Today's sunshine was 15.20 h here (R&D recorder, correcting for 1-2%
overcounts). The last May day to have recorded 15 h in this area was
over 40 years ago, 31 May 1966 with 15.1 h.

Daylength (sunrise to sunset) 15 h 58 m, so this figure represents
just over 95% of 'astronomical' possible.

The R&D tends to be rather better at low sunshine than the Campbell-
Stokes, which was what was in use in 1966, but even so today's figure
is well in excess of any May total in the 8 years I've been using the
R&D (previous highest 14.41 h on 31 May 2003). The highest daily using
my C/S here 1988-2000 was 14.1 h.

It's also the sunniest day of any since 17 July 2006 (15.22 h) but
that's not that surprising considering the past two summers of course.

--
Stephen Burt
Stratfield Mortimer, Berkshire