May 2018 weather log
Tue 1st widespread frost, at Lwn min -2.7c the second coldest May night on record (-2.9c 1/05/13). Also Trawsgoed -2c, Shobdon -2c
Wed 2nd Whitechurch 25.4mm wettest in UK (21-2100), Lwn 17.1mm (09 -0900); Coventry 18.8mm wettest in Midlands (21 -2100)
Sat 5th warm and sunny for many, west Wales coasts mist and low cloud and much cooler (Astwood Bank 23.0c, Lwn 20.8c, CL 21.4c, Trawsgoed 18.6c, Aberdaron 10.0c max
Sun 6th another warm sunny day, once more some coasts of west Wales {WW} plagued by low cloud and mist (Hereford & Pershore 24.0c, Lwn 23.8c, Trawsgoed 22.7c, Shobdon 23.1c, Valley 12.8c)
Mon 7th very localised touch of grass frost here at Lwn (grass min -0.4c, min 3.2c) no official station had one (Trawsgoed grass min +1c). Widely inland a very warm, sunny day..it was easily the hottest Early May Bank Holiday on record (since this began in 1978) with Northolt reaching 28.7c. Here at Lwn it was the highest reading so early in the year since 26.0c April 2007. However once again some West Wales coasts suffered sea mist at times (Coton-in-the-Elms & Pershore 26.7c, Shawbury 25.7c, Trawsgoed 23.5c, Aberdaron 14.1c).
Wed 9th ground frost inland Wales and Marches (Lwn air min 0.0c, Trawsgoed 1.3c, Shobdon 2.3c, Nottingham & Valley 7.6c)
Thu 10th Aberdaron sunniest in UK 14.2 hrs (Lwn est 9 hrs)
Fri 11th fairly widespread grass frost mid/ E Wales and Midlands (Shobdon air min 1.7c, Tirabad 2.1c, Mumbles 8.9c, Lwn 5.4c ; grass min Hereford -2c, Tirabad -1c)
Sat 12th widespread ground frost and local air frost Wales and Marches (air min Lwn & Swyddfynnon -0.5c, Shawbury +0.4c, Valley 7.2c, Nottingham 8.7c). East Midlands presumably had a mostly cloudy night, in the west many areas also were foggy..
Mon 14th widespread frost Wales, rural ground frost Midlands (Tirabad -2.4c, Lwn -1.8c, Pembrey 0.3c, Shobdon +0.3c, Coventry 7.2c, Valley 8.8c). Unbroken sunshine in places (Shawbury 15.1 hrs, Aberdaron 14.4 hrs, Lwn 13 hrs est; Pershore max 21.5c warmest in UK)
Thu 17th widespread ground frost Midlands and N Wales (min Bala -0.3c, Shawbury +0.2c, CC 1.0c, Lwn 4.8c, Mumbles 9.2c; grass min Church Lawford {CL} & Shawbury -3c, Capel Curig {CC} -1c)
Fri 18th widespread ground frost (min Lwn 0.8c, CL 1.2c, CC 1.7c, Coventry 3.0c, Mumbles 9.4c, grass min CL -3, Aberdaron & CC -1c)
Sat 19th widespread frost inland Wales, more localised Midlands (Lwn -0.2c, Trawsgoed +0.7c, Shobdon 3.3c, Mumbles 8.7c). Warm and sunny, Lwn max 22.2c, large diurnal range of 22.4c (Trawsgoed 19.2c, Coton-in-the-Elms & Hereford 22.1c, Aberdaron 15.0c). Sunshine virtually unbroken in places Lwn 14.5 hrs est, Aberporth 14.0 hrs, Wellesbourne 13.8 hrs)
Sun 20th local touch of ground frost Wales (Lwn air min 1.1c, Tirabad 1.9c, Shobdon 3.9c, Valley 11.1c)
Warm end to May..
