2018 Weather

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Annual Summary for 2018

 The year was statistically slightly wetter than usual, although Jan, Mar and Dec were very wet, while Jun and much of Jul were very dry.

Overall the mean temperature for the year was 0.9 degrees above average; from April through to July, and Nov to Dec, it was milder, while Feb to Mar were cooler than usual.

Jan/Feb/Mar were mostly wet and cool, while the combination of little rain and warmth made June/July challenging for growers at an important point in the growing season.  There were 222 frost-free days however, the 6th highest.

11 days with snow falling, totalling 29cm; most snowfall in a day 12.5 cm on 18/3/18.

month

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

rain mm

90.0

37.8

122.8

87.3

71.7

6.6

30.7

57.0

64.7

70.5

72.0

105.5

temp C

4.6

2.7

4.8

9.9

14.3

17.5

20.4

17.3

13.9

10.2

7.4

6.5

 TEMPERATURE

15.0 mean max (C) , +1.1 diff from av (C)  4th = highest
 
6.7 mean min (C) ,   +0.8 diff from av (C)  9th highest
10.8 mean (C),          +0.9 diff from av (C)  5th = highest

 HiMax  32.9C on 25/6/18   12th Highest
LoMax  -2.1C on 1/3/18 
HiMin   16.7C on 23/7/18 
LoMin   -6.9C on 1/3/18

Highest Mean  23.6C on 23/7/18
Lowest Mean   –4.5C on 1/3/18

 RAINFALL

816.6 rain total (mm), 107 % of av  

182    raindays (with 0.2mm or more)
           128    wetdays (with 1mm or more)  
                    
62     verywetdays (with 5mm or more) 
29.0   most rainfall in a day (mm) on 20/9/18

SNOWFALL

11 days with snow falling, totalling 29cm; most snowfall in a day 12.5 cm on 18/3/18.

PRESSURE

1014.7 mean pressure (mb) , +0.2 pressure anomaly (mb)
1038.6 max pressure at any time of day, on 25/9/18 
  983.1 min pressure at any time of day, on 6/3/18

FROSTS    
35 air frosts, the last was 21/3/18, the first 29/10/18, 222 days frost free (6th highest ).
96 ground frosts, the last 1/5/18, the first 25/9/18.

 

THUNDER 
 
4 days with thunder heard, 3 /4, 26/5, 27/5 and10/8

HUMIDITY                    86.9% at 0900
CLOUD COVER            61.5% at 0900

 

January 2018 February 2018 March 2018

 

A mild month with mild start and finish, coolest 6th to 9th. Many nights had ground frost, but only 5 had an air frost (10th fewest in 63 years).

Rainfall was a third higher than average, but the number of raindays was the 4th equal highest. Wettest periods were 1st-5th, 15th-17th, 20th-21st, 24th-29th, with ground saturated. The only dry days were 8, 12-13, 19, 22.
Snow fell 20th and 21st, 1cm in all.  
Very windy 3rd and 17th.  Highest estimated gusts were 57mph on 18th, 53mph on 3rd.  
Sunniest days were 10th, 7th, 30th, 19th, 25th, sunless days were 2nd, 8th-9th, 13th-14th and 23rd.

 7.1 mean max (C) 
 2.2 mean min (C) 
 4.6 mean (C)   +0.5 diff from av (C)

12.1 high max (C) on 28
  1.6 low max (C)  on  20 
  8.9 high min (C) on  29
 -1.9 low min (C) on    6
90.0 rain total (mm)  136 % of av 
Most rain was 13.0mm on 21st

24 raindays (days with >=0.2mm)
(=4th highest number of raindays)

17 wetdays (days with >=1mm)
  5 very wet days (days with >=5mm)

Ground frost on 22 days
Air frost on 5 days (10th fewest)
1 day with fog 21st   (vis 0.5km)
72% cloud cover percent
92% mean RH 

Snow 0.5cm fell 20th, 1130-1400, lying
further 0.5cm fell 21st 0800-1100, thawing quickly

 

A cool month except for 14th-21st which was milder than normal.  A steep dip in temperature at the end of the month from 26th, when it rarely went above 0C.
Rainfall was 81% of normal, the majority falling 3rd and from 8th-20th.
Windy on 1st  from NW, 8th –15th from SW quarter, and NE quarter 24th-28th.
Sunniest 23rd-25th, fairly sunny 15th-17th, dullest 3rd, 13th-14th and 19th.
Snow flurries gave 0.2cm on 6th and 0.5cm on 11th, but an extremely cold end to the month, temperature dropping to –6.5C on 28th, and a 0.7cm snow falling 27th-28th.

