July Weather Summary

N.B. Summary;…   unfortunately,  not ‘ summery’…  A
slightly unusual combination from a summer month with cool, dull
conditions being coupled to dryness. At  29.1mm,  this must be well
under half what we should expect in an average July, and proved very
slightly drier than July 2006. Infact, this was the driest July since
1999.

After the first couple of days, which were marked by some very
chilly night minima, around 5C, the month fell into four fairly distinct
‘weeks’.  ..Cool and unsettled, with the 6th giving us 12mm.  Warm and
dry.  Then cool and changeable again, and finally, a better period,
starting on the 21st, which was warm and dry.  Infact, I think that on
some days our locality was probably the warmest in the country. On three
days during this period, Exeter Airport recorded the highest official
temperatures nationwide. On 21st :21.5 – we were 23.5!  On 23rd, Exeter
again at 21.5, so were we. Finally on the 26th, EXeter reached 24.1, and
we were 25.5. This and the 28th, gave the highest maximum temperature of
the month.  But these high readings were not enough to compensate for
the overall coolness, which led to a 1.3C lower mean temperature than
July 2010, and due to some low night temperatures, made July 2011 the
coolest overall July since 2007.

A consistent pattern this year has been the dryness. We have
recorded 361.5mm so far over the first seven months. Last year was also
low at 393.8mm.  These amounts are significantly down on 2009=604.6mm,
2008=599.2mm; and soaking 2007=765.2mm, before we get back to 2006 at
just over 400mm.

Peter at Pottlelake