Mon 21st Pershore max 24.5c warmest in UK (Mumbles 21.1c, Lwn 20.9c, Shawbury 22.2c, Aberporth 16.1c)
Tue 22nd Porthmadog max 25.0c warmest in UK (Pershore 22.0c, Mumbles & Pembrey Sands 21.9c, Aberdaron14.8c, Aberporth max 13.8c)
Wed 23rd local touch of grass frost Wales (Lwn air min 1.9c, Tirabad 3.1c, Capel Curig 3.6c). Cloudy morning central & E Midlands sun later, cooler east breeze restricting temps, WW and Marches though warm and sunny (Lwn 24.8c, Porthmadog 24.0c, Trawsgoed 22.7c, Pershore 21.3c, Nottingham 18.3c, Pembrey 16.3c). Porthmadog officially warmest in UK today, virtually unbroken sunshine much of Wales and Marches (Valley 14.9 hrs, Shawbury 14.5 hrs Lwn 14 hrs est)
Fri 25th dry spell came to an end, Coventry 25.0mm yesterday (all midnight to 10am) was the wettest day in May since 2013 (28.1mm). Longford PWS 33.7mm midnight to midday, Nuneaton area also above 30mm (Winterbourne, Bham 31mm wettest in UK, Coleshill 28mm both to 2100)
Sun 27th Warm night WW, min 14.2c Lwn was second highest in May after 14.9c exactly a year ago (Mumbles min 16.1c, CC 12.1c, Shawbury 12.3c, Nottingham 10.7c).
Thunderstorms affected much of the Midlands in particular, severe with flooding in places, parts of WW also affected. Lots of lightning visible from great distances as elevated storms. From Lwn storms over Brecon Beacons flashed brightly illuminating clouds, also visible way south over Bristol Channel towards Devon. Birmingham area badly hit early evening with over 3 inches locally in a couple of hours (Harbourne 103.9mm day total) there was much flooding. Large variations from place to place, Coventry had virtually no rain after morning storms while Birmingham and Rugby areas saw large totals (Winterbourne, B'ham 93.6mm officially wettest in UK). Also large hail in places caused damage such as Daventry.
BH Mon 28th just isolated storms late in the day over Wales (one rumble Lwn 1815). Warm or very warm (Lwn 25.2c, MH 24.6c, Coton-in-the-Elms 24.1c, Newport, Salop 23.6c, Aberporth 19.2c)
Tue 29th sunny periods and very warm, locally hot WW; Midlands rather cloudy, average to warm (Porthmadog 26.7c, Lwn 24.8c, Milford Haven {MH} 23.7c, Newport, Salop 22.6c, CL 18.5c)
Thu 31st Lwn min 14.7c second highest in May once more (after 14.9c 27/5/17). Shawbury min 14.7c, Pembrey 14.5c, Mona 12.8c. Thunderstorms in places especially south Midlands pm (TL Coventry and Rugby just before midnight but storms stayed to SW)
Wed 9th ground frost inland Wales and Marches (Lwn air min 0.0c, Trawsgoed 1.3c, Shobdon 2.3c, Nottingham & Valley 7.6c)
Thu 10th Aberdaron sunniest in UK 14.2 hrs (Lwn est 9 hrs)
Fri 11th fairly widespread grass frost mid/ E Wales and Midlands (Shobdon air min 1.7c, Tirabad 2.1c, Mumbles 8.9c, Lwn 5.4c ; grass min Hereford -2c, Tirabad -1c)
Sat 12th widespread ground frost and local air frost Wales and Marches (air min Lwn & Swyddfynnon -0.5c, Shawbury +0.4c, Valley 7.2c, Nottingham 8.7c). East Midlands presumably had a mostly cloudy night, in the west many areas also were foggy..
