistus. Erica December Red is looking good and one or two Azalea are in flower. Snowdrops are more evident showing green leaves 1 -2 cm tall. A fine day [Max 7.3C; nil Pptn]. Shoreham 11.7C; Cluanie Inn {30.6 mm}, Kirkwall/ Loch Glascarnoch [9.8 mm]; Hawarden 6.0h.

A fine and bright 25th Christmas morning with some cloud over the Snowdonia Mountains. Pressure 1029 mb had risen. A few convective clouds to the NE in the morning otherwise sunny until afternoon when cloudier. [Max 7.5, Min 2.9C]. Scilly 10.4C, Mumbles Hd. 9.9C, Kinbrace min -5.7C; West Freugh [6.0 mm]; Wellesbourne 6.6h. A mostly cloudy start to Boxing Day the 26th with moderately high cloud most og the mountaintops were in the clear, but lower cloud was encroaching in the west. Pressure 1012 mb was falling quickly as a low off Shannon, Ireland tracked eastward. The SW'ly breeze backed SE during the morning then NE'ly. The temperature 4.4C rose a little to a maximum of 5.1C then began falling. Drizzle and light rain became moderate to heavy during the afternoon. On the mountains it was cold enough for precipitation to fall as snow above 1000 ft. At 1800 GMT the low was 1006 mb over Cardigan Bay with pressure here 1009 mb. [Min 1.8C Max 5.1C; Pptn 13.2 mm]. Scilly 11.8C, Milford Haven 10.9C, Braemar min -8.5C; Gogerddan {28.8 mm}, [Wainfleet 29.8 mm, Capel Curig 19.6 mm, Mona/ Hawarden 15.4 mm]; Aberdeen 1.0h. At midnight the low had moved across to the Wash 998 mb and was rising here 1014 mb. The 27th began with early wintry showers of snow pellets and snow flakes heavy at 0551 GMT falling at rates up to 8.6 mm/h. Overnight the air minimum was 1.7C that had risen to 3.3C at 0900 GMT. Showers continued, though reducing in intensity, through the day until a heavier one at 1800 GMT, preceded with gusty wind 21 mph, with snow pellets up to 5 mm diameter. [Max 4.6C]. Scilly 9.3C, Mumbles Hd. 7.9C, Braemar min -8.3C; Nottingham 4.4h. With the sky clearing overnight the air temperature dropped to 1.2C and on the grass to -3.2C, with clear icy deposits - no white frost seen, by the morning of the 28th. An almost clear sky, with just a small cumulus cloud. Pressure was on 1033 mb and there was a very light NNE'ly breeze. The sun appeared over the top of the Carneddau Mountains at 0902 GMT and snow was lying generally at 2000 ft and was lower at 750 ft in places on the west and east of the range and much more to the south. The MODIS AQUA satellite image (above left) shows the distribution of snow cover in southerm Britain. A little cloudier in the afternoon, but mostly sunny [Valley 5.1h]. A clear frosty evening with bright stars visible. [Max 7.1C] Islay 9.3C Katesbridge min -6.8C; Lake Vyrnwy [6.0 mm]; Camborne 7.1h.

A colder frosty morning on the 29th with extensive white frost on the grassy fields and a light hoar frost and ice on water in the garden. The air temperature had been down to 0.0C and it was -5.2C on the grass, both lowest of the month. Pressure 1042 mb was rising with the high centred over Cornwall. Scattered clouds around, but plenty of sunshine and with light WSW'ly breezes pleasant as the temperature rose to 6.4C just after noon. Sunny too in the afternoon with winds continuing light. Some redwings were spotted with starlings in fields in Llansadwrn. Harrisquidnish 9.1C, Valley 8.0C, Katesbridge min -8.8C; Emley Moor 5.4 mm; Camborne 7.2h.

With 2-days to go the mean temperature has reduced to 6. 0C (+0.5) & [+0.7] making it the 12th warmest December, but the annual remains on 10.9C on course for the warmest year on record.

A fine and bright morning on the 30th with variable cloud cover at first then as the cloud cleared a sunny day. Visibility was very good at 0900 GMT with pressure on 1038 mb with high 1043 mb over the Charente Maritime, France. The temperature was 6.4C the same as yesterday's daytime maximum, but 10 minutes earlier had been 6.7C so this was credited to the the maximum of the past 24-h. Later the temperature rose to 9.4C just after noon and in the evening rose further reaching 9.9C at midnight. [Max 10.7C, Pptn nil]. [Scilly 11.9C, Milford Haven 11.1; Tiree 4.6 mm]; Bude 7.0h. The temperature continued to rise after midnight on the 31st reaching 10.7C from 0140 to 0240 GMT. A fine morning with a lee clearance looking towards Llanfairfechan where there were some lee-wave clouds (photo right). Otherwise it was mostly cloudy, but on the thin side so that there was a little weak sunshine for a while. There was snow on the mountaintops. Another mild last-of-the-year morning 8.2C (dewpoint 6.5C 89% RH) at 0900 GMT with pressure steady on 1027 mb.In the afternoon cloud thickened and there was showery rain later. Kinlochewe 12.4C, Gorwel Heights [12.1C]; [Capel Curig 26.8 mm, Skye 18.8 mm]; Wittering 5.8h.

The end of the month turned milder and the mean temperature rose to 6. 1C (+0.6) & [+0.87] with the annual mean unchanged on 10.9C it was the warmest year on record in Llansadwrn. Rainfall in December 125.3 mm (93%) & [104%] of averages, lowest since 2010, but ranked 34th largest since 1928, brought the total in 2014 up to 1144.8 mm (99%) & [104%] of averages. There was no air frost, but there were 18 ground frosts.

12.10¤