Weather log May 2017
Pleasant weather predominated during the first week, mostly dry and bright and fairly warm (especially WW with east winds)
Tue 2nd Local grass frost (Pembrey 0.0c, Llanwnnen 1.3c, Shawbury 3.1c) Ceredigion best of warm sunshine (Llanwnnen 20.1c, Trawsgoed 18.3c, Pershore 18.1c, Aberdaron 13.7c)
Thu 4th Porthmadog max 19.5c warmest in UK (Llanwnnen 18.9c, Hereford 17.0c)
Sun 7th mild to warm with sunny spells (Pershore 21.3c, Aberporth 13.7c)
Very dry spell continues, plenty of sunshine WW and Marches where rather warm at times but frosty nights, cooler and cloudier much of Midlands:
Mon 8th Ground frost rural areas with very l,ocalised air frost (Shawbury -0.7c, Llanwnnen air min 0.4c, ). Sunny and rather warm WW and Marches, cloudier much of Midlands and cool (Llanwnnen 18.3c, Shobdon 15.4c, Nottingham 11.3c, Aberdaron 14.6 hrs, Nottinmgham 0.2 hrs)
Tue 9th widespread ground frost, local air frost inland WW and Marched (Llanwnnen -1.3c, Shawbury 0.6c). Sunny day again WW and Marches, virtually unbroken WW, cloudier much of Midlands, cool to average (Llanwnnen 16.2c, Porthmaodog 16.0c, Aberdaron 11.6c, Church Lawford 11.3c, Aberdaron 14.3 hrs, Llanwnnen 14 hrs)
Wed 10th widespread frost (Tirabad -2.5c, Shobdon -1.4c, Llanwnnen -1.2c). Sunny weather for all, temps quite varied, rather cool to rather warm (Llanwnnen 19.1c, Milford Haven 16.0c, Shawbury 18.5c, Aberporth 12.6c)
Thu 11th another widespread grass frost, local air frost (Llanwnnen 0.0c, Shobdon 0.4c, Mumbles 10.6c min). Generally quite warm, thundery showers in places later including Llanwnnen where a welcome 9mm fell ending the dry spell (Porthmadog 22.9c, Coton-in-the-Elms 21.9c, Aberporth 14.5c, Shobdon 10.2mm)
Unsettled from mid month ending the prolonged mostly dry spell since April:
Wed 17th wet day Midlands, widely around an inch (Church Lawford 24.2mm)
Thu 18th local grass frost, at Coventry this was the latest since 29th June 2011. Localised downpours, 10.8mm fell between 1430 and 1830 at Llanwnnen, places a few miles north having nothing as Talsarn, thunder in a very few places such as Marches (Winterbourne, Bham 11.0mm most in two hours)
Fri 19th Grass frost more localised still. Scattered thundery showers with hail, giving over an inch locally in just an hour or two, Cardigan Bay largely sunny (Aberporth sunniest in UK 13.9 hrs cf est 8.5 hrs Llanwnnen)
Warm weather towards month end:
Mon 22nd warm sunny spells (Pershore 23.8c, Llanwnnen 20.2c, Aberdaron 15.1c)
Wed 24th best of tthe sun Midlands where very warm, many coasts of Wales mist or low cloud and much cooler (Pershore warmest in UK 26.6c, Llanwnnen 23.1c, Aberporth 15.5c, Aberdaron 13.2c; Hereford 13.7 hrs, Llanwnnen 9 hrs, Aberporth 1.1 hrs, Aberdaron & Valley 0 hrs )
Thu 25th very warm or hot and sunny. Llanwnnen max 28.0c, second highest reading in May (28.1c 25/5/2012). Other maxima Pershore 27.0c, c. Gogerddan 27c, Trawsgoed 26.4c, Aberporth 25.3c, Milford Haven 21.5c; sunshine Aberdaron 14.8 hrs
Unsettled from mid month ending the prolonged mostly dry spell since April:
Wed 17th wet day Midlands, widely around an inch (Church Lawford 24.2mm)
Thu 18th local grass frost, at Coventry this was the latest since 29th June 2011. Localised downpours, 10.8mm fell between 1430 and 1830 at Llanwnnen, places a few miles north having nothing as Talsarn, thunder in a very few places such as Marches (Winterbourne, Bham 11.0mm most in two hours)