Mon 14th widespread frost Wales, rural ground frost Midlands (Tirabad -2.4c, Lwn -1.8c, Pembrey 0.3c, Shobdon +0.3c, Coventry 7.2c, Valley 8.8c). Unbroken sunshine in places (Shawbury 15.1 hrs, Aberdaron 14.4 hrs, Lwn 13 hrs est; Pershore max 21.5c warmest in UK)
Thu 17th widespread ground frost Midlands and N Wales (min Bala -0.3c, Shawbury +0.2c, CC 1.0c, Lwn 4.8c, Mumbles 9.2c; grass min Church Lawford {CL} & Shawbury -3c, Capel Curig {CC} -1c)
Fri 18th widespread ground frost (min Lwn 0.8c, CL 1.2c, CC 1.7c, Coventry 3.0c, Mumbles 9.4c, grass min CL -3, Aberdaron & CC -1c)
Sat 19th widespread frost inland Wales, more localised Midlands (Lwn -0.2c, Trawsgoed +0.7c, Shobdon 3.3c, Mumbles 8.7c). Warm and sunny, Lwn max 22.2c, large diurnal range of 22.4c (Trawsgoed 19.2c, Coton-in-the-Elms & Hereford 22.1c, Aberdaron 15.0c). Sunshine virtually unbroken in places Lwn 14.5 hrs est, Aberporth 14.0 hrs, Wellesbourne 13.8 hrs)
Sun 20th local touch of ground frost Wales (Lwn air min 1.1c, Tirabad 1.9c, Shobdon 3.9c, Valley 11.1c)
Warm end to May..
Mon 21st Pershore max 24.5c warmest in UK (Mumbles 21.1c, Lwn 20.9c, Shawbury 22.2c, Aberporth 16.1c)
Tue 22nd Porthmadog max 25.0c warmest in UK (Pershore 22.0c, Mumbles & Pembrey Sands 21.9c, Aberdaron14.8c, Aberporth max 13.8c)
Wed 23rd local touch of grass frost Wales (Lwn air min 1.9c, Tirabad 3.1c, Capel Curig 3.6c). Cloudy morning central & E Midlands sun later, cooler east breeze restricting temps, WW and Marches though warm and sunny (Lwn 24.8c, Porthmadog 24.0c, Trawsgoed 22.7c, Pershore 21.3c, Nottingham 18.3c, Pembrey 16.3c). Porthmadog officially warmest in UK today, virtually unbroken sunshine much of Wales and Marches (Valley 14.9 hrs, Shawbury 14.5 hrs Lwn 14 hrs est)
Fri 25th dry spell came to an end, Coventry 25.0mm yesterday (all midnight to 10am) was the wettest day in May since 2013 (28.1mm). Longford PWS 33.7mm midnight to midday, Nuneaton area also above 30mm (Winterbourne, Bham 31mm wettest in UK, Coleshill 28mm both to 2100)
Sun 27th Warm night WW, min 14.2c Lwn was second highest in May after 14.9c exactly a year ago (Mumbles min 16.1c, CC 12.1c, Shawbury 12.3c, Nottingham 10.7c).
Thunderstorms affected much of the Midlands in particular, severe with flooding in places, parts of WW also affected. Lots of lightning visible from great distances as elevated storms. From Lwn storms over Brecon Beacons flashed brightly illuminating clouds, also visible way south over Bristol Channel towards Devon. Birmingham area badly hit early evening with over 3 inches locally in a couple of hours (Harbourne 103.9mm day total) there was much flooding. Large variations from place to place, Coventry had virtually no rain after morning storms while Birmingham and Rugby areas saw large totals (Winterbourne, B'ham 93.6mm officially wettest in UK). Also large hail in places caused damage such as Daventry.
