Key
WW= Willow Warbler
ST = Song Thrush
BB = Blackbird
Changeable and rather cool start to Summer 2025:
Tue 3rd here at Lwn 20.5mm overnight the wettest day since a 46mm fall mid April. Cwm Dyli Snowdonia wettest spot with 52mm, Mids generally a 3 - 8mm drop (Cov 4.2mm).
Sat 7th showery with local thunder S & E Mids later (inc Rugby area early eve). King's Newnham caught 11mm for the day.
Wed 11th nicest day of June to date, mostly sunny and warm, locally very warm, maxima Lwn 25.4c, Nott 25.2c, Shawbury & Trawsgoed 24.6c, Hereford 24.4c, CC & Pembrey Sands 23.5c, CL 22.2c, Aberdaron 19.8c.
Thu 12th heavy rain over much of Wales & SW Midlands today, isolated thunder. Over 2 inches parts of SW Wales; 24 hours to 2100 Pitton NRW on the Gower on 63mm; around an inch quite widely SW Wales today. Pembrey Sands 56.6mm wettest MO gauge in UK today.
Fri 13th rain at times Wales today while much of the Midlands dry and warm/ very warm with sunny periods. Maxima Wellesbourne 25.9c, Cov 25.3c, Market Bosworth & Nott 24.7c, Shobdon 22.9c, Lwn 20.4c, Trawsgoed 20.0c, Aberdaron 16.4c. Llysdinam (Powys) 32.8mm to 2100.
Sat 14th thundery rain or storms affected WW early hours (SW Wales as far as Newquay moving N across Lleyn and Anglesey early morning). Also an isolated storm over the Marches overnight. Nearest sferic to here was from Cwmtudu near Newquay (over 10 miles distant) but did not hear any rumbles. 21mm in the gauge this morning here at Lwn the third day over 20mm in a fortnight.
First half of June has been wet or very wet for west Wales, quite a few places already over the whole June average (which is 82mm here at Llanwnnen). Midlands variable from very dry (Nott) to rather wet (SW Mids). Temperatures average to rather warm. Sunshine rather dull west Wales & Marches, rest of Midlands average to quite sunny.
Rainfall totals June 1st to 0900 16th:
Mona 62.4mm (very wet)
Capel Curig 122mm (very wet)
Cwm Dyli (NRW) 189mm
Trawsgoed 88.4mm (v wet)
Aberporth c 52mm (wet)
Llanwnnen 90.5mm (v wet)
Pembrey Sands 94.2mm (v wet)
Milford Haven 72.8mm (v wet)
Nottingham 13.2mm (very dry)
Shawbury c 27mm (average)
Coleshill c 19mm (dry)
Coventry 26.8mm (average)
Church Lawford 22mm (rather dry)
Pershore 32mm (rather wet)
Shobdon 36.4mm (rather wet)
Sunshine 1st to 15th June:
Aberdaron 82 hrs (rather dull)
Llanwnnen estimated 64 hours (rather dull)
Nott 109 hrs (quite sunny)
Coventry 104 hrs (quite sunny)
Shobdon 67 hrs (dull)
Mon 16th warm or very warm and sunny Midlands, WW rather warm sunny periods. maxima Astwood Bank 26.1c, Nott, CITE & Coventry 24.8c, Lwn 21.8c, Trawsgoed 20.0c, Aberdaron 16.1c.
Tue 17th warm or very warm again Mids with sunny periods, WW more cloud a little rain in places but generally quite warm and humid; maxima Pershore 25.8c, CL & Cov 24.9c, Market Bosworth & Nott 24.8c, Lwn 21.5c, Trawsgoed 21.0c, Aberdaron a dull damp max 15.6c.
Wed 18th WW warm sunny periods although some coasts cloudy or misty at times (it kept clouding over in Aberaeron then cleared driving back a few miles inland and had been a very warm 25.1c at Lwn cf c 21c on the coast. Midlands had a hot day with near unbroken sunshine, most of WW warm; other maxima Astwood Bank 28.5c, Pershore 28.4c, CITE & Coventry 27.3c, Cardiff 26.8c, Nott 25.8c, Shawbury 25.7c, Tirabad 22.8c, Trawsgoed 22.1c, Aberdaron 16.6c. Shobdon sunniest 15 .2 hrs.
Thu 19th hot even very hot above 30c in places; maxima here at Lwn 30.9c the third hottest June day (record still 31.4c in 2018) also hottest in June since 2020 (31.3c). Highest reading for this stage in summer as the higher ones were late month. Other maxima Row 31.3c, Cardiff 30.2c, Trawsgoed 30.1c, Pershore 30.0c, CITE 29.2c, Coventry 28.6c, Pembrey Sands 28.5c, Capel Curig 27.9c, Milford Haven 24.8c. Sunny everywhere (Nott 15.5 hrs, Cov 14.2 hrs, Lwn 14 hours est).
