May 2016 weather log
May started quite chilly with widespread ground frost some nights and localised slight air frosts (Shobdon -0.7c 4th for instance). It warmed appreciably by the end of the first week to give us an early taste of Summer!
Thu 5th ground frost again in many places but a warm sunny day as some places topped 20c for the first time this year (Llanwnnen & Pershore 20.6c)
Fri 6th in spite of the surrounding warmth Friday again dawned with grass frost locally (Llanwnnen air min +1.3c, Pershore & Shawbury -1c on the grass). A warmer day for many although with the sun weak and hazy (Pershore 21.3c, Llanwnnen 21.2c)
Sat 7th warm and rather humid a scattering of thundery showers, especially West Midlands evening (Wellesbourne 22.0c, Pembrey 21.6c, 17.8mm from thunderstorm Brecon Beacons, Coleshill 16mm)
Sun 8th very warm indeed for early May also huid and most places saw plenty of sunshine, a few spots touching the magic 80f 26.6c (Pershore 26.8c, Llanwnnen 25.7c, Porthmadog 25.4c, Aberporth 24.8c). This was the highest temperature I have recorded here so early in the year since April 2007 when it reached c. 26c, it was also the highest reading during the first half of May, although May 2012 saw an exceptional 28.1c towards month end.
Mon 9th warm night (Mildford 16.1c min, Shawbury 13.9c). Another warm or very warm day with some hazy sunshine, although WW rather cloudy with showery rain and in places thunderstorms later on. First thunderstorm of 2016 affected Llanwnnen early evening with vivid forked lightning (Newport, Salop. 24.8c, Whitechurch 20.2mm)
Warm spell with some rain or showers then lasted to 13th:
Thu 12th warm and fairly sunny for all, very warm much of WW (Porthmadog 24.7c, Llanwnnen 24.6c)
Fri 13th warmth restricted to WW where it was largely sunny, temperaratures across the Midlands down close to the May average. Thunderstorms affected the Carmarthen area late afternoon with almost 2 inches suggested by radar returms (Llanwnnen max 22.9c, Nottingham 14.2c)
Sat 14th cool down but a pleasant rather sunny day eventually with close to or rather below average temps (Pershore 16.0c, Llanwnnen 15.0c, Capel Curig max 11.6c)
Sun 15th widespread ground frost and local air frosts (Llanwnnen -1.5c, Capel Curig +0.1c, Shawbury +0.8c) another fine day, rather cool to average temps
Mon 16th fairly widespread ground frost but another fine dry day and quite warm in places (Pershore 19.4c)
The fine spell then broke down during Tue 17th and Wed 18th with a more unsettled Atlantic regime:
Wed 18th heavy downpours in places (Church Lawford 16.6mm)
Sat 21st very wet in some areas for a time (Tirabad 29mm, Shobdon 26.8mm)
Sun 22nd thunder in a few places inc Rugby area mid afternoon with downpours also for a few but generally dry and bright
Mon 23rd ground frost in some rural locations (Pershore air min 3.0c, Llanwnnen 3.3c with Pershore
& Shawbury -1c on the grass). Thundery showers parts of Midlands but quite isolated, generally a pleasant day of sunny spells
Tue 24th another local grass frost (Llanwnnen air min +1.6c, grass min -1.6c, Capel Curig air min +1.4c). Warm and sunny Wales in particular (Porthmadog 21.0c)
Wed 25th still grass frost in places, but very localised (Shawbury air min 3.1c, grass min -1c, Llanwnnen air min 3.7c, grass -0.4c). Much cloudier and cooler than of late (Capel Curig 9.7c, Church Lawford 10.7c)
Fri 27th scattered thunderstorms across Wales, severe in places, with hail and localised flooding, over 3 inches falling in parts of the western Brecon Beacons . Midlands dry, fine and quite warm as was most of NW Wales (Astwood Bank 19.7c)
Sat 28th rather warm with sunny spells, thunderstorms again broke out across Wales, a few quite severe with localised flooding (inc Lampeter and Pencader). Swyddfynnon near Tregaron, Ceredigion was wettest place in the UK with 31.2mm of which 25.2mm fell in the hour 17-1800 during a thunderstorm (Llanwnnen 21.4c, Pershore 20.0c)
West was best to end the month, warm and sunny for Wales, the Midlands seeing rain and strong winds by 31st..