  5.4 mean max (C) 
 -0.1 mean min (C) 
  2.7 mean (C)  -1.5 diff from av (C) was the 14th lowest in 63 years here.

  9.9 high max (C) on 19
 -1.4 low max (C) on  28 
  5.0 high min (C) on  20 
 -6.5 low min (C) on   28

 37.8 rain total (mm)  80.8 % of av 
 15 raindays (days with >=0.2mm)
  9 wetdays (days with >=1mm)
  2 very wet days (days with >=5mm)

Ground frost on 24 days
Air frost on 14 days (15th highest, there were 19 in 2013)
63% cloud cover percent
89% mean RH 


------------------------------

SEASONAL REPORT FOR WINTER  (Dec, Jan, Feb)

Mean temp 0.1deg below normal, but MeanMaxwas0.4deg lower, and MeanMin  was 0.1deg higher than normal.
Rainfall 126.9% of normal, with about 20% more raindays and wetdays.

            -6.0 MEAN            3.9           4.0          -0.1 
HighMin        8.9         11.7                
MeanMin       1.4          1.3          +0.1
LoMin           -7.0         -14.5                           
 
RAINFALL    251.6       198.2      126.9%
Raindays       62            50.4       +11.6
Wet Days       42            35.8        + 6.2
V Wet Days    15            14.3        + 0.7
Oktas             5.5            5.7
Bright Sun    167.0       160.0      104%

 

March was cold with a mean temp overall 1.7deg below normal. Although temperatures for much of the month were around normal, the periods 1st-4th and 17th-19th were cold.  Air frosts were recorded 1st-4th and 18th-21st.  The lowest minima were –6.9C on 1st and –4.9C on 2nd.

Total March rainfall was the greatest since 1981122.8mm (224% of normal).
25 days experienced rainfall, the wettest being 30th when 22mm fell on already saturated ground, but 10 more days seeing more than 5mm daily rainfall. The number of raindays, wetdays and very wetdays are all new records for March.

Snow fell on 4 days,  with 2nd –3rd producing 12.5cm and 17th – 18th giving 13.5cm, making a monthly total of 26cm.  There was lying snow at 0900h on 6 days, 1st- 4th, 18th – 19th, greatest depths being 13cm on 3rd and 13.5cm on 18th.

Fog was recorded on 4th, 12th, 27th and 30th. Windiest days were 1st, 2nd, then 17th, 19th and 18th.  Sunniest days were between 16th - 26th, and dullest 1st – 3rd , 12th and 31st. The mean pressure 1001.9mb was a new record low, beating 1002.4mb in 1981.

 8.2 mean max (C) 
 1.4 mean min (C) 
 4.8 mean (C)   -1.7 diff from av (C)

15.0 high max (C) on 25
- 2.1 low max (C)  on 
 6.2 high min (C) on  12
- 6.9 low min (C) on    1
122.8 rain total (mm)  224 % of av 
Most rain was 22.0mm on 30th 

25 raindays (days with >=0.2mm)
20 wetdays (days with >=1mm)
11 very wet days (days with >=5mm)

Ground frost on 20 days
Air frost on 8 days
4 days with fog 4,12,27,30
77% cloud cover percent
91% mean RH 

Mean pressure was 1001.9mb (lowest in 63 years)

  

  

April 2018 May 2018 June 2018

April mean temperature was the 8th= mildest overall, but particularly warm from 14th to 24th. On 19th a record max temp of 28.2C was measured here, and on 22nd a record high min of 13.3C.
Although no air frosts were recorded (near miss on 1st), which has happened in 8 of the last 63 years here, and there were ground frosts on 4 nights (the 8th= lowest recorded here).
Rainfall was 39% above normal, having 20 raindays (8th = highest), the month started with four rainy days, and 9th-12th were rainy too. The  8 very wet days rank 5th= equal.
Thundery shower on 3rd. Fog was recorded on 9th, 11th-13th and 20th (record highest number for April). Windiest days were 16th-18th.
Sunniest days were 5th, 14th, 16th, 18th-21st, 26th and 26th. Most hours sunshine were on 19th and 26th.

