PITSFORD HALL WEATHER STATION
NORTHAMPTON, UNITED KINGDOM

MONTHLY WEATHER REPORT - JULY 2003

Headline: Changeable with a notable heat wave around mid-month.
Overall above average temperatures and sunshine.

The month opened with low pressure dominating the picture bringing
a spell of unsettled weather. Following rain for the first three
days, it turned drier with temperatures rising consistently. The
settled conditions were tied into high pressure which developed
over Europe. Unlike many areas, sunshine totals across the county
were rather modest for the most part, although a good 11.4 hours
were recorded on the 9th. Temperatures peaked at 28C on the 10th
and it then became noticeably fresher as a cold front introduced
cooler air on the 11th.

From the 12th onwards pressure began to build across Scandinavia
and this allowed very warm air to be drawn across the region from
continental Europe. Temperatures climbed markedly producing a mini
heatwave with a maximum of 31.6C recorded on 15th, the warmest July
day since 1996 (33.2C). As an area of low pressure tracked across
the country on the 16th, thunderstorms became widespread and brought
an end to the hot spell. 8.8mm fell in less than an hour at Pitsford.
Further showers were recorded on the 17th, but conditions then
became rather quiet with some good sunshine recorded (13.0 hours on
the 20th).

Atlantic fronts brought an unsettled spell from the 24th onwards.
Significant rainfall was recorded (10.1mm on the 25th and 8.0mm on
the 26th) lasting a good few hours. Unsettled conditions prevailed
until the end of the month with the 29th being another particularly
wet day. On the 30th a discrete low triggered some thunderstorms
across the county (Desborough), although there were no reports of
tornadoes being sited as in areas further east (Norfolk).



Air Temperatures
The Highest Maximum: 31.6C on 15th
The Lowest Maximum: 17.5C on 1st
The Highest Minimum: 16.7C on 17th
The Lowest Minimum: 9.2C on 12th
The Mean Maximum: 23.2C
The Mean Minimum: 13.1C
The Overall Mean: 18.2C
Difference from the Monthly Mean: +0.9C

Relative Humidity:
Highest Relative Humidity (at 0900): 97.9% on 25th
Lowest Relative Humidity (at 0900): 59.2% on 10th
Mean Relative Humidity (at 0900): 78.0%

Dew Point:
The Highest Dew Point (at 0900): 16.6C on 16th
The Lowest Dew Point (at 0900): 10.3C on 6th
The Mean Dew Point (at 0900): 13.8C

Rainfall:
Total: 51.0mm
Difference from the Monthly Mean: 106.5%
Duration: 41.2hrs
Highest 24 hour fall (from 0900): 10.1mm on 25th
Rain Days (/=0.2mm): 14
Wet Days (/=1.0mm): 10

Sunshine:
Total Duration of Bright Sunshine: 201.1hrs
Sunniest day: 15.7hrs on 13th
Sunless days: 1
Cloud cover (mean at 0900): 6.1oktas (76.3%)

Pressure (reduced to sea level):
The Highest Pressu 1022.5mb on 12th
The Lowest Pressu 996.7mb on 1st
Mean Pressure (recorded at 0900): 1013.4mb

Winds
Run of wind (mean over 24 hrs): 100.6 miles
Mean daily wind speed: 5.4mph
Highest daily wind speed: 10.6mph on 22nd
Run of wind (to date): 3120.1 miles
Highest Maximum Gust: 26mph on 19th
Highest wind strength (at 0900): 15.0mph on 3rd
Mean wind strength (at 0900): 5.9mph

Winds from the Following Directions:

N 3 NE 0 E 1 SE 2 S 12 SW 2 W 3 NW 7 Calm 1

Ground Temperatures:
Lowest Grass Minimum: 6.6C on 28th
Mean Grass Minimum: 10.8C
Lowest Concrete Minimum: 10.0C on 5th & 26th
Mean Concrete Minimum: 13.5C
Lowest Bare Earth Minimum: 10.5C on 5th
Mean Bare Earth Minimum: 14.3C

Soil/Earth Temperatures:
Surface mean: 20.2C
5cm mean: 18.1C
10cm mean: 18.5C
20cm mean: 18.7C
30cm mean: 19.0C
40cm mean: 18.9C
50cm mean: 19.0C
100cm mean: 17.1C


Days with:
Thunder: 1
Hail less than 0.5mm: 0
Hail greater than/equal to 0.5mm: 0
Snow or snow & rain: 0
Fog: 0
Air Frost: 0
Ground Frost: 0


Total Evaporation (tank) 73.53mm

--

Mike Lewis

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