May 2019 weather log

May 2019 weather log

Key:

WW = West Wales
Lwn = Llanwnnen
AG = Aldermans Green, Coventry
CL = Church Lawford
ROW = Ross-on-Wye
CC = Capel Curig
MH = Milford Haven
Mids = Midlands
CITE = Coton-in-the-Elms, Derbyshire
COL = Climatological Observers Link

PWS = Personal weather station

Turned cool/ cold early month:

Sat 4th snow showers for high ground of Wales, an inch reported from the Brecon Beacons first thing, photos showed sprinklings in various parts of Wales inc. Snowdonia and Brecon Beacons

Sun 5th widespread frost, especially Wales where locally quite sharp. Min here at Llanwnnen -4.3c a May record (previous -2.9c 01/05/13). Other St Harmon, Powys -4.8c, Tirabad -3.8c, Trawsgoed -3.3c, Pembrey -2.5c, Pershore 0.0c, Nottingham 2.6c, Aberporth 5.8c)

Widespread May frost, min -4.3c Llanwnnen, a new May record

After the mostly dry start, useful rain 8th and 9th (Astwood Bank, Worc. 24.6mm 8th)

Fri 10th local frost Wales & Marches, another air frost here at Llanwnnen (min -0.6c) that's 4 for May so far (record 5 in May 2013). Other minima Hereford +1.7c, Pembrey 1.8c, Bablake 6.3c, MH 8.5c. Showers, thunder in places inc. Allesley, Coventry..

Sat 11th again frost in places, especially widespread inland Wales, fifth air frost of the month here (min -1.4c) equalling the May 2013 record but well short still of the 13 air frost that occurred at Llanpumsaint near Carmarthen in May 1996! Other min Swyddfynnon -0.7c, CC -0.6c, Trawsgoed -0.5c, Mumbles 6.5c; Shawbury & Shobdon 3.2c, CL 6.3c

Settled warmer spell mid month was welcome however some further frosty nights locally:

Sun 12th widespread frost, quite sharp and damaging locally, even at a least ground frost for many coasts of Wales. Llanwnnen min -3.5c, the coldest so far into Spring and the sixth air frost this month beating the May record. Other minima -4.4c St Harmon, Powys, Tirabad -3.8c, Gogerddan c. -2c, Pembrey -0.8c, Mumbles 6.2c; Shobdon -1.3c, CL & Coleshill 1.2c, Watnall 2.8c, Coventry 3.8c. May record for Wales is 6.1°C in St Harmon 14/5/84 and in Alwen, Conwy 3/5/67.  Lovely sunny warmer day, maxima Lwn 20.6c (seemed high) generally 15 - 18c (ROW 17.6c, CITE 17.4c, Aberporth 13.3c). 12- 14 hours sun widely Wales & Marches (Shawbury 14.6 hrs, Aberdaron 14.4 hrs, Lwn 14 hrs est, Coventry 7.6 hrs)

Mon 13th ground frost in places (minima Lwn 1.4c, CC 1.6c, MH 9.8c; Shobdon 1.7c, Coventry 4.8c). Warm and sunny day, maxima Lwn 21.1c seemed a bit high, Gogerddan 19.8c, Trawsgoed 19.3c, Aberdaron 16.3c, Mumbles 15.5c; ROW 19.3c, CITE 18.8c,  Hereford & Watnall  18.5c, Coventry 17.1c. Widely 13 to 15 hours sunshine (Lwn est 14.5 hrs unbroken, Aberdaron & Aberporth 14.1 hrs,  Shawbury & Wellesbourne 14.3 hrs.

Tue 14th frost much more localised with no air frost, min Tirabad 3.0c, Lwn 3.1c, Mumbles 10.3c; Shobdon 2.2c, Watnall 6.1c. Warm and sunny again, max Lwn 22.7c, Gogerddan 21.5c, Trawsgoed 20.6c, CC 20.2c, Aberporth 20.0c, Mumbles 15.9c; Shawbury & Watnall 19.5c, CL 18.1c

Wed 15th warm with plenty of sun, maxima Lwn 23.6c, CC & Trawsgoed 21.0c, Aberporth 16.9c; ROW 20.4c, CITE 20.0c, Coventry 18.4c

Mainly dry weather into last week of the month, as of 25th just 25.5mm at Llanwnnen, less than 39.8mm of 2018 which was the driest May, showers in the coming week should take it above that..Aberporth monthly total is just 7.2mm to date..

Sun 26th first warm night of 'Summer' minima Shawbury 14.5c, Trawsgoed 13.7c, Hereford 13.0c, Lwn 12.7c, Aberdaron 11.4c..a warm sector heralding though a cooler more unsettled end to the month, however rainfall amounts disappointingly small..