Fri 20th warm night above 15c some coasts and cities, minima Aberporth 17.9c, MH 17.8c, Cov 16.3c, Coleshill 15.0c, Lwn 13.5c, Trawsgoed 13.0c, Shobdon 12.8c. Very hot by day with sunny periods after cloud am. Maxima Lwn 30.9c again, Whitechurch (near Cardigan) 30.8c, Trawsgoed 30.1c, Wellesbourne 30.0c, Coleshill 29.9c, Nott 29.4c, CL 28.8c, PS 28.7c, Aberdaron 24.8c.
Sat 21st widely above 15c overnight, minima PS 18.8c, Trawsgoed 17.5c, Lwn 16.8c, Shawbury 15.7c, Nott 14.7c, CC 13.8c, Shobdon 12.2c. Mids hot or very hot with sunny spells, WW more cloud with some rain or thundery showers about. Thunder heard at Aberystwyth mid afternoon and back home would have had some too as sferics as close as Cribyn 3 miles north. Warm and humid WW. Maxima Pershore 31.2c, Coleshill 30.1c, Nott 29.8c, Cov 29.7c, Usk 29.2c, Shobdon 28.9c, Trawsgoed 26.0c, Aberdaron 18.7c. Lwn ???
Sun 22nd warm night in parts, minima PS 16c, Coleshill 15c, CL & Cov 14.9c, Trawsgoed 13.5c, Lwn 12.3c. By day occasional rain or showers particularly WW, temperatures down closer to average.
Another heatwave (second of the month) for the Mids end of June, apparently they are 10 times more common in June now than during the Industrial Revolution ago the BBC man said. In contrast WW rather cloudy with some rain or drizzle though a fine warm/ very warm finale:
Sat 28th notably warm night minima widely above 16c: minima Nott 19.4c, Hereford 19.2c,Coleshill & Coventry 19.1c, Trawsgoed 18.1c, Lwn 17.1c (equalling the June record warm night), Aberdaron 15.0c.
Mon 30th very hot Mids and peak of the heatwave there; maxima Astwood Bank 32.6c, Pershore 31.9c, Coleshill & Nott 31.8c, Cov 31.5c, Cardiff 29.9c, Lwn 27.5c, Trawsgoed 25.2c, Aberporth 20.4c, Aberdaron 19.9c. At Cov the sixth hottest ever June day (record 32.4c 26th 1976).
Nature notes
Mon 2nd Newquay Dolphin within 50 metres from the jetty.
Saw on Facebook about a farm in Pembrokeshire (Maenclochog) that has on it 44 House Martin nests!
Sun 8th several pieces of Swift egg shell on the ground at the hall and so so the first have hatched.
Mon 9th Swifts rather quiet of late with the cool and sometimes damp weather. After dusk 4 to 6 appeared with a bit of screaming around the church, within 5 minutes they were gone into the fading light.
Tue 10th quite a few Swift, lots of H Martins and Swallows over Lampeter late afternoon. About 7 or 8 completed nests now by the square/ car park, noticed part of a nest on the ground beneath and one egg there which was slightly cracked, had a look there was an unhatched chick inside so hopefully it died straight away. First Swallow young airborne.
Wed 11th Llangrannog: plenty of Chiffchaffs singing still. Half dozen H Martin over the village and cliffs, evidence of them trying to build a nest in the apex above the toilet block and several inc one completed on a sea front property.
Thu 12th after dusk Swifts seen to enter rear (East) side each close to above insides of furthest two windows (N end). Other side (front/ west) droppings stain and pile between two closest (S end) windows.
Sun 15th 7 or 8 Swifts in a screaming party after sunset about the churchyard, one of the best displays so far this season. A lot of House Martins and Swallows over the village this year.
Tue 17th village lanes walk, plenty of CC, WW, BB & ST singing; back at the church after sunset 6 or 7 screaming swifts until after 10pm in near dark.
Wed 18th Aberaeron: Lots of House Martins, located around 10 active nests. Unfortunately a disaster had beset one nest overlooking the harbour, half of it had fallen down with 2 chicks just a few days old perished on the pavement beneath. Gull feathers? On the same property a few metres away an intact nest. The damaged nest attracting a great deal of attention with 5 or 6 adults prospecting it. Pair of Swift seen at various points above the town.
Back home dusk 10 Swift the most so far.
Thu 19th after a very hot day (max 31c) a sultry evening at Llanybydder: Half dozen screaming Swifts car park area, one seen to enter former warehouse another exit former station building.