Fri 19th Grass frost more localised still. Scattered thundery showers with hail, giving over an inch locally in just an hour or two, Cardigan Bay largely sunny (Aberporth sunniest in UK 13.9 hrs cf est 8.5 hrs Llanwnnen)
Warm weather towards month end:
Mon 22nd warm sunny spells (Pershore 23.8c, Llanwnnen 20.2c, Aberdaron 15.1c)
Wed 24th best of tthe sun Midlands where very warm, many coasts of Wales mist or low cloud and much cooler (Pershore warmest in UK 26.6c, Llanwnnen 23.1c, Aberporth 15.5c, Aberdaron 13.2c; Hereford 13.7 hrs, Llanwnnen 9 hrs, Aberporth 1.1 hrs, Aberdaron & Valley 0 hrs )
Thu 25th very warm or hot and sunny. Llanwnnen max 28.0c, second highest reading in May (28.1c 25/5/2012). Other maxima Pershore 27.0c, c. Gogerddan 27c, Trawsgoed 26.4c, Aberporth 25.3c, Milford Haven 21.5c; sunshine Aberdaron 14.8 hrs
Fri 26th warm night WW (Mumbles 17.2c, Shobdon 9.5c). Hot for many..Porthmadog one of hottest in UK 28.9c, Llanwnnen 28.2c, Gogerddan c. 28c, Aberporth 26.8c, Mumbles 22.4c; Pershore 27.9c, CL 25.4c. Virtually unbroken sunshine too (Llanwnnen est 15.5 hrs, Valley 15.3 hrs, Shobdon 15.2 hrs)
Sat 27th thunderstorms affected WW early in the day with spectacular lightning, as here at Llanwnnen from 0400- 0530 also torrential downpours in places (Trawsgoed 15.6mm most of which in one hour) with flooding in Tregaron. A warm humid night, min 14.9c was the warmest May night on record here SRB 2006 (14.0c 04/05/08) Other minima Mumbles & Valley 16.3c, Pershore 15.2c, Nottingham 12.6c) Isloated storm for the Midlands as well during the day
Nature notes
Oak leaf burst late April/ early May
1st Mynydd Pencarreg area 2 Cuckoo and a few Grasshopper Warbler
2nd Lampeter heard a House Martin (still not seen one), many Swallow
4th Swift heard to scream above church
5th 4 Swift above village with screaming!
Quite a few House Martin by 10th
10th Tregaron Bog 3 Cuckoo heard, heard Grashopper Warblers, Garden Warbler, saw a Sedge Warbler, many WW and Blackcap, 1 Spotted Flycatcher
10th driving back screaming Swift parties at Tregaron, Llanddewi Brefi, Cellan and Lampeter
Ash leaf burst mid- late May
Bluebells died off in garden mid May but still going strong more shady lanes and woodland.
19th first Foxgloves about to flower
Plenty of Foxglove out month end, many Ash in full leaf month end
31st 2 Cuckoo(one seen being chased by Pipit (?) below Pencarreg
May summary
Warm; rainfall variable from dry to quite wet; sunshine average to quite sunny
Turned out warm thanks to warm to hot weather late in the month with 29c recorded in North Wales.
Rainfall totals:
Valley 32.8mm (68%)
Capel Curig 148.8mm (112%)
Aberporth 33.2mm (61%)
Llanwnnen 66.2mm (86%)
Milford Haven 47.4mm
Nottingham 64.4mm
Shawbury 26.4mm (49%)
Coventry 49.6mm (89%)
Long Lawford 61.1mm (105%)
Church Lawford 57.0mm (99%)
Sunshine:
Valley 250 hrs (123%)
Aberdaron 252.7 hrs
Aberporth 224.3 hrs (108%)
Llanwnnen 187 hrs (102%)
Nottingham 186.2 hrs
Shawbury 198.6 hrs (121%)
Coventry 194.6 hrs (102%)
Spring 2017
Warm; rather dry to average rainfall
Rainfall totals:
Llanwnnen 241.4mm (102%)
Coventry 132.8mm (85%)
Long Lawford 140.0mm (96%)
Church Lawford 133.0mm
Sunshine:
Llanwnnen 405 hrs (95%)
Coventry 500.5 hrs (110%)