Mon 27th thunder heard AG about 2100, Coventry, just one rumble, there were a few sferics in the Wolvey area same time

Nature notes

Wed 1st 2 Swift above village (first one was yesterday evening)

Fri 3rd Cuckoo heard Allt-y-Mynydd forest with Julie & Richard

Sun 5th Blackbird feeding off persistent Holly berries, this after the coldest May night recorded here of -4.3c. This sharp late frost damaged new Hydrangea foliage and  flower buds quite badly and many fresh out Ash tree leaves perished which never seen before..

Sun 5th Lampeter 2 Swift late afternoon; House Martins heard not seen early evening..

Mon 6th visited Aberduar chapel, Llanybydder dusk, no Swifts..

Tue 7th 1/2 Cuckoo heard Allt-y-Mynydd forest; plentiful Chiffchaff and WW, some Blackcap/ Garden warbler

Tue 7th 1830 lots of Sparrow activity in and out of Aberduar chapel..no Swift

Thu 9th 1800 6 Swift LLanybydder Warehouse/ Station area; 1830 3 Swift Lwn; 1930-20 hr Lampeter 1 H Martin, 2 Swift above University; 2030-2045 Aberduar chapel 2 Swift, I making effortless entry above E most ( L) window (L edge of Arch)! Driving back delapidated white cottage with many holes few hundred metres  from chapel, Swift entered largish hole screaming softly..this property seems empty at present..

Fri 10th 1700 6 Swift Lampeter High St (suspect nests in Town Hall and other properties)

Sun 12th Newt in wheel eroded 'pool' along little used track down close to west edge of woodland, this water up to a foot deep so should survive most dry spells, also well shaded in there; several Redstart I think they were in the recently felled/ windblown area; plenty of WW, Chiffchaff..

Mon 13th Aberduar chapel 2010-2100, about 6 Swift, seen to make entry/ exit at 6 different points (most L/ SE end, few mid to R (NW); Sparrows also in and out (mainly mid and R); most entries direct, some preceeded by birds grabbing wall beneath soffit and edging up and in. Also much prospecting without entries. Most of the activity close to 2100 as it got darker. Further Swifts feeding over Teifi on my way back (4 -6 here).

Tue 14th Foxgloves out Llangrannog, surprised to see what appeared to be May frost damage seemingly on the cliff path to south, much Blackthorn browned off also newly unfurled bracken fronds (or from sea spray?)

Its a good month for Hawthorn and Cow Parsley, magnificent blooms throughout much of the month.

Countryside Bluebells assisted by cool spells staying in bloom through to month end pretty much; garden ones all over pretty much mid month...

Frost damaged Ash seem badly hit, possibly combined with die back does look like some will not produce much foliage this Summer

Still a few Holly berries hanging on to month end and into June! This even as new green ones are forming.



May 2019 summary

Dry to very dry, a few places up to average; rather cool to average temperatures; sunshine generally around average, locally rather dull

Rainfall totals

CC 69.4mm (52%)
Aberdaron 30.4mm (59%)
Trawsgoed c. 41mm
Aberporth 14.0mm (26%)
Llanwnnen 33.9mm (44%)
Pembrey Sands c. 25mm
Mumbles c. 35mm
MH c. 24mm

Nottingham 29.0mm
Shawbury 24.4mm (46%)
Coleshill 55.2mm (104%)
Coventry, Bablake school 38.6mm (69%)
CL 32.8mm (58%)
Pershore c. 38mm
Hereford 47.0mm (92%)



PWS

Talsarn 27.7mm
Llanelli 36.1mm

Bulkington 42.3mm
Cawston, Rugby 34.5mm
Bilton 34.8mm
Dunchurch 30.1mm
Clitton-on-Dunsmore 35.0mm
Lilbourne 29.2mm
Crick, Northants 32.2mm



Sunshine totals:

Nottingham 181 hrs
Coventry 197.4 hrs (104%)
Shawbury 168.6 hrs (103%)

Aberdaron 232.8 hrs
Aberporth 218.9 hrs (105%)
Llanwnnen 160 hrs (88%)


Spring 2019

Rainfall varied from rather dry to wet with local variation; average to rather mild temperatures; sunshine varied rather dull to quite sunny


Rainfall totals:


CC 731.8mm (138%)
Aberdaron c. 223mm (130%)
Aberporth c. 171mm (98%)
Trawsgoed c. 276mm (115%)
Llanwnnen 292.9mm (123%)
Milford Haven c. 166mm (79%)


Nottingham 167.0m100%)
Shawbury 116.0mm (75%)
Coleshill c. 155mm (100%)
Coventry 133.6mm (86%)
Church Lawford 113.6mm (75%)
Pershore c. 125mm (89%)
Hereford c. 174mm (113%)

Sunshine totals:

Aberporth 496 hrs (96%)
Llanwnnen est 378 hrs (89%)

Nottingham (Watnall) 474 hrs (111%)
Coventry, Bablake school 522.6 hrs (114%)