Sun 31st Porthmadog 22.2c warmest place in UK compared with max 17.1c at Coventry, most places were sunny though
Mon 30th a lovely Bank Holodiay espeically over Wales and the Maeches, more cloud for central and East Midlands along with a strong north wind with nearer average temperatures (Porthandog 22.5c again warmest in UK, Newport, Salop 20.4c, Nottingham 16.9c)
Tue 31st a windy day, reasonably sunny Wales and the Marches but cool and cloudy with some rain for much of the Midlands (Hereford 20.9c, Church Lawford 12.9c)
Mon 9th warm night (Mildford 16.1c min, Shawbury 13.9c). Another warm or very warm day with some hazy sunshine, although WW rather cloudy with showery rain and in places thunderstorms later on. First thunderstorm of 2016 affected Llanwnnen early evening with vivid forked lightning (Newport, Salop. 24.8c, Whitechurch 20.2mm)
Warm spell with some rain or showers then lasted to 13th:
Thu 12th warm and fairly sunny for all, very warm much of WW (Porthmadog 24.7c, Llanwnnen 24.6c)
Fri 13th warmth restricted to WW where it was largely sunny, temperaratures across the Midlands down close to the May average. Thunderstorms affected the Carmarthen area late afternoon with almost 2 inches suggested by radar returms (Llanwnnen max 22.9c, Nottingham 14.2c)
Sat 14th cool down but a pleasant rather sunny day eventually with close to or rather below average temps (Pershore 16.0c, Llanwnnen 15.0c, Capel Curig max 11.6c)
Sun 15th widespread ground frost and local air frosts (Llanwnnen -1.5c, Capel Curig +0.1c, Shawbury +0.8c) another fine day, rather cool to average temps
Mon 16th fairly widespread ground frost but another fine dry day and quite warm in places (Pershore 19.4c)
The fine spell then broke down during Tue 17th and Wed 18th with a more unsettled Atlantic regime:
Wed 18th heavy downpours in places (Church Lawford 16.6mm)
Sat 21st very wet in some areas for a time (Tirabad 29mm, Shobdon 26.8mm)
Sun 22nd thunder in a few places inc Rugby area mid afternoon with downpours also for a few but generally dry and bright
Mon 23rd ground frost in some rural locations (Pershore air min 3.0c, Llanwnnen 3.3c with Pershore
& Shawbury -1c on the grass). Thundery showers parts of Midlands but quite isolated, generally a pleasant day of sunny spells
Tue 24th another local grass frost (Llanwnnen air min +1.6c, grass min -1.6c, Capel Curig air min +1.4c). Warm and sunny Wales in particular (Porthmadog 21.0c)
Wed 25th still grass frost in places, but very localised (Shawbury air min 3.1c, grass min -1c, Llanwnnen air min 3.7c, grass -0.4c). Much cloudier and cooler than of late (Capel Curig 9.7c, Church Lawford 10.7c)
Fri 27th scattered thunderstorms across Wales, severe in places, with hail and localised flooding, over 3 inches falling in parts of the western Brecon Beacons . Midlands dry, fine and quite warm as was most of NW Wales (Astwood Bank 19.7c)
Sat 28th rather warm with sunny spells, thunderstorms again broke out across Wales, a few quite severe with localised flooding (inc Lampeter and Pencader). Swyddfynnon near Tregaron, Ceredigion was wettest place in the UK with 31.2mm of which 25.2mm fell in the hour 17-1800 during a thunderstorm (Llanwnnen 21.4c, Pershore 20.0c)
West was best to end the month, warm and sunny for Wales, the Midlands seeing rain and strong winds by 31st..
Sun 31st Porthmadog 22.2c warmest place in UK compared with max 17.1c at Coventry, most places were sunny though
Mon 30th a lovely Bank Holodiay espeically over Wales and the Maeches, more cloud for central and East Midlands along with a strong north wind with nearer average temperatures (Porthandog 22.5c again warmest in UK, Newport, Salop 20.4c, Nottingham 16.9c)
Tue 31st a windy day, reasonably sunny Wales and the Marches but cool and cloudy with some rain for much of the Midlands (Hereford 20.9c, Church Lawford 12.9c)
Nature notes
Tue 3rd first Orange Tip butterfly
Wed 4th arrival of the Llanwnnen Swifts back from Africa (about 7 or 8 of them) - they will only be here 3 months until about early August. Sedge Warbler singing by the Grannell bridge
Still plentiful Celandine during early May..
Sun 8th Wood Warbler and Cuckoo seen in the Mynydd Pencarreg/ Esgairdawe area this afternoon - the Cuckoo however remained silent!
Mid May Cuckoo heard then observed at close quarters Cors Caron (Tregaron Bog), my first sighting for at least a decade
Month end still plenty of Bluebells in bloom in shaded and upland areas. Some Foxglove about to commence flowering
May 2016 summary
A rather warm month, rainfall variable with many places around or below average, a few places that caught thunderstorms towards month end were rather wetter than average. Sunshine generally around average..
Rainfall totals:
Capel Curig 127.8mm 96%
Llanwnnen 78.3mm 102%
Aberporth 56.6mm 105%
Llanelli 101.3mm
Nottingham 36.2mm 70%
Coleshill 49.8mm 94%
Coventry 39.8mm 71%
Long Lawford 35.4mm 62%
Crick 59.7mm
Little Rissington 66.2mm 103%
Spring 2016 summary
A rather cool Spring due to the cool April, with May a rather warm month especially over WW. Rainfall generally slightly above average and sunshine around average.
Still plentiful Celandine during early May..
Sun 8th Wood Warbler and Cuckoo seen in the Mynydd Pencarreg/ Esgairdawe area this afternoon - the Cuckoo however remained silent!
Mid May Cuckoo heard then observed at close quarters Cors Caron (Tregaron Bog), my first sighting for at least a decade
Month end still plenty of Bluebells in bloom in shaded and upland areas. Some Foxglove about to commence flowering
May 2016 summary
A rather warm month, rainfall variable with many places around or below average, a few places that caught thunderstorms towards month end were rather wetter than average. Sunshine generally around average..
Rainfall totals:
Capel Curig 127.8mm 96%
Llanwnnen 78.3mm 102%
Aberporth 56.6mm 105%
Llanelli 101.3mm
Nottingham 36.2mm 70%
Coleshill 49.8mm 94%
Coventry 39.8mm 71%
Long Lawford 35.4mm 62%
Crick 59.7mm
Little Rissington 66.2mm 103%
Spring 2016 summary
A rather cool Spring due to the cool April, with May a rather warm month especially over WW. Rainfall generally slightly above average and sunshine around average.
Rainfall totals:
Llanwnnen 255.1mm 108%
Coventry 182.2mm 117%
Long Lawford 159.6mm 110%