13.7 mean max (C) 
 6.1 mean min (C) 
 9.9 mean (C)   +1.2 diff from av (C)

28.2 high max (C) on 19
  6.1  low max (C) on 12 
13.3 high min (C) on  22
  0.1 low min (C) on     1
87.3 rain total (mm)  139 % of av 
Most rain was 17.2mm on 1

20 raindays (days with >=0.2mm)
14 wetdays (days with >=1mm)
  8 very wet days (days with >=5mm)

Ground frost on 4 days, 1,2,5,30
Air frost on 0 days
5 days with fog 9,11,12,13,20
76% cloud cover percent
88% mean RH 

The statistics hide the varied and sometimes violent weather of May 2018.  

Temperatures on average were 2.4 deg above normal, there were no air frosts recorded, and just one night on the 1st with a ground frost when the temperature fell to +0.1C.
Statistically a record warm month with mean temperature 14.3C beating 14.1C in 2017. The mean max temp was also a new record 20.6C, beating 19.6C in 1992.

Rainfall was slightly above average for May, but the distribution of it during the month was striking.  21 days (between 3rd and 24th) were virtually dry, but 10 days had appreciable rain (9 were classed as wet, 5 very wet). Indeed 15mm fell during 1st /2nd, while 44mm fell during 24th /25th /26th giving very heavy falls in a short time

The much reported thunderstorms began here late on the evening of 26th with rumbles, then vivid persistent lightning (much appearing to be cloud to cloud).
These continued throughout much of the 27th, with particularly violent thunderstorms here starting at 0215, then 0640 and also 1600.

Thankfully Halesowen was spared the late afternoon downpours suffered in the nearby Selly Oak and Edgbaston areas of Birmingham, we recorded around 5mm and they 59mm in an hour around 1730 .

There were many bright sunny days during the month (10 days with at least 11 hours good sunshine recorded), others with good sunshine for part of the day, contrasting with two really dull days on 25th and 30th (having no more than 0.5hrs sunshine recorded).

20.6 mean max (C) 
  8.1 mean min (C) 
14.3 mean (C)  +2.4 diff from av (C)
29.2 high max (C) on   7
13.1 low max (C) on   
13.7 high min (C) on  31 
  0.1 low min (C) on     1

71.7 rain total (mm)
123 % of av 
10 raindays (days with >=0.2mm), 12th= lowest number of raindays
  9 wetdays (days with >=1mm)
  5 very wet days (days with >=5mm)

Ground frost on 1 day
Air frost on 0 days
2 thunder days

Spring Stats
SEASONAL REPORT FOR SPRING 
Mar, Apr, May 
 

Spring was wet but mild.

The months of Mar, Apr and May produced 123mm, 87mm and 72mm of rainfall respectively, all above normal statistically, even though May was virtually dry between 4th and 24th. Overall we had 281.8mm (140% of normal) rainfall, 4th highest on record here. Raindays were numerically 27% up, wetdays 32% up and verywetdays were 107% up (a record) on long term averages.

Temperature anomalies for the three months were –1.7deg, +1.2deg and +2.4deg respectively, giving the 11th = highest mean temp for the Spring months with an anomaly of +1.0C. There was a new record HiMax set on 7th May of 29.2C, and a new record LoMax –2.1C was set on 1st Mar.  

                   this year   normal    anomaly

HiMax              29.2          29.2    
MeanMax        14.2         13.1          +1.1
LoMax              -2.1        -2.1              MEAN                 9.7         8.7            +1.0 
 
HighMin            13.7       14.7                
MeanMin          5.2           4.3           +0.9
LoMin               -6.9       -11.1                           
 
RAINFALL      281.8       173.7       140.4%

Raindays          55          43.2         +11.8
Wet Days          43          32.6         +10.4
V Wet Days       24         11.6         +12.4

Oktas               5.3          5.4             -0.1

Another very dry month with just 6.6mm rain recorded in 6 raindays, 4mm of that on the 7th, and light rainfall between 13th and 17th. This is a new record low rainfall for June here, beating 10.9mm in 1975 which only had 5 raindays. This June also is a new record for wet days, having just the one.

Temperatures have been above normal but peaked on 25th reaching 30C and remaining high to the end of the month.

The only dull days were 4th, 17th and 19th, other days being mostly bright and sunny, and from 24th to 30th virtually cloud free.

Very pleasant month for being out and about, but hard work keeping all the allotment fruit and vegetables watered using watering cans!

