July 2025
Weather log
Key
WW= Willow Warbler
ST = Song Thrush
BB = Blackbird
Often dry early in July:
Thu 3rd WW sunny with Aberporth 15.5 hours sunniest spot in UK (Lwn est 13.5 hours).
Sun 6th heavy downpours and thunderstorms Midlands am; we were at Rugby which experienced these with 2 cells producing thunder. At Nuneaton thunder was heard as early as 8am, at LL rumbles 0950 BST then 1120. Several Nuneaton PWS caught over 30mm today and the Rugby area around half inch. The garden badly in need of the rain.
Wed 9th start of another heatwave which have been a recurring feature of Summer 2025 thus far: Hot Mids and warm, locally very warm WW; maxima Pershore 29.2c (hottest in UK), Cov 27.3c, Lwn 26.6c, Nott 25.5c, Tirabad 24c, Aberporth 18.4c.
Thu 10th hot or very hot Mids, maxima above 30c in places, WW generally very warm and locally hot, cooler sea breezes Cardigan Bay, plentiful sunshine; maxima ROW 32.0c (hottest in UK), Pershore 31.7c, Hereford 30.5c, CITE 30.2c, Cardiff Bute Park 30.0c, Cov 29.9c, CL 29.6c, Nott & Shawbury 29.0c, Llanwnnen 28.2c, Tirabad 26.1c, Trawsgoed 25.3c, Aberporth 19.6c.
Fri 11th a hotter day mostly sunny: maxima Astwood Bank (Worc) 34.7c, Pershore 33.6c, CITE 32.9c, Usk 32.7c, Coventry 32.4c, Nott 32.1c, CL 32.0c, Shawbury 31.4c, Llanwnnen 31.0c (hottest of the Summer so far by 0.1c), Tirabad 29.4c, Trawsgoed 28.8c, MH 28.6c, Aberporth 23.6c.
Sat 12th at least in the countryside nights have been refreshingly cool during this spell, here at Lwn dropping to around 10c; minima overnight Lwn 10.7c, CC 11.6c, Trawsgoed 11.8c, Shobdon 13.4c; some of the coasts and cities though uncomfortable, MH low 17.7c, Coventry 16.6c, Pershore 15.0c. Very hot day Wales & Marches and hot rest of Mids though less though than yesterday; here at Llanwnnen max 34.0c the second hottest day in the 20 year record; Cardiff BP & ROW 33.1c (the official UK hotspots); other max Trawsgoed 31.6c (sea breeze from earlier in the afternoon cf Lwn), Hereford 32.1.c, Valley 30.4c, CC 30.2, CITE 30.1c, MH 29.8c, Aberporth 28.6c, Mona 28.5c, Nott 27.8c. Widely 14 or 15 hours of almost unbroken sun.
Sun 13th warm night many coasts, minima Aberdaron & MH 18.6c, Aberporth 17.0c, Cov 14.3c, Shobdon 12.2c, Lwn 12.0c. Last day of the heatwave likely, maxima Gogerddan 30.1c, Lwn 29.9c, Trawsgoed 28.5c, Coleshill 28.4c, PS 28.2c, CL 27.4c, Nott 26.4c, Aberporth 27.1c, MH 25.5c.
Mon 14th widely a warm night, minima PS 17.2c, Pershore & Shawbury 16.9c, Cov 16.3c, Lwn 15.5c, CC 14.9c, Shobdon 14.6c (note the Wales minima being mid morning as the cold front passed). Warm or very warm Mids but below heatwave criteria generally 23 - 25c, showery WW more isolated Mids, local thunder.
Tue 15th a good drop of rain mid & N Wales, 2 - 3 inches for Snowdonia (Cwm Dyli 84mm to 1900; Capel Curig 78.8mm wettest in UK). First day failing to reach 20c at Coventry since early June (max 17.7c).
First half of July has been very warm and sunny; rainfall below average for many, wet though for Snowdonia, varying from just 1.4mm Hereford to 117mm Capel Curig.