 |
| 24 hour rain radar accumulation to 1135 Mon 28th May |
BH Mon 28th just isolated storms late in the day over Wales (one rumble Lwn 1815). Warm or very warm (Lwn 25.2c, MH 24.6c, Coton-in-the-Elms 24.1c, Newport, Salop 23.6c, Aberporth 19.2c)
Tue 29th sunny periods and very warm, locally hot WW; Midlands rather cloudy, average to warm (Porthmadog 26.7c, Lwn 24.8c, Milford Haven {MH} 23.7c, Newport, Salop 22.6c, CL 18.5c)
Thu 31st Lwn min 14.7c second highest in May once more (after 14.9c 27/5/17). Shawbury min 14.7c, Pembrey 14.5c, Mona 12.8c. Thunderstorms in places especially south Midlands pm (TL Coventry and Rugby just before midnight but storms stayed to SW)
Nature log
Fri 4th First 3 Swift Lampeter evening, then 2 Lwn very briefly spotted. Lesser Whitethroats edge of Longwood; Hare Allt Goch; possible Spotted Flycather; Wood Warbler heard
Mon 7th first House Martin Lampter; 2 Cuckoo calling Tregaron Bog (not seen) also Redstarts and Garden Warbler seen and Grasshopper Warbler heard
Thu 10th Aberaeron large mixed flock mainly HM (20-30) and some Swift (4-10) and some Swallow (below 10)
Tue 15th still hardly any Swfts, this is concerning as same nationwide (could be bad weather on continent this month but weather in UK has been good). Lwn colony not seen as yet - usually here by end of first week of May..
Fri 18th 3 Swift Lwn afternoon; 8-12 Swift screaming party Llanybydder, saw Swift enter station building upsetting Sparrows; 3-4 Swift then Alltyblaca
Sat 19th Cuckoo heard again Tregaron Bog; Swift numbers seem to have increased during past few days..6 Tregaron this evening and 10-12 Llanddewi Brefi, one seen to enter rear apex of house adjacent to FP and corrugated community centre
Wed 23rd Cuckoo heard flanks of Mynydd Pencarreg; & Swift Lwn evening
Fri 25th 3 Swift Llwynhelyg, Alltyblaca; 6 Swift Gwyddgrug
Sat 26th 3 Swift as above Alltyblaca; 10 -15 Swift Llanybydder inc much activity about station; 12 -15 Swift Lwn (about as many as have seen here). Hobby went for Swifts at speed of light dusk!
Sun 27th first Foxglove in bloom
May 2018 summary
Rather warm/ warm and sunny with variable rainfall
Much of WW dry/ very dry and rather warm and quite sunny. Lwn driest May srb 2006 (2010 43.4mm), while thunderstorms and downpours during the final 8 days meant that most of the Midlands ended up with quite a wet month, locally very wet. The Midlands was decidedly warm for May (almost 2c above average in places) and also sunny
Rainfall totals May 2018
Valley 26.4mm (55%)
Trawsgoed 36.0mm (52%)
Aberporth 32.8mm (61%)
Llanwnnen 39.8mm (51%)
Pembrey 47.6mm (69%)
MH 40.2mm (65%)
Mumbles 40.2mm (64%)
Shawbury 52.2mm
Coleshill c. 66mm
Coventry, Bablake School 65.4mm (117%)
Church Lawford 67.2mm (115%)
Long Lawford 75.8mm (130%)
Pershore 53.8mm (102%)
Hereford 63.4mm (124%)
Longford PWS 72.2mm
Bulkington PWS 85.5mm
Dunchurch PWS 58.9mm
Crick PWS 51.3mm
Daventry PWS c. 52mm
Radford Semele PWS 86.1mm
Harborne, Bham PWS 147.6mm
Alvechurch PWS 72.2mm (130%)
Fownhope, Hereford PWS 64.3mm
Malvern Wells PWS 74.9mm
Machynlleth PWS 47mm
Abermeurig Bont, Talsarn PWS 28.9mm
Talsarn 30.2mm
Llanelli PWS 33.3mm
Lawrenny, Pembs 25.7mm
Sunshine totals May 2018
Valley 231.6 hrs
Aberporth 219.4 hrs (101%)
Lwn 208 hrs (114%)
Shawbury 226.9 hrs
Coventry, Bablake School 252.1 hrs
Shobdon 219.9 hrs
Spring 2018 summary
Generally wet with near average temperatures and sunshine
Coventry had its wettest Spring since 1983, Llanwnnen only since 2013.