 

23.6 mean max (C) 
11.4 mean min (C) 
17.5 mean (C)  +2.7 diff from av (C)
32.9 high max (C) on  25
17.6 low max (C) on   17
15.7 high min (C) on   
  7.6 low min (C) on    22

  6.6 rain total (mm)
  11 % of av 
   6 raindays (days with >=0.2mm)
   1 wetday (days with >=1mm)
   0 very wet days (days with >=5mm)

Ground frost on 0 days
Air frost on 0 days

0 thunder days

46% cloud cover percent
77% mean RH 

 

July 2018 August 2018 September 2018

 

July was a hot month until 28th and 29th the only days having little sunshine..

Mean temperature reached 20.4C (2nd highest in 63 years here, being surpassed only by 21.3C in 2006). Mean Max temp was 27.3C (2nd highest beaten only by 28.9C in 2006). Mean Min was 13.%C (4th= highest, beaten only in 2006, 2010 and 1983).

Rainfall was 52% of normal (ranking 13th lowest) with the only significant rain falling on 13th, and 28th-31st.  Of the 7 raindays (6th= fewest), there were 4 wet days (3rd= fewest) and 3 very wet days.

Taking rainfall for June and July combined, there was 37.3mm (3rd lowest, as 1976  had 36.4mm, and 006 had only 27.0mm).

27.3 mean max (C) 
13.5 mean min (C) 
20.4 mean (C)  +3.5 diff from av (C)
32.0 high max (C) on   8
19.1 low max (C) on   28
16.7 high min (C) on   23 
10.6 low min (C) on    17

30.7 rain total (mm)
  52.4 % of av 
   7 raindays (days with >=0.2mm)
   4 wetday (days with >=1mm)
   3 very wet days (days with >=5mm)

Ground frost on 0 days
Air frost on 0 days
0 thunder days
46% cloud cover percent
72% mean RH 

 


August was slightly milder and slightly drier than usual. Many dry, sunny and warm days, although temperatures tended to fall during the month. Dullest days were 14th, 20th and 28th.  Most rainfall fell 10th-12th and 23rd-26th, with a thunderstorm on the afternoon of 10th. Windiest days were 19th , 11th/12th, 16th, 24th and 26th .
The month continued the summer’s warm and dry pattern, although less extreme than June and July.

22.3 mmax (C) 
12.2 mmin (C) 
17.3 mean(C)  +0.8 diff from av (C), the 11th highest here in 63 years.
30.4 high max (C) on 6th  
16.0 low max (C) on 24th  
16.4 high min (C) on 3rd
  5.9 low min (C) on 25th/30th

57.0 rain total (mm)
86.0 % of av 
10 raindays (days with >=0.2mm)
  6 wetdays (days with >=1mm)
  6 very wet days (days with >=5mm)
Thunderstorm on 10th 
No Ground or air frost recorded.
59% cloud cover percent
86% mean RH 

Summer Stats
SEASONAL REPORT FOR SUMMER 
Jun, Jul, Aug 

  Summer has been very pleasant, very warm (mean and mmax temps ranking 2nd in 63 years here), and very dry (ranking 5th driest), with rainfall and raindays half the statistical normal.
A challenging summer for growing fruit and vegetables, some crops benefiting, other less happy with the exceptional conditions.

                this year  normal    anomaly
HiMax              32.9          34.9
MeanMax        24.4         20.6          +3.8 
LoMax             16.0           9.2                   MEAN               18.4         15.7          +2.7 
HighMin           16.7         21.5       
MeanMin         12.4         10.9          +1.5
LoMin                5.9         -1.1                             
RAINFALL         94.3      195.4        48.3%
Raindays           23          40.4        -17.4
Wet Days           11          30.3        -19.3
V Wet Days         9          12.5         -3.5

Oktas                 4.1          5.4

 

September was statistically a normal month, but while warm 1-3, 15-19 and 26-27, it became noticeably cooler 6-7, 21-25 and 28-30. 
Rainfall was normal for the month as a whole, but half of it fell on 20th.  
It was particularly windy 18th – 21st.  
There were just 2 days with a ground frost, 25th and 29th.