Rain totals 1st to 0900 July 16th:
Mona 25mm (r dry)
CC 117mm (wet)
Aberdaron 21mm (dry)
Trawsgoed 26mm (v dry)
Aberporth 9mm (v dry)
Llanwnnen 20.3mm (very dry)
PS 10mm (v dry)
MH 8mm (v dry)
Nott 31mm (ave)
Shawbury 10mm (v dry)
Coleshill 18mm (dry)
Cov 20.4mm (rather dry)
CL 25.8mm (near ave)
Pershore 10mm (v dry)
Hereford 1.4mm (v dry)
Sun totals 1st - 15th July:
Aberdaron 125 hrs
Llanwnnen est 116 hrs
Cov 123 hrs
Shobdon 129 hrs
Another brief very warm spell for the Midlands after mid month:
Thu 17th 80f days are two a penny for the Midlands these days, max today Astwood Bank 27.1c, CL & Sutton Bonington 25.5c, Cov 25.4c, Shawbury 24.3c, Lwn 22.2c, Aberporth 22.0c, Aberdaron 18.2c.
Fri 18th warm night in places, minima Nott 18.1c, CL 17.9c, PS 16.1c, Aberporth &Lwn 14.8c, Shobdon 13.1c. Very warm Mids, rather warm WW, maxima Cov 26.9c Nott 26.8c.
Sat 19th outbreaks of rain, very heavy in places for the Mids clearing to a few thundery showers pm; Finham EA gauge caught 28mm during the morning (most in 2 hours) with much less NE of the city around 10mm). Just a few showers for WW.
Sun 20th thundery showers and storms broke out Mids pm, thunder heard Coventry while several PWS in Nuneaton had over an inch in half hour from 6pm! Nearby Hinckley (EA) just 4mm for the whole day.
Mon 21st thundery showers and storms for the Mids again; over an inch in places with other places escaping with hardly any (KN); the Cov area caught a succession of active cells with torrential downpours during the afternoon, Balsall Common PWS 27mm today, that's the third day on the trot that somewhere in the Cov area had over an inch.
Fri 25th warm to very warm: maxima Pershore 28.4c (warmest in UK), Cov 26.9c, CL & Hereford 26.2c, Shawbury 24.8c, Trawsgoed 21.8c, Aberdaron 17.4c.
Sat 26th after a dry few days spent in Rugby our visit to town coincided with some sharp downpours (KN 3mm in the hour to midday).
Mixed weather continued to month end:
Thu 31st morning rain, thundery showers affected SW Mids pm giving an inch very locally (radar suggested).
Nature notes
LL 5th - 9th:
Sat 5th Long Lawford 30 Swift and dozen HM (far end of park mainly).
Disused railway near Draycote several Chiffchaff in good song also a few Blackcap less enthusiastic.
Green Woodpecker heard from 'bridleway' LL.
Hare at 50m and Yellowhammer singing a bit near the ford.
Wed 9th Abergavenny early evening several Swift about.
Llandovery 8pm 30 Swift mainly over the college colony, also (perhaps additionally) some above castle.
Fri 11th after a hot day c 15 screaming Swift about the church a fantastic display, seems to be 4 or 5 nests west front side and 2 the back.
Sat 12th after the second hottest day here (34c) still very warm evening:
Llanybydder car park, dozen screaming Swift about the old station, several about the warehouse.
Rhydybont chapel, 15 screaming Swift and c 10 HM (11 nests in total)
S Forestry dusk, walked up above western stream valley, first Njar 25 mins after sunset (2200) then hear one perhaps 2 calling on and off next half hour until dark. Final one was above the main track 300 m from gate.
Flying Ant days each day of the heatwave in the boiler room.
Mid month: another bout of hay fever after hardly having any while in Mids last week.
Bird song essentially over, has been the odd Thrush, Blackbird, Chiffchaff recently but it really died down end of June.
Blackbirds have a nest feeding young in the holly about 4 feet from the top where there is thick Ivy.
Sun 20th 15 screaming Swift dusk church.
Had to give some of the Ash trees quite a severe pruning as too tall, not the right time of year for this, so hope no harm done as they have tolerated die back well so far.
Mon 21st no Swifts seen on a damp evening; reckon some of the chicks have flown, possibly last week one on the back.
Tue 22nd single Swift Lampeter.
Wed 23rd Abergavenny single Swift this afternoon, then another over Rugby evening.