March cold and wet
April rather mild and wet
May rather warm/ warm; dry WW and rather wet Midlands
Rainfall totals Spring 2018
Valley 177.8mm
Aberporth 194.0mm
Llanwnnen 281.9mm (119%)
Milford Haven 229.0mm
Shawbury 207.8mm
Coventry, Bablake School 251.0mm (162%)
Church Lawford 208.4mm (137%)
Long Lawford 234.5mm (162%)
Sunshine totals Spring 2018
Llanwnnen 412 hrs (97%)
Coventry 456 hrs (100%)
Thu 10th Aberaeron large mixed flock mainly HM (20-30) and some Swift (4-10) and some Swallow (below 10)
Tue 15th still hardly any Swfts, this is concerning as same nationwide (could be bad weather on continent this month but weather in UK has been good). Lwn colony not seen as yet - usually here by end of first week of May..
Fri 18th 3 Swift Lwn afternoon; 8-12 Swift screaming party Llanybydder, saw Swift enter station building upsetting Sparrows; 3-4 Swift then Alltyblaca
Sat 19th Cuckoo heard again Tregaron Bog; Swift numbers seem to have increased during past few days..6 Tregaron this evening and 10-12 Llanddewi Brefi, one seen to enter rear apex of house adjacent to FP and corrugated community centre
Wed 23rd Cuckoo heard flanks of Mynydd Pencarreg; & Swift Lwn evening
Fri 25th 3 Swift Llwynhelyg, Alltyblaca; 6 Swift Gwyddgrug
Sat 26th 3 Swift as above Alltyblaca; 10 -15 Swift Llanybydder inc much activity about station; 12 -15 Swift Lwn (about as many as have seen here). Hobby went for Swifts at speed of light dusk!
Sun 27th first Foxglove in bloom
May 2018 summary
Rather warm/ warm and sunny with variable rainfall
Much of WW dry/ very dry and rather warm and quite sunny. Lwn driest May srb 2006 (2010 43.4mm), while thunderstorms and downpours during the final 8 days meant that most of the Midlands ended up with quite a wet month, locally very wet. The Midlands was decidedly warm for May (almost 2c above average in places) and also sunny
Rainfall totals May 2018
Valley 26.4mm (55%)
Trawsgoed 36.0mm (52%)
Aberporth 32.8mm (61%)
Llanwnnen 39.8mm (51%)
Pembrey 47.6mm (69%)
MH 40.2mm (65%)
Mumbles 40.2mm (64%)
Shawbury 52.2mm
Coleshill c. 66mm
Coventry, Bablake School 65.4mm (117%)
Church Lawford 67.2mm (115%)
Long Lawford 75.8mm (130%)
Pershore 53.8mm (102%)
Hereford 63.4mm (124%)
Longford PWS 72.2mm
Bulkington PWS 85.5mm
Dunchurch PWS 58.9mm
Crick PWS 51.3mm
Daventry PWS c. 52mm
Radford Semele PWS 86.1mm
Harborne, Bham PWS 147.6mm
Alvechurch PWS 72.2mm (130%)
Fownhope, Hereford PWS 64.3mm
Malvern Wells PWS 74.9mm
Machynlleth PWS 47mm
Abermeurig Bont, Talsarn PWS 28.9mm
Talsarn 30.2mm
Llanelli PWS 33.3mm
Lawrenny, Pembs 25.7mm
Sunshine totals May 2018
Valley 231.6 hrs
Aberporth 219.4 hrs (101%)
Lwn 208 hrs (114%)
Shawbury 226.9 hrs
Coventry, Bablake School 252.1 hrs
Shobdon 219.9 hrs
Spring 2018 summary
Generally wet with near average temperatures and sunshine
Coventry had its wettest Spring since 1983, Llanwnnen only since 2013.
March cold and wet
April rather mild and wet
May rather warm/ warm; dry WW and rather wet Midlands
Rainfall totals Spring 2018
Valley 177.8mm
Aberporth 194.0mm
Llanwnnen 281.9mm (119%)
Milford Haven 229.0mm
Shawbury 207.8mm
Coventry, Bablake School 251.0mm (162%)
Church Lawford 208.4mm (137%)
Long Lawford 234.5mm (162%)
Sunshine totals Spring 2018
Llanwnnen 412 hrs (97%)
Coventry 456 hrs (100%)