Aberduar chapel: a dozen screaming Swifts here (most so far this season anywhere). They enter an exit effortlessly presumably having to negotiate the new plastic soffit up to the original sloping wooden one? Dropping stains on the wall beneath suggests half dozen active nests (presuming all this years)? Only a single piece of dropping made it to the floor beneath suggesting they are indeed still nesting in the sloping wooden soffit as were they in any gap between old and new soffit there would be much more evidence and more egg shells. Just one piece of shell evident on the ground.
Rhydybont chapel loads of H Martins, 6 new nests north end and 4 west side. About 10 screaming Swift came very close. Seen to enter and exit various points, one right of drain pipe west side into a gap I think between sloping wall top and soffit, another North side a metre up towards apex left side into a wooden box like feature of the timberwork (see video).
Onto the forestry by sunset: no Cuckoos, no Nightjars, no Grasshopper Warbler. Cuckoos most likely left us by now. The former Njar zones now have stands well over 10 years old and no longer suitable (my sightings here have decreased past few years). However would have expected them to colonise the big larch fell zone above the main road but all I heard was a possible short call back at the main gate. Tried the southern forestry over the main road it was almost 11, could faintly hear a distant Njar probably over half mile away, still much suitable habitat up the top of the hill but too late for that!
Late June: Swallows in the church tower issues perhaps new louvres. They were n't so bothered. Saw 4 exit Sunday afternoon (looked like adults).
S Forestry: Njars above western stream hillside and where come down steep to main track (several years regrowth areas)
Aberporth many HM and nests chapel area which may have some Swift nests (plenty of Sparrows in holes and prospecting screaming Swifts (3 or 4).
Summary June 2025
Very warm; variable rain and sun
Much of WW above average rain, much of Mids below.
Sun: WW rather dull, Mids average to sunny
Coventry warmest June on record (beating) Frighteningly that's 6 of the warmest 8 Junes have been this century. Previous record just 2 years ago (17.5c). Mids mean temperatures almost 3c above average.
Rainfall totals June 2025
Mona, Anglesey 81mm (wet)
Capel Curig, Snowdonia 193mm (rather wet)
Aberdaron 78mm (r wet)
Trawsgoed, Ceredigion 110mm (wet)
Aberporth, near Llangrannog c 45mm (rather dry)
Llanwnnen 110.1mm (162% Falc/ 134% Lwn)
Pembrey Sands, Carms 113mm (wet)
Milford Haven, Pembs 89mm(rather wet)
Nottingham 17mm (very dry)
Shawbury, Salop c 36mm (dry)
Coleshill c 23mm (v dry)
Coventry, Bablake School 30.0mm (54%)
CL, Warks 24.0mm (44%)
Pershore, Worc 26mm (dry)
Hereford c 33mm (r dry)
King's Newnham EA gauge (near Rugby) 32.6mm
National Resources Wales (NRW) rain gauges June 2025
Llyn Cefni, Ynys Mon 93mm (wet)
Bethesda Quarry (Gwynedd) 127mm (wet)
Cwm Dyli (Snowdonia) 305mm (wet)
Abersoch (Llyn Peninsular) 64mm (ave)
Corris (near Machynlleth) 191mm (W)
Bow Street (near Aberystwyth) 70mm (A)
Pontrhydfendigaid (near Tregaron, Ceredigion) 109mm (RW)
Rhos Ymryson (near Gorscoch and 5 miles NW of Lwn) 103mm (RW)
Cellan (2 miles NE of Lampeter) 93mm (RW)
Pencader (Carms) 121mm (RW)
Abergorlech (Brechfa Forest, Carms) 133mm (W)
Rhydargaeau (Carms) 129mm (RW)
Garnswllt (near Ammanford, Carms) 133mm (W)
Felinfoel (near Llanelli, Carms) 131mm (W)
Southgate, Gower 84mm (A)
Ferwig (near Cardigan) 88mm (RW)
Maenclochog (near Preselis, Pembs) 118mm (RW)
Tenby (Pembs) 101mm (VW)
Bolton Hill (near Haverfordwest, Pembs) 47mm? dubious? (Clarbeston nearest one 89mm)
COL stations rainfall June 2025
Llansadwrn 125mm (169%)
Ludlow, Salop 46.5mm (68%)
Alvechurch, Worc 34.8mm (49%)
Warstock, Brum 39.2mm (53%)
Alcester (Great Alne) 43.4mm (83%)
Cosby, Leic 19.9mm (30%)
Hinckley 17.4mm (28%)
Towcester, Northants 21.1mm (37%)
Sunshine totals June 2025
Valley 168 hrs (r dull)
Aberdaron 151 hrs (dull)
Llanwnnen estimated 141 hrs (87%)
Nottingham 234 hours (sunny)
Coventry, Bablake School 231 hours (121%)
Shobdon, Herefordshire 180 hrs (near average)
COL stations sun:
Ludlow 202 hrs (116%)
Alvechurch 226 hrs (135%)
Cosby 236 hrs (131%)
Towcester 264 hrs