Fri 25th Yaffle heard LL, did not see a single Swift here.
Sat 26th Llandovery after a week of just seeing the odd single Swift, 30 plus above the castle dusk very high up, also decent numbers of HM & Swallow.
Sun 27th Llanwnnen half dozen swifts dusk (most in a week here).
Mon 28th 9/ 10 screaming Swifts dusk church, quite a few HM and Swallows.
Hall nest evidence 2025: evidence of 6 active nests this season ( 4 west side and 2 east side), evidenced by bird entries, wall staining, dropping piles and egg shells. (upload illustration)....
Summary July 2025
Warm/ very warm; dry to average rainfall; sun rather dull to average
Locally wet, in contrast parts of SW Wales & Herefordshire very dry (under half average).
Midlands had a very warm month averaging 18c - 19c, for WW warm but not unusual so for July.
At Coventry the mean was 19.0c (only 7 warmer since srb 1892).
Several Nuneaton PWS around 100mm rain for the month with 2 days over an inch (localised storm downpours see above).
Rainfall totals July 2025
Mona, Anglesey 37mm (dry)
Capel Curig, Snowdonia 131mm (ave)
Aberdaron, Llyn Peninsular 45mm (r dry)
Trawsgoed, Ceredigion 66mm (r dry)
Aberporth, near Llangrannog 35mm (dry)
Llanwnnen 41.6mm (47%)
Pembrey Sands, Carms 30mm (v dry)
Milford Haven, Pembs 30mm (v dry)
Nottingham 49mm (r dry)
Shawbury, Salop =looks faulty 0mm from early month
Coleshill 54mm (ave)
Coventry, Bablake School 68.4mm (116%)
CL, Warks 55.0mm (92%)
Pershore, Worc 29mm (dry)
Hereford 16mm (v dry)
King's Newnham EA gauge (near Rugby) 48.6mm
National Resources Wales (NRW) gauges July 2025
Llyn Cefni (Ynys Mon) 39mm (dry)
Bethesda Quarry (Gwynedd) 104mm (r wet)
Cwm Dyli (Snowdonia) 195mm (ave)
Abersoch (Llyn Peninsular) 45mm (r dry)
Corris (near Machynlleth) 133mm (ave)
Bow Street (near Aberystwyth) 69mm (ave)
Pontrhydfendigaid (near Tregaron, Ceredigion) 70mm ( r dry)
Rhos Ymryson (near Gorscoch and 5 miles NW of Lwn) 71mm (ave)
Cellan (2 miles NE of Lampeter) 46mm (dry)
Pencader (Carms)= faulty since about 10th reported
Abergorlech (Brechfa Forest, Carms) 38mm (v dry)
Rhydargaeau (Carms) 44mm (v dry)
Garnswllt (near Ammanford, Carms) 46mm (dry)
Felinfoel (near Llanelli, Carms) 54mm ( r dry)
Southgate, Gower 31mm ( v dry)
Ferwig (near Cardigan) 36mm (dry)
Maenclochog (near Preselis, Pembs) 75mm (r dry)
Tenby (Pembs) 24mm (v dry)
Bolton Hill (near Haverfordwest, Pembs) 30mm v dry)
COL stations rainfall July 2025
Llansadwrn 55mm (71%)
Ludlow, Salop 36.6mm (57%)
Alvechurch, Worc 36.5mm(53%)
Warstock, Brum 49mm (73%)
Alcester (Great Alne) 56mm (99%)
Cosby, Leic 55mm (89%)
Hinckley 75mm (120%)
Towcester, Northants 43.5mm (80%)
Sunshine totals July 2025
Valley 200 hrs (ave)
Aberdaron 200 hours (average)
Aberporth 192 hrs (ave)
Llanwnnen estimated 157 hrs (87%)
Nottingham 186 hrs (ave)
Shawbury 181 hrs (ave)
Coventry, Bablake School 176 hrs (89%)
Shobdon, Herefordshire 194 hrs (ave)
COL stations sun July 2025
Ludlow 173 hrs (94%)
Alvechurch 174 hrs (99%)
Cosby 184 hrs (98%)
Towcester 211 hrs