18.4 mean max (C) 
  9.4 mean min (C) 
13.9 mean (C)  +0.0 diff from av (C)
25.7 high max (C) on    2
10.8 low max (C) on   22
15.1 high min (C) on   18 
  1.6 low min (C) on    29

64.7 rain total (mm)
101.9 % of av 
 13 raindays (days with >=0.2mm)
   9 wetdays (days with >=1mm)
   3 very wet days (days with >=5mm)

Ground frost on 2 days
Air frost on 0 days
0 thunder days
59% cloud cover percent
90% mean RH 

 

 

 

October 2018 November 2018 December 2018

Statistically a normal month, just slightly cooler and drier than usual. Temperatures typical for October, but a cold finish 26th to 31st with frosts. It was warmest on 4th and from 9th to 13th. Sunniest days 3rd, 4th, 9th, 10th, 17th, 19th and 24th.
Wettest days were between 11th to 15th, also 6th, but rainless between 17th and 24th.
Windiest on 12th and 13th
On 27th 1030-1100 a some snowflakes fell, a few large, very briefly amongst the rain although with the temperature at 9C they melted on landing. Snow has only been seen here in 3 Octobers in 63 years of observations.

 14.1 mean max (C) 
  6.2 mean min (C) 
10.2 mean (C)  -0.2 diff from av (C)
23.7 high max (C) on 10
  3.9 low max (C) on  27
14.1 high min (C) on 13 
 -1.4 low min (C) on  29

70.5 rain total (mm)
86.1 % of av 
 15 raindays (days with >=0.2mm)
 11 wetdays (days with >=1mm)
   5 very wet days (days with >=5mm)

Briefly snowflakes fell on 27th .

Ground frost on 7 days
Air frost on 2 days
0 thunder days
60% cloud cover percent
92% mean RH  

A  fairly average November, slightly milder than normal overall, but milder 3rd to 16th and 28th to 29th, and cooler 1st to 2nd and 19th to 27th. Air frosts 22nd , 23rd , 2nd  and 27th . Rainfall normal, most falling 7th to 9th and 27th to 28th . Brief snow not settling on 21st. Fog 5th 23rd and 27th. Windiest days 3rd, 28th and 29th. Brightest days 2nd, 12th to 18th.

10.1 mmax (C) 
  4.7 mmin (C) 
  7.4 mean(C)  +0.6 diff from av (C), the 14th highest here in 63 years.
14.1 high max (C) on 6th  
  4.1 low max (C) on 22nd  
10.7 high min (C) on 7th
 -3.1 low min (C) on 22nd

72.0 rain total (mm)
98.2 % of av 
17 raindays (days with >=0.2mm)
13 wetdays (days with >=1mm)
  4 very wet days (days with >=5mm)
  8 days ground frost
  4 days air frost
  1 day with brief snow shower 21st    from 1115 to 1130
68% cloud cover percent
93% mean RH  

SEASONAL REPORT FOR AUTUMN  (Sep, Oct, Nov 2018)

              this year     normal    anomaly
HiMax          25.7           28.4
MeanMax   14.2            13.8          +0.4 
LoMax          3.9            -2.0                            
MEAN          10.5            10.2          +0.3 
HighMin      15.1            17.1                            
MeanMin      6.8             6.6           +0.2
LoMin          -3.1           -8.1                             

RAINFALL  207.2         210.8          98.3%
Raindays       45             45.9          -0.9
Wet Days       33             33.6          -0.6
V Wet Days    12            13.9          -1.9 Oktas             5.0             5.4

Autumn has statistically been slightly milder and enjoyed slightly lower rainfall than normal so is not at all exceptional. However on the shorter timescale there was variation during the period, with drier and wetter spells, warm and cool times, one example being the colder week at the end of October brought an earlier than usual first airfrost.

 

December overall was milder than usual, although it was cooler 4th, 13th – 15th, 24th.
It was wet until 9th, then dry, then wet 15th to 25th, then dry again to finish the month.
The wettest days were 18th having 20.3mm and 21st having 14mm..
Air frosts occurred 1st and 14th  , ground frosts 4th – 5th, 13th, 16th, 24th – 25th.
More brightness 7th-14th , a few days between 17th and 24th, but dull 1st-2nd and anticyclonic gloom over the Christmas period from 25th –31st 
It was windiest 7th – 9th , 15th , 18th .


 8.7 mean max (C) 
 4.3 mean min (C) 
 6.5 mean (C)   +2.2 diff from av (C)

12.4 high max (C) on 2
  2.9 low max (C) on  14 
  8.7 high min (C) on  3
 -1.9 low min (C) on  14/15

105.5 rain total (mm)  146 % of av 
Most rain was 20.3mm on 18th 
20 raindays (days with >=0.2mm)
15 wetdays (days with >=1mm)
10 very wet days (days with >=5mm)

Ground frost on 8 days
Air frost on 2 days, 14th-15th
3 days with fog 16th (hill fog),  25th, 26th  
66% cloud cover percent
94% mean RH 

 

 

 
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